Even commoners cannot forget the wounds of that fateful
day 26/11(2008) – days of horror and anguish when Mumbai relented under the
terror attack carnage of killing spree. Hundreds of people died and some
martyred their lives in saving common man and property. Sad, the perpetrators are still at large. It
is no fresh news that investigations led to Pakistani hand not only in this
terror attack but also for the March 1993 Mumbai serial blasts and the July
2006 suburban train bombings. 26/11 attack was carried out by Pakistani nationals who hit
civilian targets and foreign nationals with calculated brutality.
A decade later, Pakistan has asked India to send all the
24 Indian witnesses to depose before the anti-terrorism court holding the
Mumbai attacks trial ! further news
suggest that an ATC judge heard the Mumbai attack case and accepted a
request filed by the Federal Investigation Agency to inspect the boat
"Alfoz" in the port city. The FIA had requested the court to send a
judicial commission to examine the boat as it was difficult to produce it
before the court, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported. .. .. ..
Across the Nation, their
popularity descends barriers and apart from the common folk, even Govts
recognise them by presenting awards to actors and seating them on par with
Industrialists and Scientists !! I am
never a great fan ~ yet cannot deny that it is a mass media and is immensely
popular. Those associated with the cine
industry can influence the thoughts of the Nation.
A few decades ago, there
were many who had never visited the Capital city of Chennai, living peacefully
in villages. That time, there were
reports that every day hundreds of boys and girls set their foot on to the
city through the Central and Egmore
Railway stations coming from nook
corners of villages dreaming to be a Hero.
Cinema is indeed ‘Dream Factory’
– manufacturing dreams or a factory only in dreams ! Punch dialogues are powerful weapons. People hero worship actors and follow their
footsteps. The cine world is considered
as a path to politicaldom and one can cite numerous examples of heroes
nurturing political ambitions and becoming rulers too !
In one perspective as they
also claim it to be ‘Cinema, is a powerful entertainer’ ~ and just that. For some it is just trade ! – Movies are
produced not to educate people or change the lives – simply to earn money. When
that be the case, why should the Govt. support it and provide tax concessions. All
along, the flourishing film makers irrespective of whatever content they
exhibited, walked away without paying taxes.
It was 15% tax exemption; those who were rich became richer. The State kept losing a good amount for the
benefit of some individual producers – for the regular cine goer, the amount
was pittance but collective the loss of revenue was huge indeed. The exemption, if at all to be considered
should be for the contents and not for the title – as they say, you cannot tell
the story of the film by looking at the poster, nay title.
Movie certainly exploits
common man’s anger. When the Nation
burned on 26/11, couple of them tried minting money showing the operations as
the background ! A software architect
returning back to native land thinking of doing good to his land but ends up
beaten by the system and corrupt people. A film on black money and its harmful effect – was
Rajnikant starrer – ‘Sivaji- the boss’.
That was not the first or the only film. In ‘Kanthasamy’, Vikram plays a
sleuth in CBI, granting the wishes of the needy who write letters to Lord
Muruga at Thirporur temple by disguising himself as an anthropomorphic chicken.
He goes on to discover a stash of black money, travels places to take out the
hidden riches for the benefit of Indian poor.
In Anniyan, Ambi an innocent and honest lawyer fights and kills
lawbreakers by torturing them and is shown as a person with multiple
personality disorder.
All those dealing with corruption and black money were
big hits with the people, so was the
2011 Indian anti-corruption movement spearheaded by Anna Hazare and his
followers. Black is not the colour of
money but the money earned to ill-gotten means – everyone have their own
estimates of black money stashed in tax-havens abroad. .. there is also a strong perception that
high % of this lies in those benefitted by tinseldom.
Moving away,
read some news of an angry director speaking against the ban on Pakistani
artists. He can exercise his individual
freedom – but this man has gone too far, comparing his films with the visit of
the Prime Minister of the Nation, conveniently hiding the fact that what is he
sought is simple personal gain, enriching his coffer – the visit was aimed at
bi-lateral relations. Perhaps one cannot expect understanding from angry insane
persons. This man took to twitter
ranting series of tweets to PM Shri Narendra Modi asking questions about why an art form should suffer ?
and some reports suggest that he demanded an apology from the PM. Utter foolishness and some attempt in
sensationalism.
Another editorial read –
ever since calls for banning Pakistani actors broke out, an issue has been
rankling in my mind. Why exactly are Pakistani actors silent and not offering
their sympathies and prayers at the loss of Indian lives in Uri? Have they
never reacted at the loss of innocent foreign lives in terror attacks? A look
at the Twitter timelines of three prominent Pakistani actors in Bollywood
currently – Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan and Ali Zafar – reveal otherwise. All three
were quick to denounce Paris terror attacks. Fawad tweeted, “Shocked and
saddened; praying for Paris, praying for humanity #Parisattacks.” .. Indian lives are not that important though
their moolah comes from here.
"When a war is taking
place, you have someone doing a drama with that country, that is not
expected." Information and broadcasting minister M. Venkaiah Naidu is
quoted as sating on the controversy over
Pakistani artists, surgical strikes and triple talaq. He clarified that for the
Govt the ranting by film director and the like are non-issues and rightly asked
the Q - how can you compare your
commercial activity or entertainment activity to the visit of the Prime
Minister to a neighbouring country? Pakistan is our neighbour [and] we have been
having business with Pakistan, exchanges, trade and cultural ties. We want a
good relationship with our neighbour, but the neighbour should also behave
accordingly. Behave in the sense that they should not allow their land to be
used for terror activities against us. Nowadays, it has become the state policy
of Pakistan to aid, abet, fund and train terrorists. In all sincerity, our Prime Minister invited
Pakistan’s Prime Minister to his swearing-in ceremony, something unusual that
hadn’t happened in a long time. National Security Advisor (NSA) level talks
were held; later, Foreign Secretary level talks were held too. Also, in an
unusual manner, when the Prime Minister was visiting Afghanistan and he greeted
the Pakistan Prime Minister on his birthday, he stopped over at Lahore, went
over to his family home and greeted him in person. But Pak continues to speak a different language, and then again it
is encouraging all sorts of terror activities.
Naturally, there is a sort
of an anger and unrest in the minds of the people. This decision to boycott
hasn’t been taken by the government or even advised by the government. The
people who decided [on] the boycott are also from the film industry. Making
comments against the Prime Minister is uncalled for and has been done for cheap
publicity.
In what could be seen as a
clear line of distinction – in USA, sports activities are encouraged and backed
to hilt – yet even US medallists of Rio Olympics are subject to a so-called "victory
tax" - a tax on both the money they receive from the Olympic committee for
winning and on the value of the Olympic medal. It is not money and
endorsements, but medals too – medals gotten are also given a value and taxed.
With Pakistan brazenly encouraging terror against
India, cultural ties at this stage are not required. Remember in IPL, Pak
players were banned – and have not played since, though couple of them have
been commentators and show hosts. There
is flowing sentiment of the people and film makers better understand that. Simple, if cine-goers decide boycotting such
films, there would be none taking them too. that time none would talk about ‘art
beyond boundary !’.
Our Army jawans have died –
the media must understand what is in the national interest. Every citizen has a responsibility to the country, that
way the Hero Motors commercial – “hero salutes real heores” is refreshing,
though there could be some incongruities like people asking why did not the bus
driver stop at first place, forgive him – let us do our bit. In that Advt, the camera rolls by showing a soldier running
behind a bus. A man in a Hero two-wheeler, comes from behind, overtakes the
bus, and stops it to ensure that the soldier hops into it. As the soldier is
about to enter the bus, he thanks the man, who in turn salutes him. All the
passengers inside the bus too salute the soldier as he takes his seat. A
voiceover says: Hero salutes the real heroes.
With regards – S.
Sampathkumar
20th Oct 2016.
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