When the new government took over last year, one of the actors seen visiting the Prime Minister Narendra Modi was Aamir Khan. It had been a surprise to many because Aamir had been part of an anti dam agitation against the Gujarat government when Modi had been its chief minister.
He had been almost a persona non grata in the state after that. So when he called on Modi it was thought that he had also joined the long line of people who wanted to get into the good side of the government.
But events over the last week have shown just how wrong this sentiment was. There has been a great angst among writers and artistes for some time now about what they perceive to be a climate of intolerance, primarily due to communal statements of some people associated with the ruling party. Recently Shah Rukh Khan had spoken about it in an interview. And now Aamir Khan has echoed it.
At a journalism awards function, he was asked about whether felt there was a climate of intolerance and his reply stunned everyone. Not only did he say there was such a climate but that his wife had even asked him whether they should move out of the country.
The next day all the newspapers had it on the front pages and social networking sites were full of opinions that spoke for and against Aamir. Anupam Kher, who is getting a reputation for being the government spokesperson of Bollywood, did a number of tweets questioning Aamir’s statements. These included, ‘Dear @aamir_khan. #SatyamevaJayate u talked about evil practices but gave Hope. So even in ‘Intolerant’ times u need 2 spread Hope not Fear.’, ‘Dear @aamir_khan Presumed country has become #Intolerant. Wat do u suggest 2 millions of Indians? Leave India? Or wait till regime changes?’, ‘Dear @aamir_khan. Did you tell Kiran that you have lived through more worse times in this country & but you never thought of moving out.’, ‘Dear @aamir_khan. Did you ask Kiran which country would she like to move out to? Did you tell her that this country has made you AAMIR KHAN.’.
The issue polarised everyone with people taking one side or the other. Aamir, who had been silent, finally responded to all the criticisms with a public statement that said that those who were attacking him were only proving his point.
He wrote that he had no intention of leaving the country and that whoever was insinuating it was deliberately distorting what he had said. He added, “Secondly, I stand by everything that I have said in my interview.”
A health story
Amitabh Bachchan’s twitter account touched 18 million followers recently. For an actor who is in his 70s that is no mean achievement. And he continues to be an inspiring figure in many ways.
Recently, he took part in a health campaign to create awareness about Hepatitis B and made a startling revelation. His injury in 1982 while shooting for the movie Coolie is well known. The entire country prayed for him and he made a miraculous recovery.
What is not so well known is that he had needed blood and among those transfused into him, one sample was contaminated with the Hepatitis B virus.
They didn’t notice it right away but after many years, Amitabh found that 75 percent of his liver had become damaged and lost. But subsequent treatment had seen to it that he got cured and led a healthy life. He exhorted people to not let fear overcome them and to ensure that they get diagnosed early and take treatment.
Pair strikes again

Tamasha, which stars former lovers Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor, has been getting some decent reviews and, going by the initial audience, it might well become a big hit.
That would be welcome relief to Ranbir who desperately needs a hit to remain in the club of Bollywood’s most wanted actors.
While not all critics were ecstatic about the movie, almost everyone said that Ranbir delivered a great performance. And what is unmistakable in Tamasha is the fantastic screen chemistry between Ranbir and Deepika.
A story that seems almost bordering on art film territory comes together for a mainstream audience purely on the basis of these two actors. They seem, to use a cliché, to be made for each other, at least in movies.
In one interview there was even a question asked about their strange relationship. Deepika replied that she didn’t think it was unnatural, that their friendship had evolved into what it was today and what mattered to them was the work they did.
All that notwithstanding, the success of the pair will be somewhat disturbing for Ranbir’s girlfriend Katrina Kaif. She is trailing Deepika in the race for the leading actress of Bollywood and Ranbir has a good hand in why Deepika is so successful.
But Katrina and Ranbir will also be seen together in a movie. Shooting for Jagga Jasoos is expected to happen in January and the movie will release sometime in the middle of next year.
Meanwhile, given how good they were in Tamasha there will be lots of offers for Ranbir and Deepika to act together again. It must be difficult for him to maintain a balance between current and ex-girlfriend but he is not complaining.

Superhit superstar

No matter what you say about the cheesiness about Sooraj Barjatya’s movies, the box office seems to lap it up. And if it has Salman Khan in it, then it is certain to be a blockbuster.
No one is therefore surprised that Prem Ratan Dhan Payo has done great business. It has raced into the club of movies that have collected Rs200 crore in revenues. It is a very select club but Salman is now almost a permanent member of it.
His two movies of 2015 are the highest grossers of the year, with Bajrangi Bhaijaan even having crossed the Rs 300 crore mark.
The Salman magic has remained undiminished for many years now and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo shows that his audience accepts him in whatever characters he dons — romantic or action.

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