IANS
Mumbai, Apr 26: Amitabh Bachchan blames sneaky guests for the Abhi-Ash snaps splashed on the Internet just hours after the nuptials - despite the super-care taken by the first family of Bollywood to keep the year's mega wedding under wraps.
Said an irate Amitabh: "Some of the people who came to the wedding surreptitiously took photographs with their mobile cameras and disgracefully put them on the net."
"In fact, I've caught a person who took the photographs. He's my neighbour. I've had a very serious talk with him and he has apologised profusely. He says he wasn't giving it to the press. While he was sending the pictures to his sister in the US they got intercepted on the net," Amitabh told IANS.
A story even the Big B finds hard to swallow. "I don't believe it. But I'd like to. He's my neighbour. And I can't believe a neighbour could be guilty of such an act of betrayal. Anyway, we will give photographs to the media officially."
About media reports on people peeved by a lack of invite, he said: "We had two kinds of cards made for the wedding. One was the wedding card and the other is the information card that will go to all our friends. It informs about the wedding with a shagun and mithai and asks everyone to bless the couple.
"We've sent this card to everyone in the film industry, the political circles because of Amar Singh and Jaya, and whoever has been a part of our lives. Even after all this if some people choose to be hurt, what can we say?"
Obviously angry with the intrusive media, Amitabh said: "I don't think sections of the media have the right to dictate to me about how to conduct my life and how to deal with my family and social obligations. My family's privacy is very important to me. And I'll protect it with my dying breath.
"No one can dictate to me about how I should conduct my life or my son's wedding. We took all the relevant permissions from the civic authorities. They wanted a full guest list, the ceremonies, everything. We gave them all the details. We made the shamianas air-conditioned and soundproof for the comfort of the guests and so that people outside wouldn't get disturbed."
He added: "We had no fireworks to avoid sound pollution. We've done everything to make sure no one is offended in any way. If bitter comments are still being made about us in the media in spite of our best intentions, then what can I say?"
As a celebrity, Amitabh agrees he's naturally the cynosure of extra attention. "And I cannot deny the attention that comes with the VIP label. The media is free to do what it wants. But you can't block my car when I'm taking my new daughter-in-law home after the wedding. Why spoil the most important moment in my son and his wife's life?
"I know the media was only doing its job. And I sincerely apologised to anyone who was hurt on our account. I've no malice towards the media. May be in their excitement, some excesses happened."
At the moment the entire family, the new bahu included, are enjoying some quiet time together at the Bachchan residence 'Jalsa'. "I know this bliss is short-lived. I wish I could spend more time with Aishwarya, but we all have to get back to work soon. But the family is feeling so much happier."
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