India�s step children

Aamir Khan comes across as a rank outsider in a country that he professed to be his own till the chips were down

When well known Bollywood actor Aamir Khan quoted Rabindra­nath Tagore and the famous lines about mind being without fear, he would perhaps have had the Nobel laureate turning in his grave.
 For when the poet wrote the poem, India was under the British. Tagore had, through this memorable verse, prayed to God to let the country awaken into freedom: “Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high…Where the mind is led forward by thee/Into ever-widening thought and action/Into that heaven of freedom, my father, let my country awake”.
Tagore wrote this for patriots yearning for freedom. He wrote this for Indians who love their country and would shed blood to free it.
 When Tagore wrote, he had not bargained to be quoted by cowards who, while claiming to be sons of free India, talk about leaving it in the face of adversity: like rats do a sinking ship.
Clearly, they are India’s step- children who ride the bandwagon in good times, reap benefits and milk the system to their advantage. Call them illegitimate if you will.
 Therefore when Tagore’s lines echoed from one such, it was irony in modern times.
 Cine star Aamir Khan took refuge under Tagore when he was in the eye of a storm. Khan is getting battered from all sides for deriding India. There can be little sympathy for him because he inflicted it on himself. He invited the ire of a majority, except those who suck up to him because of his celebrity status.
 Aamir could bloat in the perception that he is one of the three big Khans that rule minds in India: Salman Khan, Shahrukh Khan and Aamir Khan. He could also live in the misconception that whatever he says or does will get him kudos. His past has perhaps proved him right. When he was on television shedding tears on his extremely popular show Satyamev Jayate, gullible Indians lapped it up. They saw a bleeding heart behind the photogenic face that told viewers the state of the state.
 Aamir, in the garb of a hero, took up social issues and often cried on screen as he heard traumatic stories from victims of sexual abuse, rape and domestic violence. For Khan eulogists, he came across as a sensitive man who empathized with the disadvantaged. But to discerning viewers, they were crocodile tears.
 Each time his eyes widened at heart rendering tales, he came across as one playing to the gallery.  But the show was a hit as most soap operas in India are. Even though Satyamev Jayate was designed to launch Aamir as a social crusader, it did not go beyond drama and histrionics.
 Recently, Aamir shocked sane Indians when he quoted his wife Kiran Rao asking him whether they should move out of the country. Kiran, Aamir said, feared for the safety of their children in a climate of insecurity. Rao was referring to the increasing intolerance the nation has faced in recent months.
Khan’s statement triggered a debate with nationalists baying for his blood.  Actor turned politician Shatrughan Sinha was right when he said that Aamir’s blockbuster PK, would not have raked in the millions it did in an intolerant India.
Aamir Khan starrer PK, a Hindi film, ridiculed Gods and godmen. It made fun of them in no uncertain terms. It was none other than yoga guru Baba Ramdev who slammed Aamir for denigrating Hindu culture. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad, RSS’ militant wing, called for a ban on the film. Another Hindu outfit, reportedly lodged an FIR against the makers quoting the film’s dialogue: Jo darta hai vohi mandir jaata hai”. The pre release controversy focused on Aamir posing nearly nude for the film’s poster.  
If politicians like Arvind Kejriwal and Mamata Banerjee patted Khan for his observations, a state unit of the Shiv Sena, BJP’s political ally, declared a prize money for slapping Aamir Khan. Another sent Aamir and his family  tickets to Pakistan.  
 Such was the furore that Aamir had to backtrack. In a clarification that he issued, he stated that neither he nor his wife had any intention of leaving the country: “We never did, and nor would we like to in the future”. Alleging distortion, Khan said: “India is my country, I love it, I feel fortunate for being born here, and this is where I am staying”.
 The statement, more an afterthought, seemed a futile attempt to balm wounds. Blood had already spilled and smeared minds that would live and die in and for India. With Khan’s intended desire to do neither, reduced him to be a self-serving individual:  a rank outsider in a country that he professed to be his own till the chips were down.
 Of course all is not well within India: communalism is staring it in its face; fringe elements are occupying centre-stage and those in positions of power are making irresponsible and provocative statements. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself is perceived to be anti Muslim. The sum total: BJP-RSS combine are working overtime and fast moving towards rechristening India to Hindustan. Therefore, if fears are being expressed or insecurity reigning minds, it is neither misplaced nor exaggerated.   
But does this mean that nationalists, Aamir certainly not one of them, would even consider  leaving the country? An Indian would stand up to the wrongs and if necessary shed blood to set them right.
No government is big enough to drive away patriots. Nor are any of its actions dreadful enough to cow down nationalists. The British could not; neither can Modi’s dictatorial regime.  
It is not important whether Aamir stays in India or not. Neither is it about his wife fretting for the safety of her kin. Were they to pack their bags, it would make little difference. One may lose a celebrity but India would gain from the absence of a rabble-rouser.
The danger is not in what Aamir Khan said or Kiran Rao felt. The danger is in the panic celebrities have the power to create; it is in the passions they are able to fuel and its consequence. It is about sowing seeds of discontent and telling the common man that he is walking on fire.  

The writer is a senior Indian journalist, political commentator and columnist of The Independent. She can be reached at: ([email protected])

India�s step children

Aamir Khan comes across as a rank outsider in a country that he professed to be his own till the chips were down

When well known Bollywood actor Aamir Khan quoted Rabindranath Tagore and the famous lines about mind being without fear, he would perhaps have had the Nobel laureate turning in his grave. For when the poet wrote the poem, India was under the British. Tagore had, through this memorable verse, prayed to God to let the country awaken into freedom: Where the mind is without fear and the head is held highWhere the mind is led forward by thee/Into ever-widening thought and action/Into that heaven of freedom, my father, let my country awake. Tagore wrote this for patriots yearning for freedom. He wrote this for Indians who love their country and would shed blood to free it. When Tagore wrote, he had not bargained to be quoted by cowards who, while claiming to be sons of free India, talk about leaving it in the face of adversity: like rats do a sinking ship. Clearly, they are Indias step- children who ride the bandwagon in good times, reap benefits and milk the system to their advantage. Call them illegitimate if you will. Therefore when Tagores lines echoed from one such, it was irony in modern times. Cine star Aamir Khan took refuge under Tagore when he was in the eye of a storm. Khan is getting battered from all sides for deriding India. There can be little sympathy for him because he inflicted it on himself. He invited the ire of a majority, except those who suck up to him because of his celebrity status. Aamir could bloat in the perception that he is one of the three big Khans that rule minds in India: Salman Khan, Shahrukh Khan and Aamir Khan. He could also live in the misconception that whatever he says or does will get him kudos. His past has perhaps proved him right. When he was on television shedding tears on his extremely popular show Satyamev Jayate, gullible Indians lapped it up. They saw a bleeding heart behind the photogenic face that told viewers the state of the state. Aamir, in the garb of a hero, took up social issues and often cried on screen as he heard traumatic stories from victims of sexual abuse, rape and domestic violence. For Khan eulogists, he came across as a sensitive man who empathized with the disadvantaged. But to discerning viewers, they were crocodile tears. Each time his eyes widened at heart rendering tales, he came across as one playing to the gallery. But the show was a hit as most soap operas in India are. Even though Satyamev Jayate was designed to launch Aamir as a social crusader, it did not go beyond drama and histrionics. Recently, Aamir shocked sane Indians when he quoted his wife Kiran Rao asking him whether they should move out of the country. Kiran, Aamir said, feared for the safety of their children in a climate of insecurity. Rao was referring to the increasing intolerance the nation has faced in recent months. Khans statement triggered a debate with nationalists baying for his blood. Actor turned politician Shatrughan Sinha was right when he said that Aamirs blockbuster PK, would not have raked in the millions it did in an intolerant India. Aamir Khan starrer PK, a Hindi film, ridiculed Gods and godmen. It made fun of them in no uncertain terms. It was none other than yoga guru Baba Ramdev who slammed Aamir for denigrating Hindu culture. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad, RSS militant wing, called for a ban on the film. Another Hindu outfit, reportedly lodged an FIR against the makers quoting the films dialogue: Jo darta hai vohi mandir jaata hai. The pre release controversy focused on Aamir posing nearly nude for the films poster. If politicians like Arvind Kejriwal and Mamata Banerjee patted Khan for his observations, a state unit of the Shiv Sena, BJPs political ally, declared a prize money for slapping Aamir Khan. Another sent Aamir and his family tickets to Pakistan. Such was the furore that Aamir had to backtrack. In a clarification that he issued, he stated that neither he nor his wife had any intention of leaving the country: We never did, and nor would we like to in the future. Alleging distortion, Khan said: India is my country, I love it, I feel fortunate for being born here, and this is where I am staying. The statement, more an afterthought, seemed a futile attempt to balm wounds. Blood had already spilled and smeared minds that would live and die in and for India. With Khans intended desire to do neither, reduced him to be a self-serving individual: a rank outsider in a country that he professed to be his own till the chips were down. Of course all is not well within India: communalism is staring it in its face; fringe elements are occupying centre-stage and those in positions of power are making irresponsible and provocative statements. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself is perceived to be anti Muslim. The sum total: BJP-RSS combine are working overtime and fast moving towards rechristening India to Hindustan. Therefore, if fears are being expressed or insecurity reigning minds, it is neither misplaced nor exaggerated. But does this mean that nationalists, Aamir certainly not one of them, would even consider leaving the country? An Indian would stand up to the wrongs and if necessary shed blood to set them right. No government is big enough to drive away patriots. Nor are any of its actions dreadful enough to cow down nationalists. The British could not; neither can Modis dictatorial regime. It is not important whether Aamir stays in India or not. Neither is it about his wife fretting for the safety of her kin. Were they to pack their bags, it would make little difference. One may lose a celebrity but India would gain from the absence of a rabble-rouser. The danger is not in what Aamir Khan said or Kiran Rao felt. The danger is in the panic celebrities have the power to create; it is in the passions they are able to fuel and its consequence. It is about sowing seeds of discontent and telling the common man that he is walking on fire. The writer is a senior Indian journalist, political commentator and columnist of The Independent. She can be reached at: ([email protected])