A statement by Mr. Amitabh Bachchan about civil liberties and freedom of expression at the Kolkata film festival became a highlight.
Remarks made by Mr. Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh’s statement shocked the audience at the event for the second time in a row as megastar Shah Rukh Khan, spoke before the Big B, and discussed how social media is frequently fueled by a narrowness of viewpoints that enclose the collective narrative and make it more polarizing and destructive.
They were speaking during the 28th Kolkata International Film Festival’s opening event, held on Thursday, which also featured West Bengal Governor Dr. C. V. Ananda Bose, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, actors Rani Mukerji and Shatrughan Sinha, as well as other prominent members of the Bengali film industry.
Legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan complained against the “narrowness” guiding social media as the issue of free expression and censorship in the film business through the years was raised
“Even now, I’m sure my colleagues on stage would agree, questions are being raised on civil liberties and freedom of expression,” Bachchan remarked, referencing the history of censorship in Indian cinema.
He said, “I’ve discovered that negativity increases social media usage and, consequently, the market value of social media,” such activities confine the common narrative, making it polarising and damaging.”
“I am the happiest out of all of us. And I can declare without hesitation that regardless of what the world does, you and I are both still alive ” he added.
At KIFF 2022, the renowned superstar spoke Bengali with ease. He also expressed gratitude to Kolkata for providing him with his first job. He remarked in his speech, “I thank Kolkata for providing me with my first job.” I salute Kolkata for giving Jaya her debut role in Satyajit Ray’s Mahanagar, but more than anything, I salute Kolkata for having an artistic temperament that values diversity and equality. Bengal is unique because of this. Tokben apnara shobai bhalo.”
Alongside Anupam Kher, Parineeti Chopra, and Boman Irani, Amitabh has recently been seen in the family-friendly film “Uunchai.”. The audience liked the movie, directed by Sooraj Barjatya. His next films include “The Intern” with Deepika Padukone and “Project K” with Prabhas and Deepika Padukone.
The International Film Festival in Goa was overshadowed by the controversy surrounding “The Kashmir files,” therefore Kolkata, a city known for its passionate moviegoers, decided to host its own festival.
SRK views on social media
Shah Rukh Khan discussed how social media is “motivated by the narrowness of viewpoints” while he waits for the premiere of his upcoming movie, “Pathaan.”
Khan’s remarks came in the midst of social media calls for a boycott of “Pathaan” because of the costumes that he and Deepika Padukone wore in the online-released music video for a song.
The emergence of social media platforms and cinema have become the leading forums for expressing human emotions and experiences Contrary to the popular belief that the rise of social media will have a negative impact on cinema, cinema now has an even more important role to play, said Khan. Social media shapes the collective narrative of our times.
Building a better world for the next generation, he argued, required “using the power of cinema as a vehicle for people of diverse ethnicities, colours, castes, and religions to better understand one another.” Through initiatives like KIFF, he explained, “the goal is to create new platforms to dispel long-standing preconceptions.”
