Isha began her video by introducing herself and saying, “Yes, I am an andhbhakt. If it is bhakti (devotion) to love your country and want to see it progress, then yes, I am proud to be a bhakt… andhbhakt. But my blind devotion is not towards any political party; it’s towards my country. Nation first. I can question the government and disagree with its policies. And still love my country wholeheartedly.” Andhbhakt is usually a term for a blind follower of a political party or leader.
Isha also had an analogy for how she perceived the citizens of this country. “There are two kinds of offspring. One who spends their life counting what their parents have and have not done for them. The other who make the most of what they have to make a life for themselves and their parents. The difference is not just in circumstances. It’s also in their thought,” she said.
“Instead of asking what the country has given us all the time, why not start thinking about what we can contribute to the country? Because Bharat is changing. It’s time to change our thoughts to help in making a new Bharat. So, call me a bhakt, call me an andhbhakt, call me a nationalist. I am Indian, I love my India, I believe in my India. Not blindly, but proudly, passionately, and unapologetically,” she summed it up.
“If loving India is “andhbhakti,” then I’ll proudly wear the label. Because I can question what feels wrong, appreciate what feels right, and still put my nation above everything,” she wrote in her caption.
On Independence Day, Isha posted a video of her daughter, Rianna, singing the national anthem in Indian Sign Language. “Jana Gana Mana has always reminded us that our differences don’t divide us-they make India what it is,” she wrote in her caption.
Despite having a Master's degree in Journalism and over a decade of experience in print and digital media as a field reporter and sub-editor at organisations such as The Times of India and Reader's Digest, Neeshita Nyayapati remains a movie buff first and a Chief Content Producer second. She fell in love with movies in childhood and believes nothing matches the magic of watching a good film that moves you with a warm tub of popcorn in hand. Her love for writing about cinema follows that. Come Friday, you'll find her at her happy place, the movies, catching the latest rom-com or masala offering, for reviews or otherwise. As for the rest of the week, she's here reporting the juiciest news in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi or bringing out the best of celebs in interviews. While her niche is Telugu cinema, Neeshita likes to dabble in a little bit of everything to stay up to date. From film announcements to scandals and hard news angles, she has explored it all. A good book, a comforting cup of hot chocolate, puppy kisses and a stunning beach view are all she needs to unwind. Her passion for biking and travelling has taken her to various places across the country. She has found peace in everything from the frozen lakes of Gangtok to the coffee plantations of Coorg and the dense forests of Bandipur, to the monasteries of Darjeeling. But no matter where she goes, Neeshita loves coming across inspiring and moving stories.Read More
