Write Choice

The discussion started off with Akhtar commenting on the changed status of film reporting in India. “Although the general trend of film reporting remains the same,today,there is more focus on the life of the celebrity,” he said. Kukunoor,seconded him and said,“Film reporting today has reached a level of obsession where a reporter wants to know about everything else but the film. I have often seen a bored look on a reporter’s face when I speak about the film.” Mohamed,however,countered it by saying that filmmakers are often party to the shift in focus in film reporting. “It is not necessary that the reporter is bored. It could just be that the film personality does not have interesting answers to give,” he remarked.

Deo stressed on the fact that a certain amount of homework needs to be done when one goes to interview an actor or a director. He cited an example of a reporter who spoke to him for half hour mistaking him for Abhinav Kashyap. “It is mandatory that journalists,who write on films,have a basic knowledge of films and actors,” suggested Deo. Kukunoor feels such a mistake could be the result of too many publications and news channels,and everyone wanting to have a piece of the pie.

While the filmmakers on the panel felt that the nobility associated with the journalism has hit an all-time low,Mohamed insisted on the fact that journalists cannot be mere PROs and promote the movies. The debate on manufactured news and paid news also found its space at The Big Picture,which was moderated by Priyanka Sinha Jha,editor of Screen. Kukunoor pointed out that “in the last 10 to 12 years people have found money in the news”. Choudhary,who has been in the publicity business for many years,felt that this was a result of the economy opening up in the country. “With more money coming in,there is bound to be more spending too,” he said. Akhtar felt that paid news is equivalent to putting up an advertisement for the movie and there is nothing wrong in it.

The discussion became far more intense when the focus shifted to writing reviews. Mohamed said,“Each one is entitled to their opinion of the film,but one need not get personal with the filmmaker or actor featuring in the movie.” Deo,however,objected to reviewers recommending viewers not to watch a particular film. “Most reviewers do not focus on the technical aspect of filmmaking and often they add a line at the end that asks the viewer not to watch the film. A reviewer is not to decide if the audience should watch the film or not,” he said. Akhtar,too,felt that journalists need to be more objective while reviewing a film. “Not all films will be liked by everybody. But one needs to justify his like or dislike,” he said.

For a detailed report,get a copy of Screen,issue dated September 30.

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