Abhishek Bachchan is witty, spontaneous and can easily charm you with his chivalry. In an exclusive interview with City Times, the Bollywood star talks about his love and passion for luxury timepieces and that wearing dual watches is a thing. He also shares his mood-board when it comes to films and family time. Edited excerpts from the interaction.

You've had the opportunity to work with incredible directors. Who's been the most influential in shaping your acting style or thought process?

Every director is influential to an actor. The director for an actor is the be all and end all, so for me every director has been special and inspired me in some way or the other. It will not be fair to name anyone.

The current lineup of films has received great acclaim and love from your audience. Are you careful and selective in the kind of projects you pick?

I don't think I am more selective. I have always done films that inspire me. So, I try to pick projects that will resonate with the audience and inspire me as an actor.

Your performance in Ghoomer was a hit. The film has released again in the theatres. Your thoughts?

Director R Balki spoke to me about re-releasing Ghoomer. He wanted to do it in honour of the Indian women's cricket team, which won the World Cup. So, this is our little humble ode to them and their perseverance.

With the rise of OTT (over-the-top or streaming) platforms, the way we consume content has changed dramatically. How do you think this shift has impacted storytelling?

I just feel it's wonderful. We have yet another platform that can showcase talent. OTT and related platforms allow many more actors, directors, writers and technicians the opportunity to fulfill their dreams. So yes, it's a great and positive step.

Do you feel the charm of going to the theatres is fading?

No, not at all. The magic of going to the movies and enjoying big cinema will never go away.

You've spoken about the importance of family in your life. How do you prioritise family time, and what are some of your favourite ways to spend time with loved ones?

When I'm not working, I spend time with my family, which is a rarity because my family is always busy working; so to get them all together in one room is very precious. For me, luxury is having a nice meal at the same table with my entire family.

Looking back on your career, what are some valuable life lessons you'd share?

Never give up. Believe in yourself. Fight the good fight and do what you need to do.

What do luxury timepieces mean to you?

When I first started getting interested in watches, I was in my teens in boarding school in Switzerland, so watches intrigued me. By the time I started acting, it was about having a conversation piece on your wrist. It isn't just about the watch; it's about precision and attention to detail which fascinated me to Omega. This eventually grew into an emotion, so somehow all my watches are associated with very strong memories.

Your dad Amitabh Bachchan is equally passionate about watches.

My love for watches started seeing my dad's passion for watches. Now he doesn't wear two anymore, due to his age. I have inherited that and now I wear two watches as well. When I was kid, we never had dual time zones. When I was studying in Switzerland and my sister used to wear two watches with two different time zones – one with Indian time and one with Swiss time. So now I do that as an ode to Mom (Jaya Bachchan).

So how many do you own?

I own over 40 of them (Omega). Some are gifted, but half of them are bought (laughs).

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