Media is now divided into two sections. There are many who are intrinsically liberal. And then there are those few who are passionately nationalist. Since 1990’s when television channels broke state monopoly, majority of them are Lutyen based and influenced. During such polarization, something like the Republic stand out with their coverage and nationalist fervor.
When it comes to the entertainment segment, I always believe it is somewhere like the media divided with invisible demarcations. There are actors and stars who fit into this liberal mindset and will always raise issues. The spotlight will be on them and many times issues they highlight have no background or substance. When SRK or for that matter Aamir Khan raised intolerance, they certainly have the right to express what they feel. The point is any superstar also harbors a responsibility as their opinions can profoundly influence and shape perspectives.
And then there are those stars that step up and act. Their actions of rising to the occasion especially pertaining to nationalism are that marked difference they will display. Perhaps they will not express a word or a comment but set an example by nourishing with their large-hearted kindness. That also will reflect their selfless love for the nation which is the biggest contra distinctive point of them all.
As I mentioned above, a few stray incidents were enough for many liberal stars to question efficacy of governance here. But when CRPF jawans were inhumanly killed by the Maoist terrorists in Sukma, somebody like SRK or for that matter Shabana Azmi were hibernating into a studded silence. This is where the likes of Akshay Kumar, Gautam Gambhir and Vivek Oberoi came into the picture.
Akshay Kumar was almost in tears when he launched ‘Bharat Ke Veer’.
It is an application and web portal which will cater to donating for the families of the armed and paramilitary forces. According to Akshay Kumar, he obtained this idea after watching a documentary and wanted to fulfill this little dream. He also profusely thanked the government to have promptly helped him achieving the same. Akshay Kumar had also donated 1.08 crores to the families of the martyred jawans in Sukma on March 11, 2017. Akshay Kumar has often been vocal about his regard for the army men. He even had met BSF soldiers and paid tributes to all those who had lost their lives in cease fire violations. Kumar was honored with a National award for the movie, Rustom where he plays a patriotic naval officer. His patriotic fervor on the screen is matched by his selfless service to the armed forces off the screen.
‘’The quantum of losing a dear one while serving the nation can never be compared to cricket’’ said Gautam Gambhir.
Liberals may call him a failed cricketer sarcastically, but Gautam Gambhir has proved his mettle on the field.
Off the field, Gambhir sort of proved you don’t have to be elected as a Rajya Sabha MP and remain absent to serve the society. Gambhir has pledged to help and bear the expenses of all the children of CRPF men who were martyred in recent ambush at Sukma. He made this announcement to add that the Gautam Gambhir foundation would serve this initiative and steps were already taken for the same. Gautam Gambhir expressed horror after seeing newspaper pictures of grieving daughters of CRPF men killed in the ghastly Sukma attack and promptly made up his mind to contribute towards their education. Not only that, he also ensured that Kolkata Knight Rider players wear black arm bands as a mark of respect to the slain CRPF men.
People may perhaps remember Vivek Oberoi when he infamously destroyed his career after taking jibes in a press conference against Salman Khan.
Nevertheless, recently he donated 25 flats to families of CRPF martyrs. In a philanthropic gesture, he allotted and reserved flats constructed by his company, Karrm Infrastructures Pvt Ltd at their Thane project. A CRPF officer said that four flats have already been allotted and remaining 21 will be in due course handed over to the families of CRPF men. The flats are a part of two buildings in Thane named as Karrm Residency and Karrm Panchtatava. Instead of raising a fictional bogey of intolerance or covering up a hit and run, Vivek Oberoi was more than just ‘being human’
We all know celebrities expressing opinions which are welcome. However, we also harbor a few more stars that set an example by their actions. Their work does the talking and they become role models in the real sense of the term on screen and off screen. The nation is lucky to have examples of these three nationalist musketeers in doing service to the nation. Perhaps you need not be in politics, you need not become a member of the parliament and yes you don’t need to always highlight negativity prevalent in the system. A small deed can become a giant stride in achieving the goal of robust nation building.
