Did Vishal Bhardwaj Take a Shot at PM Modi’s ‘Saraab’ Comment?

The filmmaker schools us on correct Urdu pronunciation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, 28 March, said that the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh is like saraab (alcohol) that will destroy the people. Now filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj has seemingly taken a shot at the comment on Twitter, clarifying the distinction between the Urdu words saraab and sharaab.

PM Modi was addressing a rally in Meerut ahead of the general elections when he made the statement. Vishal, in response, tweeted a couplet by Urdu poet Mir Taqi Mir, adding that “please don’t read or write saraab (illusion) as sharaab (alcohol). Take a look.

हस्ती अपनी हबाब की सी है
ये नुमाइश सराब की सी है।
मीर तक़ी मीर।
सराब को शराब ना पढ़े ना बोलें :)

— Vishal Bhardwaj (@VishalBhardwaj) March 28, 2019

Later, in a reply to a follower, Vishal added “These days anything can be changed. Go ahead and change the name of saraab to sharaab,” apparently make a joke about the BJP government’s move to change the names of various locations across the country.

यूँ होता तो क्या होता? अब तो कुछ भी बदला जा सकता है। शराब का नाम सराब करवा ही दीजिए हुज़ूर, sorry, श्रीमान

— Vishal Bhardwaj (@VishalBhardwaj) March 28, 2019

Well, Vishal sure knows how to crack a witty one that would fly over most of our heads!