F.i.g.h.t C.l.u.b

One is growing insane with every passing day. Blame it on old age! The other is nasty and mean like any other tabloid. Whom to trust, thats difficult to judge, but we are loving it!

To celebrate Amitabh Bachchan’s birthday, Mid Day’s editor Abhijit Majumder did an interview with him and it was carried as the cover story on Sunday Mid Day (Oct 11). As expected, Bachchan’s interview was boring as always. Who’s the best director you’ve worked with? All. What are your favourite Bachchan films? Very, very tough. I like different films from my different phases. Women the world over have chased you. Have you chased any woman? No. And I don’t believe women chase me. Well, I did chase my wife and married her. Of all your female leads, was Rekha special? They’ve all been special. But people remember Rekha and your screen chemistry. I don’t know what screen chemistry is.

Huh! Boring as hell! Nothing new, nothing interesting! Only if it were all true. You can read the full interview here. The interview might be boring but post-interview it got interesting.

Later on, Bachchan got to know that the interview was recorded on a video camera too and he wasnt told about it. Bachchan felt it was a sting operation (see the pic. courtesy Mid Day)! On his blog, he attacked Abhijit Majumder and how! To quote from his blog…..

Two days later an FmXt member draws my attention to a video clip of my interview with the paper. I am surprised to hear it because I had never expected either the paper or any one else to have posted something which I would be unaware of. I saw the interview that has been put on air through a MidDay enterprise which works as a electronic news maker and now realize why Mr Majumdar wanted a personal meeting. He had placed a small ’sting’ camera on the table in front of me, without informing me that the interview was being video taped as well. He never told me that they had a video net facility in operation and that the recorded interview would find a place there.

Mr Majumdar, you were dishonest with me ! You insisted on a one to one interview not because you were being deprived of the opportunity of your ‘first’ with me, but because you had malefide intent of recording the interview to be used as a live input on a video electronic facility medium that your paper runs. Had you told me that you were recording this for a net broadcast I would never have minded. I was doing several electronic interviews every minute and another would have not made any difference. But by lying to me, the integrity that I had associated with you as an Editor for the paper you work for, has been damaged. Your entire effort, now that I look back, in assuring me of wanting to bring in change, of giving me the impression of an upright and erudite journalist has unfortunately been destroyed by this one incident. You have proven to me, yet again, that you or your tribe cannot be trusted.

Woohoo! You can read the full post by Amitabh Bachchan here.

In today’s edition of the paper, Abhijit Majumder has issued his clarification through a column and claims that he had not only told Bachchan about it but had even asked the same to his secretary. To quote Majumder…

Either you are lying or I am. I would like to believe it is neither; it’s just your memory playing tricks at twilight.

Which is acceptable.

What is not acceptable is loosely accusing a journalist who has learnt journalism the hard way and prides in his integrity of mala fide intention, lying and suchlike. If my intention were to malign you, I wouldn’t have spent a considerable amount of my time and energy trying to build bridges with you ignoring your past rants against MiD DAY in your blog, sought an interview and played it up on the front page.

Also, your accusation that what you said was misrepresented is facile because the interview in a pretty straightforward question -and-answer format and all that you said is recorded.

Click here to read the full column by Abhijit Majumder. He has also been tweeting about it. Check http://twitter.com/abhijitmajumder .

Next, its  Bachchan’s turn! Will he respond to Majumder’s letter ? Lets see. BTW, surprisingly we cant trace the Mid-Day video interview on youtube. It was online till yesterday! Or is youtube playing hide and seek with us ? You can search for Mid-Day’s video channel on youtube here.

UPDATE (17th Oct) – On his blog, Bachchan has responded to Majumder’s open letter. And this is getting better. To quote from his blog…

Mr Majumdar you say that you ‘had mentioned that both audio and video would be recorded’. That is undiluted garbage stinking rubbish. Every sms of yours seeking my interview is saved on my mobile. Every telephone conversation that you had with my office in this regard has been recorded. And, as you have yourself accepted, every move, action and word that you spoke on the day from the moment you entered my office to the time you left, is on video tape with me. No where, and I repeat, no where have you mentioned, that you would be doing a video recording. If you say your photographer Pradeep Dhiver was there, may I also inform you that my photographer Paresh Mehta and his two assistants were also there. You are not going to beat me by throwing names. These videos can be put up on my blog at the press of a button. Wanna’ see ?

And dear Sir, its not about your ‘word versus mine’, its about your video tape versus mine. And mine says that your conscience is not ‘clear’ at all. It is as densely clouded as the monsoon sky, so ironically visible on the day you came to take my interview.

If you were to look me straight in the eye and challenge me, I would not hesitate to look you straight back and justify. Put this cap of self righteous zeal over your own head and then come riding with me. I’ll whip your horse and you mine and lets see who rides the furthest and the longest.

You can read the full post here or in the comments section, as Ajay has put it there.