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Did Amitabh Bachchan call William Shakespeare 'sexist'?

Updated on: 08 September,2016 08:38 AM IST  | 
Mohar Basu | mohar.basu@mid-day.com

Amitabh Bachchan would have liked to kick English poet-playwright, William Shakespeare for writing about male supremacy, had they lived in the same era

Did Amitabh Bachchan call William Shakespeare 'sexist'?

Amitabh Bachchan

Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan


Amitabh Bachchan would have liked to kick English poet-playwright, William Shakespeare for writing about male supremacy, had they lived in the same era. It could be an effect of the position he holds as the UN Ambassador for the Girl Child or his upcoming social thriller, 'Pink', which also stars Taapsee Pannu. But, after the heart-felt letter he wrote to his granddaughters, Navya Naveli (17) and Aaradhya (4), Big B argues how the so-called 'weaker sex' is fast emerging as a breed of strong, opinionated individuals who won't tolerate nonsense.


William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare


More challenges
"Women go through a lot more in life than I, as a male, could withstand. A woman changes her identity, her home, and that has huge psychological repercussions. Other exhausting things like childbirth and managing a home single-hand­edly follow. We talk about equality but true equilibrium can be reached only if a woman is given the same dignity as a man. She doesn't need to walk 10 steps behind her partner, who is with her in sickness and health," he says.

Questioning the values that have been passed down generations, he says that traditional literature is no longer legitimate.

"Modern women are breaking away from the shackles of centuries of subjugation and pent-up frustration. When Shoojit (Sircar, director of 'Pink') came to me, all he had was a concept that lasted a few minutes. Women now have the power to change norms rooted deep in our culture. William Shakespeare wrote in Macbeth, 'Bring forth men-children only, for thy undaunted mettle should compose nothing but males.' You can't say that today; I would kick that person."

Change of norm
He goes on to say, "In Sanskrit, there's an adage: Dhol ganwar Shudra pashu nari sakal taadana ke adhikari (Drums, the illiterate, lower caste, animals and women deserve a beating to straighten up and get their act together). You can't use this anymore because society won't stand it."

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