Bachchan, Thakeray To Share Stage After Five Years
Bollywood
oi-IANS
By Ians English
For
the
first
time
in
almost
five
years,
the
Maharashtra
Navnirman
Sena
(MNS)
appears
to
have
softened
its
stand
towards
mega-star
Amitabh
Bachchan.
The
MNS
invited
Bachchan
at
a
party
function
here
Monday
evening
in
which
Raj
Thackeray
will
also
be
present
on
the
dais,
a
top
official
said.
"Bachchan
has
kindly
consented
to
grace
the
seventh
anniversary
function
of
the
MNS
Chitrapat
Sena
along
with
our
party
president
Raj
Thackeray," said
MNS
vice
president
Vageesh
Saraswat.
Relations
between
Bachchan
and
Thackeray
went
for
a
toss
after
Bachchan
agreed
to
become
brand
ambassador
for
Uttar
Pradesh
over
five
years
ago.
Later,
there
was
bitter
stand-off
when
once
Bachchan
said
that
"we
are
UP-walas
and
we
don't
speak
Marathi",
which
infuriated
Raj
Thackeray.
"We
may
have
differences
of
opinion
on
various
political
issues,
but
there
is
no
personal
animosity
with
any
individual," Saraswat
explained,
adding
the
party
will
be
happy
to
welcome
Bachchan.
Bachchan
will
distribute
insurance
policies
to
junior
artistes
and
stunt
people
as
part
of
the
centenary
of
the
Indian
film
industry.
Barring
the
occasional
fracas,
the
Bachchans
have
always
enjoyed
a
close
relationship
with
all
members
of
the
Thackeray
clan
from
the
days
of
the
late
Shiv
Sena
supremo
Bal
Thackeray.