Amitabh Bachchan greeted fans through a transparent bulletproof glass wall from a raised platform at his residence, Jalsa, in Mumbai on Sunday, November 1. Behind him was his son Abhishek, while security officials surrounded his residence. Previously, he used to stand out in the open in previous weeks. Now he has a new enclosure around him.

Why the glass went up

Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde received a threat email that was also sent to the Deputy Mayor, Sanjay Ghadi. The police claimed that a blast was threatened at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation office, a grenade attack on a school on October 31, and an attack on Jalsa between October 31 and November 27. The singer Diljit Dosanjh’s November 27 concert at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse was also mentioned in the email.

The premises in the email for the first blast were checked, but nothing suspicious was found. Security and monitoring at the mayor’s office, the racecourse, the major schools, and all other places mentioned in the email were instructed to be beefed up. According to reports, Jalsa has now been protected with barricades and glass. After the email, an investigation was also initiated. Bachchan was one among many people mentioned in the email, so the glass was put up as a precaution.

A ritual built on closeness, now at a distance

It’s bizarre because the entire premise of the event is about being close, and now there is a transparent wall in place. Bachchan greeting his fans on Sundays has been a long tradition. He used to come out at Jalsa’s doorstep, so the fans got to see him without the need for a ticket or a stage. In fact, he wrote that many people come for a walk on Juhu beach on Sundays, but when they reach Jalsa, they stop by. Every year on his birthday, there are also crowds outside Jalsa. He comes out for a few minutes to greet fans. It is sad that a single email was enough to place a glass screen between the 84-year-old and people who come to wish him well.

The tradition has changed in the past. Bachchan called off the Sunday meet in March 2020 due to coronavirus. As for how long the enclosure will be in place, there are no reports about it.