News meeows - 2

I want to throw something at someone. Just when we are still adjusting to the state interference in the personal lives of Priyanka Wadhwani and Mohammed Umer (now Umesh) comes the news of a right-wing group attacking the Mumbai office of STAR News, breaking furniture and window panes and injuring a few people. They carried hammers and iron rods.

One report states, “The activists allegedly belonging to a little known organisation called Hindu Rashtriya Sena protested against the presence of a couple from Surat in the studio. The boy is reportedly a Muslim and the girl a Hindu and a minor. The boy has been taken into custody and the girl sent to a remand home.”

Even if this is a case of a minor, the timing clearly reveals the intolerance of fanatic groups. There are several kidnappings that take place in India and elsewhere. Why the hell don’t these blokes do something? Should they not have informed the parents of the girl if they were so concerned? And I would also like to know what programme the channel planned to air.

If it was one more sensational story, then I’ll be damned if I will forgive the media. Instead of getting underage couples in their studios they ought to debate the issue or inter-religious alliances and play a proactive role in putting the goons in their place for meddling in people’s lives instead of trying to get sound bytes from them.

Sick.

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More sick. Richard Gere’s effigies are being burned in the streets by the Shiv Sena for kissing actress Shilpa Shetty. They have called it a peck on the cheek. See the picture for yourself. That is the only reason I am reproducing it here. TV channels have been replaying the scene all day. Both these actors were part of an AIDS awareness programme in Delhi.

I have absolutely no problem if Gere or anyone kissed anyone. But how necessary was it here? Are they trying to tell us that we backward Indians cannot take public display of affection? What affection did Gere feel for Shilpa when they were discussing the serious issue of HIV affected people on a public platform? I am sorry but this seemed very staged to me. Very staged.

I believe Sunny Deol was also there and by speaking in Punjabi he managed to convey the message to several truck drivers who were present in the audience. This is what conveying a message is all about, not stunts. This has happened before for an AIDS awareness show where the supremely activist Shabana Azmi waltzed with Gere on the table at a sit-down dinner fundraiser!

It is time we realised that the role of at least our celebrities is to use their position for the cause they claim to promote, not to get mileage for it and appear like cheap Hollywood upstarts.

Sick.

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More sick. Amitabh Bachchan went to Tirupati to pray for his son and daughter-in-law. He and his friends Anil Ambani and Amar Singh donated Rs. 51 lakh each. Fine.

Last night I watched Jaya Bachchan discussing her new bahu. When asked if she was the ideal, she said yes. And these were her words, “I like it that she stands behind and listens…” Damn. Then she was questioned if she had fit in the family. I will not quote directly but I have it more or less right. She said that not only does she know who is family and who are relatives and friends and who is what. She ended with, “This is how things should be.”

Sure. Back to the good old days when the woman stood back and listened and learned who to like and not like based on exactly what her in-laws wanted.

And to think this Mrs. B runs the show. Oh, she did say Ash was a strong lady and had a lot of dignity. When they talk like that during Indian weddings, it is time to wake up and smell the garam masala. Strong means learn to handle the poor baby (husband). Dignity means, yes, you got it, stand behind and listen.

Sick.