A Note for ‘Nishabd’

My granny like all the Indian old-timers is a staunch fan of Amitabh Bachchan. She will never willingly admit an open admiration. But ask her any day, she will vouch for Mr. Bachchans’s acting prowess and his dignified personality.

My granny who is usually completely oblivious of the new movie releases was baffled at a news she had heard other women gossiping. She soon after sought me out to verify the news. She worriedly asked me, “Is it true that Amitabh Bachchcan is acting in a movie where he is lusting after a girl less than his daughter’s age? All the neighbourhood women were criticizing him, that he is tarnishing his reputation by playing such a role in his now senile age.”

!!!

I was not surprised that the neighbourhood women thought so. I was surprised that my granny who never watches these new movies, most probably will not watch this movie, cares enough to ask. I hadn’t yet watched the movie, but I did not want to miss this opportunity to discourse on the cause of freedom of speech. 🙂 I tried to form a suitable response in my mind, something that would be truth yet amenable from my granny’s viewpoint.

“Dadi, this movie maybe just a attempt to project that it sometimes old people do feel attraction toward young people. If anyone wants to simply state a story, they should be able to do it on any subject. Our comments and criticisms should depend on the director’s portrayal. The director may have told his story subtly and honestly without lapping the idea (of old man and teenage girl love)? He may have a useful message, who knows? What’s the harm in making a truthful movie about something that does happen somewhere hither and thither?

And then I flashed my trump card:

“And knowing Amitabh Bachchan, do you think he would do a trashy movie full of objectionable (read steamy sex scenes)?” That did it. I doubt if she will watch the movie. But it was enough to justify the involvement of her (possibly) favorite movie star in any such controversial movie.