Bhojpuri actor-singer and BJP MP Manoj Tiwari has said that the credit goes to him for introducing former India cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni to Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan.
Replying to questions from Rajat Sharma in the show 'Aap Ki Adalat' to be telecast tonight again at 10 pm on India TV, Manoj Tiwari narrated the entire incident.
He said: "Yes, the credit goes to me for introducing Dhoni to Amitabh Bachchan. I knew Dhoni since our Ranji Trophy days. We used to share a room in Delhi. Sometimes we used to share a bed, or Dhoni used to sleep on the floor with others. The day, Dhoni attained World No. 1 rating, Amitabh Bachchan was reading a newspaper on the sets. He told me - 'Manoj Bhai, Dhoni Number One Ho Gaya'. I told him, Dhoni is shooting nearby in another Goregaon studio. This was an incident which shows the greatness of both. Amitabh Bachchan told me, let us go and meet him. I rang up Arun who said, Dhoni wants to come himself and meet Bachchan. While we were talking, Dhoni appeared on the sets and greeted Amitabh Bachchan with folded hands. Dhoni Aisey Dhoni Nahin Bantey Hain, Bhaiya. "
Manoj Tiwari said: "The second time when Team India led by Dhoni won the T20 World Cup in 2007 and the entire team went through the roads of Mumbai in a huge procession. I watched them from my home. I began thinking, now it will be difficult to meet Dhoni. After the procession was over by evening, Dhoni came to my home that night at 11.44 pm and stayed for the night. Insaan Aisey Koi Bada Nahin Hota. Main Andar Ki Baat Bata Raha Hoon. Amitabh Bachchan Ho, ya Dhoni Ho, yeh Log Aise Bade Nahi Baney Hain."
The BJP MP and Bhojpuri star narrated another incident in which Amitabh Bachchan personally rang him up to request him to spare two days for shooting in the Bhojpuri movie in which both Bachchan and another Bhojpuri star Ravi Kishan had acted.
Manoj Tiwari said: "I was inducted later in the movie Ganga, in which Ravi Kishan had already completed his shoot. Amitabh Bachchan himself rang me up. That was the biggest day of my life. Amitabh Bachchan told me, 'Manoj, Do Din Ka Samay De Do, Bhaiya'. His make-up artiste Deepak Sawant was making that film. I wondered why Bachchan rang me up. I started thinking in my sleep for the next 10-12 days.
"Let me tell you, nearly 10 years ago, I used to meet Bachchan in my dreams. The day I first met Bachchan on the sets, I watched him transfixed for at least half an hour. In those days, Bhojpuri movies were made on a budget of Rs 1.5 crore and Rs 7-8 crore used to be the profit. Bachchan was acting in the movie for his makeup artiste Deepak Sawant. He was told, if I gave two days for the shoot, the movie will rake in an extra Rs 4-5 crore. For Sawant, Amitabh Bachchan worked without taking money for two to four days. This movie opened the doors of fate for both me and Ravi Kishan," he added.
