Imaginary badland

Read your blog (Day 541). You accuse me, at great length, of videotaping an interview I had done (MiD DAY, October 11) without your knowledge

Dear Mr Bachchan,

Read your blog (Day 541). You accuse me, at great length, of videotaping an interview I had done (MiD DAY, October 11) without your knowledge.

If you are to be believed, journalism has achieved a new wonder: doing a "sting" (your word) on one's own legitimate interview!

Moments before we started the interview, I had clearly told you, in front of our photographer Pradeep Dhivar and two unknown gentlemen who also seemed to be videotaping it, that the interview will be recorded both on audio and video.

This the proof: Bollywood Superstar Amitabh Bachchan in his office Janak at Juhu. PIC/ PRADEEP DHIVAR

In fact, the day before the interview, I had specifically requested your secretary Rosy to ask you if I could bring along a photographer and somebody who can videotape the interview. She said it was fine with you.

Either you are lying or I am. I would like to believe it is neither; it's just your memory playing tricks at twilight.

Which is acceptable.

What is not acceptable is loosely accusing a journalist who has learnt journalism the hard way and prides in his integrity of mala fide intention, lying and suchlike. If my intention were to malign you, I wouldn't have spent a considerable amount of my time and energy trying to build bridges with you ignoring your past rants against MiD DAY in your blog, sought an interview and played it up on the front page.

Also, your accusation that what you said was misrepresented is facile because the interview in a pretty straightforward question -and-answer format and all that you said is recorded.

Your feeling of persecution by the media seems to be only deepening. That's sad, because the media can claim to have played at least some part in your stardom and in highlighting your redoubtable talent.

I think in our zeal to be self-righteous, some of us forget to thank the Indian media for exposing corruption and injustice every day, for informing and entertaining us, and for contributing to make our civil society a little different from the non-existent ones in Taliban-occupied lands and North Korea, for instance.

And everybody in the bad, wide media of your imagination is not your enemy. I, for one, remain an admirer of Amitabh Bachchan, the actor.

Warm regards,
Abhijit Majumder
Executive Editor
MiD DAY

abhijit.majumder@mid-day.com.

Follow me on www.twitter.com/abhijitmajumder

Excerpt from Bachchan's blog:
He had placed a small 'sting' camera on the table in front of me, without informing me that the interview was being video taped as well. He never told me that they had a video net facility in operation and that the recorded interview would find a place there.