Freedom Came After So Much Sacrifice, We Must Honour It- Arjan Bajwa

Mumbai: Actor Arjan Bajwa who is known for his performances in films like Fashion, Crook, Son of Sardar, Bobby Jasoos, Rustom, and Kabir Singh, web series such as Bestsellers, State of Siege: 26/11, and Rudra: The Edge of Darkness, will be seen in Madhur Bhandarkar’s The Wives next, believes that patriotism should not be restricted to a single day or symbolic gestures. Speaking ahead of Independence Day, he shared his heartfelt views on how people perceive the occasion and what it truly means to honour the nation. “Yes, I do feel for certain people patriotism has become more of a symbolic thing rather than sincere,” he says thoughtfully. “We are not sincere about following the law, having civic sense, being compassionate, or showing any signs of belonging to our country, city, or locality. A certain section has become completely self-centered with an attitude of carelessness. No country can progress or improve till people simply compare everything to other developed countries without any sense of respect for their own land.”

He adds that our freedom is a result of immense struggle and sacrifice. “We got freedom after so much sacrifice and struggle by our ancestors. That needs to be remembered and embedded very deeply in us,” he says firmly. Talking about the freedom fighter who has inspired him the most, Arjan points to the courage of Bhagat Singh. “Bhagat Singh is a freedom fighter who actually truly felt the true sense of patriotism,” he says with admiration. “I feel getting inspired at such a young age and giving up his life for the country so young is not a normal human being’s mindset.”

When asked about his message to fans this Independence Day, Arjan says, “I don’t know whether just a message helps people feel the sense of independence or the celebration of the day. My sincere request is to have a feeling of belonging, responsibility, civic sense, following the law of the land, respecting fellow citizens, and treating this beautiful country, our motherland, as your own.” He concludes, “Let’s not just be symbolic and sell patriotism on Independence Day and then forget about the freedom struggles of our ancestors. Let’s be patriotic in the true sense so we give a better, developed, and more beautiful country to our future generations.”