Amitabh Bachchan’s equation with the media in the overall course of his career could easily be used as anecdotal illustration for the phrase ‘love-hate relationship’.In the days of a VCR being the only alternative in case you didn’t want to watch good old Doordarshan, for many years, he was a recluse, perhaps an angry recluse, who wouldn’t speak to any mass media if he could help it.
Today, irrespective of how he feels about something, is silence an option at all anymore for someone in his position? “Well, firstly, I don’t feel that there is any kind of ‘position’ that I have as such ... ” The trademark who-am-I-after-all style comes in rightaway. “The fact is that in the course of these years, the business of entertainment has also become the business of the media. The simple truth is that promotions, marketing, how films are publicised — all that has become very important. The time span of attention of the masses has become very, very small, and the media, therefore, has an important portion in the forming of impressions in that limited timespan. Previously, films used to run for 25 weeks, 50 weeks, 75 weeks ... ”
... .But now the days of golden and platinum jubilees are over? “Yes, they are clearly over. Now the first week is all that matters, sometimes! So we need to go with the times, and in these times, if, in order to promote our ventures, we are needed to increasingly interact and meet people, and the media, I don’t see what is wrong with it.”
He’s made the point in earlier interviews that — at least he feels so — the media has an agenda against him and his family. As he wears the cap of a media baron and lives that role, even if cinematically as of now, does he see things from a perspective that’s any different — does the ‘media’, if there is any such one collective entity, have agendas for or against people? “
It would be wrong for me to mix the two things. One is real, what my actual life is, while the other is a storyline, which is in the realm of fiction, it is someone’s creativity and imagination. And I don’t ever equate these. What I do in a film, what I play in terms of a character, is somebody else’s interpretation, somebody else’s writing. I just play what I am asked to, in order to execute that interpretation.” In other words, he doesn’t see things differently.
For someone who seems to diligently avoid courting controversy, he’s managed to have more than his fair share in recent times. When a movie he’s associated with sees the national anthem subject to creative reworking, isn’t he — willingly and deliberately — expecting to be in the eye of a storm again, this time? He’s quick to remind you that he’s just an actor and to place the responsibility for that where it lies — “That’s something that Ram Gopal Verma will have to deal with. It is his product, his idea, his interpretation. I would assume he has taken whatever precautions are required.”
But will the audience not count him in, by association, on this call? “I don’t think so. In this case, you will need to be more distinct, more pointed, before you make any accusations”.
Can we have his take on how, in retrospect, he sees the media’s handling of three things — the Abhiash wedding, his association with the SP and its leadership, and the campaign Raj Thackeray ran against him? “Hmmm... Well, it’s not really for me to pass judgment on the media. A wedding is a very personal affair, and we decided to do it in as personal a manner as possible. But the entire space of the world doesn’t belong to me. We can’t stop anyone, including the media, from coming and going where they wanted to, and we didn’t. But we did not feel that they needed to invade our personal space. As far as who I am friendly with and why I am friendly with, that is also my personal decision. If the media wishes to do anything or say anything about it, they are free to do so, but I will have the freedom to reject or deny if it is incorrect. The same is the manner with the MNS — it is a democratic country, if people feel strongly about an issue, they have the right to express their views, I have the right to present my side of the picture.”
Anyone looking at a politically incorrect quote from Mr Bachchan can go take a walk. Since that option wasn't there, we continued, and came to political issues instead. During earlier elections, hasn’t he been more upfront about talking about things and endorsing people and parties — maybe not directly in electoral terms, but definitely in terms of extending support and being physically present? Why’s he invisible this time around? Are there any pressures and compulsions? The denial is quick. “No, no, I don’t think that this is right concept, you’re equating things which aren’t really the same. I merely did a campaign because I was asked to do it, because it was Uttar Pradesh. If they had asked me, I would have done it this year as well. Why should there be any compulsions?”
So the MNS’ hostility hasn’t held him back from being more proactively seen supporting Amar/Mulayam and the SP this time around? “No, no, nothing like that. I am not interested in politics, I don’t do politics.”
But hasn’t he, in previous years, addressed large crowds gathered for ‘Blood donation camps'’across UP with Mulayam and Amar on stage, during campaign time? “Blood donation social work hai, political nahin. Social work toh abhi bhi chal raha hai, chaahe woh Maharashtra mein ho ya Uttar Pradesh mein.”
Right. So what’s the political philosophy of Amitabh Bachchan? “My philosophy is to be a good human being.” But surely, you can’t have no political point of view — you would have debates on the correctness of existing political agendas, even at home — after all, Jaya is a sitting MP? “Yes, of course we do, but I wouldn’t want to share those debates publicly.”
Just as you wouldn’t want to share whom you voted for, I guess. Did you step out to vote — the picture the country latched on to — because you believed you must, personally, or to play the role of the role model? “Voting it is my constitutional right, it is my democratic right, it is my birthright. I must exercise it. I voted because I must, and for no other reason.”But you won’t exercise the right to possibly join the political system at any point, even now? “I don’t know politics. I just can’t.”