Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, who was interviewed earlier at an event today (Wednesday 5 June 2013), expressed how upset he was at the death of starlet Jiah Khan's death, shed light on an alleged film with Shah Rukh Khan, and talked about his new fictional TV show.

"I am very sad and also worried. It feels strange to talk about it. Sometimes there are situations when someone gets sad and depressed. They come with dreams and when it is not fulfilled, they give up. I want to say that to end your life like this is not good. I am deeply upset with what has happened with Jiah Khan," said the actor about the young actress, with whom he had worked with in the Ram Gopal  Varma film Nishabd, way back in 2007.

On a slightly different note, the actor was questioned on whether there was any truth to the rumours of him and Shah Rukh Khan appearing in director R.Balki's upcoming film.

"There are talks going on at the moment. R. Balki will only be able to tell you," Bachchan told the media.

On his new TV fiction show, which is directed by Anurag Kashyap:

"I look at this as another chance to connect with audiences," said Bachchan who's been seen before on the small screen.

The show will be produced by the actor's own Saraswati creations and Endemol.

"There are many shows running on TV at the moment but we want to give a different kind of story to this one. We want to put it out there and see the reaction. It is premature to talk about the story right now," continued the legendary actor.

The name of the show has not been decided yet but will star Amitabh Bachchan and will be aired on Sony.

Responding to a question as to how he came on board, Bachchan said that he had been wondering for a while if it would be appropriate to act in a fiction show on TV.

"It has been a long journey. With each enterprise I feel what can be done next. I have been wondering for a while if working in a serial would be appropriate," he said.

The actor, however, added that he had a desire to work with Anurag Kashyap.

"We are in the process of constructing the show. I always had the desire to work with Anurag Kashyap. I am very appreciative of his work," he said.

Bachchan said that a natural pressure comes with every new venture.

"Honestly, we have been working on it for six months which is a long time. Whenever you do something novel there is pressure and anxiety which comes with it. We have had debates, discussions and arguments," he said.

"We have reached a stage where we have found and discovered that this is what we want to make. Everyone is in agreement. Now it is time for us to get down to working," he added. 

Talking about television as a medium, he said he does not want to compare with the west.

"We don't want to compare ourselves with the west. We want to do something individual and get the west to admire it," he said.

Bachchan also added that he kept his decision to come in a fiction show away from his family as well.

"When I was going to do KBC (Kaun Banega Crorepati), everyone said it was a mistake. They said it would reduce by stature. In a couple of months I will be 71, no stature is left now. I want to do what I have not done before. I kept mentioning it to my family but they didn't ask much. I hope they maintain the same protocol," he finished off.

The actor who was recently seen in a cameo in the Hollywood film The Great Gatsby, will next be seen in Prakash Jha's Satyagraha which sees him playing a character based on social activist Anna Hazare. The film releases 23 August 2013.

(Quotes from IANS)