Bollywood's Freedom Fighters!

Bollywood's freedom fighters!
14 Aug, 2008 06:00 am ISTlRenuka Vyavahare and Urvashi Ashar /INDIATIMES MOVIES

As India enters its 62nd year of Independence, Renuka Vyavahare and Urvashi Ashar chat up some sizzling actors of Bollywood to know their definition of freedom and how they would want to change the country for better! Read on to find out what Harman, Sonam, Minissha, Ranbir and other heartthrobs have to say for their countrymen...

Harman Baweja
Freedom to me is the power to exercise free will, free will to do, feel, say everything I choose to. It's the ability to stay within the parameters or values one decides for oneself, without the fear of being judged as right or wrong!

I think for any nation to prosper, it's very essential that individuals in society learn to open their minds to change. It is very important for each of us to evolve for the evolution of the entire society. People fear this too much, they are scared to give away control and let some new things into the system. I wish that all of us get strength and let all just be, do what we all have to do to find our happiness. This year I wish our country and its people some more tolerance.

Sonam Kapoor
French philosopher Rousseau has said that "Man is born free, but everywhere he is in chains." To me, freedom is the natural state of a human being and an individual has every right to freedom of expression or opinion or action and by conforming to societal and political pressures and losing that freedom of expression that person is harming him or herself.

Today, I would hope that awareness in this country increases and that can only be done by educating our dominantly youthful nation. Illiteracy is the reason why any nation suffers and my wish would be for a literate nation. Better infrastructure and better roads is also something I would like to have for my country.

Minissha Lamba
The one thing that I'd like to change about our country is to make 'change for the better' an easier proposition by the government for the people of India.

Hansika
On the occasion of this independence day, I'd like to change the many laws rather norms that people have been following for ages in this country without thinking of it's relevance to a common man today. A common Indian man should be able to live life the way he wants to and that is what freedom means to me. I believe in the motto – Live and let live.

Amitabh Bachchan
I'd like to bring in peace and harmony in this country and freedom is our constitution, our democracy according to me. We have every right to express ourselves.

Manoj Bajpai
What I'd like to change in India? I'd like it if we could ensure that every Indian has at least roti, kapda aur makaan ...! The basic necessities of every Indian should at least be fulfilled.

Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor
We are happy that our film Bachna Ae Haseeno is releasing on the occasion of Independence Day! It's a weekend and an off so hopefully everybody will get time to relax and enjoy our film! People will be free to watch our film!

Kim Sharma
Freedom to me means the right to be independent and the right to make my own choices. It means to choose a way or a path of life for myself and being given the opportunities to follow it.

Kunal Khemu
Freedom is Independence...and Independence means knowing your rights, and performing your duties as a citizen responsibly. It also means respecting other people's freedom so live and let live. Jai Hind!

Shriya Saran
God has gifted us the Freedom to deal with our life and situation. We have the freedom as to how we put the effort to take the best out of life. You can be in prison or you could be in the best of place but how you perceive it and how you make it into learning experience and how you put your own positive attitude, is what freedom is. Freedom comes from mind. How you think and how much integrity you have is freedom. Today, you don't find equality everywhere; still we have freedom of mind. Freedom also means not to loose the spark and excitement of the child within. Freedom is to believe in miracles even when you are old. Freedom that you give yourself is the freedom that others will give you.

Arya Babbar
Freedom means to be free, not just in my thoughts but even free with the way we live our lives.....every year I notice that Diwali and Eid come together and I wonder if the Gods celebrate their most favoured festivals together. Then why we, as human beings, fight on these matters.... Freedom comes by freeing ourselves from our inhibitions...the day we achieve that we have achieved the true freedom.

Anjana Sukhani
Freedom to me is to live life the way I want to and let others do the same without being judgmental.

Tejaswini Kolhapure
Freedom means the right to live as per your free will...As long as one doesn't cross the line. Freedom means not to be afraid of what one does, wears, and also freely profess views and feelings.

Priyanshu Chatterjee
Freedom means a natural state of free-following, ever-progressive, ever-adapting nature which stays inherently self-accountable. It is nature's gift to us. India can do better by understanding the responsibility which comes along with freedom. It would greatly help us if we made our children understand the duality in "freedom", the gift which comes with a responsibility, a duty to preserve our freedom. Enjoying the fruits of freedom bearing respect for our fellow country men in our day to day lives could make us a healthier lot, a more civil lot.