Amitabh Bachchan has emphasized that Indian Cinema is one institution which helps to integrate people, regardless of their background. Mr. Bachchan made this statement to a leading Indian newspaper whilst he was at a conference on International Commerce and Management at the University of Mumbai. “Many people have criticized Indian cinema and accused it of various faults and frailties that we have, but I do believe that when we sit inside a cinema hall to watch a film, we never ask the caste, the creed and the colour or the religion of the person who is sitting next to me (us)” said the 70 year old actor.
Indian Cinema, in particular Bollywood, is known for helping to unite not just the Indian community, but also the South Asian community, who are strong patrons of the films which emerge from the country. Mr. Bachchan continued to elaborate on the linkage between Indian Cinema and unity, and had this to say also, “We enjoy the same jokes, we enjoy the same music, we cry at the same emotions and I do feel that there are very few institutions left in this world that can say or claim of this kind of integration that exists inside the cinema hall.” Therefore, I feel that the cinema today is one entity that is left in this world, which under one roof integrates people, rather than divides them, as we can see happening so often and almost every day.”
