Thursday 24 May 2012

Bollywood Loses the Plot and Trivialises the Issue


Film stars discovering themselves on television shows, be it reality shows, chat shows or even soaps, is not a recent phenomenon. There is also nothing novel about the media frenzy — doctored without doubt — surrounding it. These days with TV rivalling cinema as we know it there isn’t much surprise that many film stars — even the so-called superstars — are testing new waters. Even though only a handful of these film stars who have ventured into the small screen have tasted success, it nevertheless is still a very enchanting milieu.
The entry of Aamir Khan — last of the troika Khans in Bollywood to do so — with an ‘Oprah Winfrey type show’ into every Indian living room was pitched sky-high. Three episodes old Satyamev Jayate is the talk of the town — or at least that is what the media keeps reminding us by saying that the show has broken all known records on TV viewing records and has forced law-makers take decisions.
It is telecast at the ‘Mahabarat’ slot —11 am on Sunday. Telecasting at a coveted timing, however, will alone not do the trick. Unlike the epic, Satyamev Jayate does not have drama, grandeur and flamboyance. What it has, instead, is an artificial, thrust-down-your-throat packaging of reality. If the producers of Satyamev Jayate thought they could replicate the Mahabarat success, it only goes to show their overconfidence in their marketing genius. Mahabarat is an Indian epic, with almost all the essential ingredients to keep one glued to the TV. That it was based on a religious text helped in its success.
Satyamev Jayate, on the other hand, speaks about taboo issues that are unfortunately prevalent in our society but none would want to address. This in no way is to undermine the importance of the topics that are discussed, but how many people would want to spend a lazy Sunday morning listening to issues that many cringe at?
The promoters of the show have heavily relied on the image of Aamir Khan as a crusader for social causes and have taken great pains to show that the issues discussed are close to his heart. The fact that female foeticide is close to the actor’s heart will make good Page 3 news or will make headlines in news channels that have unashamedly blurred the lines between news and entertainment. The question is: how does it matter to someone who is taking such a decision, wrong as it is, either due to ignorance or pressing circumstances whether Aamir Khan is against the practice? Film stars or celebrities have not been able to create such a profound impact in society. If that was the case, law and order would have been much better in the country given the number of police-officer roles the popular film stars have portrayed.
In the effort of covering Aamir Khan in an activist armour the promoters of Satyamev Jayate have actually done harm to his image as an entertainer. That, one presumes, explains the clarification given by the actor shortly after first episode of Satyamev Jayate stating that he was just an ‘entertainer’. It perhaps seems that it was seen as necessary to disassociate the ‘star’ from the ‘cause’, not because the ‘cause’ was not worthy to be associated with the ‘star’ but because contrary to expectations the ‘cause’ was hampering the image of the ‘star’.

An overkill of activism is eating into the ‘entertainment’ quotient Aamir Khan is commanding, and there is little argument that projects he is associated with are the most anticipated ones in Bollywood. In addition to the quality of the film and publicity surrounding it, what gives an Amir Khan movie an edge is the fact that unlike many other stars there is a certain invisibility about the actor from the public eye and rampant speculation about the project/film. Satyamev Jayate brings him in the news almost every day, into the living room space and thereby killing an anticipation that earlier existed. One wonders how this will affect his Talaash, which is now slated for a November 2012 release and by then Satyamev Jayate would have run its whole season and Aamir Khan would have addressed almost all social evils in the country. Would this constant reminder of what ails our society hamper Aamir Khan’s glow? After all, who likes someone who always points out the mistakes in us?
Finally, recent news reports linking Satyamev Jayate to Parliament passing a Bill on child molestation and Rajasthan seriously considering addressing female foeticide is wrong on two counts. First, it trivialises these important social evils. One only wishes addressing these issues was such an easy task. Secondly, to say that our politicians wake up and take note only if celebrities speak is a sad state of affairs.

5 comments:

  1. Rightly said, "How many people would want to spend a lazy Sunday morning listening to issues that many cringe at"---as we have been shying away from discussing these "taboos" in public, forget about family.
    But, look at the brighter side(This is how I look at it)the issues it brings forth, most of us -- comfortably sitting in our AC rooms, munching on breakfast - would like to believe they won't happen to us. Unfortunately, an issue like "child abuse", something no one would like to talk about, but it is prevent in our society; if that episode encourages a child to say “No” to the molester without any fear, or if it helps a parent to understand silent signs from their child, I would say the show has managed to contribute.
    The show is kind of spreading awareness that these things can happen to anyone, irrespective of their caste, education or upbringing. It is a matter of imbibing and implementing. Aamir can’t change the world, but if we change our perception and do our “bit”, life can be better and easier:-)

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  2. " An overkill of activism " Love the way you write dude :D

    keep it going

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  3. Disclaimer: We don't have a TV @ home, I haven't watched the show yet, and during the Mahabharat slot, we are mostly around Church.

    Finding: I play the FM (I listen only to the govt channels) while driving, and listened to promos that the show comes on twice on radio too! Once on Saturday or Sunday @ 11 in the morning, and the other at 3 PM through the week or so.

    Deduction: Keep in mind that the show is simulcast. Who watches DD at all? Certainly, those who don't get cable channels (and people like Aamir). What is their choice of entertainment at Sunday 11 AM? Hmm... Maybe a movie on TV. Would they like to see Aamir the star on at that time with a talked about show? I guess so. Same for radio I guess. And I see Aamir has started a column in the Hindu too, now (never misses a PR trick, the guy).

    On Star I guess Aamir will run out of steam - for as the show shows, perpetrators of the crimes are mostly urban, educated, upper middle class. If you wouldn't want to be reminded of the abortion you made your daughter in law commit, you might stay away from the channel. But since Oprah works, the episodes might also help catharsis for many, and would thus get committed followers. The question is, would achieve a critical mass to override the perpetrators who dislike seeing their crimes and misdemeanors being discussed in front of the whole family, thus making this a show that could split and bond a family, really.

    As for the theory that this might negatively impact Talaash, well, I think Aamir might be skeptic of the same, and and reduced his commitments to just one film to test the waters. Also, the one man marketing agency that he is, Aamir would certainly have taken into consideration his overexposure threshold, and deduced that the show might actually help market his role in the movie ("A cop, a housewife and a prostitute get entangled in a mystery that links their lives in unexpected ways"), and thus the film. Look at the amount of PR he is generating - even a person like me who doesn't watch TV can't escape discussing the show. In fact, what I am waiting for is to see him purposely not sport the mustache from Talaash (his facial hair has been his opening publicity gimmick for his later movies) on his show, and thus make the media herald it as a great act :) Never misses a trick, the guy.

    So if I were Aamir, I'd wait for my eggs to hatch on DD. Star is dicey, but is a gamble. Radio is a bonus. And for Talaash, if the film is good (unlike Dhobi Ghaat and Mangal Pandey), it will certainly benefit the exposure.

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    Replies
    1. Yes. The ‘DD where there is no cable’ is a good point. That makes his appearance all the more special (did not think about that). Then again, my point (and this is at best a jurno’s inference) is how many of people in these villages would like to sit as a family in front of a TV and face these facts (many of which they are privy to? As for his column in The Hindu, the same appears in Hindustan Times as well.
      Your point on Aamir running out of steam in Star (and other cable channels) is likely. I am not sure if comparisons to the Oprah show is correct because brand Oprah was not built over a season.
      What I find wanting or rather missing is a production finesse for the show. Somehow it appears like one of those shows produced by the local cable TV station. Not to mention the forced or fake emotions (there is this long sigh he gives out each time some participant recalls an experience — can’t get more artificial).
      My point on Talaash was on my inference that overexposure or a lot of PR at times can be counterproductive. Your point on him sporting a ‘talaash’ moustache — don’t be surprised if he does it. Or an episode on how CSWs are victimised… I guess the show winds up before the release of the movie.
      True, it’s too early to write an epitaph. I do not know about the other languages but the dubbed version in Malayalam (and Tamil I guess) are sad. It’s like watching one of those tele-marketing ads.
      Thanks for taking time to read and to give a constructive comment.

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  4. Aamir might have his own agenda, but he has increased the visibility of the social evils. Hopefully, the public and the government will act at least out of embarassment

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