After Reading Aamir’s  I-like-India Defence, India Must Really Boycott Lal Singh Chaddha

I don’t think  Aamir Khan meant it. Not that he ever says anything he doesn’t  mean. But  going by his response to the trending hastag  ‘‘boycott Laal Singh Chaddha”,  I am not too sure Aamir is as  word-perfect as he  wants  us to believe.

Hear what he  says when asked about the  trending  hashtag asking  us to   boycott his  first film in  four years(Thugs  Of  Hindosan  in 2018 was  a massive flop):  “Yes, I feel sad. Also, I feel sad that some of the people who are saying this, in their heart, they believe that I am someone who doesn’t like India. In their hearts they believe, but it is untrue. It is rather unfortunate that some people feel that way. That’s not the case. Please don’t boycott my film. Please watch my film.”

“Someone who  doesn’t  like India”?!…. what  does  that mean?  Why would the  question of him liking or disliking the  country of his birth and  prosperity ever arise in  the minds of even Aamir’s  most rabid baiters? Why would  he feel that people think  he  doesn’t “like” India?

They may feel some of his statements  smack of an uncertainty which  many Indian Muslims feel . But  liking or not  liking India? These are words of  a tourist, not a citizen  of India.

Does  the question of Aamir ever  “liking”  his mother ever arise? Aamir may disagree  with his  mother. But  to  assert that he  likes her is akin to  asserting  he likes his children

Imagine him saying, “I feel sad that some of the people who are saying this, in their heart, they believe that I am someone who doesn’t like my children….”

Does it make  any sense? Do you make  any sense  to yourself, Aamir Khan?

To go back  to   November 2015  .Aamir had said,  “As an individual, as part of this country as a citizen, we read in the papers what is happening, we see it on the news and certainly, I have been alarmed. I can’t deny. I have been alarmed by a number of incidents,” he had said when asked to comment on perception of rising intolerance….When I chat with Kiran at home, she says ‘Should we move out of India?’ That’s a disastrous and big statement for Kiran to make. She fears for her child. She fears about what the atmosphere around us will be. She feels scared to open the newspapers every day.”

Some months later  Aamir had clarified, “I never said India was intolerant or I wanted to leave the country. I also understand the emotions of those who were hurt. I would like to say that my statement was misunderstood and to some extent media is responsible for it. I was born here and I will die here,”

At that time,  one understood  the  confusions  turmoil and uncertainty expressed in Aamir’s words. But now just to sell his  film to the  audience Aamir wants us  to know he  “likes”  India?\

Seriously?!

Too touristy, Mr Khan.