In Awadhi poem on coronavirus, Bachchan tells fans to stay safe

Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan, a prominent face of health campaigns in the country, has penned a small poem for his fans on precautions to be taken during the coronavirus outbreak.

Expressing concern over the spread of the epidemic, the actor on Thursday (March 12) shared a 1.35 minute long video in which he recited the poem worded in Awadhi, the language of his hometown of Allahabad.

He begins by saying how after the outbreak, people have conjured up home-based remedies to fight the virus, confusing others on what to follow and what not to follow.

“Bahutere ilaj batawe jan janmanas sab, kekar sune kekar nahi kaun batayi ab (people suggest so many remedies that it’s difficult to tell what to follow and what not to follow)”

“Keo kahas kalonji peeso keho amla ras, keho kahe ghar me baitho hilo na thas se mas (some say grind onion seeds, some tell to drink amla juice, some say sit at home and don’t go out),” the poem read.

In the next two lines, the actor says he has decided to listen to those who told him not to touch anyone without washing his hands with soap as that it how coronavirus can be warded off.

“Ab ir kahen aur beer kahen ki aisa kuch bhi karo na, bin sabun ke hath na dhoyi ke keo ko bhaiya chhuon na (now some say not to listen to home remedies, and never touch anyone without washed hands)”

“Hum kahe chalo hum wo kar dete hain jaisan bole sab, aawe de corona phirona thengua dikhaoge tab (So, let’s do as they say, and when corona comes we can show it the door),” he read.

T 3468 – Concerned about the COVID 19 .. just doodled some lines .. in verse .. please stay safe .. ? pic.twitter.com/80idolmkRZ

— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) March 12, 2020

Besides Bachchan, several other actors have also taken to social media to urge their fans to stay safe and take precautionary measures in view of the virus outbreak.

Bachchan later, also said in his blog that WHO and UNICEF have also asked him to spread awareness by sharing video messages with his fans. “But they are more formal… this in Awadhi was my own doing… one is never too far away from their mother tongue… ! stay safe, stay alert, please stay safe,” he posted.

In view of the increasing coronavirus cases in India, while many production houses have stalled their shoots, release of films like Rohit Shetty’s Sooryavanshi has been postponed. The film was scheduled to release on March 24.

The governments of Delhi, Kerala and Jammu have also decided to shut down cinema halls until March 31.