National lampoon

All functioning democracies find new ways to critique the system, and not just in terms of straight political discourse. Humour, satire, cartooning and lampooning have all come to be accepted as legitimate, and indeed important, ways to enrich democracy by holding a mirror up to society. Watch George W. Bush Jr being hauled over the coals in the comic strip, Doonesbury. Remember how Margaret Thatcher and her handbag were parodied mercilessly in the British television series, Spitting Image.

India has had a flourishing culture of satire, especially in the vernacular idiom. What are the tales of Birbal, after all, if not a trenchant criticism of the ways of Emperor Akbar and his court? Ditto, the famed adventures of Tenali Raman in the south. Shrilal Shukla8217;s Raag Durbari, written in Hindi in the sixties, was translated very successfully into English 8211; an indication of how timeless good satire often is. It is against such a background that we must view the recent controversy over SAB TV8217;s Raamkhilavaan 8216;n8217; Family, a new sitcom. Even while its makers protest that it is not modelled on the Laloo Prasad Yadav family, it has clearly mined the great Bihar Original to the hilt. Indeed, it gains much of its humour from this, since Laloo has worked hard at cultivating a rather off-beat image for himself. With such an unending source of inspiration, all attempts at imitation are in danger of appearing banal in the extreme. Unfortunately, none of these arguments seem to have found favour with Laloo, who may not have seen the serial as he admitted to this newspaper, but is clearly outraged at what he believes is an unfair, tasteless portrayal. In fact, he considers it a conspiracy against him.

There may, in fact, be some truth is what Laloo says. After all, he has always been the butt of political humour, especially among the urban middle classes who have never quite reconciled themselves to his brand of politics. Also, the best satire and lampoons are never crude 8211; as some sequences from Raamkhilavaan 8211; appear to be. But these are early days yet, and in time this country too should get itself more sophisticated television satire. In the meantime, however, we would advise all those who are important enough to be the butt of such creative endeavours, to tarry awhile before rushing to the courts and learn to laugh at themselves. It will do them no harm.