Big B, Sircar want national anthem to be played at Indian theatres

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan and filmmaker Shoojit Sircar, whose film "Pink" released on Friday, want the government to make it compulsory to play the Indian national anthem in theatres before the screening of every film.

Recently, actor Harsh Nagar, who is making his film debut with "Love Day", appealed via a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to make it mandatory for theatres to play the national anthem.

Harsh even told IANS that he has requested Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi to take note of the request.

Asked about the same, Amitabh, who was in the capital to promote "Pink", said that this tradition has been going on since a long time.

"During my school and college days in Delhi, when I used to go to theatres, they used to play the national anthem and people there used to stand up when it played. I believe it's still happening in theatres.

"I don't know whether it now happens here (in Delhi). I don't know why it does not happen, but if it happens, then it will be good," said Big B, who plays a lawyer in the film.

Sircar, who has co-produced "Pink" -- a thriller about sexual crimes against women -- echoed the thoughts.

"Whenever I go to a theatre in Mumbai and the national anthem is played... At that moment, I feel proud of myself as an Indian. I tell all my friends from Kolkata and Delhi to watch a film in Mumbai because when the national anthem is played, I can't tell how energetic I feel.

"If the national anthem is played in every theatre, then it will be a happy moment for me."

Amitabh also applauded the initiative by MP Naveen Jindal to urge government to allow common people to hoist the national flag.

"Now even a common man has been allowed to hoist the national flag. Earlier it was only allowed to government officials.

"An MP from here only wanted that to happen and now it has been allowed which is great. I have put a national flag at my house. I really want to know why people don't do it," he added.

Harsh, who was earlier a Taekwondo player and has appeared in various TV commercials, said the reason why he has requested the various state governments to make the national anthem in theatres compulsory is to make today's youth feel proud of being a part of India.

"I was in Thailand earlier for training. There, they used to play their national anthem at various places. Even in India, we used to sing the national anthem at school assemblies.

"But this thing has got restricted there. I want the youth to understand the importance of our national anthem. Also this way, they will feel proud as Indians," Harsh told IANS.

--IANS

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