On Saturday, 19 October, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met several Bollywood actors and filmmakers, including Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan, to discuss initiatives to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. A cultural video based on Gandhi's life, teachings and values featuring eight leading actors was also shown during the interaction at PM Modi's official residence.
Shah Rukh Khan was his usual witty self at the event. He started by saying that Bollywood actors never manage to make time to meet up. “Because of Narendra Modiji and Gandhiji we have reunited as friends. Aamir and I even hugged each other. But I genuinely feel that our parents have taught us a lot of values. However, it is very easy to forget those,” Shah Rukh said.
The actor gave an example of Narendra Modi’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. “We are all aware that we should keep ourselves and our surroundings clean. However, you (PM Modi) reintroduced this concept as Swachhta Abhiyan. Similarly, I believe that Gandhiji should be reloaded. Gandhiji 2.0 is something that we need right now. The world is changing at a rapid pace and we should all think about how to entice the younger generation to understand the things that our parents taught us,” SRK added.
Aamir Khan said that he was inspired by PM Modi’s interaction and open discussion. “It was a really wonderful interaction we had with the Prime Minister today. He was very inspiring, very warm and very deep in what he had to say.”
Shah Rukh also took to Twitter to thank the PM for opening up the conversation.
Kangana Ranaut thanked the Prime Minister for including the voice of the artistes.
“Modi ji is the first Prime Minister who is so inclusive of art and artistes and the film industry. Nobody has recognised the soft power of art and artistes in the country before. From the bottom of my heart and on behalf of the film industry, I thank the Prime Minister,” she said.
Producer Boney Kapoor said, “This government has always been sympathetic to the film industry right from (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee saab’s time when we were recognised as an industry. Since Mr Modi came in, he has made it a point to ensure every glitch is solved instantly.”
Several other members of the film industry, including director Anurag Basu, actor Jackie Shroff and Jacqueline spoke about the initiative.
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