At The Penguin Annual lecture, Amitabh Bachchan focussed on female literacy, acid attacks and dowry deaths. Opening a girls school is still on his wish list. He shared how cinema has united the nation and that he would love to play his father in his autobiography. Divya Kaushik reports
We have known him to be politically correct and for flawless play of words.
Amitabh Bachchan does it with impeccable style and smartness that only add to more respondents on his blog list and a million more likes on his Twitter page. Such examples were many and statements in abundance at the recent The Penguin Annual lecture in the city. This year Bachchan was chosen to deliver the lecture which in the past has been given by eminent personalities like Chris Patten, Ramchandra Guha and Dalai lama. He turned up on time, with daughter Shweta Nanda accompanying him very much like an obedient daughter walking two steps behind her father. It took the audience a little while to come out of his spell and take their seats after offering Bachchan a standing ovation. “Think before you speak. Read before you think, Fran lebowitz. libraries will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no libraries, Anne Herbert. And this one is my favourite — Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it is too dark to read, by Groucho Marx,” began Amitabh Bachchan with famous quotes and “without spoiling” it with too many of them, he continued to reveal some family secrets. One of them was, “My father said that his greatest poetry was me. But I don’t know if I am a couplet or a chaupai. Just two days ago it was my his birthday and I have been without him a decade. In his last days he was asked to be shown some Hindi films, may be it was a father’s natural indulgence,” he shared. Moving on further he explained the profound impact of Smriti and Shruti, that represent categories of texts that are used to encapsulate Hindu philosophy. He gave examples of how Indian cinema (he refrained form using the term Bollywood, saying he hates that) stood the test of time and absorbed the Parsis, Jews and many other religions and many languages and they all churned to bring out some good films. “Why is our cinema called escapistIJ” he asked and said that cinema has always shown that for a bad deed a person deserves a worst. “Our cinema has always shown that bad guys come to no good. It respects no national borders, it unites people,” he said. Bachchan tried to connect education, illiteracy, rights, art and cinema. He avoided political references and talked about female foeticide, female illiteracy, dowry deaths and acid attacks. He quoted latest figures and explained how illiteracy among women is the root cause of many issues. He shared, “literacy is the main foundation for growth. It is my dream to build up a girls school, last time I tried I was stopped from doing so, but I still want to do that.” He concluded his speech by his father’s poem, Khoon Ke Chhape, and while reciting he reminded the audience of the historical references made in the poem and translated it into English, where he felt it was necessary. During the discussion post lecture, he was asked about his command over Hindi and English which is tough to find among many young people. “I credit it to the way I was brought up. I had wonderful mix of the East and West. We lived in Allahabad, the city of poetry and literature, then we moved to Delhi so I absorbed this element of Punjabi, then I went to Kolkata. In short there were so many influences. But I agree the younger generation is struggling with languages, Indian, because either they spend time abroad or they do not make an effort. I feel one should know the languages of one’s land,” he said.
He shared how his blog was born out of accident and when he realised that it is a superb medium to stay connected with his fans he made it a habit to write everyday. “It is a wonderful feeling to know people and to communicate with them. I call them my extended family or EF and this EF is all over the universe,” he said.
Sharing his concern on women illiteracy he said that on his popular TV game show, Kaun Banega Crorepati, he comes across several women who are not allowed to study further by their families. He was asked by his fans more than once about his favourite book but he said there are many. Will he want to be a part of any adaptationIJ
“I want to play my father in his autobiography. It will be a tough call, but I will try,” he smiled. There was more to be asked but it was enough for the evening.