Nimrat Kaur hails Amitabh Bachchan’s punctuality, work ethic

Nimrat Kaur, a “strong advocate” of punctuality, praised veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan for still being the first one to arrive on sets. “I have done a film with Mr Bachchan. He doesn’t need to be on time, but till today, he is the first one to arrive. This is a big thing in itself. Before actors, light boys, and catering boys come. One may have given up coming on time, but don’t give up. I will always advocate for the value of time. Not just for yourself but for the respect of the other person in front of you,” the actor said on Anupam Kher’s Actor Prepares institute’s YouTube channel.

Intrigued, we asked Delnna Rrajesh, psychotherapist and life coach, to highlight the positives of this quality, and she said that it reflects one’s character. “I often say that successful people do not honour time because they are successful. They become successful because they learn to honour time. While talent may open doors, it is discipline, consistency and reliability that keep those doors open over decades. Punctuality is one of the simplest expressions of self-discipline because it demonstrates that a person can keep promises, not only to others but also to themselves,” she told indianexpress.com.

What makes the senior Bachchan’s example particularly inspiring is that he no longer needs to prove his professionalism. After a career spanning more than five decades, he could easily justify arriving late because of his stature. “Yet he continues to show up prepared and on time. That is what true professionalism looks like. The highest achievers rarely lower their standards after achieving success. Instead, their standards become the very reason their success continues,” said Delnna.

When someone consistently respects another person’s time, they are communicating something much deeper than efficiency. They are saying, ‘I value you. I respect your commitment. I understand that your time is as precious as mine.’ In many ways, punctuality is not a time management skill. It is a relationship skill, expressed Delnna.

Time management matters (Photo: Freepik)

According to Delnna, the most successful individuals are rarely rushing through life. “They plan ahead. They prepare. They anticipate delays. They respect commitments. They understand that arriving on time is often the visible outcome of many invisible habits operating behind the scenes. It reflects planning, prioritisation, emotional regulation and respect for commitments,” described Delnna.

Punctuality also has a profound psychological impact on the person practising it. “Every time we honour a commitment we made to ourselves, whether it is reaching somewhere on time, completing a task or keeping a promise, we strengthen self-trust. Confidence is not built by motivational speeches alone. It is built through repeated evidence that we can rely on ourselves. Every small promise we keep quietly strengthens our self-esteem because our mind begins believing, “If I say I will do something, I usually do,” said Delnna.

There is another lesson hidden in this conversation. “Many people believe discipline disappears once success arrives. In reality, the opposite is often true. Extraordinary people continue doing ordinary things extraordinarily well. They continue preparing. They continue learning. They continue showing respect to colleagues regardless of hierarchy,” shared Delnna.

Story continues below this ad

How can we build this habit?

Punctuality is not an inborn personality trait. “It is a skill that can be developed through small, consistent changes,” said Delnna.

Nimrat Kaur speaks anout time management (Photo: Anupam Kher Actor Prepares/Instagram)

*Plan to arrive ten to fifteen minutes early instead of exactly on time.

*Build buffer time for traffic, unexpected calls and delays instead of assuming everything will go perfectly.

*Prepare clothes, documents and essentials the previous evening whenever possible.

*Treat commitments made to yourself with the same seriousness as commitments made to others.

*Ask yourself whether repeated lateness is actually a symptom of poor planning, people-pleasing, overcommitting or difficulty setting boundaries.

*At the end of each week, reflect on one simple question: “Did my habits show respect for my own time and other people’s time?”

Rather than judging ourselves harshly, it is worth becoming curious about the underlying pattern. Once we understand the reason, lasting change becomes much easier, said Delnna.