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In his latest blogpost, Amitabh Bachchan has dismissed media reports that he had described Slumdog Millionaire as a film projecting the underbelly of India and thus getting the recognition from the West.

Blogging from Paris, Bachchan expressed strong disappointment and displeasure with the way his earlier blogpost on Slumdog Millionaire had been interpreted by the media. Articulating his consternation Big B writes, "What a colossal joke this is all turning out to be !! Without reading the text of my blog or the purpose behind the mention of 'Slumdog' an entire machinery of abuse has been directed towards me. Fact is, someone mentioned the film on my blog. Some expressed opinion for it, some against. And yes they contained some strong assumptions. I merely put both of them up and invited debate. I have done this many times on several issues and there has been great involvement. Media, in India has taken the pros and cons of others as mine, built their headlines and put it safely out, thereby, causing the consternation. All the expressions that have been attributed to me are in fact the expressions of others or perceived impressions of others. Where is the indication that this impression is concretely mine? There is none!!"

Earlier, writing about Slumdog Millionaire and the debate the film has generated, Big B had mentioned in a previous post, "If SM(sic) projects India as Third World dirty underbelly, developing nation and causes pain and disgust among nationalists and patriots, let it be known that a murky underbelly exists and thrives even in the most developed nations. Its just that the SM idea, authored by an Indian and conceived and cinematically put together by a Westerner, gets creative (Golden) Globe recognition. The other would perhaps not."

Highlighting the irony of the media interest that his earlier post had generated, the star laments in his current post, "And now after having castigated me for something not attributable to me, it has made my real opinion on the film after seeing it, impossible. If I do not like it there will be greater abuse. If I like it, there will be abuse. My apologies therefore, on this unfortunate and completely misguided occurrence."

Venting out his criticism of media without mincing any words, Big B recounts particular instances, "Media made a screaming headline - 'AB slams Slum'. Note the use of word 'slam'. It is nowhere in my blog, but has been deliberately put because it rhymes and reads well with the word 'slum'. Headline structured, editorial happy and to hell with its truth and authenticity."

Well, 'truth and authenticity' surely seem to be in deficit in these times of interpretations, re-interpretations and clarifications. So whom does one believe after all! A very philosophical question indeed Mr. Bachchan!

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