Monday, May 21, 2012

Know It Alls



At a social gathering that day, the trending topic was SRK and his infamous brawl at the cricket stadium.
“SRK was not being a father, he was being a jerk,” said one.

Rather ironically a gentleman holding his drink commented, “Henceforth SRK should be called Bevda Khan.”

Flip the coin and the damnation turns into admiration.

“Give the guy a break. He acted as any father would,” remarked another .

I switched on the television and rather predictably a surfeit of opinions had crammed the news hour. Arnab had assembled his usual court of specialists to pronounce judgment. In fact his judgment was ready much before the discussion commenced. Those who agreed with him got a chance to speak their mind but those with divergent views were rebutted, rebuffed and even rebuked by judge Goswami. While the humor on social media was well taken (SRK did not insult the MCA or BCCI, he simply called them MC, BC…), the impetuous verdict pronouncements were immature.

On another channel, Kirti Azad, in all his wisdom declared that the Wankhade brawl was a BCCI ploy to divert attention from the spot fixing scandal. Well, in that case I salute the ingenuity of the BCCI official who orchestrated the entire fiasco. If I meet the guy, I am willing to prostrate on the ground and salute the genius.

My question is, how many of us who passed judgment on the sorry episode where present when the fiasco happened?

Are we sure that the star was high on alcohol?

How do we know who provoked whom?

Did SRK actually misbehave with a female fan?

Did he mishandle the guard or were his kids manhandled?

No one is sure. But everyone has an opinion.

I have been a victim of a private security guard’s high headed behavior . I wanted to shout at him. Unfortunately I was unable to raise the pitch beyond a certain level. In that moment, I did try to remember all the abuses from ‘Delhi Belly’ and ‘Roadies’ but the freaking fury had clouded my memory. Meanwhile the other residents came and took the errant guard to task.

Having said that, I must add that IF the star was actually drunk in a public place, with the added responsibilities of a dozen odd kids, the brickbats were well deserved!



In any debate on television, condemnation or redemption should stem from conviction and factual knowledge. But does it always happen? Why are we so quick to pronounce verdicts? Is it because any controversy involving celebrities is our moment to snigger at the demigods of power?






Come to think of it, IPL is all about money and opportunism; regional pride is a sham. Else why would dada play for Pune Warriors and Bollywood Bad-Shah bat for Kolkatta? I fail to understand how Dhoni, a Ranchi lad, has come to symbolize Deccan pride? Just because he donned a veshti (or was it a yellow lungi?) in an advertisement?




And as I write an American citizen Zohal files a case against Luke, a RCB cricketer. Some say she is an 'easy catch' some say she is not 'wife material', some say she was used as a bait to malign RCB reputation...Who knows? What is probable is that she might get an offer from Mahesh Bhatt to star in Jism sequel...






Apart from sport, IPL has become a heady cocktail of booze, babes and bucks. Any entertainment event which thrives on big money attracts models, wannabes, fixers, rogue elements and powerful egos. Powerful egos invite drunken brawls. And juicy controversies.






















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45 comments:

  1. I saw the nonsense which Arnab put out for us on his show. It was ridiculosly silly and rude. To me HE looked like a fool all along. WTH, he was supposed to chair the debate. Instead he appointed himself as the King and started abusing all those who disagreed. Aghast!

    And really all this blowing out of proportion on every silly thing is just over the top. It's happened, get over with it.

    And ofcourse, you are right, if there is something to judge, 10 people would come out with thier supreme experts comments. Hilarious!

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    1. I felt that Arnab that day had come ready with his judgement.Glad you second me on that...the argumentative Indian is also an opinionated one!

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  2. So true!! I am amazed at how soon ppl pass their verdict on something they hardly know about...that's the reason why I don't watch Indian news channels anymore coz all they ever do is just discuss abt who did what and what should have been done...how does that help the cause/issue anyways!?

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    1. The argumentative Indian happens to be a very opinionated one too.

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  3. A very mature post indeed! We Indians are a highly opinionated lot, news channels, social netwrking sites, micro blogging, polls..everybody has a say! And this unnecessary participation on even meager issues is what blows things out of proportion.


    sarah

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    1. Everyone has a opinion and they want to air it as soon as possible.

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  4. Thats' totally true.
    With rising news channels and competition, everything needs to be flagged and flashed every two seconds.

    I second on the whole ego thing about these IPL thing. Power and money sure drives people crazy and blind to the facts while they try to hide the big mischief behind the curtains.

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    1. Thank you for reading Ajay...the numerous channels are having the last laugh from the never ending IPL controversies.
      Glad you agree.

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  5. I have stopped watching all the debates on primetime news channels. They are pretty mindless these days, as you pointed out. Of course, each one of us wants to take an opportunity to get back at the celebs. Perhaps, it is a crab mentality or too much of media overload. Everyone has an opinion most times negative. Being a celebrity anywhere in the world has its problems. I guess, there is nothing much they can do about it.

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    1. The channels are blowing it out of proportion...everyone is on the make and take...win win for all.

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  6. Alka,

    I am not being judgmental and have touched this incident in my latest post. There are always two sides to everything but when one reads between lines one can visualize what may have happened. Can someone tell me that as a responsible father would I let my children as well as children I have taken responsibility for start playing in stadium after game is over and flood lights are switched off? If the security staff asked children to stop and they do not, is security staff not right in chasing them out? Should I then start losing my shirt on them for this as children were with me? I would advise that we give this a cool thought instead of jumping to conclusions and either backing him up fully like that famous lady or condemn him as celebrity baiters.

    Take care

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    1. Exactly my sentiment....it is best not to jump at conclusions.

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  7. This celebrity fracas is happening a bit too often. The celebrities are getting into all kinds of fights. And then the celebrities take to Twitter to voice their grievances and their friends pitch in and we put them on the front page of newspapers and make them a part of breaking stories on the news channels. Sigh. This has really become a routine.

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    1. The channels are blowing it out of proportion...everyone is on the make and take...win win for all.

      Delete
  8. Arnab Goswami is a clown. You watch him at your own risk. And you blog about him at your own peril.

    Television is dead, thank you so much. And it is not an excuse for my terminal addiction to Internet.

    My heart goes out to Mr Khan, if his children were molested. I am sure I'd have tried to produce an equal amount of theatrics, were I to be in his shoes. Only, the clowns of the TeeVee Land would have left me to my own devices: the disrespect is mutual.

    God bless you, Alka. Thanks a ton for bashing the circus.

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    1. Apart from the media the circus also has clowns from the so called civil society....who come on such shows to pronounce judgements.

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  9. //Apart from sport, IPL has become a heady cocktail of booze, babes and bucks.//
    True that!Shahrukh one day, Rave party raid the next day with IPL players being part of it.Some say it is a conspiracy against IPL while the media screams otherwise.The great Indian IPL Tamasha continues.

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    1. The fact that after match parties are sponsored by liquor barons also contributes to the tamasha.....

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  10. sadly, its really gone out of proportion, hasn't it ? I mean, to suggest that it was done to avoid the match-fixing glare, calls to ban IPL altogether... what is this place coming to really ?

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  11. I think everyone has a opinion and as you said we shouldn't pass judgement if we were not present there. And you are very right about IPL.

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  12. Alka, you have some more fodder for next post in form of another breaking news on a 'Rave Party' which you aptly summarized in last para of babes, booze,bucks and of course cricketers and page 3 people:)Dont' you think that these Arnab Goswami's and Rajesh Chaurasia's shows only one step short of a 'Comedy Circus'!

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  13. Dr. Roshan,Saru,Rahul....the fact that liquor companies are sponsoring the after match parties and inviting models and rich brats is also a contributing factor.....

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  14. Guess what! MNS has now decided to honour the "poor meek guard" who showed Shakrukh his place. When SRK abused in Hindi, the braveheart responded in Marathi.

    Really? Is this how people feel good about themselves? By castigating others?

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    1. It keeps getting worse Purba.
      People are playing politics now..Samnaa is bashing SRK, Mamata is supporting him and in comes Marathi manoos pride..Gosh!

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    2. ha ha....so this is now a political issue!!

      Delete
  15. Much ado about nothing! SRK or KKR, they all mean zilch to the common man. Just because they watch the matches does not mean that the people are interested in what the stadium staff and the owner of a team does -- ad nauseam. TV breaking news used to be a joke, but now the debates and discussions are worse.

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    1. Another serious angle of money laundering has also emerged...

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  16. Yep, the rot is deep... put millions in any sport, let liquor companies sponsor after match parties, let Bollywood czars and corporate tycoons own the league teams...the result is a tamasha. The media can then keep chewing on the juicy bits while people share jokes and have fun on social media..win win for all...
    I am on twitter but not active as there are too many opinionated wizards of words.
    My voice will drown in the din....

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  17. I think without being a idiot :) we indians tend to make anything wrong, we have this gift or spoiling it all..
    I think for a change IPL should be banned simple , everyone will come ot their senses but NO this wont happen becsause of all the moolah and all ..

    I dont know whose fault it was , but I will say one thing SRK should not have used fould language , he is a celebrtiy and people look up to him , otherwise what the difference between him and the security guy.

    As such we have seen how the stadiums have been empty compared to last year ..
    Also One more thing how cum the likes of Vijay mallaya have crores to spend on such extavaganza's and not have money to save his airline which probably fills stomachs of hundreds ..

    I can write so much..

    Bikram's

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    1. Yes, being a role model mature and responsible behavior is expected from SRK.....Just because he owns the team does not mean he owns the stadium...

      Indian business model is all about personal riches ..most companies are bankrupt but the owners are enjoying the riches and a luxurious lifestyle.

      the govt will bail out KF with our money and no one will question Mallaya about his flawed business model...Money laundering is also a big issue.

      Delete
  18. It is like the news media desperately tried to make something that deserved about two minutes on the air, into a full blown serial. Since we are on the topic of our news media, my pet grouse is that they mistake being strident and rattling off a huge number of words a minute for confidence. It simply overrides what exactly they are trying to convey. I enjoy the ones who talk instead of holding forth.

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    1. Thats the way it should be..news is not about pronouncing judgement or speculation but factual representation...

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  19. so true..very well written..everyone has to have an opinion in this opinionated world with or without any prior information!

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  20. One thing at which we all are masters.. giving opinions n comments
    background, situation n circumstances these things doesn't concern :P

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    1. Yep, the argumentative and opinionated Indian...

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  21. your above reply to jyoti sums it up quite clearly! :D
    we are Indians, we HAVE to have an opinion on every damn thing in this world, in our country. Self-appointed pundits and commentators.
    No wonder, our own house still stinks while we pass judgements at others

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  22. Hi,

    Its just a media hype over it as it was there in contract that on match day team owners are the owner of the ground ..for that specific day ..not in the actual sense ....lots of ifs n buts.....But on the other hand ..if you have your kids with you ...and someone misbehave ..one will loose his temper ...and can misbehave ..depends on person to person ...for celeb its no way diff as they are better placed n hv huge support system ...n lastly its the question arises ..is being a celeb ..makes them breach the rules ..that are made on the day but are universal to follow.

    There is a fault on 3 ground rules , ground security and celeb ...status misuse .

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    1. Exactly...we do not know what transpired in that moment to pass judgements.

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  23. Awesome post... media is very quick to blow such incidents out of proportion and pass judgements.. you're so right about judge Goswami (LOL)! I've recently written a similar post on the media.... you might like it.... have a look: http://e-pinion.blogspot.in/2012/05/media-madness.html

    Your blog's new follower,
    A.

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    Replies
    1. Sure, will visit. Thanks for visiting and following.
      Welcome here.

      Delete
  24. IPL is bussiness, entertainment, money.....SRK, MCA, Mamata, BCCI, Arnab everyone wants to have a piece of it....Don't know what happened exactly in MCA apart from few photographs, but, supposedly self proclaimed king of Bollywood has been caught smoking in Rajasthan stadium as well....

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  25. I also 've an opinion like everyone have an ass , too. SRK is an immature and insecure kid.Leave aside being a Gentle-man(?) or father. Media serves shyt and we eat willingly.

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  26. whatever I comment...i become another 'knowitall'!!
    That said, yes, media, us..in the sense 'log' tho bolenge hi...unka kaam hain bolna:)

    SRK also looks like an angry man..always on some mission..always rebellious..probably that adds to this image we create about him?!!

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