Bollywood News

Criticised for endorsing controversial Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan said he was endorsing and promoting Gujarat and not its chief minister whom he met for tax exemption of his film.

Asked by NDTV in an interview if he was endorsing Modi, who is tainted by the persecution of minorities in post-Godhra riots, Amitabh Bachchan said: "No, I am not."

"I don't know what conclusions you draw but I am going there for tax exemptions, " said Bachchan.

"He is the Chief Minister of the state, " said Bachchan justifying his meeting the highest authority in the state for tax exemption of his film and revealing that in the coming days he would meet Karnataka Chief Minister for same reasons.

Bachchan said he also recently went to visit former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu in a Kolkata hospital before his death.

Ruling out that he promoted Modi, the actor said he was asked by the chief minister to shoot in Gujarat so that the state's tourist sites could be promoted and he agreed.

"I am endorsing the state and the goodies that it has, " he said when asked why he agreed to be the state's brand ambassador.

"I saw the nice wide roads, the greenery, " said Bachchan.