The immense strength of cinema, of the moving visual is perpetual and everlasting.

Prakash ji’s eldest son Sumeet returned from USA this morning and the cremation took place by the afternoon. Abhishek and I attended it, but the behavior of the electronic media at the crematorium was just disgusting. No respect shown for the sensitivity of the occasion. No regard for the moment and no ethics at all in maintaining some decorum for this very private and sombre ritual. All they were interested in was in getting that ‘bite’ or shoving their cameras inches away from your nose, at a moment when one desired peace and quiet. Shameful. But what of some of the mourners, if they can be called that ! They were no less. Pushing and shoving to get a position behind or near about the celebrity, so the cameras can catch them.

I shall not dwell on this anymore ; I may just burst a blood vessel.

The Executive Editor of the MidDay had desired a meeting with me. Other seniors of the organization had met up with Abhishek some days back and since this posting was recent and new, he wanted an opportunity to come across and assure us that there was no deliberate agenda on their part against us as a family. I accept the sincerity in their gesture and spend a sizable portion of the evening discussing media and journalism with him. It was pleasant and reassuring to observe the fourth estate take interest in matters that concern us and surprisingly, even submit to some of the pitfalls that existed in them as well. But my reading of them and their function-ability shall perhaps not undergo severe change. It is the nature of their job as much as it is the nature of our jobs to remain a professional under any circumstance. That is where the differences creep in and we shall never perhaps be in a situation to iron it out.

As I sit in my office later I come across a piece of paper with some very forceful and deliberate words expressed therein. They are from a speech made by the 26th President of the United states of America, Theodore Roosevelt in 1910 at the Sorbonne in Paris -

‘It is not the critic who counts ; not the man who points out how the strong man , or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood ; who strives valiantly ; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming ; but who does actually strive to do the deeds ; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions ; who spends himself in a worthy cause ; who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory or defeat.’

Simply marvelous. One does not need to elaborate any further.

My love to you… and more

Amitabh Bachchan