A TRIBUTE TO THE BIG B – ALL THE WAY FROM QATAR! - Jawahir Hamza

This whole write-up has very little to do with the greatest actors I’ve had to witness in my country. This article is about something that brought immense joy to me just by the mention of his name. I’m talking about none other than the great Amitabh Harivansh Bachchan, an actor whom almost every Indian from the galis to the metropolitan, be it a 3 year old or a veteran, adores.

Now let’s leave Bachchanji out of this for a little while and focus the spotlight onto me. C’mon we all love to have some time in the limelight, don’t we? ;)

 I just moved to Qatar a week back, to join a vacancy that was lying in wait for me. My whole part of packing my bags was pretty much easy because I only had two small bags with me. I would say I’m a good packer, a trait that I learned from my dad I guess. The packing part was hilarious to the eyes of both my friends and family because of two factors:  

1.    I only had two small bags (they sort of felt like I was going for a camping trip) &
2.   Mainly because the first things I packed were my pair of football studs, shin guards & the rest of the kit (I believe this is quite enough to convey the fact I am a football crazy guy).

Every onlooker had the same question lurking on their mind; is this guy going to work or going to play football? So, after all the emotional send off from my most loved ones at the airport, I tried clearing my mind of all the gloom of leaving them behind for so long. Damn, I’m going to Qatar!!! 2022 World Cup!!! A football crazy country where the commentator makes it an absolute necessity to scream GOOOAAAAALLLLL!!!!! GOAL! GOAL! GOAL! GOOOAAALLLLL!!!!!!!

Well for those who might be thinking that I might be exaggerating, I honestly am not. YouTube can verify my claims. So I land with all hopes high of finding a green grass laden football field and running across it. Since my place of residence was a little far away from the capital, and with no means of personal transport, finding a place was really difficult. As each day passed my enthusiasm started to decline trying to pacify myself thinking that maybe, it’s not going to happen after all.

Yesterday, I went to have a bite at a burger joint quite close to me. I look across the window, across the road on which Qataris were playing Road Rash in real life, to my amusement I see a football bounce far away in the distant background. “YES!!!”” – I screamed quite loud, to which every customer in the shop had a weird targeted look onto me. Excited, Embarrassed, Ecstatic, I could write down more words but none would describe the intensity of emotions that ran through me. I crossed across the road, ran through the barren sand, reaching a perfectly grass laden ground.

I kept looking at those playing and when I got the eye contact with a guy who looked less intimidating than the rest I asked, Is it fine for me to play? He said, ‘Yes, Yes…”. I ran back and forth to my place, picked up my stuff & reached the ground in 10-15 minutes. With wobbly legs I shove my boots on and played for around 10-15 minutes and the game ended. I came to know that they start early and they asked me to come the next day. Having done nothing much they seemed just okay with me playing.

The next following day, i.e. today when I reach the ground, a lot of people are there to play. Quite doubtful if I can get a place in, I wait for their response. The best of the players here are Africans. A guy comes over to me and in all seriousness asks me, “AVE U PLAAYED FOOTHBALL IN YAR COUNTHRY?*” I nod and then comes the next question comes. “WHEECH COUNTHRY ARR U FRAAM??*” I reply with a humble look on my face, “INDIA”.

“OH MAAI GODH, THEES MAAN FRRAAM “HINDIYA*” (Yes, that’s how they pronounce it). This huge guy whose at least 6’5” tall and has a dominating presence turns all sweet and excited and calls the others and they come together and ask me, “DO YOU KNO’ AMITABH BACHCHAN???”

I’m like… What? (Just what came in my mind, couldn’t express that loud). Hell Yeah!!! I Know Amitabh Bachchan!!! He’s from my country, he’s the best guy, he’s this, he’s that, Sholay to K3G to Bhoothnath-2 all got covered in 20 minutes. They were like still waiting for more to come from me. I ask them where they are from and a couple of them reply, Sudan, another few Ghana and a few notable ones from Nigeria. The guy from Sudan comes over to me and says, “MAI CHEELDREN IN SUDAN JUMP WHEN THEY SEE AMITABH BACHCHAN. THEY LAAV HEEM, YOU MY FREND WILL PLAY IN OUR THEAM.*”

As glad as much as I could be, I felt proud of Bachchan Saab for his everlasting impression on the world of cinema & especially for making these particular people your fans :D.

The game ends in a tie, and on wrapping up, they come by me and take me out for dinner and ask me to come play every day. Waiting for the next day ahead, I wonder if they know of Shahrukh Khan…

*I just love the African accent. I do not intend anything negative in nature to them. So I thought it would be nice to let the readers know exactly how I heard it.