KOLKATA: Legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan on Thursday described the current brand of period films as "couched in fictionalised jingoism". It is an unusual statement coming from an actor who is known to refrain from political statements.
"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 said.
Bachchan, in his speech at the 28th Kolkata International Film Festival which he declared open, pointed out that the Indian film industry has always propagated courage and managed to keep an egalitarian spirit alive. He added, "The range has kept audiences reflecting on the politics and social concerns" of the times.
Bachchan in his speech also made another pertinent statement on today's reality, "The 1952 Cinematography Act set out the structure of censorship as it stands today upheld by the film certification board. But even now, ladies and gentlemen, and I am sure my colleagues on stage will agree, questions are being raised on civil liberties and freedom of expression.’’
Speaking on the evolving audience, he said, "Today's viewers are exposed to international content. They have many options. This throws new challenges to our entertainment industry. Let us discover more of that. Let us find new summits to conquer."
Big B, as he is fondly called, also spoke Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak, and Rabindranath Tagore.
The superstar and his wife shared a close relationship with legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray.
Bachchan's 1989 movie 'Ganashatru' (enemy of the people) was "perhaps an indication of how Ray may have reacted to the current times," he said in his speech. 'Ganashatru' highlights the struggle between religious superstition and medieval prejudices in a doctor's fight against an epidemic.
Bachchan also paid tributes to Bengali film doyens Mrinal Sen and Ritwik Ghatak and recalled how their movies touched upon social realities after Independence. "Ritwik Ghatak's birth centenary is in 2025. His films dealt with the ruthless social realities after partition of the country," he said.
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He then quoted Rabindranath Tagore and said Gurudev had penned lines that yearned for a new tomorrow.
Bachchan thanked Kolkata for giving him his first job ( at Bird & Co., a former British-owned firm) and for giving his wife Jaya her first film 'Mahanagar' (The Big City, 1963) directed by Satyajit Ray.
He also said, "I salute you all for the artistic temperament that embraces the essence of plurality, that is what makes Bengal so special.
Meanwhile, Shah Rukh Khan, in his speech during the same event, said, "We haven't been able to meet for a while, but the world is becoming normal now. We are all happy and I am the happiest. And I have no qualms in saying, that no matter what the world does, me and you, and all positive people in the world are ALIVE. Hamare jaise positive log zinda hai," he added. The comments came in the midst of a row created by right-wing outfits and social media trolls over a song in his upcoming film 'Pathaan'.
"Cinema is the best place to sustain a counter-narrative that speaks to the larger nature of humankind," Khan, the guest of honour at KIFF, said.
(With inputs from PTI)