08 October,2014 07:30 AM IST | | MiD-DAY Correspondent
Yesterday, this paper ran a report about how punctuality has been an Achilles’ Heel for several stars. Be it for shooting or gracing an event, turning up on time is a virtue that they do not seem to embrace.
Yesterday, this paper ran a report about how punctuality has been an Achilles' Heel for several stars. Be it for shooting or gracing an event, turning up on time is a virtue that they do not seem to embrace.
Recently, Shah Rukh Khan, who was to reach a Chennai five-star hotel by 4 pm to promote his upcoming multi-starrer film Happy New Year, reached the venue four hours later, and livid journalists decided to boycott the event. They reportedly chose to stick around the venue till he arrived and then walked out on him to register their protest. Shah Rukh apologised for the delay, but that did not pacify the press. This is not the first time that the actor has been late and he is not the only one. There are a host of actors who are routinely late.
They come in late for press interviews, film shoots and events, too, where they have been paid fat sums to appear. While a little delay may be understandable (a few minutes or even half an hour), stars have frequently made people wait for four to even eight, nine or 10 hours.
It is time people take a stand against this. It is good the media decided to walk out and stood up to a star of SRK's caliber. These ânakhras', which people are told are part and parcel of stardom, also supposedly done to add allure, star appeal or inflate the importance of the star, are nothing but hogwash. This is unprofessionalism and gross disrespect for the people who have been waiting for you.
While one genuine delay may be excusable, the star could definitely send an explanation via all the hangers they routinely have, or their staff who could at least come in and explain and apologise for the delay. There are some stars who are punctual, but they are outnumbered, by far, by actors who care not a hoot for the clock or their commitments. It is heartening that some people have started standing up to this unacceptable behaviour. If the stars have no respect for others' time, why should others have any respect for them? The entertainment industry is a two-way street.
