E-Paper
Big B blogs, says and looks sorry
Superstar Amitabh Bachchan apologised on behalf of his wife Jaya for her alleged anti-Marathi remarks saying his family had no intention to hurt anyone, reports Naresh Kamath. Read Big B's blog | Do you think regionalism rhetoric will harm Mumbai's cosmopolitan image? | Surfers' Response
Superstar Amitabh Bachchan on Wednesday apologised on behalf of his wife Jaya for her alleged anti-Marathi remarks saying his family had no intention to hurt anyone.
“Even if a single person is sentimentally hurt, we express our regrets,” said Bachchan. “She meant no malice and it was a casual remark made at the film function and not at a political event,” he added.
On Wednesday, organisers cancelled the premiere of Bachchan’s The Last Lear after MNS workers allegedly attacked the booking office of Juhu’s PVR multiplex where it was supposed to be held.
Later, at a press conference, Bachchan said his family was ready to face any punishment if they were found guilty in the police probe. “We have not done anything deliberately and our minds are clean. We are ready to face any punishment. I am ready to go to jail."
At the music release of Drona on Saturday, Jaya had remarked that she hailed from Uttar Pradesh and she would speak in Hindi and that the citizens of Mumbai should forgive her for the same.
The Shiv Sena as well as Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) saw red with the MNS threatening a ban on movies featuring anybody from the Bachchan family. MNS workers even blackened posters and burnt Jaya's effigies.
A 'disturbed' Bachchan had even posted a response on his blog to queries from fans on the controversy. "Everything that we possess today is what came to us from this great state and city. We never have and never can look at Maharashtra with disrespect. If inadvertently this is what has been construed, then we ..seek forgiveness," read the post.
The MNS, however, chose not to react on Bachchan's apology. Party spokesman Shirish Parkar said Raj himself would speak on the issue at a press conference on Thursday.
