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US Consulate General, Thomas Vajda and Bollywood superstar, Amitabh Bachchan pose for a photo opportunity with US Marines during the the 239th anniversary of US Independence in Mumbai. Image Credit: PTI

Cinema doesn’t discriminate and is instead, a “great integrator of communities”, said legendary Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan, who was the guest of honour at a US Independence Day celebration here in Mumbai.

The US Consulate General organised an event to mark the country’s 239th Independence Day, which falls on July 4. The theme of the proceedings of the event, held on Thursday night, was Bollywood.

“To me, cinema has always been a great integrator of communities and I am so happy that you have chosen Bollywood as your theme today. As I always believe that when we stand at the box office to buy a ticket for a film, we never ask the caste, the creed, or the colour of the person sitting next to us, yet we enjoy the same film.

“We cry at the same emotion, we laugh at the same comedy scene and we sing the same songs,” Bachchan said while addressing the audience.

“I have never ever seen any kind of institution, regretfully in today’s times, that can under one roof, propagate these principles that cinema does, and I am very proud to be a very small member of this fraternity,” added Bachchan, who has been entertaining audiences with his movies for over four decades.