Be true to your country, budding managers told
LUCKNOW: “If you are not true to your country, you cannot be true to your girl friend.” This was lyricist, music composer and actor Piyush Mishra’s message to IIM-L students here on Friday.
Addressing students at the opening of the 3-day Manfest Varchasva, annual business, cultural and sports festival of IIM Lucknow, Mishra said, “People abroad respect their national anthem a lot.”
Hindustan Times is media partner to the event.
“Overseas, before the start of a football match, the entire stadium stands up to sing the national anthem with passion,” he said. But in India the word nationalism had become a little melodramatic, said Mishra who graduated from the National School of Drama and who has worked in films like Gulaal (2009) and Gangs of Wasseypur (2012).
“Today if you talk about nationalism, you are labelled as a BJP or RSS supporter . I believe you can be a nationalist without being called communal.”
On politicians, Mishra said, “At present there is no other alternative but to support PM Narendra Modi.” Without naming Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, Mishra said the obvious opposition leader was laughable.
When asked about CM Yogi Adityanath, he said, “So far he has not delivered. At least if he had fulfilled his promise of making UP roads pothole free, it would have been a big achievement. I hope he will do better in times to come.”
On students’ demand, he recited his famous poem, “Wo Kaam Bhala Kya Kaam Hua…” amid applause from aspiring managers.
He shared his life story with the students and motivated them to be brave enough to take risks, learn from failures and reach out to new heights.
PADMAVATI ROW
On the controversy around Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film Padmavati, Piyush said he could not understand the hue and cry. Directors took creative liberty while making films and it should not be opposed, he said.