Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Sometimes all one wants to ask the TV gods is,why?
Why is not a bad question to ask of what we see on TV. For example: why is Saif Ali Khan spending so much time in the company of random viewers who describe why they favour a particular flavour of the humble potato chip? Why must Tata Sky subscribers be subjected to Lays Taste and Vote promo each time they switch on the TV? Why does the dashing Saif lend himself to dialogues that never rise above: Do you like the taste? Why do you like it?
Why does Ten Sports,which has been telecasting the tri-series featuring India,Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe,not mention the required run rate along with the scores? Do they want to improve our mathematical skills by asking us to figure out the going rate if 140 runs are required from 25.2 overs?
Why is Imagine inflicting desi girls on an unsuspecting audience? A bevy of girls dressed as if they were coming off an item number or just about are let loose on a village. The challenge is for them to make the best they can of the unfamiliar,uncomfortable environment. But in all honesty,it is the villagers who are suffering them. Who cares whether or not Sambhavna and Kashmira can live The Simple Life,a la Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie,dressed in short skirts,skivvies,scarves,boots? In fact,why are they dressed so? Why not be sensible,inclusive and slip into something more comfortable like a cotton salwar kameez and dupatta?
Why was Aishwarya Rai not at the IIFA awards in Colombo? Because she was watching grown up men and women hit each other. With tennis balls. Except that in the shots during the recently concluded French Open Star Sports,she seemed to find looking at something in her lap mobile phone? more interesting.
Why did Rajat Sharma invite the Raajneeti gang of Prakash Jha,Manoj Bajpai and Arjun Rampal to Aap Ki Adalat India TV when most of his questions were directed at Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor? Bajpais body language and facial expressions said it all: Hey,what about me? Katrina answered all the queries put to her in Hindi in Englishbut nobody seemed to mind. As for the reported personal chemistry between her and Ranbir,well,we didnt see any sparks or combustion.
Why not watch Baat Hamari Pakki Hai Sony while it has some dum? Poor Sakshi has just been put through a medical examination to prove her fertility. Her mother and her prospective mother-in-law conspired to humiliate her thus. Something similar probably happens to countless girls throughout India,so the theme was important. The only danger in showing us what really happens is that rather than setting people against such practices,it might endorse them.
Which is why Bittos fate is troubling and relevant Sahara One. She is in love with a boy from a higher caste. Her father discovers them in each others arms and sees red. Make that crimson. He drags her home and taunts her: So,you have found this way of setting the entire village on fire! Do you think he will marry a lower caste girl? he yells,hits her and then raises his scythe to carve something out of her maybe her heart?. Vowing to marry her off,he huffs and puffs his way out of the house. Last seen smoke was seeping out from under a locked door with possibly Bitto in the room. Sounds familiar?
