Every-time I go for a movie in Mumbai and the National Anthem is played the show, I experience a host of emotions. Anger, Happiness, Pride, Anguish, Sadness, Disappointment, they are all there. Anger at people who refuse to show respect to my National Anthem. Sadness at all those who dont know the significance of the song. Smile at all those who choose to sing along loud. Pride when I sing it (not so loud). Anguish and Disappointment because of the new generation Z - for whom a National Anthem is just another inconvenience, something that does not suit their generation.

I find this entire idea of playing the National Anthem, ridiculous. According to some law in Mumbai (or is it entire Maharashtra, someone please correct me on this), any public display of a movie should be preceded by the National Anthem. And since cinema owners want to make money and want to be on the right side of the law, they very gladly play the 52 second clip. Not caring why are they doing it. Not caring how should it be played. Not caring what it stands for.

Anyways, as they say, to each his own. There is a larger point here. When we force the cinema owners to play the National Anthem before every movie, aren’t we forcing democracy on them? Aren’t we going against the very definition of the democracy?