‘Hum Jahan Khade ho jaate hain, line wahi se shuru hoti hain’, ‘Rishte me to hum tumhare baap lagte hain, naam hai Shahenshah’, remember the famous dialogue from the movie Kaalia and Shahenshah? I am sure not only most Indians remember it but have memorized these dialogues by heart. Even after so many decades if Big B delivers these dialogues on any forum I am sure that people of this film crazy nation would be mesmerized. Not only people of my father’s generation love him and look upto him even the youngsters adore him. Such is the craze of Amitabh Bacchan that people like to dress like him, walk like him, talk like him, behave like him and be like him.
At a recent launch event in the Gulf region which I personally experienced, Shri Amitabh Bacchan was one of many celebrities called for inauguration amongst other famous South Indian stars such Nagarjuna, Prabhu etc. Despite being in a region dominated by South Indian NRI’s who do not speak the language of Big B (infact many would not have watched his movies but would have known about his persona) and yet to experience the craze, the adulation amongst the crowd for him is another example how this man attracts people across regions irrespective of their language, religion, caste etc. He totally out shadowed his contemporaries from the South Indian film industry in South Indian dominated audience .
But I wonder, why does the vociferous and impactful voice of this great achiever whom millions adore become so feeble when it comes to critical national issues. Why is this great artist silent on speaking on issues which presently is denting national image ? Does this legend prefer to stay mute on such issues due to his disenchantment with the world of politics, so much so that he referred to politics as a ‘Cesspool’ once ? or is he so image conscious that he prefers to be a ‘fence’ sitter? If such an influential person prefers to be a ‘fence sitter’ does this harm the country more than not ?
Why Shri Amitabh Bacchan did not vociferously counter so called liberals, intellectuals and sickular voices during their ‘Intolerant’ campaign ? I am sure one voice of Big B is powerful enough to shut voices of such ‘Agenda driven intellectuals’ who are hell bent to ensure Shri Narendra Modi’s Government is put down at every opportunity even if that is at the stake of denting the National image.
Why Shri Amitabh Bacchan did not clamorously counter those voices which were shouting ‘Bharat ki Barbadi hogi’ ‘Bharat ke tokde hongey’ , when another great artist from the same fraternity Shri Anupam Kher does so ? Why does he not openly say that ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ is a national slogan when the great poet & lyricist Shri Javed Akhtar who scripted Big B’s career through famous dialogues can proudly say that ‘Bharat Mata ki Jay’ it.
Is Big B still worried about his box office collections ? Does he still feel to be in this rat race ? Hasn’t his stature reached a state of ‘Nirvana’ that he cannot be affected by the materialistic pleasures of ‘box office collections’? isn’t he beyond all this now ? Does he think few thousands of fans from millions of them would no longer be fans? Or does he still fear his relationship with the ‘Gandhi’s’ would be estranged ? Is relationship with the ‘Gandhi’s’ more important than taking stand on national issues ?
Such questions often come to my mind as I wonder whether this intelligent man has got confused or is so fearful that he fails to differentiate between ‘Politics’ and taking stand on ‘National issues’ and reminds of his famous dialogue from the movie Mr. Natwarlal – ‘Arre yeh jeena bhi koi jeena hai’?