Nationalists are falling out of the woodwork. In an already volatile atmosphere, now a complaint has been filed against Amitabh Bachchan for singing the national anthem "incorrectly".
The actor sang the anthem (video above) before India's match against Pakistan at the ICC WorldTwenty20 match at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens. According to the complainant, Ulhas PR, Bachchan stretched the anthem far beyond the 52-second duration prescribed by the Ministry of Home Affairs. It lasted a minute and twenty seconds according to his complaint filed at Delhi’s Ashok Nagar police station.
But Bachchan isn't alone. Most pop culture renditions of the anthem stretch far beyond the designated 52 seconds, including the video below featuring Indian army soldiers stationed in Siachen. It clocks in at about a minute and 40 seconds.
A video of India’s sports stars singing the anthem looks promising but then crosses the 52 mark by a few seconds to clock in at exactly a minute.
Would this sign language version be considered incorrect? It often plays in Mumbai theatres often.
There’s also the nationalism in NRI Hindi films, which insists on underscoring the Indian-ness of the characters, "keeping the heart of India alive", a la Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge.
This one below is from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.
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