Amitabh Bachchan cancels Sunday meet with fans over coronavirus outbreak

Amitabh Bachchan has cancelled his Sunday meeting with fans over the outbreak of coronavirus across the country and the world. The veteran actor took to Twitter to post a special message for his fans.

Sharing a picture of himself in what appeared to be a bandage, he wrote: "T 3470 - To all Ef and well wishers an earnest request !PLEASE DO NOT COME TO JALSA GATE TODAY .. SUNDAY MEET am not going to come ! Take PRECAUTIONS .. be safe." He also added the same note in Hindi for the benefit of his fans who don't read English. While Amitabh did not mention it, it is obvious the cancellation has come about due to the dangerous spread of coronavirus across the country. With two confirmed cases of people who have died from it and 93 active cases in India so far, the pandemic has taken dangerous dimension and hence the actor's word of caution for his many fans.

Amitabh has had a long tradition of greeting his fans, who faithfully gather outside his residence in Mumbai every Sunday. On several occasions in the past, Amitabh has shared pictures of greeting his fans from the gate of his residence and expressed his gratitude for their continued love and support.

On Thursday, Amitabh had posted a video expressing his concern on the spread of coronavirus and spoken about Covid 19 via a special video. In it, he had recited a poem in Awadhi, written by him. Warning fans of the dangers of the deadly virus, he had said: "People are suggesting so many cures and treatments, whom should we listen to? One suggests we should use kalonji while another suggests we should stay at home. Many suggest one should not touch anyone without washing hands with soap and water. I thought I must also do as everyone suggests."

Coronavirus spread has hit the film industry hard -- from film releases being postponed and shoots getting cancelled. However, worst hit has been the film Angrezi Medium, which unfortunately released just around the time that many states shut down theatres due to the disease. The film, which was to serve as Irrfan's comeback vehicle, could manage to make only about Rs 6.78 crores, despite boasting of a stellar cast including Kareena Kapoor Khan.