For those who believed Bollywood is happy to play a mute spectator to the nation's goings-on, Monday evening was an eye-opener. As several actors and directors — including Taapsee Pannu, Richa Chadha, Ali Fazal, Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane, Hansal Mehta, Anubhav Sinha, Zoya Akhtar, Vishal and Rekha Bhardwaj, among others — turned up at Carter Road in Bandra to stand in solidarity with the students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), it was evident that they will no longer be silenced. Even in the depths of despair, those gathered chose hope and courage, reciting lines from Faiz Ahmed Faiz's Hum dekhenge. As Swanand Kirkire sang his creation, Bawra mann from Hazaron Khwaishein Aisi (2005), he called on everyone to dream for a better world.

Swara Bhasker