A HAPPY NEW YEAR

The starting of 2010 was quite interesting with the “idiotic” producer telling the errant press and media to “shut up”. Mr. Bhagat has written a long blog (if it ran a few more lines, it could well be his fourth novel called “License Fee”) accusing the “idiotic” group of cheating him. He wanted to be the named as the first “idiot” who created the “3 Idiots”.
I feel the timing is not on your side, Mr. Bhagat. You only realized what you are missing after the “3 Idiots” became quite a rave. You were very apprehensive like your last installment of “Hello” which you strongly denied has got anything to do with “A night at call centre”.
You misjudged on the capability of Mr. Amir Khan, who may not be an IIT, IIM alumni but knows a thing or two about his business, which is unfortunately filmmaking. To meddle with a veteran of twenty years on his own ground needs a lot of strength and more than lateral thinking.
There has been a contract between you and the movie makers – you never told us what was about it? It is pure monetary hue and cry or a try for a quick shot to fame.

What is a sure shot recipe for higher TRP? A powerful person (it is a prime time catch if the person is a politician) misusing the law and getting merrily away with it. The Ruchika Girhotra fits the bill to the word R, when the person in question was himself the upholder of justice.
Just today I got an invitation to sign an online petition for justice for Ruchika. I did not sign, not that I do not want the molester to be tried, but I do not want to carry the feeling of guilt with me.

In Bangalore last week, a working couple poured hot oil on a sixteen year old housemaid. She came all the way from the poorest part of West Bengal for a livelihood. She did not want to play tennis; she never dreamed of studying in an English medium school, all she wanted was to work hard for two square meals a day and some clothes to cover her shame. What she got in return was exploitation, harassment, sexual abuse and hot oil spilled over.
News for one week and there goes in oblivion another “common man”.

The sun has already set on the maid who was raped by the small time movie star. He is away in Delhi on a bail and within a year will resurface in a movie, maybe depicting the same real life experience. Who else could play the role better than the maniac?

Such cases are aplenty, but we bury our head like an ostrich and are only selective when we see a potential blockbuster. Burning candles adds a bit to the economy so I do not condemn it, but sorry, I cannot join the bandwagon, because my conscience hurts.

The Nithary killings, the molestation of the orderly’s wife by a Rajasthan Police officer and dozens of such cases needs to be ‘candle lighted’ first, signatures to be taken for them and then only we can move forward. Last In First Out seems to work only in India.
We should not take sadistic pleasure in bringing only the mighty and powerful to justice, justice is for all and more so if we call India as a democratic system.