If humility is the hallmark of greatness, Amitabh Bachchan is its brand ambassador. But even this entertainment legend is not immune to pulls of competition and rivalry. With the Shah Rukh Khan-Big B rivalry virtually the subject of prime time debate, Bachchan made light of the suggestion that he faced any challenge when The Times of India caught up with him at the New Delhi residence of his friend, Amar Singh.

How do you evaluate the Big B brand...recent estimates say that with Aishwarya Rai in the family, the B brand is worth no less than Rs 700 crore. How do you see the brand evolving and do you think the brand is enhanced with Aishwarya joining it?

As an economic assessment, I think the value is too less. What you are doing is putting a price on an individual. Human beings cannot be valued in money terms, whether its Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek, Aishwarya or anyone. I don't understand the word "brand" though I understand it's the new commercial lingo.

My value is with my family. I look at Amitabh, Jaya, Abhishek, Aishwarya and Amar Singh as family. I don't believe in the "brand."

Of course, if commerce is involved we are all actors in the business of acting and we will look at this commercially Aishwarya, Abhishek and I.

You faced competition from a 40-year-old Shah Rukh Khan. With the success of Guru , the competition is said to be coming closer home, from 30-year-old Abhishek?

A. I would love to compete with Abhishek. And when we are in front of a camera both Abhishek and I are actors so, in a sense we are competitors. Competition propels and provokes you, that somebody is around the corner. I would like to see Shah Rukh as an inspiration. I want to do better, make better films, so he can copy me.

To move to Abhishek, many said the script was loaded in favour of Hrithik in Dhoom II. Do you regret Abhishek doing the role?

I am happy and proud he did it. It showed his commitment to the script, the film, his relationship with Adi Chopra who had asked him to do the film. Even knowing that his role was miniscule, he did the role to keep the brand Dhoom alive for future episodes. What I did not like was director Sanjay Gadhvi's criticism after the film that Abhishek was finished, a spent force.

I found it very lowly that a director should denigrate his own artiste, his family. If you do not like him, don't work with him. Criticising Abhishek despite knowing that Hrithik had a bigger role was what I did not approve of. What I appreciate is Abhishek stuck around and proved wrong all those cynical about him. That is what he did in Guru.

How do you rate Guru?

It's a great film. There's a technical side and an emotional side. It's an uplifting experience and that is its success. My son-in-law has booked seats for all his staff at Escorts and he reported that afterwards their approach to problems became different. "We can do it, boss," became the refrain. That's good.

Abhishek has been doing many diverse roles lately. Would have have liked to do as many...

I would say I was not as adventurous when I was that age. The decision-making process was very tough you don't know what, where will be appreciated and suddenly Zanjeer happened. And then all started designing films around it because we all fear commercial failure. Also because I was going away from what my family did, I was a sort of pioneer in my field. So I took less risks.

The writers were equally protective, and let's accept it, it worked. Now I am no longer the leading man, I play character roles, I don't affect the outcome of the film. I can take more risks I'm enjoying myself more. Abhishek, on the other hand, is taking more risks; normally he should be just doing Bunty aur Babli and Dhoom.

When is the Abhishek-Ash wedding?

We have no dates yet. The families will decide then we will let you know.

When did you know that a wedding was in the air?

After the New York premiere of Guru, Abhishek called me just before getting on the plane to say he had proposed and Aishwarya had accepted. The premiere in both Toronto and New York was unbelievable. In both cities, the halls chosen only show Hollywood films. But the crowds, the response was very different.