The title is derived from a poem written by noted filmmaker and lyricist Gulzar especially for the occasion and the launch of the collaboration will feature the simultaneous broadcast of a video shot around a recitation of the poem. The recitation will be by none other than the 'Big B' himself, i.e. Mr. Amitabh Bachchan.Here is what the Press Trust of India (PTI) has already divulged about the upcoming project, derived mainly it seems from Bachchan's blog (obviously, he is not being bound to the kind of secrecy that is being practised on this side of the border).
Amitabh Bachchan to promote India-Pakistan peace
Updated on Monday, December 28, 2009, 18:29 IST
Mumbai: Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan is collaborating with a media house for a peace campaign to better ties between India and Pakistan.
"Their media and our media will through the medium initiate cross over efforts to hold hands, to exchange views and ideas of how to extend our understanding with each other, to build bridges when all else is falling apart," Big B wrote on his blog.
Bachchan will be seen rendering some lines written by noted lyricist Gulzar in a video as a part of the campaign.
The video depicts a casual atmosphere of a wayside tea stall and thoughts related to our early lives lived in smaller towns.
"The idea of lets get together, unfold a `duree` bring on the `dholak` and sing the songs of community singing. Of flying kites from the roof tops of our homes and inviting each other for a game of `kabaddi`," he added.
The 67-year-old actor hailed the commonness between two countries and advocated a need to build confidence and faith in each other.
"We are now two different countries, India and Pakistan, but our cultures match, as do our food and living habits and our speech. We have been in dispute and rancor on many an occasion and continue to be so, but how wonderful for the media of both the nations to want to start this unique move in building each others confidence and faith in the other," Bachchan wrote.
The Times Of India group plans to launch the campaign from January 1.
Some eyebrows may be raised by the involvement of Bachchan, who despite his recent pronouncements calling for Indo-Pak friendship, has not only acted in decidedly rabid anti-Pakistan films such as Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyo and Deewaar:Let's Bring the Heroes Home, but also has a very cordial relationship with Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray. But that may be splitting hairs - after all there is no bigger iconic figure in Indian cinema (whatever one may think of his films), he has acted in over 180 films, and his politics have never been that of Bal Thackeray's, whose goonda-istic control over Bombay is a reality the people in the entertainment industry there must live with. Furthermore, even if the criticism of Bachchan is not discounted, it's a good thing in my book if he changes course.
In any case, the funniest tangential bit about this piece of news is that Express TV ran a full news report about it - obviously taking the PTI story as a source - probably without realizing that their rival Jang Group was involved. (Note please that the PTI story makes it sound as if the Times of India Group is doing this on its own!) Generally, you never hear of events involving another media group featured on a rival's channels or in their publications (and this is most true of the Jang Group!). And given the diversification of the business interests of media owners, this is becoming really farcical. So, even if done unintentionally, perhaps one should give kudos to the Express TV management. The collaboration certainly deserves to be taken as big news.
As we mentioned earlier, the launch will also feature a joint front-page editorial in both group's publications, setting out the mission statement for the collaboration. In addition, we are also likely to see a survey, conducted on both sides of the border, of the populace's opinions on a number of issues related to relations between the testy neighbours.
Let's see what else is in store.
As far as I can tell, the relationship between Amitabh Bachchan and Bal Thackeray is just one of respect one way and fear the other way.
ReplyDeleteHe cannot risk being too close to Shiv Sena as he has interests in its rival, the Samajwadi Party. He usually avoids speaking publicly about Thackeray or praising him. Atleast I haven't heard him do that.
My question is with this oh so grand initiative being launched will the Jang group now talk about Indian involvement in Balochistan and the tribal areas?
ReplyDeleteNow Kashmir will become a side issue as stated in the joint statement "we will need to reach out and pluck the low hanging fruit in the beginning before we aim higher. trade commerce blah blah will be part of our initial agenda."
WTF! do they really think they can side step Kashmir...and those who do are traitors of this country.
Interestingly enough GEO was the only TV channel which went on and on about the fall of bangladesh (the darkest chapter in Pakistan's history) and in its reports GEO conveniently ignored the role played by India to break up the country...and where they did talk about it it was only dismissively.
and what joint bullshit are they talking about nam tou dhang ka rukh nahai sakay....its a hindi title written by an Indian poet...if its truly a joint effort it shouldve had poets from both Pakistan and India and a less bias name!!!
jang group is a sell out...
I knew it. Just when a really worthwhile initiative comes along, some loony from Pakistan is going to start screaming " Kashmir" and their Indian counterpart is going to go hysterical about " no contacts with the terrorist/mullah state of Pakistan.". The remaining millions of us can then sit back and become hostages to these whackos for another 62 years. I, and a billion and a half others, can't wait so long frankly. The show, and our lives, must go on despite the real issues that divide us. And let's hope we can talk about these contentious issues frankly too instead of dodging them and making them an excuse to do nothing.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if second anonymous comment is from an employee of jang group?
ReplyDeleteThe fact is that however much pakistanis have in common with indians, and no matter how many star plus soaps we consume, or how many ritu kumar outfits we buy - it would be sheer absurdity to forget that pakistanis are unwanted in India, that we will be left on the streets of Mumbai/Delhi to fend for ourselves even by our Indian friends if a terrorist event takes place, and that policymakers and politicians in India despise us. If anyone disagree with this let them name even a handful of pro Pakistan Indians.
At a time when even Obama and foreign leaders have admitted to Indian hanky panky in Afghanistan and Baluchistan, when the Siachin glaciers are being forcibly cut to all but wipe out downstream flows to Pakistans tributeries, and when Indian leaders and newspapers continue to spew venom at Pakistan - is this a time to suddenly go soft on India?
Does anyone really believe that the biggest monopoly in the Pakistani press - the Jang group - is acting out of sheer goodwill?
Yes indeed lets all hold hands together and sing songs and live in lala land.
nice in theory but the real world - especially the one designed by the Jang folks, is not a pretty place.
Somethings just don't happen. This is one of those things. No matter how alike or how different indians and pakistanis are, the roots of hate are deep.
ReplyDeleteWe don't like the Indians and the Indians don't like us.
This is just media propaganda to hog attention.
not hog attention. to become a regional player like the media monarch in bonds tomorrow never dies
ReplyDelete"I knew it. Just when a really worthwhile initiative comes along, some loony from Pakistan is going to start screaming " Kashmir" and their Indian counterpart is going to go hysterical about " no contacts with the terrorist/mullah state of Pakistan.". The remaining millions of us can then sit back and become hostages to these whackos for another 62 years. I, and a billion and a half others, can't wait so long frankly. The show, and our lives, must go on despite the real issues that divide us. And let's hope we can talk about these contentious issues frankly too instead of dodging them and making them an excuse to do nothing."
ReplyDeleteIm really amused by your simple mindedness. While you and your friends are in a hurry to carry on with your lives people in kashmir are suffering immense brutalities and indian sponsored terrorism in balochistan and the tribal areas is creating havoc in this country. So call me loony but i believe solving the kashmir issue and rooting out terrorism from Pakistan takes precedence over trade ties and cultural exchanges with India.
I'm not saying peace with India is a bad thing...by all means we should live and let others live...but there cant be any durable peace until its based on trust and for that important issues like kashmir and indian involvement in balochistan need to be resolved.
Pardon my ignorance, but why must
ReplyDeleteordinary Pakistanis stop "Indian interference in Balochistan" (taken as an unquestioned given) before they dare mention the word peace? And why must normal Indians "stop Pakistan-sponsored terrorism on Indian soil" (taken as an unquestioned given) before they can so much as mention the word peace?
Both of those issues (which are much more complex than they are made out to be by our states) plus Kashmir and Siachen and Sir Creek and water etc etc do divide the two countries.
But do we just stand there holding placards stating and restating our governments' known positions on these issues? Or do we actually try to resolve them?