Mumbai: Anil Kapoor may have been trolled for his meeting with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi but this didn’t deter him from taking the cause of ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’. The 62-year-old actor has been roped in by Viacom 18 to become a small part of their upcoming show ‘Navarangi Re!’, an entertainment television series with an underlying behavioural change message on sanitation.
At the launch event of the series, Anil revealed the challenges he faced in childhood days, especially when he would visit his grandparents in Delhi during summer holidays and had no access to a toilet.
“I was born in Chembur and was honestly slightly privileged. There were 16 rooms on each floor of our building. One room was called one kholi or apartment. And, we had two toilets for the entire floor,” he says while recalling his childhood days. The situation here was still better as compared to his grandparents’ house where he would go during his summer vacations. “When I would go to Delhi for my summer vacations, we would visit my grandparents who were living in West Delhi. Here, the sanitation system was completely different. Firstly, there was only one toilet, which the elders would get to use with us children being asked to go in the lanes. Second, there was no flush or running water in the toilet,” he says.
Explaining the construction of the toilets in the earlier days, he adds, “The toilet was made of cement with a hole in between to pass out the excreta, which would be collected in a patra (pot) made of tin. Later a man or a lady would come to collect the garbage. I am sure these activities are still prevailing in few villages where proper sanitation hasn’t reached yet. We are trying to promote management of faecal waste in the city through this show.”
He further asserts, “Cleanliness is very important in our lives. It needs to start from your homes, then your mohalla, then your country and then the whole universe. We need to have a global atmosphere that is environmentally friendly. It is the biggest concern today.”
Recalling a piece of important advice from the legendary actor Raj Kapoor, he says, “Whenever Raj uncle would make anything, he would say, ‘entertainment ke saath agar koi social message ho toh it reaches all over (If a social message comes through the route of entertainment, it reaches everywhere).’”
“Through this show, I can be a small part in spreading the message on how we can take care of our shit,” he adds.
While many take their position for granted, the actor feels blessed to be a part of the world of glitz and glamour. “It’s wonderful to be here on the stage. What happens when one is on stage and the camera is switched on? A man forgets all his injuries. I feel as if I am born again. One feels blessed and fortunate that he gets a chance to face so many people and make them laugh. There are many better looking and talented people out there but being bestowed upon this opportunity of being in front of the camera is a blessing that God has showered upon us.”
