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 | Nation of idolaters: Manoj overreacts on OSO Our Correspondent It is testimony to Hindi film superstar Shah Rukh Khan's maturity and magnanimity that an unwarranted controversy has died fast. No sooner than he came to know about yesteryear actor Manoj Kumar's objections to his parody in the latest blockbuster, Om Shanti Om, than Khan offered an unqualified apology. "I was completely wrong...If he is hurt, I apologise," Shah Rukh said. "I should have been over-careful... I should have called him earlier (to tell him about the spoof)." Khan avoided any comment that could be construed or misconstrued as an affront to Kumar. For instance, when asked if Kumar was over-reacting, he replied in the negative: "He belongs to a different era. People from that era have a different way of talking. If I were old, I would react in the same way." At the heart of the controversy were Kumar's hurt feelings. He had told reporters, "Shahrukh has hurt my soul... Manoj Kumar was made into icon of India by the audiences. By making fun of him, Shahrukh Khan has wounded him." By deciding to placate Mr Bharat of a bygone era, the King of today's Indian cinema has proved that he is no iconoclast. But the question is: what is wrong with being an iconoclast? There are icons all over in the public arena—in cricket, politics, literature, arts, cinema, media. Each of them represents or epitomises certain ideals and values. For instance, Manoj Kumar—who played the character of 'Bharat' many a time on screen—symbolised the ideal Indian in the 1960s and 1970s. That is, ideal Indian in Kumar's own scheme of things. However, it was vastly popular, as evident from his movies, leading to the epithet Mr Bharat. An icon was born: Mr Bharat. But no law is broken, nor morality offended, if some artist, author or filmmaker if makes fun of an icon. In fact, a society that is vibrant, vivacious and thoughtful has to be tolerant towards those who question, or even deride, received wisdom and accepted canons of morality, politics or esthetics. Iconoclasts are often like the child who called the emperor naked. Sometimes, of course, they exhibit childish attitude rather than childlike curiosity; in such cases, they also attract scorn and ridicule. But a mature society allows the critic and public opinion to chastise the vulgar and the childish; it does not and should not let the law intervene. In the OSO row, it is deplorable that Kumar contemplated legal action against Khan for what he considered was an inappropriate depiction of an icon. Such actions would further aggravate the hero-worship propensities in our society. Posted on : 11/21/2007 Mail this article to your friend |