Mumbai (PTI): A self-confessed fan of `Chandamama’ during his growing up years, Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan said that the comic had been his constant childhood companion.

“During my childhood, I was influenced by western comics. But, when my parents introduced me to Chandamama, there was no looking back. I don’t think there is any home in India, where the fabled tales in `Chandamama’ have not been a hit among children,” Amitabh said while launching the 60th anniversary book of ‘Chandamama’ here last night.

“Of course, I don’t get time to read `Chandamama’ now, but I am going to introduce my grandchildren to it. The group’s initiative to venture into internet and radio to reaching out to the children is exemplary,” he added.

Bachchan also paid rich tributes to the professionalism of the founders of the group.

“Not many know that the founder of Chandamama Nagi Reddi started the most prestigious film studios in Chennai. Reddi was a visionary and philantrophist. Whenever, we from the Mumbai film industry, visited the studio in Chennai for our film related work, we were taken aback at the professional manner in which film shootings, post production work was carried out,” he added.

Commenting on the launch of the anniversary book, Chandamama CEO L Subramanyam said, “Amitabh Bachchan was invited to be a part of the anniversary book launch because he ‘reinvented’ himself after the age of 60, just like Chandamama has done.”

He said present day children consume more content which includes mobile, radio, internet and television. It is not just print content.

“We have already started Chandamama on mobile radio, internet, CDs and DVDs. We are now in talks with film studios for television serials and films including animation on Chandamama,” he added.

Subramanyam said Chandamama had the largest collection of 12,000 stories and 25 characters in its library. He cited films like `Baghbaan’ and `Rang de Basanti’ as brilliantly told contemporary stories to imbibe values of respecting parents and patriotism to the youth.

Chandamama editor B Viswanatha Reddi, whose father Nagi Reddi started the magazine in 1947, said its message and objectives are more relevant even today.

“This only redoubles our faith in what the founders had in mind for the society,” he added.

The 196-page glossy special edition has a selection of stories from its earlier issues. The book has some of the earliest memories of ‘Chandamama’ with its letter-press and manual despatch in the form of black and white pictures.

One of the interesting sections in the book is the cover of `Chandamama’, many of which, despite being 50 years, old are still vivid in their depiction and detail. The book will be available in retail stores across India from today.