Critic’s Choice

Just a couple of months ago,Penguin Classics launched ‘Blog a Penguin Classic’ wherein they encouraged readers and book clubs throughout the country to read the entire range of Penguin Classics by blogging about them. While the reader was allowed to write to them about the book of their choice,the books were also delivered to the readers by Penguin India. Although the idea is a novel one,is it fair for just about anyone to review classics? “But we are not really looking at voracious readers and expert writers,who are the last word in literature to write for us. The main aim is to get people to revive their favourite classics and spread the word around,” says Hemali Sodhi,general manager,marketing and corporate communications.

Reader Jaya Pandey says this is also a brilliant way of drawing the younger generation to the classics. “Most youngsters are content reading newer authors,graphic novels or chick-lit. Not many read the yesteryear classics,” says Pandey,blogging for the site.

Similar is the case with Projeckt iView,a section started by the blog Passion4cinema,which encourages cinema lovers to send in film reviews,opinions,reactions or even their picture with a cine personality along with a brief writeup of the encounter. With Hindi films having the maximum number of reviewers,there is always a chance that the reviews of these bloggers termed as unprofessional or substandard.

“Who are we to decide the standards?” questions filmmaker Sudhir Mishra,one of the key people behind the blog. “User reviews are a good idea because it comes from a wide range of people,who may or may not be involved in filmmaking. One gets a holistic view of a film,” he adds.

Anuj Mhatre,a regular reader of this blog,feels it is the interaction that is the USP of these sites. “It introduces you to different types of cinema fanatics who help you build your knowledge on the subject.” Sodhi seconds,“Interaction results in a profound impact in the larger arena. For instance,most of the Indian classics like The Panchatantra,The Ramayana and The Mahabharata have also found takers because readers have shown their interest in reading their reviews.”

While it is obvious that films and books will attract a lot of reviewers,gadgets aren’t too far behind.

Epinions.com a website favoured by many youngsters,encourages user reviews for items ranging from electronic appliances,games,Playstations and computers.

Chirag Tripathi,a regular visitor,says,“Whenever I have to purchase a phone or a laptop,I read up this site. A user review can never be biased.” As Mishra puts it,“All of us are reviewers in our own right. Websites only allow active participation and also guard our anonymity.”