Amitabh Bachchan upset with politics surrounding Aarakshan

Actor Amitabh Bachchan expresses his disappointment over the ongoing protest surrounding the release of his film Aarakshan. The megastar says that the way creative freedom is being curbed one might be living in a 'most unfortunate fascist conditioning'. Mr. Bachchan, who has been cautious about his views on reservation is unhappy with the politics surrounding the movie.

"An artist, a creative person does not further the cause of politics. He or she furthers the cause of creative expression. If creative expression is to be curbed by institutes that wish to dictate their terms and conditions above the conditions of the legal recognized constitutional formats, democratically accepted and converted into law by the highest authorities of legality, then we might as well accept that we live not in the sanctity of the tenets of democracy but a most unfortunate fascist conditioning," Bachchan wrote on his blog.

Amitabh views that display of creativity should be kept away from political pressure. The actor says that it is high time that film fraternity stands up to protest its interests. "Why does not the film fraternity of India and more so of Mumbai, have a force or body that stands up and protects its own under attack on occasion from groups that take objection to the very spirit of the freedom of expression, inscribed so prominently and decisively in our revered Constitution," Bachchan said.

"Why whenever we are at the stage of bringing our heads above the cacophony of the world with its myriad issues, to perhaps simply breathe, do forces that seek resentment attempt to strangulate us," He added.

Amitabh plays the role of a college principal in Prakash Jha's Aarakshan. The actor slammed the ban on the film's release in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab government on the grounds that a few scenes and dialogues in the film may cause law and order problem. The film also stars actor Saif Ali Khan, Manoj Bajpayee, Deepika Padukone and Prateik Babbar in the leading role.