By Anant Mathur (February 05, 2010)
It seems these days, especially with the availability of Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, iPhones, and god knows what else - every Indian celebrity, no matter how small, has an opinion. Honestly, who gives a flying pig about what these celebrities have to say!
I’m normally a calm person, but there are a few things in this world that really piss me off!! This time it’s the Indian media and their constant struggle to leave things alone. Why can’t they understand that every story doesn’t need to be told!
Like the recent so called “controversy” surrounding Shah Rukh Khan and the Pakistani cricketers. All he said was “Pakistani cricketers need to be part of the IPL 3,” but such a comment from a world renowned celebrity was unacceptable to Shiv Sena. They expressed their discontent over the actor's comments saying SRK has insulted the 26/11 martyrs. What the Pakistani cricketers have to do with the 26/11 victims, is something that boggles the mind. Let the Indian intelligence agencies figure out who the terrorist is. Unless intelligence reports say Pakistani cricketers are terrorists, they should be allowed to play. This isn’t even a story worth anyone’s time (weren’t Pakistani players part of IPL1), besides who cares what Shah Rukh wants to do. Why would you report this?
If Shah Rukh really wants Pakistani players in IPL3 why didn’t he select them for his team?
Shiv Sena is also saying they won’t let Shah Rukh’s film My Name Is Khan release unless he offers an apology. They’re tearing down posters of My Name Is Khan. Oh dear lord… not the posters, I’m so afraid. Yeah, boo hoo, Shah Rukh is in trouble; lets all go watch his film so he feels better, they tore down the posters, posters people! Now we have to see this film! The more money he makes the better he'll feel.
Why do controversies like this always happen when a film is about to be released? Why don’t they happen when an actor has no release in sight for months?
I’m willing to bet all my Monopoly money that come next Friday the film will release regardless of what Shiv Sena does. Why? Because all of this is a publicity stunt and Shiv Sena is in on it with Shah Rukh and company. These imbeciles should be careful tearing up the posters – what if they get a paper cut? Who will save them from bleeding to death?
I actually wanted to see this film before all this nonsense started; now I’ve lost all interest. I’m just hoping this stunt backfires on them and no one goes to see the film when it is released next Friday. Then at least they’ll have a reason (the Shiv Sena) for the film flopping and won’t have to defend the fact it was the story that was lousy.
Recently, Pooja Bhatt said that she supports Shah Rukh Khan’s stand and is happy because he’s not giving-in to the Shiv Sena. Oh, how nice! Or could it be that she’s only doing this because her own film Kajraare which releases next month and stars a Pakistani actress may go through similar controversy and she would like to garner the support of Shah Rukh Khan and company. That deserves an “hmmm”, don’t you think.
Pooja Bhatt went on to say that she’s surprised that Karan Johar and Shah Rukh’s other friends don’t stand up and support him. Here’s some news for you miss Bhatt, “they’re in on it with the Shiv Sena, it’s all a publicity stunt”. Besides, Karan Johar is the biggest sissy on the planet do you really think he has the guts to stand up to anyone?
I honestly don’t give a rat’s behind what Shah Rukh Khan, Karan Johar or any other celebrities’ political beliefs are or what they do in their private life and their opinions hold the least bit of interest for me. Do they care what you, I or the next person has to say? Will they visit your Twitter page and post a reply to your opinion each time you post something? They need to leave their opinions for their friends, family and colleagues like every other man, woman and child on the planet.
All I want from these “actors” is “acting”, that’s all nothing more, just a few lines of dialogue which might sound nice on the screen or make me wanna puke and say that was horrible, but again that’s my opinion! You may not agree with it, and that’s your opinion! There’s nothing wrong with having an opinion just as long as it’s not the story of the day, week or month.
With the kind of money these celebs are making I’m sure their day can be better spent than wasting time on Twitter. How about going out and handing some food and blankets to the poor and hungry or going to the hospital to visit the terminally ill. If you want free publicity there’s a way, and you might get yourself into heaven too! Oh and if your really pressure them, I’m sure the hospital will give you a humanitarian of the year award just for showing up!
Actually, you can’t just blame the celebs; it has to be shared equally by their friends in the media who put them in the news. Don’t news agencies have editors anymore?? How can any gibberish be published or broadcasted? What ever happened to having a good Editor-In-Chief? 90 percent of the reports that are published or broadcasted aren’t even news, its rubbish dished out by celebs or more likely their publicity agent and/or producers of their upcoming film. You have to remember folks, every story that the media preys on these days is usually given to them as a press release by publicity agents, producers or the celebs themselves. Media people, especially in India, are too stupid to go out and find stories on their own. This is why every celeb is friends with someone in the media; they know exactly who to dish their bullshit to.
When it was just Doordarshan no one cared what the celebs were doing, only news and facts were reported. Now with so many news channels its all about competition, journalists (a term I use very loosely on these idiots) have no integrity, who ever can get something from a celeb first will get published or broadcasted, it doesn’t matter what the content is, what matters is how popular or unpopular the celeb is.
It’s like Coca Cola, does it really matter what the content of their ad is, as soon as you see the logo; you know what the product is. In this case, as soon as fans of a celebrity see the name of their favourite celeb, they’ll click and watch or read what the fuss is all about. This is the kind of power celebs have and it’s this same power they abuse with the help of the media. Celebs today feel it’s important to get into bed with media because they can help them rise to the top.
Bollywood celebs need to smarten up before the audience gives up on them. There’s only so much people will take before everything starts to sound fake, as it does now, sadly no one has noticed as yet! But pretty soon people will stop believing anything these celebs have to say or sell and realize that all these controversies are publicity stunts!
Honestly, if a celeb really wants to impress us with their actions, they should go help a person in need instead of wasting their time on Twitter. Go help a poor man build a home or console a parent who lost a son that was defending the country. And do it when your film isn’t up for release or elections aren’t approaching. You have the money and the power is in the palm of your hands! You can point fingers or lend a helping hand, the choice is yours!
A parting though…
The last I checked (which was right before writing this article) India was a democratic republic. And as such it has a constitution which lists Fundamental Rights for Indian citizens, these rights include: Freedom of Speech and Expression. Freedom of Speech is the freedom to speak without censorship and/or limitation. Freedom of Expression is sometimes used to indicate not only freedom of verbal speech but any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used.
Oh dear god, can this be true?
By George, it is!
Well if it’s written in the constitution then arrest these Shiv Sena bastards, because they’re breaking the law by stopping a citizen from exercising these freedoms. It is our constitutional right to speak our mind. And if any one has a problem with that… too friggin bad! Hang the bloody Shiv Sainiks for using the name of a god in vain, they’re nothing like Shiv or Sainiks – they’re no better than a third-rate terrorist group whose bark is worse than the bite!
© Anant Mathur. All Rights Reserved.
