Abhishek Bachchan, Vidya Balan and Balki narrate their experiences of working with the legendary Amitabh Bachchan in Paa

It is a role reversal of sorts on screen with Abhishek Bachchan playing the role of the father and the legendary Amitabh Bachchan, his son. It sounded a little vague in the beginning until the doubts were put to rest at the exclusive preview of Balki’s Paa at the Screen Preview on Thursday. Present at the event were the director of the film, Balki, and the two main protagonists, Abhishek Bachchan and Vidya Balan.

Paa, a film that is based on the life of a patient who suffers from progeria— a condition where you age rather rapidly — is a tribute by Abhishek to his father. “I just wanted to make this film for my Paa,” he says, referring to his dad in real life. When Balki first came to the Bachchans with the script of a father-son relationship, they did not think it was anything unique. “But when Balki told me that I would be playing Amitji’s father I was completely taken aback. It was an opportunity of a lifetime and I must say I enjoyed playing Paa’s Paa,” said Abhishek.

For Balki, who had worked with the Bachchan Sr in Cheeni Kum, his main aim was to get the father-son duo together in a film. “It was then that I read up about progeria, did research and read up on the patients and came up with this script,” says Balki. For Vidya Balan too it was an opportunity to work with India’s greatest actor.

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