No matter how high-profile the guest, no one is welcome on the sets of Ashutosh Gowarikar's period film Jodha Akbar. But the only time the director changed his rules was for Amitabh Bachchan.

Recently, Bachchan visited Gowariker's grand set at Nitin Desai's studio in Karjat on the occasion of the second anniversary for Desai's studio with the who's who of Bollywood in attendance. Gowariker personally went to Bachchan's car to greet him and showed him around the expensive set.

Apparently Ash had been raving about her director's focus and the authenticity of the set to Bachchan. This made him curious enough to want to check it out for himself.

When contacted, Nitin Desai confirmed Bachchan's special dekho of Gowariker's set. "I don't know if Ashutosh sent a special invitation to Mr Bachchan or not, but I too had invited him for the puja. I was celebrating my studio's second anniversary on March 7 and wanted Mr Bachchan to be there.

He is like God to me. In fact, I fixed the date only after Mr Bachchan confirmed his participation. The time of the function was 6.30 pm and Mr Bachchan arrived an hour early to visit the Jodha Akbar set," says Desai.

The sources add that Bachchan was left speechless after seeing the set. Nitin confirms, "Yes, he was very impressed with the set. It took me three months to set up the Jodha Akbar set.

We have recreated the Agra fort, including its three gates. He also saw the Deewan-e-khaas.

He liked every aspect of our detailing and was very pleased. I must also mention that he specifically asked me if he had Ashutosh's permission to visit the set or not, before Ashutosh himself came out to receive him. Mr Bachchan is extremely courteous."

Bachchan hit Desai's grand party subsequently, with Rai, Roshan and Gowariker. Manmohan Shetty, Madhur Bhandarkar, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Anil Kapoor, Feroz Khan, Ketan Mehta, Deepa Sahi, Deepti Naval and Uddhav Thackeray also attended the function. Religious rituals and a display of firecrackers also marked the celebration.

"I always wanted to provide a well-equipped modern studio for the industry, and now I have succeeded. Having worked with virtually everybody, I know what producers and directors need," says Desai, whose studio has become the most happening place in recent times.