Kolkata: Both Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan, in Kolkata to inaugurate the city’s film festival, appeared to take on the range of attacks against Bollywood and its diversity with their respective speeches on December 15.
Also present on the occasion were Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Governor C. V. Ananda Bose.
“We are positive and alive,” Khan said in his speech before tens of thousands of fans and guests, who had converged at the Netaji Indoor Stadium for the event.
This is being seen as a response to the criticism of his upcoming movie Pathaan. Protests have been staged in various parts of the country, alleging the film’s song ‘Besharam Rang’ has offended people.
“Cinema is the best place to sustain a counter-narrative that speaks to the larger nature of humankind, a narrative that brings to the fore humanity’s intense capacity for compassion, unity and brotherhood,” said Khan, according to The Telegraph.
The superstar also described cinema as a vehicle “for people of different colours, castes and religions to better understand each other”.
While tracing the history of Indian cinema, Bachchan, who declared the 28th edition of KIFF open, described the current brand of historical movies as couched in fictionalised jingoism.
“Since early times there have been many changes in cinema content…from mythological films and socialist cinema to the advent of the angry young man…to the current brand of historicals, couched in fictionalised jingoism, along with moral policing,” the octogenarian actor said.
He added, “The range has kept audiences reflecting on the politics and social concerns” of the times.
The actor also pointed out that even now “questions are being raised on civil liberties and freedom” by Indian cinema.
Speaking of the legendary Satyajit Ray, Bachchan pointed out that his 1989 movie Ganashatru (Enemy of the People) was perhaps an indication of how Ray may have reacted to the current times.
The film highlighted the struggle between religious superstition and medieval prejudices in a doctor’s fight against an epidemic.