Its raining crap

Was part of a very enlightening discussion with an acclaimed Hindi film director who had come to office. What he spoke about, in the course of an hour was disturbing. It was not anything new but a reality that … “cinema today is often dictated by rules of the marketplace. People want to see what they aspire for… Images those are not disturbing…but pleasant.” What he said is very close to the dictionary meaning which provides the following meaning: “ Something that amuses, pleases, or diverts, especially a performance or show.” My definition is somewhat different. Otherwise how could so many ridiculous movies become chart-toppers? Many visit a cinema hall expecting something more. Some look for meaningful cinema, some look for sex, some look for humour, thrill, SFX and many more. Genres and niches get created on the way. In India though, we would not be happy with just one of these. So since the least common factor would demand a mix of these, what you get is a hotchpotch of a...

Would we behave differently on reality TV? If you are on TV, will you share the real you? Or will you portray someone that you wish to be. (Which I believe is what we always try and do in everyday life.) Would you want to see real people do real stuff on TV (classified as boring) or do you want them to do something interesting or exciting on TV. Reality TV needs to be defined as people play acting real roles. And we are genetically peek-a-boo inclined. We are a very curious species. (one excuse given for a century of inventions and discoveries). But what we get is a show which is marketed as real. It is not really real. The audience expectations need to change. It is just another show.

I am sure, I may not be only one who feel this way. My cynicism levels touch a new high every time the calendar gets replaced. All I know this ought to be the biggest marketing event of a year. If “New year” is a product I am sure it will hit the charts as the most marketed and most successful advertising campaign ever. It seems to get bigger and intimidating with each passing year. It’s got a buy in across socio-economic and cultural, religious or geo-political boundaries. The PR, below the line and the property itself is beyond any monetary valuations. It should also be the most merchandised event ever. Organisations spend huge amounts of money to come out with new ways to usher in the “new year”. The sheer variety in the way each year is celebrated should make any brand manager proud. Among the many things I like about the “new year” is that it presents a round up of events. If you are not a regular newspaper reader, the 1 week run-up to the “new year” gives you everything that you ...