MUMBAI: As the final countdown begins for Indias bitterly fractious polity, IANS cools down the rising temperature by bringing an exclusive Amitabh Bachchan poem — one which says a lot about who we are, what we represent and our continuing struggles in the hurly burly of every day life. It also sums up the seven phase long grind and how both sides of the political divide slogged and slugged it out. May the best man or woman win.
A mirror image of how politicians debased the entire political narrative plumbing hitherto unknown depths indulging in petty name calling, instead of high thing people friendly issues, even as they tried to break free of the clutter by carving a path to the top of the slippery Indian political pyramid.
This poem has been written by R.D. Tailang, the writer on KBC team from Sony, for the opener of the KBC 2018 season. Tailang has been working with Bachchan for years on KBC and has among his credits the screen writer of “Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani” and story writer for 2016 release “Veerappan”.
While Tailang has written the poem, Amitabh Bachchan confirmed to IANS that he himself had recited, sung it and given the music.
The poem — “Kab Tak Rokoge” – was in the news recently when Tailing took to social media saying that his writing was being peddled by the BJP as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s.
“When I wrote this poem to be recited by the host of KBC — Amitabh Bachchan in the last season, l was clear, the poem may be on a show but it is the poem for aam aadmi,” Tailing has posted.
“A poem that he or she can identify with in their daily struggle in life. That aam aadmi be anyone from anywhere and from any sphere of the globe. And if our country’s pradhan sevak identifies with the KBC poem written by another aam aadmi so much so that his party decides to use it for his political campaign…
“But their basic information is totally WRONG… They are claiming it to be originally written in Gujarati by Modiji. This is completely incorrect information… The fact cannot be changed… This poem was, is and will remain a rendition by Bachchan and words by yours truly for all the viewers of KBC…”
“Ab yeh haqeeqat daalne se…
Tum mujhko kab tak rokoge….”
Watch it for the word play in the poetry and hear it for Amitabh Bachchan’s mellifluous baritone as we prepare for the big event tomorrow.
IANS