Twitter alert: Bollywood celebs react to Mumbai blasts
Unlike Pakistani celebrities who seem completely oblivious to the target killing going on in Karachi for a week now, Indian actors have been in shock since three blasts rocked Mumbai on July 13. The blasts left Bollywood celebrities mourning for those who lost their lives.
Aishwarya Rai, who was to receive an honour from the French government on Wednesday in New Delhi, requested officials to postpone the ceremony in the wake of the Mumbai blasts. Rai appeared before the media along with her actor-husband Abhishek Bachchan and observed a minute-long silence, mourning the death of the people in the blasts. She was supposed to be honoured with a “Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters”.
“Thank you all for being here. The current situation has really disturbed and shocked all of us. I thank the French embassy for being supportive and considering the sensitivity of the situation. They have been kind to consider me and my family’s request to postpone the celebration till another time. We as Indians can’t go ahead and celebrate in such a situation,” Rai told reporters at the event.
French Ambassdor Jerome Bonnafont said: “The terrible series of blast has shocked all of us. It seems the time is not right.”
Other Indian actors, film-makers and composers took to microblogging site Twitter to share their sentiments on the unforeseen tragedy that left at least 21 people dead and over 100 injured.
Feeling sad, angry and helpless. I pray for the families of the victims. On a resilient note, I need to believe that there are some good leaders, some good men in position of power out there in the government. Wherever you are, please come forth and fight for this city. My Mumbai needs you.
We keep condemning acts of terrorism and that’s where the story ends every time and repeats again. It’s a shame.
The bombs did not just drop from the skies. A human, like one of us, put it — one of us who breathed and lived in Indian air. Get him!
I hope that we as Indians and people of the world collectively fight terrorism to make sure this does not happen in our neighbourhood or backyard again.
Mumbai moves on not because it is resilient, but because Mumbai has no choice. Everyone has to go back to work.
En route to Mumbai. I am devastated and saddened by the loss in my city. May Allah bless us, I want to be there as quickly as possible.
Why do we always have to accept this terrorism? Why are we always told to move on? I won’t stand for terror anymore and I will not forget.
Anger, frustration and helplessness is not the answer. Hanging the terrorists already convicted is. Prayers for all.
Enough said and absolutely nothing done. Sick and tired of the breaking news, the media address, the false promises.
Prayers are strong but they cannot replace accountability... resilience cannot be considered as a backup.
WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM IANS
Published in The Express Tribune, July 15th, 2011.