Thaindian News

Mumbai, Jan 24 (IANS) Megastar Amitabh Bachchan is in Rajkot shooting for a Gujarat tourism ad. The experience is heartwarming, he says, unlike what he faced “ages ago” following his alleged involvement in the infamous Swedish Bofors gun deal scandal in the 1980s.

The 69-year-old went down memory lane and recalled how he had to face protests and how people called him a “traitor of the country” during his past visit to Rajkot.

“Landing at Rajkot and driving through the streets to our next destination was nostalgic. I had come here ages ago for the shooting of my film ‘Main Azaad Hoon’ and had faced the ire and wrath of demonstrations against me, because of the false allegations on the Bofors matter,” Amitabh wrote on his blog bigb.bigadda.com.

“Students and elders and society in general waved black flags wherever I went, painting me out to be a traitor of the country, without any justification. I was asked to go back. But we stuck in with our work and after completing it did we return,” he added.

However, after his name was cleared from the scandal, the veteran actor reveals how the scenario has changed for the better.

“Today life had changed. We fought the accusations against us in some of the major courts of the world, won and proved to those that had accused us that they were wrong and we were right. The real persons involved were named by the courts after intense judicial and intelligence procedures and efforts are on still to proceed against them legally,” he posted.

The people are more welcoming now, he says.

“Today the airport is not as unwelcome as before. Today the media generously waits to capture the moment of my arrival. There is jubilation in the eyes of the public and garlands and flowers and gifts in place of the black flags. It took a while, but it proved that justice done was correct and faultless and all prevailing.”

“I do not and never shall look upon it as a vindication, but instead look upon it as a portion of the learning process that life has to offer. Yes the public has a right to express their anger, but they equally are responsible for showing love on realizing that the facts were incorrect,” he added.