Shefali Shah Recalls Amitabh Bachchan’s Thoughtful Gestures, Says Her Admiration for Him Has Never Fad

Shefali Shah’s admiration for Amitabh Bachchan goes beyond his stature as one of Indian cinema’s most recognisable stars. In an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Hungama published on October 16, 2026, the actor recalled personal interactions that have stayed with her over the years, from his warm greeting on Kaun Banega Crorepati to the daily messages he sent her while she was recovering from COVID-19.

Shah, who shared screen space with Bachchan in the 2005 family drama Waqt: The Race Against Time, said she continues to feel a sense of awe whenever she meets him. For her, what distinguishes the veteran actor is not simply his screen presence but his ability to remember personal details and maintain relationships through small, thoughtful gestures.

Shefali Shah on why Amitabh Bachchan continues to inspire awe

In the interview, Shah expressed that her admiration for Bachchan has remained unchanged over time. She described feeling the same sense of wonder when meeting him even after years of knowing and working with him.

She also recalled appearing on Kaun Banega Crorepati and being struck by the way Bachchan welcomed her. Shah said a simple greeting from him would have been enough, but his manner made the interaction particularly memorable.

Her recollection highlights a side of celebrity interactions that rarely makes headlines: the importance of making colleagues feel comfortable and valued, regardless of their own experience or standing in the industry.

The daily messages he sent her during COVID-19

One of Shah’s most personal memories concerns the period when she contracted COVID-19. She revealed that Bachchan messaged her every morning for an entire week to check on her.

The regular contact surprised her. Shah initially wondered whether someone had prompted the actor to reach out or whether he was sending similar messages to several people who had contracted the virus.

She discussed the possibility with her husband, filmmaker Vipul Amrutlal Shah, who jokingly suggested that Bachchan might be using a broadcast group to contact people who were ill. When Shefali later mentioned the thought to Bachchan, he responded playfully that Vipul should stay out of their conversation.

The exchange left Shah with a memorable example of the personal warmth she associates with the actor. Her account presents the messages as a gesture that mattered to her, rather than a formal professional courtesy.

Personal letters and memories that have lasted for years

Shah also revealed that she has preserved letters written to her by Bachchan, including messages she received around the births of her children.

According to her account, the actor has a habit of accompanying gifts with personalised notes. She said he remembers details about her children from when they were babies and continues to recall those details when they meet.

For Shah, these memories help explain why her respect for him extends beyond his celebrated career. The letters are tangible reminders of a relationship maintained through personal attention over a long period.

Her recollections also underline a distinction between public fame and private conduct. While audiences know Bachchan through his films and television appearances, Shah’s account focuses on the gestures that colleagues experience away from the screen.

Looking back at Waqt: The Race Against Time

Shah and Bachchan appeared together in Waqt: The Race Against Time, the 2005 Hindi family drama directed by Vipul Amrutlal Shah. The film starred Bachchan as Ishwarchandra Thakur, with Akshay Kumar playing his son, Aditya. Shah portrayed Sumitra, Ishwarchandra’s wife, while Priyanka Chopra Jonas played Aditya’s wife.

The story centres on a father attempting to make his son understand responsibility and the realities of life. Its family relationships gave the cast opportunities to explore generational conflict, affection and the responsibilities that come with adulthood.

For Shah, the film remains an important professional link to Bachchan. Her latest recollections, however, extend well beyond their shared work on the 2005 production, focusing instead on the small interactions that continued to shape her impression of him in later years.

The Celebrity Hour Take

Shefali Shah’s account offers a reminder that professional admiration can deepen through experiences that have little to do with a film’s production or a star’s public image. Her memories of Bachchan centre on consistency: checking in during an illness, remembering details about a colleague’s family and taking the time to write personal letters.

These are Shah’s own recollections, and they should be understood as her perspective on a long-standing professional relationship. What makes the story compelling is its specificity. Rather than relying only on broad praise for Bachchan’s legacy, she describes the individual moments that explain why her admiration has endured.

For readers familiar with Bachchan’s decades-long career, the interview offers a more personal view of the actor through the experiences of a fellow performer who has known him both on set and outside it.