While Amitabh Bachchan spoke about the film fraternity needing to take inspiration from Indian cinematic maestros and their politically and socially conscious films, Shah Rukh Khan’s speech at Kolkata International Film Festival on Thursday was about the negative effects of social media and how cinema has a constructive role to play in countering it.

“Cinema and social media platforms have become a source of creative expression of human emotion. Contrary to the belief that social media will affect our cinema negatively, I believe cinema has a more important role to play now…Social media is often driven by a certain narrowness of view that limits human nature to its baser self...I read somewhere-negativity increases social media consumption,” he said even as he is being viciously targeted by trolls.

Shah Rukh Khan also chose to focus on the beauty and power of cinema to foster inclusivity and compassion instead. “Cinema is best placed to be the counter narrative that speaks to the larger human nature. A narrative that brings to the fore humanity’s immense capacity for compassion, unity and brotherhood. Meeting the world at the world of cinema is the call of the day. Not just meeting, but also using the power of cinema as a vehicle for people of different cultures, colours, caste and religion to better understand each other. The endeavour is to build a new platform of understanding and break existing prejudices. So let’s come together and build a better world for all our future generations,” he added.

Ending his speech on a light note, he said, “Duniya kuch bhi kar le – main, aur aap log aur jitne bhi positive log hai, sab ke sab zinda hai.”