Amitabh Bachchan and Imran Khan epitomised an urbane, defiant modernity in the 1980s. Today, both are regressing into apologist shells of their cultural pasts.
There was a time when two cross-border heroes graced the swooning generations’ bedroom walls and wardrobe doors in India and Pakistan. One was the long-limbed, fast-paced Imran Khan, and the other was the brooding, angry Amitabh Bachchan.
Both showed promise and epitomised an urbane, defiant modernity. Today, both the heroes, in their waning years, are regressing into the apologist shells of their cultural pasts.
The social contract they entered into with their fans in the 1980s now lies tattered. Imran Khan and his motley crew of the opportunistic, the manic and the forbidding are a far cry from the lofty ideals the ‘captain’ had promised us. And the baritone voice now chooses safe silence.
Brand Khan united hearts across borders and destroyed wickets. And Brand Bachchan charmed the subcontinent, defying the hallowed troika of state-family-religion. It was difficult to separate their on-off screen and on-off field personas.
The heroes captured the imagination of people living under the sway of General Zia’s authoritarian rule. In India, Indira Gandhi looked at her election mandate smugly and ruled with an iron fist. Both nations began to grapple with the breakdown of the illusion of singular identity and were beginning to use force to put it back in place.
It was at such a time that Khan and Bachchan allowed us to dream a little in a glum decade. It wasn’t easy for someone living under the increasingly militaristic, right-wing state. The delights of cricket and cinema offered us some respite and shared spaces with the wild ones next-door.
We watched our gods feint and jab, roar aloud and purr; playing us as puppets with their prowess with the willow and leather, celluloid and lights.
The Bachchan of the 70s and 80s was the moral compass with which I navigated my teens in Pakistan. With Sholay, Deewar, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar and Shakti, he taught us to live like a lion for a day.
Khan took a brief sabbatical and returned to captain a World Cup win. He set up the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust and Pakistan was richer for it. Bachchan too stepped away from the lights for a political innings, which was as abbreviated as anyone facing an Imran Khan bowling spell.
Little did we know that there was a new chapter waiting for our two heroes. And, this is where the story begins to spoil.
The year was 1996. Bachchan’s ill-fated tryst with business, Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited was launched, marking the beginning of corporatisation of entertainment. Imran Khan founded a political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Ever since, it has been a mad tumble down the rabbit hole for both the heroes and the nations. Time froze and we have been stationed as permanent features at the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party.
Imran Khan went on like a desi uncle, his angry rants and lectures masquerading as opinion pieces in newspapers. The first target of his rant, as with any moralising messiah, was the agency of women. In the 90s, he wrote for The News about the so-called ‘NGO women’ who, according to him, were choosing the bottle, and dumping their children with unfeeling caregivers so that they could play with Western agendas. VIP culture and brown sahibs were his pet rants.
Every criticism of Bachchan is fended off saying he lost his empire once and had to ask his good friends to bail him out. So just sit down and listen.
The paths of the two (fallen) heroes did cross at a Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust fundraiser, as they enjoyed the music of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. In videos that continue to be shared even today, Khan is seen singing (ironically) Tum Ek Gorakh Dhanda Ho (you are a baffling puzzle). Other than the Divine, was Nusrat nudging us toward gods that were gradually developing their clay feet?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=qdCANGQ305g
So, it is with a heavy heart that we make space for a Bachchan as the pater familias, as he uttered “bus keh diya tou keh diya Nandini” and “Parampara, Pratishtha, Anushasan”.
He wants to be seen as woke and relevant. But he also tells us not to question the government and trust it, and loses his voice when it comes to talking about the rape of a child. I wonder if our beloved Bachchan lies tied up in a villain’s lair somewhere, and an imposter walks amongst us these days.
And on the other side of the border, the surly Khan gains a new wife with each avatar, and the enlightened moderation makes way for a Taliban apologist. This just ain’t cricket, sir.
Nazia Hasan, the teenage disco queen who also united India and Pakistan in the 1980s, sang: Mai Insaan Hoon Farishta Nahi, Darr Hai Behek Na Jaao Kahin. Imran Khan and Amitabh Bachchan were, after all, mere mortals, and became part of the same constricting system they once defied.
Aneela Babar is a gender and cultural studies specialist, and the author of ‘We Are All Revolutionaries Here: Militarism, Political Islam and Gender in Pakistan’.
U cannot compare a born leader whos achievements include winning a world cup, building a cancer hospital and then the same guy goes and forms his own political party which is the most popular in Pakistan…… with a bollywood actor, a highly rated actor but a bollywood actor none the less . Thats just insulting to say the least.
This article is complete bullshit.
Click bait at its best. You want your article to be read add two names one from each country. Whom the people adore and idolise and add some self analysed shortcomings and you have the perfect article to garner views and clicks.
Amitabh Bacchan has never proclaimed to be a social activist or revolutionist and neither can we ask him to be one now. His persona in movies has been mistaken by the author to be similar in real life. That’s where the article falls short. Amitabh Bacchan did try to make a difference but the so called Gandhi’s and Mulayam Singh’s made it real difficult for him to bring something new to Indian politics and since then he has never ever made comments which could malign his persona.
Can he do more .. maybe he can but does he have an obligation to do so. No absolutely not. He is a person who has gained wealth and respect because of his talent and hard work. He does not owe anything to anyone. He is a senior citizen who has seen the lowest of lows and highest of highs in his life. He is well aware of what he needs to do. His family and career are his drivers and as an individual who can write such articles you should respect what he individually decides.
You can not expect other people to be driven by and motivated by what you believe in and are driven by.
Very badly written article and the flow missing
Very apt analysis. That khan has long gone and that bacchan is still fighting the system in some parallel universe. We are left with name sakes. Time for new heroes to rise.
A poor article comparing a living legend with a spent force. AB has become more popular in the past 20 yrs after KBC and today is in more demand in Bollywood than any other star. He is churning out amazing performances year after year and is easily the most popular personality in India. On the other hand the old Pathan has lost credibility with his misplaced sympathy for Taliban and denial of Pak’s hand in terror attacks in India. Finally, India is not tumbling down the rabbit hole. The metaphor may be apt for our neighbour. This article is a pathetic attempt to put India and Pak in the same bracket which they are not. An unbiased person could clearly see that.
Is there any compelling reason for the writer for choosing these personalities for comparison?Sounds absurd.If Big B doesn’t want to comment on certain issues that is his choice for being free citizen of a free country.There are few parallels to His contribution to the Film wold .Imran Khan is not only power hungry but hunger has no bounds.Still he has good opinion about our PM on many issues.
These writers are free to write what they want but still feel their freedom is lost in this country?Other option is to feel free to enjoy the freedom granted by constitution of Pakistan.
Imran is still popular. But a very strong lobby is working against him . He wants to eliminbate corruption, but that is the bread and butter for many. Hence the smear campaigns. But i am sure he will win the next elections.
Amitabh is still the Shahenshah. Look at the movies he is giving. His most creative phase is now on.
He has not fallen from grace. He re-defines himself and stuns us.
His contemporaries are either dead or retired, while he gives a 102 Not Out.
Do you think actors like SRK, Aamir, Salman would work like him at 75..?
Talking about falling from grace..!
poor attempt to bring AB in a bad light. He didn’t speak on the rape case because he never shows fake social sympathy which does nothing on ground. Secondly his movie like Pink if you have seen it was all about this only. Do better research.
This is the kind of flawed, biased, and irresponsible journalism that is taking over in most parts of the world right now. Opinion pieces are fine as long as your opinion isn’t clear garbage.
I think the author had trouble accepting the fact that there are such trashy people in her country as Mr. Khan and had to unnecessarily drag someone from this side of the border to try to enforce a notion of group wrongdoing. This is to expected in this day and age where toxic people like this author cannot do without some kind of identity politics or another.
Comparing Amitabh with Imran is like comparing Wine with Tharra. Has the autgor lost her sense? Amitabh is an inspiration for many things. Be itteaching us how to win even in worst times, be it how to win over your health and age issue, be it how to lead disciplined life to be a consistent winner,…Man he is respected all over the world for what it is…Being an Amitabh Bachchan..The name itself sends sensations…And u r comparing the great bachchan, the man of decaeds with a seasonal stuff? Thoda to aap hosh rakh lete yaar.
What a misleading titled article. Whats the need to bring in Mr. Bachchan in the list of fallen.. If he ever fell , he has risen beyond anyone’s imagination and still going strong. Here author has just put a baseless comparison. Put ur pen to better use.
The views are biased. Why is the author trying to prove that both the gentlemen are failures in life and are nowhere at the moment. The truth is that both have accomplished more than anyone can think of in a lifetime. They are still our heroes !
What a stupid post ..amitabh never fell. He redefined himself. No of movies he is doing at 75..None of the young gen can dream off.
Superbly put. Excellent analysis. Sad but true.
Well-written article, Aneela. Ignore the previous reactionary comments from some of the Indian posters. I am Indian as well but I think Shri Amitabh Bachan has fallen considerably from grace.
He has failed to condemn the Kathua rape and is silent on most social issues. I have lost all respect for Bachchan ever since his name surfaced in the Panama Papers scandal. On the political front, he had betrayed the friendship of Rajiv Gandhi and Mulayam Singh Yadav. Basically, Amitabh isn’t someone I would trust in real life. Yes, he’s still a good actor. I saw Pink (2016) and his performance was riveting. But as a person, he isn’t the best role model to look up to.
Both their views are paternalistic, sexist and relevant to an older generation when all is forgiven if you were a major celebrity. Today even celebrities are accountable for their personal views. Times have changed.
If I had to summarize Amitabh Bachchan and Imran Khan’s modern avatars, here is how I would do it (in both Hindi and Urdu).
दोनो बुड्ढे अपने अपने दौर मे मशहूर थे लेकिन अब ये इनका दौर नहीं है |
دونوں بوڑھے اپنے اپنے دور مے مشہور تھے، لیکن اب یہ انکا دور نہیں ہے
Lagta gai tu moot mahal ka vashinda hai…Dimaag se paidal ..Koi gnd ka andha hai…Aesa jaisa Amitabh ki aukaat taulta kul bhushan kharbanda hai. Fallen from grace…Guptaji how many times u can show courage to repay back every single loan penny while working on bizzare ads of hair oil, tv, agarbatti etc despite of world laughing on u yelling that c the guy who used to b a king is now doing ad for money…He did not bother , did it and repaid loans and is back where he belongs…Numero uno. Losers like u or this author have no eyes no brains…Bus aein mein..Kuch bhi??
He betrayed Rajeev and Mulayam ? Wow. Maybe your history is poor. The fact is that his name was deliberately brought in the bofors scam that’s why he left politics. He contested in election only because of friendship with Mr. Rajeev. And he was not friend with Mulayam but with Amar Singh and friendship is personal thing. Who are us to question
Its ironic that a self-proclaimed feminist from a failing nation(thats also notional) is dishing out fabled comparisons between a classy icon and an utter chauvinist.
Its a comparison between chalk and cheese, the sun and the moon etc etc. Here is a delusional ageing Pakistani cricketer who once ruled the hearts of women with his Casanova image, and the other, an Indian Megastar whose impeccable family image and charismatic persona defies all notions of international, religious, gender and socio-economic boundaries.
One has risen from the ashes to re-invent himself and his image and has become bigger than he ever was- the Amitabh Bachchan, and the other who has churned up his vagabond / playboy/ modernist image to become hardly relevent to his country or its future.
Please, Ms Babar, reign on your rhetoric and find a better comparison for Imran Khan and all the vaining things that he stands for…Amitabh Bachchan doesnt fit into the mould that you painstakingly albiet failingly tried to weave.
Try to write something that engages your Pakistani youth into fruitful activities that refrain them from becoming jehadis that distrupt peace and harmony in our country.
The article is based on hollow assumptions, strictly swaying from original facts and figures. Hate or disrespect for the sake of hate or disrespect is always unwelcome which has been adopted by the author. There is lack of in-depth analysis in the article.
Amitabh bachan has fallen? Stupid post .and idiotic author
Amitabh Bachchan has not fallen ever…Amitabh Bachchan likes never fall…but he has become an Sphinx. Everytime bouncing back with bang after every tragedy in his life. Your article is terrible to compare him with fallen hero Imran. Even at age of 75 he is giving us hits like 102 Not Out, Pink and in fact in ur so called fallen era, he has got highest number of national awards “BLACK, PAA, PINK, THE LAST LEAR, Chini-Kum, Piku” or second highest national decoration: Padma Vibhushan. At this age he has more film offers and people wait for him with new films more than any star of current generation! So please correct your article. The day Amitabh falls, a generation, an era and a civilization will fall too..and that you to me all will know even without any article. It will be not easy to write an article at that time on him. So lost will be the world. He is such a giant and great.
Fondly hoping for resurrection of our both the heroes of 80S whom even our children madly followed.Excellent analysis.
Heroes must perform heroic acts to earn the honorific. These two ageing gentlemen, undoubtedly are famed celebrities. But not known for any acts of heroism except, perhaps, in masala movies. Bachchan turned filmy fame into a brand. He has sold every imaginable product which is possible to sell via cable TV. Khan turned his cricket-derived fame into the chief of an opposition political party.When true heroes fall it is a tragedy. It spurs fear and awe. None applies to these two. For they are the self-propelled products of celebrity obsessed culture of the times.
Grossly unfair to Amitabh Bachan ji. He is the one who paid almost everything of his dues despite his connections , to banks. He is the one who at 75 is still working to earn livelihood. He takes up public causes without crossing sword with politicians of both types / ruling as well SS opposition. He commands respect from public at large for his charecter. May be you feel who ever doesn’t toe your line of dsmning ruling party is one who is weak in charecter. I do not think there is any need to compare Imran khan who too except for his failed marriages has stood the test of time . But really do not know much about him except that his speeches are for corruption free government in his country