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Journalism of Courage
quot;Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are.quot; I am sure many of you must have grown up on this particular wonderment or must have recited this rhyme to your little ones. But a recent incident made me feel that this age-old nursery rhyme does not hold true in this millennial world of stars, superstars and megastars. For parents no longer wonder at this quot;diamond8230; up above in the skyquot;, for they are constantly aiming at the making of one out of their son or daughter. They are dazzled by the sudden success of Indian beauties in foreign locales and ramps. And totally swept off their feet by the subsequent glamour and perks.
As a reporter, I had covered many fashion shows and beauty pageants in Chandigarh and I used to be puzzled about the huge crowds in halls which otherwise attract a trickle for classical music concerts or dance recitals. And if the event happened to be held out in the open, the chaos as both the young and the old voyeuristic to the core struggled to get in to have a dekko at the young girls just had to be witnessed.
So it is not surprising that parents of young attractive girls encourage them to plunge into the glamour world if even a slight inclination is elicited from them. But what shocked us in the newsroom the other day was the biodata of a girl sent to our editor by her father. He summed up her vital statistics like a thorough professional, showcasing a well-prepared portfolio. 8220;Height: Two feet, six inches, weight: 10.5 kg.8221; And she is all of two years old, come this October 11!
Her name is typically Punjabi, but she will be known as Twinkle professionally. The photograph that accompanies shows a real cutie clad in a pink frock, with a red clip holding back her wavy hair, slanting to one side on a sofa. She is what the other popular rhyme talks of, 8220;Chubby cheeks, dimpled chin, rosy lips8230;.8221; Though there is no curly hair, she is fair as all Punjabi children tend to be.
More than the details, what irked us was the language adopted by the father in his introduction. 8220;One baby model available for any type of modelling suitable to her particulars.8221; Available? Are we dealing with human beings or some commodities? And how can a father talk about his own flesh and blood as a commodity? He has thought it wise to market the child quite early so that she will progress from a child star to a a real star when she steps into adolescence. All the while fattening his account and letting the family go higher and higher on the social ladder. Not only that, the father has floated two websites and the child has an e-mail address too. So it is the international fashion market that Twinkle is being groomed for!
In this country, driven by market forces and advertisements, everything seems to have become 8220;commercially viable8221;, even your little cherub who should be playing with dolls and teddies rather than being made 8220;available for video ads, feature films, magazines, fashion shows etc8221;. Leave the little ones alone, we have had enough of fashion and eshtyle that have led to even murders.
