Like everyone, I love controversies, especially when a big celebrity is involved. But then, there are times when the lessons learnt during my journalism classes haunt me, saying, Please Saurav, zabardasti ki controversy mat create karo. This is not what was taught to you.
Like everyone, I love controversies, especially when a big celebrity is involved. But then, there are times when the lessons learnt during my journalism classes haunt me,u00a0saying, "Please Saurav, zabardasti ki controversy mat create karo. This is not what was taught to you."
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Crooning to Controversy: Riteish Deshmukh and Amitabh Bachchan at the Rann press conference in the capital. The lyrics of the song read: "Jana Gana Mana Rann Hai is Rann Mein, Zakhmi Bharat Ka Bhagya Vidhata..." |
The most recent episode of conscience caning came when I went for the unveiling of Ram Gopal Varma's forthcoming film Rann, which revolves around the two different schools of thought in electronic media one that is dominated by economics, and the other that stands for ethics, and finds it tough to sustain.
The venue was packed with a little space to move around, since Amitabh Bachchan, who plays a media baron in the film, was supposed to address the media.
To begin with, the journalists shot rather decent questions, but all modesty went for a toss when the movie teaser was played.
The track in the teaser Jana Gana Mana Rann Hai is heavily inspired in composition and lyrics from our National Anthem.
Without giving a second thought to the track, mediamen went bonkers with questions like, "Ramu, how could you tamper with the National Anthem?" "Has this been done to draw negative publicity?"
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Even if we believe RGG gets cheap thrills from repeated acts of such kind, I think the adaptation is intelligent and brave. It summarises most impressively the current scenario of the country, though in a manner which is bitter and hard-hitting.
But then if we the citizens of India have messed up the system, shouldn't we be held accountable for it?
We wouldn't allow outsiders in our states, we would disrespect the sensibilities of other cultures, we are stuck with religious hang-ups, and we wouldn't vote, even though we know that the system needs to change.
The National Flag holds relevance only on Independence Day, and the rest of the times, the country's all about fine fragments that love fancy fights.
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Every word that's there in the song is true, but as usual, we wouldn't like to accept itu00c3u00a2u00c2u0080u00c2u00a6 after all, we're a country of hypocrites.
But, being broad-minded has nothing to do with a postgraduate degree, an Americanised accent, designer dressing, swanky cars, late nights and imported bath oils in the washroom.
To me, it's the acceptance of bitter realities in the right sense, even if it hits where it hurts the most.
