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Passage to "Bloody India"

By the second post, I fear I am donning the mantle of a media basher – ‘media watchdog’ as some would put.

Recently the Indian news channels and newspapers were bursting with reports of Brangelina’s “arrogant” security guards swearing at a motley crowd as “bloody Indians” at their shoot-location of “A Mighty heart”.

Now were the crowd at “Anjuman-i-Islam school” (the shoot location) unruly?

Yes. I would think so from my experience of have attended numerous functions and been witness to numerous occassions when a celebrity / s has made an appearance.

Leave alone the crowd, the media – especially the press photographers and the camera-men sometimes exhibit the most uncouth behaviour in their enthusiasm to get the best angles and expressions.

If some one behaves in an unacceptable manner, then you have a reason to get upset. How one shows this is very unpredictable. I wonder how anyone would think of a politically correct ‘expletive’ in such situations.

That the Brangelina visit should attract so much press coverage is so despicable. Why are we lowering our social intelligence and consciousness by giving so much significance to events that do not warrant attention?

Aren’t there issues galore that would require more public action than the visit of a Hollywood star?

Infact how many of the people who crowded there would have watched more than one film (‘One’ itself is an exaggeration) of Ms.Jolie?

I am not saying that ‘trivia’ should be done away with…But exciting the public and then making a news story of that in the garb of ‘sensational news’ is one thing the already “idea-starved’ media agencies can do without.

And when a star-starved and overexcited public overreacts at some Hollywood star, and elicits a “bloody Indian’ response, you know who is to be blamed.

The efforts of the fourth estate are wasted in such unwarranted and wasteful news reportage. Shouldn’t they be looking at reports that would mobilise the public for something more useful? Why is media aping the tabloids and paparazzis of the west? There are enough ‘bollywood columns’ and ‘star scape’ sections and dedicated journals for those who are waiting for a shot of these ‘star-rumbles’. Give them their dose of ‘Brangelina exploits and spare the poor Indian who just wants some real news and responsible news coverage in national news papers and news broadcasts.

Endnote: When it was already reported that there is a threat of disruption given the sensitive nature of the film which traces the life story of journalist Daniel Pearl (who was captured slayed by the Taliban), why was the security left to the largesse of Brangelina’s private security guards? Why wasn’t there adequate protection given by the local police-especially since they were shooting in a muslim school?

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