I Swear…

Posted on May 9, 2008 by Confused

..This is the worst op-ed I have ever read in the Indian Express. Or at least close enough.

And if one Shobha De wasn’t enough, now we have her clones too.

Filed under: Media/Blog watch

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8 Responses

  1. jyothsnay, on May 10th, 2008 at 2:38 am Said:

    Dear R
    sounds a lot better than that Ms Burfi (sorry Ms Barkha)’s white trash n that ramblings of IIT-an (remember that Infosys champion)

    but this lady’s droll sounds like…
    Someone laments like an old fashion romantic doling out a heavy mouldering lumps of fetid, gooey mush in sing-songy earnestness (will you remain my Shah Rukh?) over some clairvoyant-ish words muttered by some nonsensical model-turned-writer-turned –Page 3 celebrity…dnot you think her moderate-lyrical logical flow should read like some substance filled with pathos without being mushy?

    Success in one field does not necessarily mean that the other fields are like open, beds of roses for one more wave of success….considering a few essential factors like “category-industry dynamics’, “category-industry expectations, the intuition & hard immune system and the profile of key consumers’ etc. each successful personality, is like a brand that acquires certain DNA codes – culture, life-attitude, moods etc. The landscape is littered with many case studies (gross failures) who thought they could enjoy the exotic fruits of success by riding on the popularity wave, could flaunt the labels – successful actors-turned-politicians…except for a few big stars NTR, the matinee idol, Sunil Dutt. However, there are a few sensible icons like Rajkumar and our dearest Rajni Kant stayed aloof and distant from the murky world of politics. If the author had followed SRK so closely and so intimately, why was not she be able to predict a more strategically empowering stance from him ? Guess, her faculties really failed her at this point. I would say, SRK being a greedy and over-ambitious fellow, knows where to pumpo in in his coins and energies – that would be “MASS ENTERTAINMENT” delivered through Cricket, Idiot box (TV), Performance-bursts for true-blue NRIS etc., well, it would be a different story altogether if he is equipped with some kind of inaccessible mantra to make Politics as a more entertaining, light-hearted, breathable world where empty promises are given substantial body and poverty is reduced visibly, poor feel empowered and little school children from lower strata of the society feel the thrill of “Kya Aap Paanchoi Pass Se Tez Hain”
    (his TV show)
    look at a few successful brand extensions of Stars worldwide – Serena and Venus being serious about Fashion (Fashion and Sports do have strong affinities), ….a healthy effort to extend one’s mielage, one’s charisma to relevant fields which further reinforce “HIS OR HER BRAND”…Politics in India is a world of bloody dirty sick games and who respects the dwellers of this world? they can easily be “finger-counted’”

  2. jyothsnay, on May 10th, 2008 at 6:30 am Said:

    Typo around ….. @If the author had followed SRK so closely and so intimately, why could not she predict a more strategically empowering stance from him ?

    I forgot MGR, the CM of TN IN 1977, who was a veteran of 162 films, n had 27,000 fan clubs with a membership of 1.5 million. NTR, as we all know, too catapulted from the silver screen to the CM’s chair in 1983……..Matinee Idols were worshipped by junta, who wanted their film idols to capture a piece of the poilitical dramas as well. Times have changed, people have become economically more affluent, more experimentative towards opoortunities galore around, more global in their thinking n tendency and do certainly nurture different a set of expectations around their idols. And Politics, though, a solid backbone for the country-organisation, thanks to current Gen of politicians, it is no longer an aspirational move ….
    Movies-to-Politics is such a linear n predicted progression for Idols in Popular culture, ie. actors and actresses. Corporate ventures, Entrepreneurship are in vogue..am surprised that Shobha-D old girl forgot to take a cue from the moves around

  3. Trailblazer, on May 11th, 2008 at 7:05 am Said:

    Shobha De was better. Hilarious attempt this one. Hehehe.

  4. Ms Taggart, on May 12th, 2008 at 10:41 am Said:

    I hated the tone in the write-up. Its like talking to some kid and asking him to behave.. and its terribly irritating.
    And this woman is foolish, and oh yes, mad to write a letter of this sort..

    I bet no party will be ready to give him a nomination.. what did he do? He is one heck of a entertainer, and a good actor and a shrewd businessman.. and thats it! No politics will run for him..

  5. Ms Taggart, on May 12th, 2008 at 10:45 am Said:

    Jyo,

    I have disagree here. MGR and NTR reigned and still reign as Gods in the hearts of the Tamils & Telugus respectively. Exactly why they could become CMs. I dont think that kind of blind faith and mad fanship exists in the Northie crowd.
    Even RajKumar couldnt become the CM himself, and retired after a while from politics..

    Consider Jayalalitha. She, by far is the most successful woman politician, I can say. And that is because she was an actress herself.

    Look at Rajesh Khanna, Big B and Shatrughan Sinha. Though being fairly big stars themselves, they never could make it to the top in the movies.
    Consider JayaPrada .. what did she do in Rajya Sabha?

    I think its the density of fan-ship which determines the actor’s success in politics. Bigger the area, lesser the density is… :)

  6. Ms Taggart, on May 12th, 2008 at 10:47 am Said:

    ANd yes, its not the times that have changed. Like I said, its the people who have still not changed.
    News that Chiranjeevi will enter into politics has driven people and politicians into a mad frenzy here, and I can see what it will do to the government here.
    If ever Rajni were to decide to enter politics, Jaya knows she has no chance..

    People are still as mad as they were 25 yrs ago… Its in the Southie genes.

  7. jyothsnay, on May 12th, 2008 at 1:19 pm Said:

    Ms Taggart

    :)
    do agree with you on the initial pointers. North Indian superstars/matinee idols lack CHARISMA, THE ENIGMATIC SENSUAL-INFLUENCE, which South Indian matinee idols managed to enjoy n sustain. I would not like to brand my fraternity n sorority as mad people blinded by some daylight stars. North Superstars have no LIFE LIKE presence (Big B buzzes around).

    JayaPrada – this good looking no brainer is wholly an ineffectual prsence. Jayasudha should have been in politics, that woman is rock solid n intelligent.

  8. Confused, on May 12th, 2008 at 5:32 pm Said:

    Jyo,

    IWell, i was merely pointing so much angst over Shah Rukh joining politics is not required.

    trailblazer,

    She writes bad sex. Shobha de that is. That is a crime. :)

    Ms Taggart,

    I agree.

    And thank you for the rest of commentary. Have you followed the Rajnikanth thread on this blog? I had merely asked that question (why are actors so popular in the South) and all hell broke loose…

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