The New York Times ran this story - many wondered whether it is is just a sign of South Asia once again captivating the internatioal arena.
What we found of interest was that, it's the Bachchan clan that did the job :-) Interestingly enough, the likening of Bollywood stars to Hindu epic heroes is something Amitabhji himself spoke of at this interview that we were a part of in New York. Until next time - Sumita

Amitabh Bachchan Has a Cold
By ANUPAMA CHOPRA
Published: February 12, 2006
MUMBAI

THE word spread quickly: Amitabh Bachchan was very ill. At 63, Bollywood's most enduring superstar had been keeping an exhausting schedule. He was the busiest actor in the business, shooting films, endorsements and a successful television show one after another. But on Nov. 28, he checked into the Lilavati Hospital here, complaining of abdominal pain.

Tightly wrapped in a shawl, Mr. Bachchan, the only Indian film hero to be immortalized in wax at Madame Tussaud's, suddenly looked haggard. Initial reports suggested food poisoning, but further tests revealed intestinal infection. On Nov. 30, Mr. Bachchan was wheeled into the operating room for surgery.

If what followed was not a full-blown national crisis, it was something close: a near-meltdown in what may be the world's most intense celebrity culture. "Indian style stardom is a semi-divine space," said Arjun Appadurai, John Dewey Professor in the Social Sciences at New School in New York. "Film stars are like the host at a Catholic Mass. Everyone partakes in it."

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