Cinema brings people together, says Amitabh

Cinema doesn’t discriminate and is instead a “great integrator of communities”, feels veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan (right), who was guest of honour at the US Independence Day celebration in Mumbai.

“To me, cinema has always been a great integrator of communities. As I always believe that when we stand at the box office to buy a ticket for a film, we never ask the caste, the creed, or the colour of the person sitting next to us, yet we enjoy the same film. We cry at the same emotion, we laugh at the same comedy scene and we sing the same songs,” Big B said while addressing the audience.

“I have never ever seen any kind of institution, regretfully in today’s times, that can under propagate these princi- ples that cinema does, and I am very proud to be a very small member of this fraternity,” added the 72-year-old actor, who has been entertaining audiences with his movies for over four decades.

Meanwhile, Bachchan was left disgusted by the insensitivity of people who were crowding around him and taking selfies while he attended the cremation of his friend. He said he is disappointed as people “have no respect for the dead and no respect for the living” present there to pay homage.

“My dear friend passed away suddenly ... was chatting and suddenly gone! Fragility of life... Went for the cremation to Delhi... at the cremation, people taking mobile pics and ‘selfies’... DISGUSTING ! They have no respect for the dead and no respect for the living that come to pay their respects for the dead (sic),” Big B shared on his blog.