Veteran actor Annu Kapoor expressed support for the Union Home Ministry’s recent directive mandating the singing of all six verses of Vande Mataram before the national anthem, calling it a “wonderful decision.” Speaking to ANI, the actor said he has personally been advocating for Vande Mataram for more than three decades and feels proud that it is now being discussed widely.
"It's a very good decision. It's a very good, wonderful decision. It has been taken recently but Annu Kapoor has been saying Vande Mataram for 32 years now. It's a good thing. If you meet a person from America, from the East Coast, New Jersey, New York, LA, California, or Houston and if you hear the word Vande Mataram from their mouths, then assume that they have this disease from Annu Kapoor," said Annu Kapoor.
"So, it's a very good thing and it is the eternal creation of Pandit Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, which is our national anthem. Vande Matram. No one should object to this. Vande Mataram," added Annu Kapoor.
During the interaction, Kapoor also spoke about India’s ancient Sanskrit texts, describing literature such as the Vedas, Upanishads, Aranyakas, Ramayana and Mahabharata as prayers rooted in peace and non-violence.
"Sanskrit is one of the oldest languages in the world. In Sanskrit, wonderful literature has been written and is the prayer in Sanskrit and if people think this prayer is of a Hindu, then what is the problem? Can't a Hindu pray? And if a Hindu prays, then he will not only talk about his own welfare, he will talk about the welfare of the whole world. The violence that has spread all over the world, if ever, by mistake, a wave of peace, a breeze of peace comes, then the fragrance of that breeze will come only from the land of India," said Annu Kapoor.
When asked about the increasing division between Hindu and Muslim in India, Annu Kapoor said, "This is politics. It is very important for Hindus to stay united. When there is unity, only then will we be able to face the enemy. People should forget about religion, caste, and sect."
On the professional front, Kapoor is gearing up for a new theatrical production titled Triple A, which stands for “Art, Artists, and Audience.” The play has been developed with the support of his collaborators Arunima Misra, Devendra Balsaraf and Sufi Khan. Auditions are currently underway, with two sessions already completed.
Over the years, Kapoor has built a diverse body of work across cinema, television and radio. He is known for films such as Mandi, Mr. India, Tezaab, Ram Lakhan, Ghayal, Hum, Darr, Sardar, Aitraaz and 7 Khoon Maaf. He also hosted the popular television show Antakshari and currently presents the radio programme Suhaana Safar With Annu Kapoor. He was most recently seen in The Signature.
