My Surname Belongs to No Religion: Amitabh Bachchan Reveals on KBC
Big B opens up during the special Gandhi Jayanti episode of KBC
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On 2 October, during the special Gandhi Jayanti episode of television show Kaun Banega Crorepati, Amitabh Bachchan opened up about the significance of his unique surname. Big B said that his surname, ‘Bachchan’, was devoid of religious and casteist connotations.
Sociologist Dr Bindeshwar Pathak was the guest on the special episode. When he spoke about how society looks down on Dalits who clean toilets, Amitabh Bachchan said that his father, poet Harivanshrai ‘Bachchan’, used to kick off Holi celebrations by applying colour on the feet of their toilet cleaner. Bachchan also added that he continues the tradition even today.
Amitabh Bachchan further also added that he did not belong to any religion, and feels proud of his identity as an “Indian”.
“My surname was Srivastava but we never believed in it. I feel proud saying that I'm the first person to hold this family name,” said the actor and quiz show host while talking about why he chose to take up his father’s pen name. “When Census employees come to my place, they ask me about my religion and I always answer that I belong to no religion, I'm Indian,” he added.
Dr Pathak is a Padma Bhushan Awardee and has been working in the field of hygiene and safe sanitation. In 1974, he birthed the ‘pay and use’ system of public toilets that is used across India even today. Dr Pathak played the quiz with Amitabh Bachchan and took home a prize money of Rs 12,50,000. He also demonstrated an acupressure technique.
The president of Sulabh Sauchalay, Usha Sharma, accompanied Dr Pathak. She spoke about one of her ideas and how it helped eradicate casteism from her village.
(With inputs from Mumbai Mirror and NDTV)
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