Om Puri: Why Is That Wretched Boy Walking Around Free?

Om Puri is livid at the spoof-video of Lata Mangeshkar and Sachin Tendulkar by Tanmay Bhat and wants to know why action is not being taken against Bhat.

“Why is that wretched boy walking free after what he has done? He has insulted two of the most respected and loved icons of the nation. Lataji and Sachin Tendulkar are known all over the world. They’ve fans not only in India  but in every part of the world. And they are idolized by Indians and non-Indians. You can’t do this to such heroes for a few laughs,” says Om

The brilliant actor known to support causes that he believes in feels Lataji and Sachin’s Bharat Ratna are not the deciding factor in their iconic status. “Even if they had not received the Bharat Ratnas they’d have still been national idols. It’s not right to make fun of them just to prove how democratic we can be.”

Om feels freedom of expression is ill-understood in this country. “Freedom of expression doesn’t mean you can dance naked on the road while the rest of the nation cheers. Ridiculing Lataji and Sachin Tendulkar is not a sign of freedom. It’s a symptom of a disease where we think pulling down achievers is funny.This boy must be  dealt with severely so that no one will again dare to act  funny with our national heroes.”