Abhishek Bachchan's recent Yash Bharti Award sparks controversy in Uttar Pradesh, with critics questioning his eligibility given his relatively short career compared to past recipients and the award's intent for senior artists.
Is Abhishek Bachchan in the same league as his illustrious grandfather-poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan, father Amitabh Bachchan, mother Jaya Bachchan or giant poet Kaifi Azmi (father of Shabana Azmi)? Well, that's the question that has ignited the politics of Uttar Pradesh which is all set to go to polls in a few months time. Reason: Abhishek was awarded with the prestigious Yash Bharti Award (All the above names have been awarded earlier) at a ceremony yesterday by chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav along with a cash prize of Rs 5 lakhs. And the argument that is being held against Abhi is that why has an award that is meant to be given to senior artistes or veteran literary figures been awarded to a Bachchan scion when he has been in the film world for a very few years.
Protests were held against chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh for using prestigious awards like Yash Bharti to further his own political gains. Many senior literary figures in UP have also raised protest stating that a sum of Rs 5 lakh may be peanuts for Abhsihek Bachchan but it's a princely sum of money for a senior citizen artiste or poet who has very little sustenance to depend on. It seems this issue is going to stoke further fire in UP politics. Abhishek hasn't commented on the issue so far. But the question is that does he really deserve such an award as this?