This is a line which I did not want to write, but eventually decided that it is part of a history that many in India don’t identify with. But it was so true at one point in time. I remember a post budget talk at Talkatora stadium years ago in Delhi. Probably the year was 1992. The late Manu Chhabria was asked if it was possible to make an honest million in India. Manu Chhabria paused for a moment and then said
No it isn’t.
A million is ten lac rupees. If I project that amount at an 8% rate to today’s value, we are talking of 35 lac rupees. Today, it is possible to make an absolutely honest million in India. That is how India has changed. But there was a generation which extends right upto half a generation before mine, which believed otherwise. An ode to the change heralded by Manmohan Singh.
Shaahanii seth (Amjad Khan) goes and instigates Kaaliaa (Amitabh)’s sister in law (Asha Parekh). He tells her that her brother in law is not as innocent as he seems. That his wealth is largely ill-gotten. In order to buttress his accusation, he says
Daulat ka peD jab bhee ugtaa hai paap kee zameen me hee ugtaa hai
दौलत का पेड़ जब भी उगता है पाप की ज़मीन में ही उगता है
Later Kaaliaa also repeats the same point to his sister in law. He adds
मेहनत से आदमी सिर्फ़ झोंपड़े ही बना सकता है भाभी ऐसे शानदार महल नहीं खड़े कर सकता
Well Mr. Bachchan, allow me to disagree once. Though if you are one of those who still believes it to be true, go ahead and use it to your heart’s content.
दौलत का पेड़...पाप की ज़मीन में ही उगता है
No it isn’t.
A million is ten lac rupees. If I project that amount at an 8% rate to today’s value, we are talking of 35 lac rupees. Today, it is possible to make an absolutely honest million in India. That is how India has changed. But there was a generation which extends right upto half a generation before mine, which believed otherwise. An ode to the change heralded by Manmohan Singh.
Shaahanii seth (Amjad Khan) goes and instigates Kaaliaa (Amitabh)’s sister in law (Asha Parekh). He tells her that her brother in law is not as innocent as he seems. That his wealth is largely ill-gotten. In order to buttress his accusation, he says
Daulat ka peD jab bhee ugtaa hai paap kee zameen me hee ugtaa hai
दौलत का पेड़ जब भी उगता है पाप की ज़मीन में ही उगता है
Later Kaaliaa also repeats the same point to his sister in law. He adds
मेहनत से आदमी सिर्फ़ झोंपड़े ही बना सकता है भाभी ऐसे शानदार महल नहीं खड़े कर सकता
Well Mr. Bachchan, allow me to disagree once. Though if you are one of those who still believes it to be true, go ahead and use it to your heart’s content.
दौलत का पेड़...पाप की ज़मीन में ही उगता है
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