Didn't compare Amitabh Bachchan with Ajmal Kasab: Nida Fazli

Urdu poet Nida Fazli, whose comparison between the 'angry young man' image in the 70s in Hindi films and Ajmal Kasab has snowballed into a controversy, has denied the allegation that he was likening the 26/11 terrorist with megastar Amitabh Bachchan.

The 74-year-old poet had written in a literary magazine that the way Bachchan's angry young man was created by scriptwriters Salim-Javed, Kasab too was a creation of Mumbai-attack mastermind and LeT founder Hafiz Saeed.

Fazli has now accused the media of twisting his remarks.

"I never called Amitabh a terrorist. To create controversy the media twisted whatever I had said and started a new debate. I was talking about the image of the angry young man, not Amitabh. He is a fine artiste with multiple talents.

But just like every other artiste, he too has some limitations," Fazli said.

In his piece for the magazine, Fazli had written, "Why was Amitabh given the title of the angry young man? He was just a created toy, just like Ajmal Kasab. One was created by Salim-Javed and the other was made by Hafiz Mohammad Saeed. The toy has been hanged but the toy-maker is free."

Explaining his words in the magazine piece, Fazli said, "I was referring to image of the angry young man here. Also, I feel the angry young man image shouldn't have been restricted to the 70s only. Why is only Amitabh called the angry young man? Have we forgotten 74-year-old Anna Hazare? I feel there is more anger today than it was then."

The noted poet, who keeps meeting artistes from Pakistan and the Arab world, said terrorism is hampering the development of Asia.

"Some people do not want Asia to develop. They have made a home in Pakistan and now they are eyeing India," he said. When asked about the viewpoints of artistes from both sides of the border, Fazli said, "Artistes don't have a voice of their own. Whatever they do, it's for the common man."

... contd.

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