Taare Zameen Par 1

‘Taare Zameen Par’ or Starry Jingoism? Dileep.M.M Ego clashes and rivalry props up when there is a reason. Here a New Star War is happening! There is no need for us to dig into the past - the much talked ‘Star Wars’ era of Thatcher, Reagan &Co or the famous film series of the Hollywood director George Lukas. Just browse through the blogs of Big Bachan and Ameer Khan, the entire star brigades are now – not in the skies but in the blogs! Thank you Ameer and Co, for the new cameo. We, the fans can have every right to take a ‘break’ for a great ‘sigh’ of relief from our long history of verbal duals (or even physical?) for these matinee idols! Here are the details:” I stand here in front of you and the world, straight. Come on! Bring it on! Face me.” These words quoted from the blog of Amitabh Bachan not only bring forth a charged Big B ready to lash out anyone and every one who dares point finger at him, but the hidden power of celebrity bloging. An increasing number of film stars are now turning to blogging to keep in touch with their fan base and also “attack” colleagues. Amitabh Bachchan and Shatrughan Sinha have been taking digs at each other through their blogs. Their onscreen ‘dosti’, it seems has turned bitter on cyberspace. Shatrughan Sinha had reportedly criticized the Bachchan’s dominating the nominations for this year’s IIFA awards. Now, Amitabh Bachchan has hit back on his newly created blog hinting that the Sinha’s are hardly in a position to preach. Thus, there are other brigades- ready for spat! King Khan has decided to throw his hat into the ring of blogosphere and would start penning his thoughts for his fans. There would be loads of positioning by these stars on various issues. The reverberations in the blogosphere are already being felt by the impetus that Aamir Khan has provided through his blog and by naming his dog as ‘Shah Rukh’! Shah Rukh Khan after hearing about Aamir's view may have rushed through and announced his intentions of Blogging. Commenting on this, Shah Rukh said, “Earlier people used to name their children after famous people. Somebody naming a dog after a known person is a new beginning in that direction. I don’t have a copyright over this name if used noncommercially.” One particular blog that has been making heads turn, or keeping his fans busy the past month has most definitely been that of Amitabh Bachan. A click on his blog leads you or giving one the feeling of actually entering the private domain of someone revered by the masses. As you explore the home page, and see the various posts (or write ups), you can only gasp at the sheer number of replies Or comments his posts continually receive, sometimes running into thousands. Recently Like his above spat with the Sinha’s, now he is pointing his finger against Khalid Mohammed, the famous film critic and Ex-Editor of the Filmfare magazine. Here is an Excerpt from his post: Khalid Mohammed, who instead of reviewing writes a personal letter to me through a public document, who wishes that I go and learn how to act from the Pune Film Institute, who laments at the only dialogue he heard in the entire film, my oft repeated ‘Haiiiiii’, who as director made three of the most colossal bombs in the history of Indian cinema and who now tries to educate others in the craft, who credits the cast of the film as AB, AB, AB, disrespecting the other eminent star presence, who allegedly as editor of Filmfare , coerced the talent of his directed films to work for him in lieu of the Alleged consideration of an award ,titles his diatribe – ‘TO BOO OR NOT TO BOO’.

Now, who would have expected the man, known for his, “dignified silence” since the time he joined the film industry, would tactfully unarm each finger raised to accuse him? The impact his posts have on his blog readers is as unimaginable as his aura. Barely A month old, the blog is thriving with activities from the actor as well as his fans’ side. Most of them are simply awestruck by the fact that they are actually interacting with the Shahensha of Hindi cinema. What will be the intention behind the above types of acrimonious use of our new tool? Nowadays, the success of a movie does not entirely depend on good stories or a couple of big stars. Now our ‘filmy space ‘is not confined to simple old formulas. So many players are there for making the destiny of this industry. Individual producers are metamorphosised into big corporate players. Unlike before, many youngsters are coming here for acting, directing or script writing, like any other professional job. Even ‘Khadi/kurta walla’ lyricists are replaced by modern aristocrat look-alike youngsters, the Prasoon Joshi types! In this context stars are compelled to shed their old inhibitions and reinvent themselves. They are in a hurry for widening their fan base. As a result, they have all to come down now from their ivory towers and the audience-fans , foes and the uninterested ones alike- can have a face to face with them through their blogs. Think about old days of unending letters to any of the above matinee idols, far from the remote villages, asking for an autograph or pictures! This is an exciting phase for the public, which is mad about the cyber world, would be able to relish the views and positions of their idols in their own words and not in the form of a quote. When Shah Rukh Khan starts blogging, it would be expected from the cyber citizens to hear about his views and experiences of handling the IPL league and the gossips of the locker room could be an interesting read that may direct the cyber hits like a fly to the honey. At least through the blogging these stars would be able to articulate their views about what is happening in the society and by expounding their views would be able to form or converge public opinion about views that have relevance for the nation. In Hollywood the blogging by the stars is undertaken to inform about what is happening socially in their lives, and interesting anecdotes from the locations. Once it starts happening here it would indeed be interesting time. Besides, this ‘Hurricane’ will have far reaching implications in the sense more and more stars would like to emulate this trend. To emulate it, they would have to become tech-savvy, and once they become tech-savvy it would be beneficial for the process of film making as well. May a hundred blogs bloom, particularly from female actors as well? End.