On 27 January 2014, in a speech at the Siri Fort Auditorium in New Delhi, India, US President Barack Obama connected with his audience by delivering a famous Bollywood film dialogue. After saying "bade bade deshon main ..." - a portion of the oft-repeated phrase from the 1995 film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) - he talked about some of the ways he and Michelle had connected with India:
Obama tried to speak the famous line delivered by Shah Rukh Khan in DDLJ - a difficult dialogue for those new to the Hindi language. The full phrase "bade bade deshon mein, aisi choti choti baatein hota rehti hai" can be translated "in big countries, such small things happen." The reaction to Obama's attempt to deliver the DDLJ line was thunderous. Even Shah Rukh Khan responded via Twitter.
Proud 2 b part of the gender & religion equality speech of Pres. Obama. Sad he couldn't do the Bhangra...next time Chaiyya Chaiyya for sure
— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) January 27, 2015
Bade Bade Deshon Mein: Obama quotes DDLJ, NaMo re-uses, SRK thanks, Twitter goes crazy http://t.co/DNRX3VTn1p pic.twitter.com/P42QJcRuFp
— Firstpost (@firstpostin) January 28, 2015
In his speech, President Obama talked about the importance of human freedom and respect:
We are strongest when we see the inherent dignity in every human being. Look at our countries -- the incredible diversity even here in this hall. India is defined by countless languages and dialects, and every color and caste and creed, gender and orientations. And likewise, in America, we’re black and white, and Latino and Asian, and Indian-American, and Native American. Your constitution begins with the pledge to uphold “the dignity of the individual.” And our Declaration of Independence proclaims that “all men are created equal.
Our nations are strongest when we see that we are all God’s children -- all equal in His eyes and worthy of His love. Across our two great countries we have Hindus and Muslims, Christians and Sikhs, and Jews and Buddhists and Jains and so many faiths. And we remember the wisdom of Gandhiji, who said, “for me, the different religions are beautiful flowers from the same garden, or they are branches of the same majestic tree.” Branches of the same majestic tree...
... Our freedom of religion is written into our founding documents. It’s part of America’s very first amendment. Your Article 25 says that all people are “equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practice and propagate religion.” In both our countries -- in all countries -- upholding this fundamental freedom is the responsibility of government, but it's also the responsibility of every person.
In our lives, Michelle and I have been strengthened by our Christian faith. But there have been times where my faith has been questioned -- by people who don’t know me -- or they’ve said that I adhere to a different religion, as if that were somehow a bad thing. Around the world, we’ve seen intolerance and violence and terror perpetrated by those who profess to be standing up for their faith, but, in fact, are betraying it. No society is immune from the darkest impulses of man. And too often religion has been used to tap into those darker impulses as opposed to the light of God. Three years ago in our state of Wisconsin, back in the United States, a man went to a Sikh temple and, in a terrible act of violence, killed six innocent people -- Americans and Indians. And in that moment of shared grief, our two countries reaffirmed a basic truth, as we must again today -- that every person has the right to practice their faith how they choose, or to practice no faith at all, and to do so free of persecution and fear and discrimination.
The peace we seek in the world begins in human hearts. And it finds its glorious expression when we look beyond any differences in religion or tribe, and rejoice in the beauty of every soul. And nowhere is that more important than India. Nowhere is it going to be more necessary for that foundational value to be upheld. India will succeed so long as it is not splintered along the lines of religious faith -- so long as it's not splintered along any lines -- and is unified as one nation.And it’s when all Indians, whatever your faith, go to the movies and applaud actors like Shah Rukh Khan. And when you celebrate athletes like Milkha Singh or Mary Kom. And every Indian can take pride in the courage of a humanitarian who liberates boys and girls from forced labor and exploitation -- who is here today -- Kailash Satyarthi. Our most recent winner of the Nobel Prize for Peace.
So that's what unifies us: Do we act with compassion and empathy. Are we measured by our efforts -- by what Dr. King called “the content of our character” rather than the color of our skin or the manner in which we worship our God. In both our countries, in India and in America, our diversity is our strength. And we have to guard against any efforts to divide ourselves along sectarian lines or any other lines. And if we do that well, if America shows itself as an example of its diversity and yet the capacity to live together and work together in common effort, in common purpose; if India, as massive as it is, with so much diversity, so many differences is able to continually affirm its democracy, that is an example for every other country on Earth. That's what makes us world leaders -- not just the size of our economy or the number of weapons we have, but our ability to show the way in how we work together, and how much respect we show each other.
Read full text and watch video of President Obama's speech.
Milkha Singh, Mary Kom Thank Obama for his Support http://t.co/BH5drJ8ox8 (video)
— NDTV News feed (@ndtvfeed) January 27, 2015
#NamasteObama | Happy that Prez @BarackObama took my name along with Mary Kom & @iamsrk, says Milkha Singh pic.twitter.com/3AJeQLkKlN
— CNN-IBN News (@ibnlive) January 27, 2015
If you are new to Bollywood, here are five films featuring some of the themes and people that President Obama highlighted in his speech. Each of these films offers a compelling story of the transformational power of love and respect, regardless of background.
1. Mary Kom
Release Date: 5 September 2014
Director: Omung Kumar | Screenplay by: Saiwyn Quadras
Music by: Shashi-Shivam (Pathak) | Background Score: Rohit Kulkarni
Description: Biographical sports drama. The inspirational story of the struggles and triumphs of Mangte Chungneijang "Magnificent Mary" Kom (Priyanka Chopra), winner of five World Boxing Championships and an Olympic Bronze.
Find out more:
2. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
English Translation: "Run Milkha Run"
Release Date: 12 July 2013
Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
Music by: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Description: Biographical sports drama. Based on the book The Race of My Life by Milkha Singh and Sonia Sanwalka, this tells the story of Milkha Singh (Farhan Akhtar) - a refugee, soldier, and Indian athlete who became a national champion runner and Olympian.
Find out more:
- To Be Alive! ("Zinda", Bhaag Milkha Bhaag)
- Flickr Photos: Milkha Singh at IIFA 2014, Tampa, Florida
- 5 Inspirational Sports Films From Bollywood
- 5 Farhan Akhtar Films to Watch If You Are New To Bollywood
3. My Name Is Khan
Release Date: 12 February 2010
Director: Karan Johar
Music by: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Description: Drama. When Rizwan Khan (Shah Rukh Khan) - a man with Asberger syndrome - moves to San Francisco, he meets and falls in love with vivacious single mother Mandira (Kajol). Despite their different cultural and religious backgrounds, they get married and live contentedly until the world around them changes after 9/11. A tragic event in their small family sends Rizwan on a cross-country journey to deliver a message to the President of the United States.
Find out more:
- Film Screening Room: My Name is Khan
- Light of God ("Noor E Khuda", My Name is Khan)
- 5 Karan Johar Films to Watch if You are New To Bollywood
4. Black and White
Release Date: 7 March 2008
Director: Subhash Ghai
Music by: Sukhwinder Singh
Description: Drama. When a stranger (Anurag Sinha) arrives in Chandni Chowk district in New Delhi, Professor Rajan Mathur (Anil Kapoor) and his social activist wife Roma Mathur (Shefali Shah) take him under their wing - never suspecting he has an ulterior motive for coming to Delhi. The film highlights our shared humanity against the backdrop of different cultures, religions, and ideologies.
5. Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai
English Translation: "You have our heart" or "You are in our heart"
Release Date: 24 August 2000
Director: Satish Kaushik | Screenplay: Jainendra Jain, Bhupati Raja
Music by: Sanjeev-Darshan
Description: Romantic drama. When Preeti Virat (Aishwarya Rai) finds herself humiliated and homeless after a series of tragic events, the community is happy to accuse and abuse her. Avinash (Anil Kapoor) - a recent acquaintance who shares her sense of right and wrong - takes her in and helps her rebuild her life. While the film style is a bit dated and the humorous elements sometimes over-the-top, the juxtaposition of honesty and hypocricy makes this a memorable story.
Find out more:
- Film Screening Room: You Are in Our Hearts (Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai)
- 5 Anil Kapoor Films to Watch If You Are New To Bollywood
If you liked this, check out our other Friday Five posts.