Media must know that I carry my own camera department at public functions, just so we can counter misuse of the visuals that the, so called professional, media records.

Editing pieces out, putting in back ground music to highlight the version of the story they manufacture, using the wrong expressions, slow motioning shots to accentuate their version, looping it for repeat shots so that a single slap sounds and looks like a hundred, cutting out speeches and using the words out of context from them with male-fide intent … are all indicative of how the medium is being misused. They forget that we have been in the business for over 40 years, we know what cinema and visual shots through the camera are all about, we know how you edit film, we know how sound is placed, we know where back ground music is used to highlight a moment, we know how to sound edit as well and above all we know how we can put and build an entire story by just using some visuals not necessarily having to do anything with the topic of film.

TV is a strong visual medium. It has the capacity to create impressions, sometimes of great lasting effect. My earnest and humble request is that the misuse of a powerful tool is unjust and not within the norms of fair journalism. There can be constructive use of this medium and destructive as well. But destructive use to enhance personal gain is not an acceptable option.

I am nobody to guide or pass judgement or advise how the electronic media should behave or how they need to run their business. But I am a proud citizen of this country and have an equal democratic right to point a mistake, particularly if it personally concerns me and my immediate family.

No one is entirely perfect. Not me certainly. We will make mistakes and we will need to be told when we do. We shall accept criticism in the spirit it is delivered. We shall listen and correct ourselves when error is made. But to be continuously damaged in character through deliberate intent is not fair unbiased journalism.

I have taken up this particular incident because I needed to speak out after exercising great amount of restraint. Many of my blog respondents keep insisting that I should ignore such aberrations and not give them importance by mention. But I am sorry, I will speak. I shall speak because I am confronted with wrong impressions created by the media in the minds of well wishers.

Kareena has grown up in front of me. Our families have known each other, with respect, from the time of her great- grand father, the most respected PrithviRaj Kapoor, father of Shri Raj Kapoor who is the father of Randhir Kapoor her father. Randhir Kapoor’s sister’s son Nikhil Nanda is married to my daughter Shweta. We are therefore ’samdhi’s’, belonging to one family as per our tradition and culture. Kareena’s grand mother, the dignified and loved Krishna ji, wife of Raj Kapoor and mother to Randhir is looked upon by all of us as the eldest living member of the family. PrithviRaj Kapoor, the great theatre and film personality and legend and the founder member of the Kapoor dynasty in Indian Cinema, was a great admirer of my Father. There have been many childhood memories of Allahabad, where I was born and brought up, when PrithiRaj ji would come over to our house and spend time with his theater group, Prithvi Theaters and my Father.

Kareena and all other members of her family and ours have always given due respect to each other, irrespective of what the circumstances may have been, or what circumstances the media keeps harping on in most nauseating fashion. She is a warm and affectionate person and has never ever given reason for us to feel otherwise. It has been disgusting to see the way this particular TV channel went about building a most reprehensible story around her and her attitude towards us.

A couple of days ago they hankered for Abhishek to come over to their studio while he was in Delhi, and speak about his latest release ‘Delhi 6′. After he obliged they edited and cut and pasted words from his interview and made the most obnoxious negative story on him and Aishwarya. No mention of the film for which he was invited to speak about.

In conclusion I have just this to say. We are all very proud members of this great country and very proud members of the fraternity of the Indian Cinema. Through our creativity we reach out to millions and billions of people. Whether this is good for the country or not, Indian Cinema has become synonymous with India and is often referred to as its parallel culture. Members of our fraternity have received great adulation and respect the world over. Many among us have received formal recognition from our own and from foreign Governments and institutions. The Indian Film Industry to me has been one of the greatest symbols and examples of our secular state and perhaps one of the largest propagators of national integration. We are all simple hard working individuals with care and compassion as our intrinsic guidelines for existence. We are also human and prone to error just like any other. We deserve to be treated fairly.

To the media therefore and to those that think despicably of us, kindly treat us with a lot more empathy, warmth and sensitivity. When you dishonor us, when you denigrate us, speak of us disparagingly and with contempt and ridicule, remember that somewhere, you dishonor the billions that love us, remember that you disrespect the respect given to us by National and foreign Institutions and Governments, remember that you attempt to destroy the affection that voluntarily flows out from hundreds of unknown individuals and remember lastly, that when you construct hate and negativity against another, you poison your own inner self with the same malaise.

Do not kill yourself in trying to kill others !

And as I write in remote shooting area in Hyderabad, I learn of the great achievements of our Indian technicians and music directors at the Oscars. My warmest and heartiest congratulations to AR Rehman and Resul for winning recognition in music and sound and to Gulzar for co assisting Rehman in the lyric category. International recognition for Indian film talent on one of the most well known and popular forums is the happiest day for Indians and the Industry. The journey of Indian Cinema has been phenomenal.

May it grow even bigger and greater.

With love and without malice …

Amitabh Bachchan