Media can cover Aishwarya's delivery: Big B

Media can cover Aishwarya's delivery: Big B

After some leading news organisations (Mid Day and TOI) reported that Amitabh Bachchan has requested Information and Broadcasting (I&B) ministry to issue guidelines to Media regarding the coverage of Aishwarya's delivery, Big B on his Twitter page slammed these reports calling them "ridiculous, malicious and completely false allegations."

He thought aloud in a series of tweets on his page:

@SrBachchan: T 551 -HaHa ! Print MidDay asking if I have told I&B Ministry to block media news of Aish delivery ! Absolute rubbish ! Good try MDay !

@SrBachchan: T 551 - I&B and media matter ! Firstly I have no such intention ever, secondly do you really think I&B would listen to me !?? No way baby !

@SrBachchan: T 551 -But more interesting stuff coming in on this topic ! Apparently media has been told by I&B to not have OB Vans outside hospitals !

@SrBachchan: T 551 -That news came to me via a journalist .. so someone putting two and two together and making it Bachchan ... Ha ha ha !!

@SrBachchan: T 551 -But wait ! Yesterday journalist from electronic, sent me sms, which indicated that this decision was from the electronic media ..

@SrBachchan: T 551 - And the message from the journalist of electronic stated : " .. to respect ur family's privacy n women's dignity all tv news networks decided not to follow aishwarya's pregnancy or delivery. Not a single line news till official announcement. No camera's and OBs will be stationed at your place or hospital. Regards .." 

@SrBachchan: T 551 - So who does one believe ? The self proclaimed etiquette and decency of the electronic, or the dictat of the I&B Ministry ???

@SrBachchan: T 551 - BUT ..!! No worries TwXmFt ! Every other day some ridiculous, malicious and completely false allegations are thrown at me ! Smiley !

@SrBachchan: T 551 -Some media took offense to my earlier tweets on the whole I&B matter and OB Vans .. sorted it out .. said sorry, they misunderstood !

@SrBachchan: T 551 - PHEW !! Relieved that media understood what I was saying ..and all is well in the States of the Four !!

While Amitabh Bachchan in his tweets has expressed ignorance about these rules, it is believed that one of his blog postings of a few days ago forced this rethink in the broadcast media. In his November 1 blog post, Bachchan wrote: "The entire day and afternoon has been spent in laughing among ourselves and ROTF (Rolling On the Floor) on the ridiculous time and attention being given in the electronic media on the birthday of Aishwarya...all of which is completely and entirely made up."

Then a document, purportedly from the Broadcast Editors' Association, was being circulated with guidelines for coverage of the birth of Baby B.

Following guidelines were issued:No pre-coverage of the event
Story of birth of the baby to be run only after, and on basis of, official announcement
Story not to run on breaking news band
No camera or OB vans at hospital or any other location related to the story
Go for photo-op or press conference if invited
Not carry any MMS or photo of the child
No astrology show to be done on this issue
No 11.11.11 astro show to be done
The duration of story to be around a minute/ninety seconds
Unauthorised entry into hospital not permitted

But fans, take heart, as you would get a minute by minute report from electronic and all other media about India's most awaited baby!.

News HT

Back home and away from the SunSeaSand and Solitude

Jalsa  , Mumbai                 Nov  7 , 2011                   Mon  8 : 21 PM   

 Back home and away from the SunSeaSand and Solitude .. its more Sublime now, Selective and perhaps Sleepy … ha ha ! never felt the need to think of sleep there, but here even before we land and reach home, the body wants to go to sleep .. fear of circumstances, work, getting occupied … who knows ha !

CNN IBN does a special programme on the KBC success and its effect on the nation and in particular the 5 cr winner Sushil Kumar from Bihar. They speak to me on phone. They are polite and encouraging and appreciative of the game show. I cannot remember when an entire FTN programme was conducted with a game show as its main theme. Times change and its very encouraging to know that KBC could mean so much to the media.

Earlier today had some interesting ‘other’ reactions from the media too. Yesterday a prominent journalist from the electronic media sent an sms to me, saying that the media has taken a voluntary decision to respect the dignity of woman and her pregnancy on Aishwarya and not disturb her and the family and have decided not to place any OB vans ( Outside Broadcast Vans ) outside our house or the hospital that Aishwarya goes to. Not a word will be printed until an official announcement.

Then this afternoon a print media sent a message – ‘have you told the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to stop OB Vans from being anywhere near your house and hospital during the delivery of the baby  ..’

This was of course not true and a lot of nonsense, so I put the PR agency to look after the matter. They came back with the response that they contacted the journalist and told them that the news was wrong and refuted it on my behalf, but also told me that apparently there is news that the I&B Ministry has passed an order stating that the dignity of a patient should be respected and that the placing of OB Vans outside Hospitals be not allowed.

Some media subsequently got upset with both of us – the Ministry and me, and sms’d me on the futility of my story and that they took no orders from the Ministry ! I felt that they had misunderstood the entire episode, so I hastened to clarify that I was never expressing anything that was even remotely derogatory towards them – ‘marna hai kya‘ – and thanked them for their decision to respect the dignity and not intrude on the privacy of our family during the time of the delivery. This calmed them down and all was sorted out in a spirit of good judgement and peaceful harmony. Phew !!!

But I would like to express my gratitude to CNNiBN and to Sagarika Ghose for conducting their FTN show tonight at 10 and lauding the merits of KBC and all that went into the winning of the 5 cr award by Sushil Kumar. I mention this because it is rare for media to speak so glowingly about a game show and that too one being anchored by a certain Amitabh Bachchan !!

All is well that ends well now … until the next mix up … ha ha ha !!

I have sought the DvD of the programme and permission to put it up on the blog for many of you to see ..

Till then its “good night and do take very good care of yourself” ..

Amitabh Bachchan 

It is infectious to be alone and with book and lap top

SSSS , S                      Nov  6 ,  2011                Sat 11 : 45 PM

It is infectious to be alone and with book and lap top. All that one does is write and read and write again. Good enough activity for a break, but it is infectious.

The other of course is compulsive Tv watching … and what is that ailment called when you keep switching channels without purpose ? Well … was victim of that for quite a while in the evening until better sense prevailed … the writing of my Blog ! How could I ever avoid that … and thank the Lord I had not done it till right now, else we would have been sitting well past the night in a state that has never augured well for writing ..

And then there is music .. any kind .. just the placement of the ear phones over the ears, the cutting off of all sound from the external … the melody, the voice in all its clarity, the instrumentation deep and sonorous, lifting the spirits up .. building images, situations in the mind .. situations that want to be transferred to visuals … in films perhaps, on paper, or in the written word … anything ..

“Ahh ! that strain again …” , the sarod or the santoor penetrating your interiors and wanting you to get up to move to emote, to scream in part of a sequence, captured by imagination … why cannot we have it play in our ears when we train our thoughts to an idea or a situation in life … we would I believe be better equipped to react to it… tried it once in a film before the scene, not naming which one … worked when I had the ear phones on, but the moment it came off … back to film acting, the natural rhythm of the heart sailed away …leaving me alone dry and devoid and orphaned almost .. tried to suggest many a time what if we recorded back ground score before the scene and allowed it to be played in our system somehow … the brilliance of technology and the artist mixed together in one moment of brilliance I am certain …what is thing called ‘sur’, or musical tone .. who created it and how did they ever realize that it was the sound of our internals, the heart, the mind the entire being … and why does it have physical with it .. the breaking of glass on those piercing notes, the rain breaking the clouds on that particular ‘raga’, goose bumps internally erupting on human body, the cure for ailments, the revival of beings in suffering, motivation in revolt and revolution, the cheer in that game, motivational in its interpretation … so many facets to it .. astounding !!

Why do we need stimulant or stimulants .. many reveal they devour from the external to activate the senses that lie dormant .. which perform extraneous, that we prevent from exhibiting … it is within us is it not .. you mean a chemical to insinuate it acuse it into performance .. but if it is within activation from the mind would have same effect would it not … use it, tell the mind to ‘bring it on’ .. ha ha … the terminology of the present today and in these times … strange .. ‘bring it on’ … yes better than the external drug … an abuse of the body and … oh so many tragic events that thence follow .. what is it that moves our body involuntarily … that beat, that voice that arrangement .. to breathe, to move beyond our capacity, to be in trance like .. but … that is chemical stimulant no ? … of course not, its the one with similar effect but without the damage, without the illegality, without its ruinous effects, to human and society … take this not that … this is music that is not .. !!!

I know not what I utter .. I propagate much like drug controlled unit, a cleanser … no I do not impose, I implore and reason and argue for it .. thats less sinful than the actual fact .. the practice of rhythm at places of eatery, in restaurants in public spaces for ease of environment … and digestion maybe heh heh ! who knows … the smile it brings on tuneful sound, its relation with all around us … and then the nature and the plants, now a proven phenomena … flowers and plants grow better with sound …

Would peace prevail when in warring situation a melody took over … !! Please let it …

My love .. with the sound of all that brings good ness in my ears .. believe me it works ..

Amitabh Bachchan 

The word ‘mythology’ has been defined by various scholars and dictionaries to mean the following Big B

SSSS , S                       Nov  6 ,  2011                Sun  2 : 32 PM

  A respondent and a member of our Extended Family , Kiran, had posted a matter which was of concern to him/her , and I thought it to be relevant enough to get it investigated. The comment was regarding the putting of questions related to the game show KBC, and of one such genre which was irking Kiran. This is what Kiran had to say -

1. Kiran says:  
2. (kiranparmar2@yahoo.co.uk)
3. November 4,  2011 at 2:58 am  Edit <http://bigb.bigadda.com/wp-admin/comment.php?action=editcomment&c=2389659>  | Delete <http://bigb.bigadda.com/wp-admin/comment.php?action=deletecomment&p=8688&c=2389659&_wpnonce=95dd61e1bd>  
4. MYTHOLOGY  MYTHOLOGY MYTHOLOGY
5.  
6. Is KBC ever  going to stop falsyfying our religion?
7.  
8. MYTHOLOGY  MYTHOLOGY MYTHOLOGY
9.  
10. Are you not  concerned Amitabhji?
11.  
12. MYTHOLOGY  MYTHOLOGY MYTHOLOGY
13.  
14. Do you not  feel shameful when you have to read the questions?
15.  
16. MYTHOLOGY  MYTHOLOGY MYTHOLOGY
17.  
18. Is KBC ever  going to stop falsyfying our religion?
19.  
20. MYTHOLOGY  MYTHOLOGY MYTHOLOGY
21.  
22. Are you not  concerned Amitabhji?
23.  
24. MYTHOLOGY  MYTHOLOGY MYTHOLOGY
25.  
26. 3~’ 

There were two aspects of the above which came to my mind. One that either the questions being put by the ‘computer’ were too mythology centric and that Kiran was uneasy about it, or two, that the questions related to the Hindu religion, were being treated or announced as mythological and not as a religion.

I assumed that the latter was what was disturbing Kiran and so had it investigated.

Kiran, you must first understand that I do not per se put up the questions. The questions are put on the computer by a very proficient team from BigSynergy, the Company that manages this aspect of the game, headed by Siddharth Basu. I merely read them out to the contestant and play along with him, which is the format of the game and which I perform as the anchor of KBC. My job is to act out the game show according to the rules of the format, much like acting out my role in a film that I perform in.

On putting this worry or your reaction to the issue this is what BigSynergy had to say :

 The post on your blog by Kiran Parmar, shows an erroneous understanding of the term mythology, and deliberately sees a debunking of religion where there is none.

A cursory glance at any dictionary or thesaurus would show our usage of the term ‘mythology’ is entirely correct and unexceptionable, which is further always amply clarified in Hindi translation, as “Hindu maanyata”, or “pauranic maanyata”..

Mythology is essentially a term for ancient, religious and traditional narratives. This is clearly distinguished from everyday usage of the term ‘myth’ as ‘false’.

Please see the note below from our research and content team -

The word ‘mythology’ has been defined by various scholars and dictionaries to mean the following:
Mythology – A myth is defined as a sacred narrative explaining how the world and human kind came to be in their present form.. in a very broad form sense, the word can refer to any story originating within traditions”
Hindu mythology – Rather than one consistent, monolithic structure, it is a range of diverse traditions, developed by different sects, people and philosophical schools, which are not necessarily held by all Hindus to be literal accounts of historical events, but are taken to have deeper, often symbolic meaning, and have been given a complex range of interpretations”
www.en.wikipedia.org <http://www.en.wikipedia.org>
Mythology – 1. A body or collection of myths belonging to a people and addressing their origin, history, deities, ancestors, and heroes. 2. The field of scholarship dealing with the systematic collection and study of myths.
ARef: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/mythology<http://www.thefreedictionary.com/mythology>
A· · C. Rajagopalachari in his preface to the Mahabharata says: “ Mythology is an integral part of religion. It is as necessary for religion and national culture as the skin and the skeleton which preserve a fruit with its juice and taste”
· Myth is a sacred narrative explaining how the world and man came to be in their present form.
Ref: Sacred narrative, readings in the theory of myth By Alan Dundes
Devdutt Pattanaik, the author of ‘A Handbook of Hindu Mythology’ defines myth as a ‘truth which is subjective, intuitive, cultural and grounded in faith’.
… in the context of ancient cultures and traditions, myth or mythology is taken to mean a sacred narrative explaining some aspect of the world or man. What differentiates ‘mythology’ from folklore is that the mythological stories are believed to be true in certain religious or cultural traditions.
· Myth- A traditional story concerning the early history of a people or explaining a natural or social fact.
Ref: Oxford Dictionary Thesaurus, P- 589
· It is vital to give a question a particular context, for the sake of greater accuracy, more so when it cannot be ascribed to a single or specific text or source. We use the expression ‘According to Hindu mythology’ or ‘According to the Puranas’ to aid contextualisation eg.
· According to Hindu mythology, which of these is the son of Surya and Chhaya? OR हिंदू पौराणिक मान्यताओं के अनुसार, इनमें से कौन सूर्य और छाया के पुत्र हैं?

As is evident, if we remove the reference to Hindu mythology, it could be any Surya or Chhaya in any work.
Similarly, these questions:
· In Hindu mythology, who is the wife of King Dushyanta and mother of Emperor Bharat? ORहिन्दू पौराणिक मान्यता के अनुसार राजा दुष्यंत की पत्नी और सम्राट भरत की माता कौन थी?

· According to the Puranas, which king was cursed that he would die of a serpent bite? ORपुराणों के अनुसार, किस राजा को यह श्राप मिला था कि उसकी मृत्यु सांप के काटने से होगी?

Where questions can be located to specific texts, we use ‘According to the Mahabharata/Ramayana/ Ramacharitmanas/Bhagavad Purana etc.’· According to the Ramayana, who attempted to stop Ravana from abducting Sita? OR रामायण में, सीता अपहरण के दौरान इनमें से किसने रावण को रोकने की कोशिश की थी?

· According to the Mahabharata, who was reborn as Shikhandi? OR महाभारत के अनुसार किनका पुनर्जन्म शिखंडी के रूप में हुआ था? 

I do hope Kiran that your query has been adequately answered. I have spent some time and space on this because I felt it needed to be explained at length ..

My regards and love …

Amitabh Bachchan 

Wishing all Eid Mubarak

SSSS , S                                                  Nov 5 , 2011                                    Sat  9 : 49 PM

  

Wishing all Eid Mubarak  !!!                               and                          Shabbat Shalom  !!!!

تمام عید مبارک کے خواہاں
عيد مبارك

בברכת שבת שלום לכל

Love and peace … in celebration

Amitabh Bachchan

One of the great benefits of solitude is solitude itself BigB Blog

SSSS , S                      Nov 5, 2011                        Sat 9:01 PM

 One of the great benefits of solitude is solitude itself ! There is so much that goes through the mind when it thinks, that making a start is the biggest hurdle. But, once done, matter just flows.

One of the factors of learning during this season of KBC has been the interaction with the less privileged of course, but more, their outlook on life and their desires. Almost all without doubt wish to be educated further. They lament the fact that lack of funds and therefore opportunity has robbed them of furthering their cause. And I have sat there and wondered, why on earth do all of them opt for this vocation when the world has opened up to so many other. Many of the most brilliant brains have been drop outs in recent times, but have pursued a craft that has either changed the course of history, or made it.

I now believe that whatever they have indulged in has not been wrong. Getting educated, or seeking it in any way has been the wishes of all our elders. ‘Graduate before you think of any other path’ they would insist and I feel that in many ways they were putting us on the right path. Poverty and lack of opportunity has driven most of rural and mid town regions in this country to pursue the course of teaching. The most important element in society, ironically, gives job opportunity at the least pay package. Its ease of function perhaps has made it simpler for those that cannot dream big to at least teach. That line in ‘Aarakshan’ was so apt – ‘why cannot we have an ITS, an Indian Teaching Service, just like the IAS, IFS and the IPS ; Indian Administrative Service, Foreign Service and the Police Service’ ? Those that teach you to compete in the most prestigious services of the country, are the most neglected !!

I dwell on this because during the period of solitude, one spends time and attention to books and words and ideas and thoughts of others, and one finds oneself so inadequate and ill equipped. A shame really, for, we have become so selfishly involved in the furtherance of our respective professions that we have forgotten how much value our basics have provided us with, in what we find glory in today. I do believe that when we shall educate our masses, we shall have better leaders, better politics, better discipline, better creativity and most certainly a better country. If we as a country find ourselves being looked upon by the Western world as the future super power, let me assure you that it is coming from the inevitable belief that when educated, the Indian is hard to beat.

Not all shall have the benefit of the best that exists in the world in education and research and invention. That prerogative still lies with the West. The respect and importance that they have given to create valiant progressive and marvelous institutes, their temples of learning, still attracts the best. But I gather and observe that soon there is a change being generated, where the prominent institutions look to have branch and presence tie ups, with what is available here. This is a welcome step. Many skeptics aver that it is stemming from a need which reeks of commercialism. Okay ! So what ? Is not education one of the biggest businesses here too. Governments at State level are giving large portions of land and loans to encourage, Colleges and learning Institutes to flourish. We now have the unique presence of Educational Cities in the country. Cities are at times known for being the ‘commercial center’, the ‘political center’, the ‘artistic and archeological center’, so what is wrong with one being an ‘educational center’ ??!!

And having spent most of today’s time in advocating the benefits of education, I realize that I have failed to avail most of it myself. So if you shall excuse me for now, I would like to … yes … got it ?? Thank you ..

Good Night and may there be love always among us ..

Amitabh Bachchan 

This has been a long outstanding recognition which I have been trying to acknowledge

SunSandSeaSolitude, Somewhere                    Nov  5, 2011                        Sat 1 : 41 PM

This has been a long outstanding recognition which I have been trying to acknowledge and put up .. I never first got it in the way it should have come and when it came I did not know how to put it up on the blog. I am attempting to do so now -

 

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgsV-oVMtzE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zba1xpOKec&feature=youtube_gdata_player<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zba1xpOKec&feature=youtube_gdata_player>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODaEdegoGUA&feature=youtube_gdata_player<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODaEdegoGUA&feature=youtube_gdata_player> 

To all those involved in the making and the hours of labor and love gone into this may I just say it makes me most proud to know that I have chosen the right word for all … my EXTENDED FAMILY !! Thank you

Amitabh Bachchan

The passion of being by yourself is a trying thought

SunSandSea Solitude , Somewhere              Nov  4, 2011        Fri  11 : 38 PM

 The passion of being by yourself is a trying thought. One labors and wishes it to come, and when it does you wish it not. Strange ! Or maybe just strange for me only. True and justifiable for the moment. I think it provokes your sensibilities, but beyond that nothing more. Which is really not such a big accomplishment.

Silence hurts at times and its hurting now ! ha ha … ironic that it should when all along that is what we want from a busy and undeniably stressful life. Not always of our wanting, but circumstances put us into it.

We wait anxiously for the time when our time shall be without break, when we could pride ourselves in the thought that we have accomplished what we set out to do – get busy, get occupied, get a job ! And when we do and when we overdo, we lament the thought why ? Humans are such a peculiar yet marvelous species.

So I shall read and define what must I do next in film and in further. There are makers that wait for a nod. Strange that they should. It has been a while, a long while now. Surely they must want to seek other. But there is a fire within all along and it must be doused, and so they come with hope and expectation. I shall decide soon, for the Tv stint comes to an end and after that there shall be time for a fairly long period.

Some say be selective, others advise rest and to leave. I advise myself that I need to be occupied. The joy and the thrill of a daily shooting routine is still as infectious and desirable as when we started out. This is good. The day it stops it will melt away the face that reacts to a mirror each morning wondering what contortions it shall endeavor for its oncoming creativity.

Each day at the studio is filled with hope and experiment. Each moment after it is over is filled with material worries – the home, the family friends and acquaintances. Matters of life, of the future of what needs to be done to secure the investments and the financials. Such a boring and unimpressive job this. Never understand a thread of it and yet seeming to look proficient and valued. Such a bluff !!

Would it were to be handled and done for. To not be responsible about it. To leave it to the better judgement of the others and give us the space to be able to do what we enjoy and do the best. But life shall never make it comfortable for us.

I always said of my questions to my Father often on why there was such struggle in life and his assurance that ‘so long as there is life there shall be struggle’.

I chanced upon a book just yesterday written by one of his admirers where he has published all my Father’s letters that he wrote to him. One of them actually answers just what we discuss now about struggle. Such coincidence. He says … ‘ you need to be fortunate that there is struggle in life’

And he stopped there. Never trying to explain or elaborate on it. Genius often does that – leave it for posterity to struggle with it .. !! Such clever minds .. is it not so ..??

My love and more for you …

Amitabh Bachchan

There is need to be with the family and its relatives

Jalsa , Mumbai                 Nov  4/5 ,  2011      Thu/Fri 2 : 05 AM

 There is need to be with the family and its relatives. Relatives bring warmth and togetherness and discussions of valuable time spent together. Of the early years, of growth and of how different we looked. That special moment spent with a loved one and how it all seems so strange now. Old photographs, old locations, new friends, newer situations. Its history running through at rapid speed. Delightful !!

And yes going out shopping again with Jaya to stores that have been seen while driving past but never ventured in. Its incredible to see what changes have been brought out by the new generation. The style and the creativity of presentation. The varied goods that litter the many floors of the facility in a deluge of colors and shapes. Little ones, toddlers and the like being the focus of attention for all that is being screened and listed. In time they shall be occupied, used and happily filled in.

When and as they display, a gentle gush that has never been a correct interpretation of a baby’s talk or expression, come floating out … OOOoooohhh ! Look at that its just adorable is it not ? And what would be the right color to buy, the depth the height and the upholstery all must be in confirmation of the order.

A few autographs and pictures later its back to the grind and home ward bound, sharing what has been deposited with them that sell and the rest on delivery. There is always such a joy in that purchase. The bags shall be borne in soft handling up to your personal space. Perhaps it remains so for some time and then finally the moment of glory, when it shall be opened and admired and acknowledged, placed out in different locations of the house, forming the decoration that makes one ‘house proud’ !!

Shanouk slows down these days. He moves with some labor and snores a lot larger than before. But his sincerity is eternal and his desire to protect those that are of family and remain lodged in a particular spot, as he surveys what the best locations in the house would be for the family to reside and rest, so he could recover and recoup all that he had ever wanted to, remain only most servile and honest and devoted !!

It comes up to the light hours of the morning … and the gym in a couple of hours beckons .. so ..

Good night and early morning ..

Amitabh Bachchan