Mumbai: 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.