||Bonding with so called 'Intellectuals' #CC 27 (IO) - Page 105

When Reel Life Becomes Real: Of Wannabe Vampires And Child Brides That Kick Ass!

Popular culture can impact our lives in wonderful, enriching ways- so it's a pity that most often, it does not. For every Shawshank Redemption, there's always a Twilight. However, the fact remains that what we see and read regularly on various forms of media plays a huge role in shaping who we are as human beings, from incorporating words like selfie' into our language to absolutely needing the new Game of Thrones T-shirt. The most elevated entertainment media can influence our views on just about everything. It can, apparently, even set murderers free- experts believe that the CSI Effect causes jurors to wrongfully acquit murderers in light of not enough' scientific evidence. In short, if we cannot construct a 3D hologram of the accused's face, made from a single skin cell found under the bed, then he is not guilty.

The case of art imitating life and then life imitating the very same art goes one step further when ardent fans seek to imitate their on screen idols. Taking their cue from the Hrithik Roshan- starrer Dhoom 2, a gang of six tried to pull off agold heist in just 5 minutes, using the cunning tactics of the hero. They took care to adhere to every single precaution; even disposing off their mobile phones in the gutter after the job was done. But since movie tactics are best left onscreen, they did it in 15 minutes instead- AND they got caught. This is just one of the many cases of hero worship gone wrong- and we're not even talking about the 13 year old boy who tried to become Edward Cullen. The sparkly vampire wannabe allegedly "bit" 11 of his classmates in a bid to taste their blood.

Many of us, especially children might be too star struck to know the difference between reel life and real life. Hence, to them, following in the swashbuckling hero's footsteps to get similar rewards seems like a natural consequence, as assumed by a 16 year old boy who killed his classmate in lieu of unrequited love, a la Raanjhanaa'. He pledged that if he couldn't get the girl, no one else would', proving that stunts such as these never work outside the make-believe world of cinema.

These fans overlook the obvious - that these movies are well crafted illusions in order to show the audience a good time, and just because someone with an unlimited budget pulled off an impossible heist and escaped on roller blades, doesn't mean that it can be duplicated in real life. In the words of the TV warnings, do not try this at home.

Yet there are two sides to every story- what about when hero worship yields positive results? I remember hours spent pretending to be Rogue or Jean Grey, thinking that if these superheroes could save the world, I could make a difference too! Disney princesses like Jasmine and Tiana make people of colour realise that they are not other' or different', and give them someone relatable to look up to. Representation is important- if a person can see it, then they can be it. This can further bring about social changes by empowering people like Lakshmi, a child bride from Jodhpur, who was inspired to annul her marriage by watching Balika Vadhu. In Nepal, a National television programme called Sajha Sawal gives adolescent girls the opportunity to ask tough questions of public officials alongside men and older women in their community, creating visible role models engaged in political discussion.

Since actors exert such an influence over the masses, an example being Amitabh Bachchan urging people to get polio shots, it may be said that they have a social responsibility towards their adoring public. But is in no way mandatory for them to do so- they are artists, and they're only doing their jobs. The ultimate responsibility lies with the audience to know that it is all part of the act. Maybe actors could tone down the theatrics, but till then, flying should be left to Superman.

Gulzar, the director: He is one of the few directors who have stood the test of time. From writing dialogues and screen plays for movies to directing some of the most sought after movies like Maachis' and Hu tu tu', he has done it all. His movies have always struck a chord with the audience because of its content and its proximity to reality. Gulzar is definitely a man of many talents, we must say but we wonder why of late he has stop making movies? We are really hoping for a comeback from this weaver of words'!

The simpleton!: You will never catch him in a Gucci or Prada. He is often seen sporting a simple white kurta with pyjamas. No hangs up about his dressing style whatsoever in spite of being such a big name in the industry. Even though he is always dressed in white, it's really hard to imagine how he keeps his clothes white and crisp all day long? We wonder what his little secret is?

What's in a name: His real name is Sampooran Singh Kalra and it's only after he became a writer that he took up the pen name Gulzar. His name literally sounds like a poem and we really want to know whether it's his name that has spelled out all the magic or there is something more to it? For now we can just say, his name is very true to his character but we definitely wanna know more!

Sky's the limit: Not many people know that before Gulzar became an acclaimed writer he actually worked as a mechanic. For all those striving really hard in life, he is a splendid example of hard work and perseverance. One of the best writers that this country has produced, we really want to know what gave him the courage to take up a completely different and new profession? Hats off to you sir!

Academy award winner: He won the Academy award for the song Jai ho' which even today is one of the most played song on the radio. Whenever there is a mention of the hit movie Slumdog millionaire, one cannot fail to see the power the song' jai ho' had in the time of its release and even today. We really want to know the secret behind the magic weaver's wand and what ticks the creative monster inside his head?

So, all you Gulzar buffs out there, don't forget to catch the next episode of The Anupam Kher Show on Sunday at 8 PM and get to know the world-famous lyricist up close!

Mumbai: Saas-bahu evangelist and sister of superstar Tusshar, Miss Ekta Kapoor has finally decided on the inevitable. She has decided to adapt Bajrangi Bhaijaan into a Daily soap opera called Agle Janam lautegi tohri bitiya (AJLTB), literally translating to, your kid lost in this birth will only return in next. Which according to sources might not be entirely wrong as Munni who gets lost in very first episode will reach Pak only after 250^th episode.

Talking to media Miss Ekta Kapoor provided further details. "Although it's copied, AJLTB would be an original story in itself. And yes Munni will take atleast 250 episodes till she reaches Pakistan. In fact people will come to know that she is a Pakistani only around 200^th episode. Till then I will actually focus on love-triangle between Bajrangi, Rasika and Chand Nawab. Yes in my tele-series, Chand-Nawab comes into picture pretty early," Ekta looked at her diamond rings and said.

She further continued, "But after 250^th episode when Munni reaches Pak, the story will move forward pretty fast. In fact Munni will be married by the 500^th episode and will have grand-kids by 750^th episode. In the 750^th episode Munni's youngest grandkid Chunni will be lost again in India and this time Bajrangi's grand-son Shivalik will save her and like his grandfather, he will take Chunni back to Pakistan. So basically if we get episode renewal from the TV channel beyond 750thh episode, the exact same story will be repeated with different characters and actors, for another 750 episodes," Ekta adjusted her dress and said.😲 🤣

When asked if showing the same story repeatedly will work with audiences, Ekta heartily laughed for a few seconds and then said, "My stories are completely original, different, new and are totally different from each other." She then got into another fit of laughter and walked out of the press conference laughing.😆

Although it is not yet clear on when the shooting would commence for AJLTB, but cast is largely finalized. Also a series of Yajna's and detailed Pooja-path is already commenced on the sets of AJLTB and will continue for 1 month before shooting starts.

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