A few disparate thoughts that I have been having about the trite and trivial things that are given undeserving importance via the medium of media (like the stuff mentioned in the title of this blog):
1) Karva Chauth – The most touted festival (celebrated only in certain regions and by select communities in India) is given highest importance in Hindi movies (probably because most of the concentration of writers and directors who hail from these select regions). I would want to give this festival the title of “Footage Festival” given the Media attention that was given since Ash-Abhishek wedding. (For those of you who do not know what this festival is about, I suggest you do a google/yahoo search and figure that out yourself) Why on earth would anyone be interested in whether Aishwarya is celebrating the festival (not too sure the community she belongs to, or for that matter to which her Mother-in-law belongs to, has ever celebrated this festival)
2) Vermilon (Sindoor), Thaalis (Mangal Sutras/Bride’s wedding knot around the neck) – The much touted Vermilon in Hindi movies and the Thaali in Tamil movies seem to be personal effects that a chaste married woman cannot be seen without. (I recall watching a Tamil movie where the heroine obstinately refuses to hand over the Thaali to robbers because that inanimate object around her neck was the mark of her marriage – Gosh! Spare me these dialogues.) Frankly, if a woman chooses to, these should be omitted from marriage ceremonies as well. They really serve no purpose and if I may dare – in my personal opinion -add to ‘ugly-fication’ of the bride.
3) Maiden names – I somehow seem to come back to ‘Ash’ thanks to media reports. Ash has made a name for herself. And on the contrary, ‘Ash’ added more value (in monetary terms as well) to junior Bachan. She did not need the Bachan flag to hoist herself any higher than where she already is. But still the media will write about her as ‘Aishwarya Bachan’. Has anyone even bothered to ask ‘Ash’ if she prefers her maiden name? Why cannot we call Ash’s less talented husband – “Abhishek Rai”? After all, he would not have got an iota of media attention had it not been for his father or Ash.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
The Regionalist
Very often, people ask me the following question, “Are you a SouTH Indian?” (with a great emphasis on the TH of ‘south’; (of course the crass version of the same question; ‘ are you a madraasi’); is also often put forth before me. There are several issues with this.
Firstly, why should it matter?
Secondly, when I reply in the affirmative, I am often told that I don’t look like a SouTH Indian at all. My next question is usually, “How do South Indians look like?” The question is out of curiosity because I could never figure out how South Indians looked any different from East, West, North or Central Indians.
The smarter guys who realize they are being cornered into saying something sexist (castist/regionalist etc) usually reply after several minutes of ‘uhms’ and ‘ahs’ that they don’t know.
“Because South Indians are Kaala (black) ” pat comes the reply from the Victims. (Note: ‘people’ become victims once I pounce on them on such replies – read on to know how).
“ But Victimji, Mayawati is dark, so is SRK (sorry SP and SRK fans; I had to drag them in). But look at Hema Malini, Sridevi, Rekha, they are all so Gora (white). Amitabh Bacchan, who hails from UP definitely cant be a poster boy for Emami’s ‘fair and handsome’ cream. And Superstar Rajanikant, is himself from Central India – yet so dark.”
50% of victims know that they now have been caught foot in mouth. But the remaining 50% can’t ever admit defeat, can they. So the conversation continues.
Victim says, “ But these people you suggested are all exceptions to the rule. If you see overall, majority of people from the North are Gora (White) while majority of people from the SouTH are Kaala (black).”
I say, “ Victimji, can you please get me statistical evidence to prove your hypothesis? Have you personally done a survey of people’s complexions? How did you measure the level of ‘Kaala’ and ‘Goora’-ness in a person? How many people did your survey include? How many cities/towns did you cover? Has your study been validated and approved by the government or any authority on this matter?”
By now Victimji is loosing tempo (and temper). “Hema Malini is ‘Gora’ because her mother was a North Indian and Sridevi’s real father was a Kashmiri. I read it one of the Film magazines somewhere. That would explain why they are fair. Rekha was just an exception ”By this point, I am loosing some steam too. I feel like hurling abuses at Victimji and feel like shouting “Get out” but instead, I try to calmly say, “ Aap to bahoot Kaale hain – dil aur dimaag se (you are extremely black – from the heart and head)
Firstly, why should it matter?
Secondly, when I reply in the affirmative, I am often told that I don’t look like a SouTH Indian at all. My next question is usually, “How do South Indians look like?” The question is out of curiosity because I could never figure out how South Indians looked any different from East, West, North or Central Indians.
The smarter guys who realize they are being cornered into saying something sexist (castist/regionalist etc) usually reply after several minutes of ‘uhms’ and ‘ahs’ that they don’t know.
“Because South Indians are Kaala (black) ” pat comes the reply from the Victims. (Note: ‘people’ become victims once I pounce on them on such replies – read on to know how).
“ But Victimji, Mayawati is dark, so is SRK (sorry SP and SRK fans; I had to drag them in). But look at Hema Malini, Sridevi, Rekha, they are all so Gora (white). Amitabh Bacchan, who hails from UP definitely cant be a poster boy for Emami’s ‘fair and handsome’ cream. And Superstar Rajanikant, is himself from Central India – yet so dark.”
50% of victims know that they now have been caught foot in mouth. But the remaining 50% can’t ever admit defeat, can they. So the conversation continues.
Victim says, “ But these people you suggested are all exceptions to the rule. If you see overall, majority of people from the North are Gora (White) while majority of people from the SouTH are Kaala (black).”
I say, “ Victimji, can you please get me statistical evidence to prove your hypothesis? Have you personally done a survey of people’s complexions? How did you measure the level of ‘Kaala’ and ‘Goora’-ness in a person? How many people did your survey include? How many cities/towns did you cover? Has your study been validated and approved by the government or any authority on this matter?”
By now Victimji is loosing tempo (and temper). “Hema Malini is ‘Gora’ because her mother was a North Indian and Sridevi’s real father was a Kashmiri. I read it one of the Film magazines somewhere. That would explain why they are fair. Rekha was just an exception ”By this point, I am loosing some steam too. I feel like hurling abuses at Victimji and feel like shouting “Get out” but instead, I try to calmly say, “ Aap to bahoot Kaale hain – dil aur dimaag se (you are extremely black – from the heart and head)
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