“Bacchanitis” cripples Indian media

A month ago air waves were saturated with lethal doses of “Lizitis” and now it is“Bacchanitis”. We have heard about celestial weddings described in puranas but this celebrity wedding is putting all celestial weddings to shame. All eligible bachelors and bachelorettes want to be a fly on the wall, a lizard in B’s garden when it comes to union of Guru bhai and the Mistress of Spices. Fairy tale weddings like this one have defaced the Indian media. Though Indian public is private and very much appreciates privacy, but media portrays Indian public as malicious mother-in-laws hungry for celebrity juice. The hackneyed question is back - egg or the chicken which came first?

Lascivious media has been walloping gossip and disseminating trash through airwaves and print media. The lens apertures are completely wide and awake 24 by 7 since their engagement in January. Be it a trip to Madurai, Varanasi or Pushkar media employs full time correspondents and reporters to tag the prey and capture minute by minute details. When there is nothing else to ruminate media turns to Bollywood to wash celebrity linen in public and bring their bed lice to light. They gather astrologers for a panel discussion on horoscopes in mainstream media. Who is benefited from such irresponsible waste of airtime? What is the value add from such programs? Are these the changing times Indian journalism?

Isn’t it hideous, frivolous and gross invasion of privacy by the media moguls and reporters hounding Mr. Amitabh Bacchan’s house? Every time the door is closed and opened and every time a visitor enters or leaves slew of reporters and cameras run behind them to find out what is happening in the house. The same celebrities, who loathe the media when their private lives are made public, turn blind and deaf when it comes to propagating their brand image and value. Where did the invasion of privacy go? The Bacchans’ are no exception to this and they have joined hands to auction their souls and lives on Ebay. It is all money baby!!

Why has the media gone maniacal about this wedding? Is it because they are able to sell more adv time and gain viewership from Junior B’s wedding?

Some news channels refer to the Bacchans’ as the “First family of Bollywood”. Wow! I thought cinema was yet another profession, but why is the media creating a cult out of this profession and giving Bacchans’ the invincible status? Marriage is supposed to be a private affair celebrated with family and friends, but why is media making it public nuisance? Who wants to know if Sachin and his wife danced at the Sangeet ceremony?

Headlines Today has definitely been the biggest publicity channel for the Bacchans’. They have 30 minutes slot every hour to discuss about this celebrity wedding. From invitations, decorations, and invitees there are slots to that discuss about the Mangaliks’. The world and the media suddenly seem to worry about Mangaliks’. Where have they been all this while and here they are today to stage a debate between rationalist and astrologers if Abishek and Aishwarya’s wedding is astrologically well engineered.

Other News Channels are not far behind in this race. CNN IBN and Times Now have been chasing invitees to capture their expectations of this wedding. Sensationalism in media took a new route with breaking news and flash news scrolling at the bottom of the screen and today it has reached another level of meritocracy with irresponsible and frivolous reporting. For the first time I felt Doordarshan was a blessing over these private News channels.

Not only does the Television media world suffer from the “Bacchanitis” even responsible newspapers are turning into tabloids. Newspapers like Times of India, Hindustan Times, and Deccan Chronicle have separate sections covering the occasion, in addition to the usual front page coverage on the wedding.

Who is responsible for misleading the media in this direction? Are brands responsible for pushing the media to frivolous news reporting on their brand ambassadors to boost their sales? Definitely there must be a win-win proposition for coexistence in the business ecosystem. Brand endorsements locally and globally are not new to the Bacchans’ or Rai. International brands like L’Oreal Paris has introduced a shade of lip stick hand picked by the provocative queen to be sold world wide. This is the first time ever L’Oreal has ever done this for a celebrity. It is perfectly understandable when celebrity endorsed brands milk extra mileage during such occasions, but for media trespass in this area is highly objectionable.

Is it the job of the media to employ reporters and hire paparazzi to run around like beheaded chickens reporting, exaggerating and unnecessarily autopsying personal lives of celebrities? For the avaricious media fraternity shows up at private parties and bashes without any invitation is not new. At Arun Nayar and Liz Hurley’s wedding reporters from the media were treated like stray dogs, chased and beaten. Is media turning thick-skinned today? Where is self respect? Is media on their own trip to self vilification? Thriving on gossip and feeding on gossip has become norm today for the media houses. Page 3 has become Page 1 and priorities have changed. Editorial desk in the media houses have metamorphosed to “Gossip desk”.

At the end it all boils down to few questions. Is true journalism endangered in India? Has ethics and etiquettes in journalism vanished completely? Every news channel from West to East today suffers from this epidemic. Is it time to rewrite the ethics and principles governing the media to changing taste and times? Has the push for consumerism diluted the content and quality? Is sensationalism required for consumerism? Lots of questions to ask, but who will answer?

The Namesake - No Naam Ke Vaas

What happens when the dry westerly winds collide with moisture laden easterly winds? Do we call this the brewing of perfect storm or is it is just a passing summer shower? Will the winds be strong enough to blow off the duck back and drench our eyelashes and cheeks with saline water or just disappoint you with the high and dry feeling? Let us wait to find out.

Can a train journey, a conversation with a fellow passenger and the company of Nikolav Gogol’s book change the future of Ashok, simple middle class Bengali? Miracles do happen in simple journey. The very journey from Calcutta to Jamshedpur to visit his grandfather gives Ashok a second life, a life changing moment. The very Ashok who was recanting his grandfather’s words “Books make you travel the world without moving an inch” at the end of this train journey decides to travel the overseas in pursuit of his dreams. His dreams were nothing extraordinary. A Phd at an American University, sharing life with a beautiful Bengali girl, career as a professor, and dutiful father giving the best of life and opportunities for his children. It all comes true as Ashima, a beautiful Bengali Koel lends her shruti to his life sacrificing her life and passion. She faces the challenges of life as she crosses the bridge on river Hoogli and embarks her journey of life on Brooklyn bridge. Dripping icicles on the barren tree branches, a stage in between water and snow describes the frigid environment, the cause for her fluidity.

However hard one tries to transplant and thrive in the new soil, the genetic make up and the core can never be altered. Pangs of moving to a new city and settling in an alien culture, anxiety in retaining the cultural identity, Ashima tires hard to recreate Bengal in Brooklyn, and weaves a cultural cocoon around her.

How does it feel to grow up as “Gogol Ganguli” among Greg, Gretchen, and George? How does it feel to grow up with a western cheesecake while the core at home is the Bengali rasagulla? Like the cheese caught between the layers of sandwich Gogol melts within when taunted by his classmates and when chided by his parents for not being another Bengali kid. The cultural disconnect resonates within Gogol and Sonia and they are burdened by the cultural cross they are made to carry. Like every other NRI parents Ashok and Ashima bring their kids to educate them on the cultural richness of India. Sonali, the squeamish ABCD stays immiscible.

Amidst the back drop of the kids growing up and trips back home grey clouds gather on the horizon. Passing away of Ashima’s her father back home makes her worry about emptying hour glass of life and withering roots. She holds on to her husband and son for her emotional survival. With kids graduating and moving out of home, Ashima like every parent fall a prey to the empty nester syndrome. The protective Indian motherly feeling breaks out of the egg. She worries unduly about his son but is only disappointed when her calls are unanswered and never returned.

Gogol caught between the jaws of the western culture and Max (his girl friend) at one end and the ever disheartened Indian parents at the other end is tormented by guilt and confusion. Passing away of his father puts an end to Max’s chapter in his life and he decides to make his mother happy by marrying Moushmi, a girl of Bengali origin. With Sonia moving to the West coast and without Ashok and Gogol Ashima’s life plays plaintive notes.

Did someone say that only time can work its magic on our skin and attitude. When that happens no one knows how and why it happens? There is a stage in life where we relinquish our dreams and stop goading kids with our dreams and accept them as they are. Ashima was at the crossroads of her life. She breaks out of her cultural cocoon and accepts her American son-in-law Ben. Now that her kids are living their American dream life, she decides to spread her wings and watch their life from this side of the shore. Ashima liquidates the assets and flutter back to the grove where she belonged. Her life goes back to the same notes she sang before marriage, she gets an opportunity to relive her passion.

Gogol, the architect is disappointed when his dream of building Moushmi Mahal was thwarted. To him the very name Gogol and the author were total mockery and revulsion, but in the back drop of Moushmi leaving him for a French guy the author turns out to be meaningful teacher and his book becomes a bible and more. He decides to read the book and architect his life with real happiness, following his father’s footsteps.

The Namesake is a simple story that brings the clash of ethnic baggage, value system and sentiments on the silver screen. Be it Bengal or Brooklyn anyone who is deeply rooted in their culture and ethnicity feels lost and confused when transplanted in a foreign soil. Is it good to have a cultural and ethnic identity? Does it do more damage than good? Ashima’s quandary and experiences answers these questions in the movie.

• Mira has done a fine job in taking a difficult but ubiquitous subject and candidly presenting it without cloying. She weaves a delicate thread from cultural cocoon that becomes a powerful backdrop and a colorful tapestry for the movie. She scores an A+ making the right choice when with cast, camera and music.


• Tabu the right pick for Ashima’s role, showed maturity in her looks and in performance. The timbre of the lost soul was well reflected on her face all through out the movie. Was it Tabu or Shabana Asmi? She scores a lot of wow moments in the movie.


• Kal Penn playing as Gogol was a challenging role, given his ethnicity and cultural background. He brilliantly transforms from juvenile Gogol to mature young men traveling through eye of the storm. He scores a lot of awe moments.


• Not for namesake, cast sake, and story sake but it is a must watch movie for all those who have crossed oceans, traveled miles, and others who plan to do so.