***
Kuchh der kahin par baith kabhi yeh soch sakoon,
Jo kiya, kaha, maana, usme kya bhala bura
***
It's this sense of failing progressive values that rankles intellectuals like Prabhash Joshi, the grand old doyen of Hindi journalism, who believes Bachchan cannot be regarded as the icon of progressive India. Veterans like Yadav and Joshi are appalled at the distance he has travelled. Says Joshi, "Look at Amitabh's associates and friends—Amar Singh, who you cannot accuse of intellectualism, Anil Ambani and Subroto Roy. No wonder he has so much belief now in astrology and and conservatism. He is doing the tona-totka that even ordinary families don't indulge in these days. Where do you place this Bachchan family now, a family that was once associated with the most powerful, progressive and advanced ideals of Nehru? His grounding in literature, culture and traditions has gone. Amitabh caters to the idea of the new market economy which wants to make reel world into real." Adds veteran Calcutta-based filmmaker Mrinal Sen: "This ritualism of so many temple visits and marrying trees is very ridiculous. It's shocking that a person of Amitabh Bachchan's stature, education and background should be indulging in all this."
Yadav rues that the Bachchans apparently spent crores on the exclusive, event-managed wedding, and did not think of setting up an award in the name of Harivansh Rai to mark the occasion, or initiated some charitable work. Nagarkar says Amitabh, as an icon, could have set a grand example by contributing to Mumbai's development. "What do we make of these grand donations to temples? That he is covering his front and back, but God doesn't give any insurances," laughs Nagarkar. He also laments: "He, the son of a great poet, chooses to perform with his wife to a film song for the sangeet ceremony. The bride and groom danced to Kajra Re! These are now their only reference points. "
The Bachchans have blamed the media for excessive interest in the wedding and everything that went before and after. Media interest, many agree, was decidedly over-the-top, but it was hardly a one-way street. Prahlad Kakkar, adman and Aishwarya Rai's friend, exclaims, "The media made an absolute clown of itself. What kinds of editorial policies push journalists to this?" However, renowned painter Jehangir Sabavala pooh-poohs the privacy argument. "There is such a thing as privacy, but if you really respect your privacy, you would fiercely guard it. Looking at the kind of publicity generated, I can't imagine that the Bachchans weren't party to it. It's all about getting mileage." Adds filmmaker Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, "He says the media intruded on their privacy, but look at the tamasha they indulge in. Look at what happened in Tirupati when they went to visit after the wedding. The temple was closed to the public for some time, causing a lot of disturbance, and inconveniencing so many people."
An icon who once would movingly recite his father's lines from Madhushala perhaps needs a memory recall.
Dharm granth sab jalaa chuki hai,
jiske bheetar ki jwaala
Mandir, masjid, girje sab kuchh
tod chuka jo matwala
Pandit, momin, padariyon ke
phandon ko jo kaat chuka
Kar sakti hai aaj usi ka,
swaagat meri Madhushala.
Loosely translated:
(One whose inner fire has burnt all holybooks/
One who has demolished all religious places—temple, mosque or church/
One who has cut himself free of the clutches of the pandit, imam and priest/
He alone is today welcome in my Madhushala.)
