MUMBAI: Actor Ansh Bagri, who turned a year older on the same day as legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan, says that he loves his birthday, especially for this reason. “I was always an Amitabh Bachchan fan from childhood and when I got to know that I share my birthday with him, I somehow felt connected to the films. I felt that 11th October is a sign that I have to reach there where Amit ji is there today. This birthday connection is a very big reason to become an actor. My dad and Amitabh Bachchan Ji are the reason for me to become an actor. Thank god that my mom gave me birth on the 11th October. I feel very happy and proud that I get to share my birthday with Amit ji. I would just thank god for it. If there is one actual dream which I want to fulfil, then it is working with Amitabh Bachchan once, be it on TV, in a commercial or anything else. If I get 10-15 mins also with him, I would be so happy to do it, I would talk to him a lot. I hope someday my one and only dream comes true,” he says.

This year, the actor celebrated his birthday with his friends. “My friends gave me a surprise. We went to play games like kids and after that, we went out for dinner. When I get popular someday maybe after that I would love to celebrate my birthday in a grand way but for now, this is good,” he says.

Birthdays have always meant the world to Ansh. “I used to celebrate my birthday very fondly in childhood. I remember when I started realising that it’s my birthday, I was 6 to 7 years old. My brother's birthday is on the 1st of October and my birthday is on the 11th of October, so we would celebrate our birthdays together. I remember so many people would come to our party. One such party was so amazing. It was one of the best birthdays ever. It was a grand birthday for me, we had more happiness those days.  My mom had gifted me a cycle on my birthday, I still remember that day when my mom had actually collected money to buy a cycle for me. It was wonderful,” he says.

For the actor, birthdays mean much more than just gifts. “When I was a kid, we celebrated my birthday for two years but after that, we couldn't do it because of financial issues. So, in those days, I used to feel that I will do something better next year. Now, I just feel that it's just a day which increases your age. I feel that if I am born on this day, then there might be some reason for it. Every 11th of October, I feel that I want to do something meaningful for myself and for others too. Every birthday I feel that I will become a good and successful actor someday. I hope I reach to the destination of which I have dreamt of so that I understand the purpose of my life,” he says.