“I knew I had to start from the beginning again. My days as the conventional hero were over. I had two choices. I could either retire. Or I could re-invent myself,” Mr Bachchan recalled in a past interview.

This is where Yash Chopra came in. Bachchan saab had heard that Yash Raj Films was planning a big film called Mohabbatein where there was a role tailormade for Mr Bachchan.

“One morning I woke up and walked over from my home to Yashji’s bungalow. I told him I needed a role since I was jobless. He was gracious enough to immediately offer me a role in Mohabbatein,” said Mr Bachchan.

Mohabbatein started the new phase in Mr Bachchan’s career as a patriarch. The chalk-black hair was abandoned for grey hair and a beard. To this day Bachchan saab credits his current innings as India’s oldest superstar (my description, not his) to Yash Chopra.

“It was a wonderful experience, really. At that age, time and moment of my career I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work in a set-up like this. I really can’t be too concerned about the length of my role, and so on,” Mr B exulted in an interaction after the film’s success.