In his latest interview, actor Prakash Raj slammed Amitabh Bachchan's choice to avoid speaking about the recent incidents of rape in Kashmir and Bihar. The actor said, "I requested him. It’s my right. He’s got a wonderful voice. I wanted him to speak up."
Raj has been on the offensive, taking a stand against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, with his tweets and stage appearances.
Mentioning Bachchan's recent refusal to speak about the rape incidents in Kathua and Unnao, Raj said during his interview with journalist Barkha Dut, "What have I got to gain? I respect him for what he (Bachchan) is, but I am requesting him to 'please join hands, it’s important'. You are not talking, against a party. You are talking against an issue, a thought process, which is not right for this country."
The actor had previously suggested that the Hindi film industry had stopped offering him roles because of his comments. He added, "I requested him. It’s my right. He’s got a wonderful voice. I wanted him to speak up. He just said, 'I don’t want to speak about it'. But sir, it’s so dirty that you have speak up. Because Kathua rape to me is not that somebody belonging to a religion didn’t do it. But the reason it was done, to threaten a group of people to leave that place. And just because they are from your party, you will go and stand by them? Protest for them? This is not done [sic]."
Raj is not the only actor to have spoken against Bachchan's decision to avoid speaking on the subject. A few weeks ago, actor-director Pooja Bhatt had slammed the veteran for avoiding it.
Raj is will be seen in the Telugu film, Mahanati, based on the life of yesteryear actress, Savithri.