Last saturday, Amitabh Bachchan came out to address a press conference to promote his new (old...actually....the film was launched almost a decade back ) movie Zamaanat. And he gave all the usual answers. Tell him...he is the star of the millenium. He will reply " ye padvi to aap log dete hain. Main to bus kalakar hoon." Tell him....roles are being written for him. He will reply "aisi baat nahi hai. Ye to unka badappan hai ki mujhe aaj bhi kaam mil raha hai." Ask him how is he delivering hits even at this age. He will reply "ye to hota rehta hai. Koi film hit ho jati hai to koi flop." Without doubts, humility can be his middle name.Like millions, I am also big fan of that actor...the grand old man of bollywood...bowled by his acting, charisma,song and dance routine and everything else. But my last interview with him made me realise that this man can be everything but not my icon.
Amidst all controverises, Fanaa released last Friday. Aamir, Aamir and Aamir alone all over...as I switched over all the news channels. My big boss asked why is the industry not supporting him....we should have a news story. So,we did the story with interviews of those counted few who were willing to talk. But when asked Mr Bachchan about the ban on Fanaa in Gujrat, he first tried to avoid the question by saying its not the right place to talk about this issue. We will do it later. Some other senior journos who were at the press conference told me you don't ask Bachchansaab this kind of questions directly. Ask all the sweet ( I guess nonsense too) things first, praise him and his movies and Abhishek again and again and then slowly pop that question. I am always bad at these things. So finally asked him directly again when he was doing one to one interviews. This time he replied. His exact words were "According to Constitution of India, freedom of expression and freedom of speech is there. Everybody has the right to do that. Mr Aamir Khan decided to do this and to equate it with other people's affiliations and emotions is wrong. Likewise people those who oppose him are also guided by same principles. If they do anything wrong then the legal process wil take its own course." I didn't know how to react.
Big B as expected is always politically correct. But why ? This isnt about Abhishek-Aishwarya's kundlis and this isn't about him and Ajitabh too. I asked him again why he is not taking a definite stand ? What is happening in Gujrat, isnt that wrong ? He replied with a stern look "We are going into an area which I am not acclimatised with. I dont know the details beacuse I have been away from all this. I have been recovering. I would prefer if you restrict this interview to Zamanaat only."
I was speechless. This is the man....the superstar of the millenium....the BIG B...the one man industry...the man, whose films inspired an entire generation....the angry young man of the 70's.....sociologists even draw parallel between Vijay's anger and country's anti-emergency protests....the Dev of Govind Nihalani who would be anti-establishment even when he is part of the system. May be I was thinking too much. Nihalani's Dev may move many to give a serious thought to the issue but not the man who portrayed the character. I convinced myself thats what great actors are all about. They portray the characters so convincingly but don't get affected by its emotions.
I kept thinking why a BIG man like him can not take a stand? After going through the ups and downs of life, what has he to loose now? Is he scared that after his comments even Abhishek's films will be banned in Gujrat? Spineless people. All those fights against every kind of corruption, standing up against every villain in their films, delivering all those big dialogues...ha ha ha...its simply about how well you can fake it.
Finally some other biggies from the industry came out to voice their concern against ban of Fanaa in Gujrat. But I simply lost my icon that day. The man who doesn't have the guts to take a stand. I laughed. Just remembered the first line of the article written in that Week magazine about him. It says....His parents wanted to name him Inquilaab but later changed it to Amitabh. I guess somebody must have forseen the future.
About the AuthorSomen Mishra Somen Mishra is Senior Entertainment Correspondent in the Mumbai Bureau of CNN IBN. Starting with Zee Network, he has been chasing the stars, crunchin...Read Morefirst published:May 31, 2006, 13:58 ISTlast updated:May 31, 2006, 13:58 IST
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Like everyday, I was on my way to office. Waiting to board the local train at Andheri station to reach Lower Parel. Looked around and saw the new issue of the newsmagazine The Week at the newspaperstall. 15 Indian Icons, with Amitabh Bachchan and Sania Mirza on the cover. Sania, yes for sure. But Amitabh Bachchan ?? He cant be my icon anymore .
Last saturday, Amitabh Bachchan came out to address a press conference to promote his new (old...actually....the film was launched almost a decade back ) movie Zamaanat. And he gave all the usual answers. Tell him...he is the star of the millenium. He will reply " ye padvi to aap log dete hain. Main to bus kalakar hoon." Tell him....roles are being written for him. He will reply "aisi baat nahi hai. Ye to unka badappan hai ki mujhe aaj bhi kaam mil raha hai." Ask him how is he delivering hits even at this age. He will reply "ye to hota rehta hai. Koi film hit ho jati hai to koi flop." Without doubts, humility can be his middle name.Like millions, I am also big fan of that actor...the grand old man of bollywood...bowled by his acting, charisma,song and dance routine and everything else. But my last interview with him made me realise that this man can be everything but not my icon.
Amidst all controverises, Fanaa released last Friday. Aamir, Aamir and Aamir alone all over...as I switched over all the news channels. My big boss asked why is the industry not supporting him....we should have a news story. So,we did the story with interviews of those counted few who were willing to talk. But when asked Mr Bachchan about the ban on Fanaa in Gujrat, he first tried to avoid the question by saying its not the right place to talk about this issue. We will do it later. Some other senior journos who were at the press conference told me you don't ask Bachchansaab this kind of questions directly. Ask all the sweet ( I guess nonsense too) things first, praise him and his movies and Abhishek again and again and then slowly pop that question. I am always bad at these things. So finally asked him directly again when he was doing one to one interviews. This time he replied. His exact words were "According to Constitution of India, freedom of expression and freedom of speech is there. Everybody has the right to do that. Mr Aamir Khan decided to do this and to equate it with other people's affiliations and emotions is wrong. Likewise people those who oppose him are also guided by same principles. If they do anything wrong then the legal process wil take its own course." I didn't know how to react.
Big B as expected is always politically correct. But why ? This isnt about Abhishek-Aishwarya's kundlis and this isn't about him and Ajitabh too. I asked him again why he is not taking a definite stand ? What is happening in Gujrat, isnt that wrong ? He replied with a stern look "We are going into an area which I am not acclimatised with. I dont know the details beacuse I have been away from all this. I have been recovering. I would prefer if you restrict this interview to Zamanaat only."
I was speechless. This is the man....the superstar of the millenium....the BIG B...the one man industry...the man, whose films inspired an entire generation....the angry young man of the 70's.....sociologists even draw parallel between Vijay's anger and country's anti-emergency protests....the Dev of Govind Nihalani who would be anti-establishment even when he is part of the system. May be I was thinking too much. Nihalani's Dev may move many to give a serious thought to the issue but not the man who portrayed the character. I convinced myself thats what great actors are all about. They portray the characters so convincingly but don't get affected by its emotions.
I kept thinking why a BIG man like him can not take a stand? After going through the ups and downs of life, what has he to loose now? Is he scared that after his comments even Abhishek's films will be banned in Gujrat? Spineless people. All those fights against every kind of corruption, standing up against every villain in their films, delivering all those big dialogues...ha ha ha...its simply about how well you can fake it.
Finally some other biggies from the industry came out to voice their concern against ban of Fanaa in Gujrat. But I simply lost my icon that day. The man who doesn't have the guts to take a stand. I laughed. Just remembered the first line of the article written in that Week magazine about him. It says....His parents wanted to name him Inquilaab but later changed it to Amitabh. I guess somebody must have forseen the future.
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