An open letter to Mr. Bachchan
Dear Mr. Amitabh Bachchan,
A few days ago, you had written an emotional open letter to your granddaughters. The letter was about what the society thinks of women and how women are disgraced. All the things written in this letter were the same that has been said by all from ages now, all the blames were the same. Nevertheless, I still felt connected to the letter. Things written in this letter were the same things that every girl, every woman thinks, no matter which country she belongs to.
If I had written something on this topic, I do not believe I would have had influenced many people by it. My friends (those whom I know personally and those whom I know on social media) and family might have had agreed with me, but what about those millions of other people?
You are a National Icon Mr. Bachchan. You are famous, well respected and a brand-ambassador of many endorsements. I thought, or believed, this would mean that people would understand you more easily. For example, you became the ambassador for the "Polio free India" campaign, and today, India is a polio free country. So when you wrote the open letter, I thought that would help make the big change this country has been yearning for.
I like you, as an actor, but I am not as inspired by you like others that I would follow you on Twitter or any other social networking site. However, I liked your letter so much that I shared it as much as I could have; I tagged people in it when I posted it, and I told as many people as I could about this letter.
There has been some news flying around for some time now, about how you have told the directors to cut Ashwarya's intimate scenes from her recent and upcoming movies. I had thought of them to be a rumor or maybe as you had said in your letter about how people look at woman in the wrong way; maybe you were being protective about how people might look at Ashwarya because of those scenes.
(A piece from the interview) अमिताभ बच्चन के बताया, "शूजित ने कहा कि क्यों न हम फिल्म के मैसेज को एक खत के रूप में सामने लाएं और क्यों न आप इसे अपनी पोतियों के लिए लिखें. यह एक अच्छा तरीका होगा लोगों को फिल्म की कहानी बताए बिना 'पिंक' के बारे में बताने का." उन्हें लगता है कि इस पत्र ने अपना काम किया.
I was shocked, and somewhat hurt too. Shocked because you are supporting the "Beti badhao, Beti padhao" campaign. Hurt because I was emotionally attached with the letter.
The mental and emotional torture a woman goes through every other day; you are using that and that too for promoting your film. It is truly shameful Mr. Bachchan.
You have been reciting your father's poems all your life, everywhere, on every stage. You have always been reciting dialogs (whether on your own or public demand) everywhere, dialogs that the scriptwriter had written.
Now tell us the truth Mr. Bachchan, who had truly written the script of this letter.
Sincerely,
A woman.
Aah ! What's a post ! Straight from your heart ! I echo your views and thoughts. Despite being a national icon, Mr. AB has done nothing throughout his life but acting whether on the screen or in the real life and utilizing every opportunity and doing everything only to promote his career or his films to be specific. He became a national icon during the seventies because of acquiring the image of a rebellious youth (angry young man) in the reel life but in his real life, he did nothing to correct the unjust or oppressive system and always remained on the side of the defective system being its compliant and supporter only to protect (and further) his interests. This is nothing but hypocrisy. He is a great actor indeed. But his greatness lies in the form of an actor only, neither as a responsible citizen nor as a truthful human-being. I am very much impressed by your expression Manisha Ji. Hats off to you for penning such an honest piece which Mr. Bachchan's words could never be.
ReplyDeleteJitendra Mathur
Thank you, Jitendra, for understanding my point of view. The problem is that people knows what the wrong thing is and yet they do not speak out. Just as they ignore the movies of the actor after one flop, they should also boycott them after they make such statements, then these actors will understand. Mr. Bachchan stepped into politics when Rajeev Gandhi told him to do so. He had close relations with the cunning Amar Singh. He is an opportunist.
DeleteExactly my thoughts, Manisha!
ReplyDeleteA.B. is my favorite since past 40 yrs, but this 'open letter' publicity stunt has disappointed me too:(
An actor is an actor after all..
What he did was not a mistake, but a crime. However, is he really that important for us that most people are ready to ignore this?
DeleteI mentioned him on twitter that why did he remember this girl empowerment when his film on the same topic is coming. I praised his acting skills but as a person with social responsibility he has done not any significant thing for the society.
ReplyDeleteThat was exactly the point I wanted to make.
DeleteEven idols have feet of clay. Thanks for your forthrightness. Very rare quality today.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Tomichan. We can only call him an idol as an actor. We can't/shouldn't make him and many more like him an idol when it comes to social matter and the country.
DeleteThe letter was a publicity stunt indeed... Especially since his grand daughters have been around for a few years now... Especially Navya. Why hasn't this feminist side of AB shown then?
ReplyDeleteBut even if it is a stunt, but people take it to heart... get attached and feel for it like many of his fans did... and do change their attitude towards the women and girls in their family... won't that be a good thing?
I am not defending the promotional aspect of it... I am just saying that hopefully something good will come out of it. That's all we can do... hope that good comes out of these stupid things stars do.
www.aparnamudi.com
This is a topic about which everyone knows and understands. It is common sense to respect and not to abuse someone. A woman's respect and Country's security, these are the things that nobody should use for their own gain. That is all I wanted to say.
DeleteWhen everybody was going gaga over the letter, perhaps, I was the only one person among my friends, social media friends and family, who thought about the incident of marrying Aishwarya with a tree because she was a Mangalik! I then again reminded of his instructions of cutting her intimate scenes...of the kissing scene with Hrithik in Dhoom...and so on.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy that the thought has dawned upon more sensible people via the interview you mentioned.
Thanks for this piece of writing... :-)
When I wrote this open letter, I did not thought it would reach Mr. Bachchan. I just want this letter to reach as many commoners as possible.
DeleteWhen he does a movie like Nishabd then its an artistic work, then it is that the there is no set limit for an artist. However, when Ashwarya does something, it is not allowed.
This shows what his thoughts truly are. He is nothing but an opportunist.
What a great piece of writing! I especially loved the question you asked that who wrote the script of the letter.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post, Manisha.
Thank you liking my work and understanding it, Purba.
Deleteमनीषा जी, बहुत सही कहा आपने। अमिताभ एक बहुत ही अच्छे अभिनेता है, लेकिन समाज के हितों के लिए उनका योगदान नगण्य है। सिर्फ फ़िल्म के प्रमोशन के लिए वे नारी की भावनाओ का दोहन कर सकते है। बहुत सही सवाल कुया है आपने की ख़त किसने लिखा?
ReplyDeleteलोग अपने आपसी रिस्तों में लड़ लेते है, उनकी इमानदारी पर शक करके यह कहते है कि तुम्हारी करनी कथनी में फर्क है, फिर इन फिल्म स्टार को क्यों अपनाआइडियल बनाते है।
Deleteमनीषा जी, बहुत सही कहा आपने। अमिताभ एक बहुत ही अच्छे अभिनेता है, लेकिन समाज के हितों के लिए उनका योगदान नगण्य है। सिर्फ फ़िल्म के प्रमोशन के लिए वे नारी की भावनाओ का दोहन कर सकते है। बहुत सही सवाल कुया है आपने की ख़त किसने लिखा?
ReplyDeleteI got so connected to most of the part of that letter as soon as I read it, and a few days later I understood it was for the film promotion!! Really?
ReplyDeleteI have been a big fan of Mr. Bachchan's personality, I still am but as a matter of fact we all know by now that he is a big time patriarch! He is a professional after all.
If we like someone, but then see them doing something wrong, then we should tell them straightforwardly. Did you tell him through any social media platform that you did not approve of what he did? If so, then it is a good thing and if not then you should do so.
Deletenice article
ReplyDeleteThank you, Manoj
DeleteVery true Manisha. What is out there is not always true. There is always something hidden that may disappoint you. Open letters, personal ones, are not so genuine after all. They are more of exercises of self-definitions, portrayals rather of something they wish to be remembered for....
ReplyDeleteWe know that their tears, fears, anger and action on reel life is not the truth. We know how desperate they are to always stay in highlights in real life. They run from one city to another to promote their movies. Despite knowing it all, how do people connect with them emotionally?
DeleteEvery commoner knows in their heart that they should respect a woman, then why do feel so emotional when a Star says the same thing?