HTHT #31 #ProudToBeKSGians (invites only) - Page 32

Rakesh Vashist yesterday crossed lines - a professional line, an ethical line and a public relations line. But more than than, he showed himself up to be a petty chauvinist who lacks what it takes to hold a fandom together or to even deserve fans.

I have had a post pending on the public relations disaster that the Justice for Karan Singh Grover's campaign has been because of the lack of cohesive and outright statements on Karan's behalf by his wife, Jennifer Winget or his father, Amrit Pal Singh. But it seems nature continues to conspire in Karan's favour even when his close ones fail because each and every one of ZeeTV's effort to backstab Karan is imploding big time.

Rakesh's statements yesterday have once again set the flames ablaze in the Karan Singh Grover saga. Karan will never be forgotten and Raquesh and ZeeTV make sure that this never happens. Every time ZeeTV tries to do something to boost the TVT ratings of QH, fans remember Karan and each time that Raquesh makes a public appearance or an utterance, Karan is remembered. If that were not enough, Rakesh had to put his entire leg up in his mouth yesterday to give ammunition once again to the Justice for Karan campaign.

Lets get this straight. Raquesh Vashist is not the reason that QH TVTs/TRPs have stabilised. It was the Abbu track that was much awaited that held an appeal. Credit for this goes entirely to Tej Sepru, Alka Kaushal and Surbhi Jyoti. Now Amrapali Gupta is being added into the dynamic to keep interest alive. Any evil which trumps Razia is preferred and this is what 4Lions Films is hitting at. Hence Gafoor and Tanveer's marriage. All that Raquesh has done is allowed for the story to move ahead. He brought nothing to Asad's character. His own style of acting has actually killed Asad and this is not his fault entirely as the CVs have all happily killed Asad in the characterisation. Even if Raquesh had tried to become Asad, it would never have worked as Asad is a very nuanced character and Raquesh is not a nuanced actor. So for all intents and purposes, Rakesh Vashist is just occupying space until this badly butchered show ends. Much like Mohit Saigal in Ayaan's absence.

Raquesh Vashist missed a golden opportunity in winning over the hearts of an entire fandom. Instead he embarked on the path of alienation, whining and bitching about the fandom. A bigger person would have been gracious and magnanimous to gain acceptance in the fandom. A better strategy would have been for Raquesh to have said a few simple things. He needed to have recognised publicly that he is replacing an icon, a much loved actor. He needed to have appealed to those fans to give him a chance as Karan is sick and could not continue and ask of them to bear with him until the show ended. He needed to encourage their support to finish the job Karan started. A massive acknolwedgment that he was not trying to replace Karan in their hearts but to give closure to the character Asad with Karan's blessings would have gone a far way to earn Raquesh brownie points. Fans would have remembered him kindly for his next role. Instead, Raquesh fell prey to ZeeTvs game and is now the most hated person in the telly fandom. He beats the character Tanveer hands down.

Really! Wishing the returns of Karmas on a fandom! That is going to hit Raquesh literally where the sun literally does not shine. Questioning the upbringing of fans? Getting personal? Jesus Christ Raquesh Vashist, it does not need a PR genius to tell you to never criticise a fandom. You depend on them for your daily bread. But worst, you come across as an ingrate by daring to label their hero, idol and icon an unprofessional actor! You were totally unprofessional in passing judgement on Karan (by inference) in your interview. I wonder whether you were not set up by the media to sabotage yourself because I fail to see how you can recover from this unless you publicly apologise to the fandom for insulting them and their icon.

Lets look at Raquesh statements yesterday. They all were not offensive but no one remembers measured statements but the ones that were mean and nasty. I agree with Raquesh that no one has a right to put him down as an actor nor is it right to wish the show closed because many persons depend on it for their daily bread (lets ignore for a moment that QH is no longer a show but a comedy of screen shots). In the same breath, Raquesh has no right to judge fans adulation for an actor (Karan by inference) and to bring into question their upbringing. Raquesh is part of the entertainment business which brings in hordes, admirers and detractors. Raquesh knew what he was doing when he signed a contract with ZeeTV to replace an icon - KSG. He knew that fans would never willingly accept him. He knew, yet he took the job. He took the job because he knew he would never in his wildest dreams get the amount of publicity in his life as he would get from QH. Raquesh appears to have fallen for ZeeTVs charm and the belief that even negative publicity is better than none. His statements yesterday validated that the reason he accepted the role as Asad in Qubool Hai was because of the fame it would bring him. He is piggy backing off Karan Singh Grover's hard work on the character of Asad to the D and has now chosen to burn the bridges crossed. Raquesh's mantra seem to be that any publicity will do.

Raquesh's offensive comments were many. From fans worshiping Karan blindly, wishing upon them karmic retribution, his own admission of laughing at fans and then passing judgement on Karan (again by inference) for being unprofessional. Raquesh needs to publicly apologise to Karan and to his fans for the uncharitable remarks he made. It is unprofessional that Raquesh who has replaced Karan should seek to comment on Karan's supposed actions or inactions and pass judgement.

That Raquesh laughs at fans is a terrible sign. The same people whose acceptance has made him an actor, he laughs at. So what, fans have a hard time accepting him as Asad. That is understandable. He stand in the way of ZeeTV being held accountable for its unprofessional conduct with Karan. However, with time, and patience, even the most recalcitrant fan would have been won over had Raquesh demonstrated humility. A few simple statements that he recognises that everyone loves Karan and he is not seeking to replace Karan but to close the show would have gone a far way to ameliorate the tensions.

To threaten fans with the existence of God, how is this helping you Raquesh? This is entertainment business. Where does god come into it? You are not a character in a show, you are an actor. You depend on the charity and magnanimity of fans. And stop for god's sake, trying to say or infer that the TRPs are because of you. It is not. It is slap in your face that Gul Khan now has to introduce another wife to keep the interest in the show going because their is no chemistry between you and Surbhi Jyoti on which the show could have floated for a bit.

Raquesh has proven to be a public relations disaster for QH and ZeeTV and ZeeTV is hoping to recover today with a measured statement attributed to Raquesh. Nothing less than an apology from Raquesh to the fandom and to Karan should cut ice.

Tagged: qubool haiqh