INDEPENDENCE
DAY – RUSSIA
A VISIT TO RUSSIA
Russia
and India have always shared a great relationship. It began in the early years
of our Independence, through our leaders and it has remained strong. I had
always wished for an opportunity to visit Russia and it came quite late in my
life. It was after I became a Member of Parliament, or perhaps much before that
as an invitee to the Moscow Film Festival, during our summer months. I had
heard of the enormous love and affection that the great Raj Kapoor had enjoyed
in the then Soviet Union, stories of his films being loved by the Russians, in
particular ‘Awaara’, but it was only when I reached there that I could
personally gauge how real it was. The girls dressed up in Indian costumes,
speaking fluent Hindi and giving credit to Indian Cinema for it. The huge
patronage that Indian cinema received from the Russians can only be explained
by the Russians themselves, and the mobbing that Indian stars were subjected to
was just like, as though we were home. The hospitality and friendship was just
incredible, and i shall always be grateful for the time spent there. Several
visits followed thereafter and many other cities and important places were seen
and admired. Even went to shoot an Indo-Russian co production ‘Ajooba’ with a
mix of Russian and Indian artists, under the direction of Shashi Kapoor there
as well. So Moscow and Tashkent and St Petersburg, earlier Leningrad, Kiev, now
Kyev, Baku … so many centers were visited and admired. A fire temple I think in
Baku perhaps, had Indian inscriptions of an ancient era, the workmanship of the
carpet making industry so delicate and beautiful, a gift of that still adorning
my home. The visits inside the Red Square and Lenin’s memory encased in almost
real life structure, the Kremlin and the famous Imperial Fabergè eggs in the
museum and the Cathedral, ornate and with such immense opulence. During the
shooting of ‘Ajooba’, the historic Yalta, not knowing now whether it is in
Ukraine or in Russia still, and the Crimean region, landing at Sevastopol and
driving through some of the most picturesque natural climes, said to be
extremely healthy in the air and water, and that little wonder of a hill that
runs into the sea on the way to Yalta, which when you look carefully resembles
a big bear stooping down to have a drink of water, the walks on the sea fronts
in the cool evenings and getting accosted by the shop owners on the side,
gesticulating with a coin and telling me of that moment in Sholay where the
coin was the same on both sides … And then … St Petersburg … ah .. what a
city, fell in love with it immediately and became my most beautiful city in the
World, with stiff competition from San Francisco in the US of A. But St
Petersburg was astounding. By the Neva river, a city with almost an independent
character of its own, built in a style that closely resembled any European
city, and am told with some influence and contribution from Italian architects.
The Hermitage Museum simply unbelievable, walked about it in stunned silence,
consoling little Abhishek and Shweta who seemed not too interested at that
early period of their lives – they were around 10 and 12 then. The streets the
Palaces, the atmosphere, the ‘white nights’ and the celebration on the streets
for the seven days it lasted, and the people – always smiling and willing to
help and fun loving. The sacrifices made by them and their young men during the
second World War and the memorial where they stopped the German Nazi troops
from entering the city. Amazing. And some distance the Great Palace with the
all gold stairway and fountains, and the mystery hidden fountain springs
emerging unannounced in the garden, loved and played into by Abhishek. So much
to write and express. And finally back to Moscow by overnight train, and the
formal showing of two of my films in the main festival theatre – Agnipath and
Hum .. and all the girls charging onto the stage after the screening of Hum and
singing and dancing along with the song ‘Jumma Chumma’ … and in the end ..
the
tearful send offs at the airport ! Always painful !!
Love
and Happy Independence Day Russia !
Amitabh Bachchan
