Key Points

Ahead of the 11 years of the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the filmmaker also walked down the memory lane and shared how he made a film ‘Kanchi’ 11 years ago and envisioned a better India.

He said, “11 years ago I made a film called ‘Kanchi’. We wrote a song for the climax of that film, ‘Saare jahan se accha, wo Hindustan kahan hai?’. The question that arose was, ‘Is this a country which is better than the whole world?’. Back then, there was an atmosphere of disappointment. That is why we had to write the song”.

He then shared how the Modi government promised a change in 2014, as he said, “After that a new government came, people opposed that government saying, ‘Why do you want so much change?’ When our Prime Minister Modi came, I understood one thing from what he said. He does not just want the development of the country. Along with the development of the country, he also wants to change people's thinking. He wants to transform the national character of this country. I liked this very much. Then I thought let's wait”

He continued, “We have got a Prime Minister who is also thinking the same. I would say that whatever I have seen in these 11 years and you have also seen, whether it is at the infrastructure level, technology level, defense level, or any other level, after every 3-4 years, you see a growth. You see a powerful government. You see a government whose vision is not of 5 years but of 2047. A government which has a long vision can work in the same way. I am very happy that today our national character has become like a patriot”.

He further mentioned that the countrymen today have become strongly patriotic, and the nation is ready to fight any enemy.

He shared, “No enemy can challenge us. Today we are safe. Today there has been a change in our education system. There has been a change in children's thinking. Today's government wants to bring this country to the international level, to the top level. When I was a child, we were free in 1947. At that time, I used to think that we are a country of cyclists. It was a poor country. There was a question that India is a poor country, inhabited by rich resources”.

He called the progress of the government under the leadership of PM Modi, very “commendable”.

He also spoke about the difference in people’s thinking abroad whenever he travels outside of the country, as he said, “I can say this because whenever I go abroad, the respect that we Indians get today, whether it is America, Europe or any other country, we did not get it earlier. Earlier they used to look at us as if we are from a poor country. Poor people are educated. Let them stand in queues”.

“Today, they look at us with respect. They look at us not only as a consumer but also as a producer. And that is why the progress that has taken place in every field today, many congratulations to our Prime Minister Modi and his government”, he added.

- IANS