|
NEW
DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said film artists have
a unique place in the country and can play a very constructive
role in national development and in promoting national integration.
‘Few
in any walk of life have the kind of mass following that popular
artists command and their public adulation can be put to good
use, to national benefit, if our film stars inspire our youth
to greater effort, to live by the ideals of our Republic and
the values of our society and civilization’ Singh said
at a function in the capital yesterday.
Releasing
the book Mr & Mrs Dutt: Memories of our Parents by
Namrata Dutt Kumar and Priya Dutt, Singh described the late
actors Sunil Dutt and Nargis Dutt as extraordinary individuals
who were true professionals, humane and at the same time human.
Paying
tribute to his former cabinet colleague and former Parliamentarian
Nargis, he said ‘they were true citizens of our Republic,
patriotic and secular and deeply committed to the value system
inhabited by us through our freedom struggle. They were public-spirited
artists, tremendously creative and tremendously concerned.’
Describing
the book as a labour of love and a symbol of affection, respect
and gratitude, Singh complimented young Namrata and Priya
and Sanjay Dutt for this unique tribute to the memory of their
parents. ‘This is a historic day when we celebrate the
life and work of two outstanding personalities of our time'.
He noted that the life and work of the duo meant a lot not
only for the world of cinema but also for the cause of nation
building, at a particularly important moment in the country’s
history after independence. ‘Both of them ruled the hearts
and minds of our people with their captivating charm and calibre
as artists. They cast a spell on several generations and their
romance and love touched every one of their innumerable fans
across the country and indeed outside our country.’
Mother India, the film that brought Sunil Dutt and Nargis
together was in itself a milestone in the history of Indian
cinema, Singh said, adding that the film was also a turning
point in the history of Indian cinema and, indeed, in the
life of India. It reflected the determination of a young newly
independent nation to stand firmly on its feet and overcome
adversity, ‘aptly put in the song Dukh bhare din beete
re bhaiyya.
The marriage of the Sunil and Nargis in 1958 made them ‘a
loving symbol of the country’s composite culture and
affirmed the unity of religions, the coexistence of diverse
approaches and most importantly, the harmony of outlook and
perspectives in this diverse society and nation that India
is’.
He said it was rare to find a couple whose life of romance,
love and exceptional artistic accomplishments were so deeply
influenced by their larger vision of India. The Ajanta Troupe
established by them went to remote frontiers to entertain
our brave men in uniform defending the frontiers of our nation.
He also recalled how Nargis used to visit hospitals and wanted
something done for cancer patients when she herself suffered
from the disease.
Singh hoped the book would inspire a new generation of film
personalities to think beyond their daily work and think about
how they can contribute to processes of nation building and
to the cause of national integration.
|
