Posted:
Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done: the Case of Karan Singh Grover
Ajay Bhalwankar, content head of ZeeTV, was no doubt asked to resign by ZeeTVs executives because of the botched attempt he lead to malign the reputation of Karan Singh Grover and the relentless campaign by Karan's fans to get him justice. Nothing less than a public apology from ZeeTV to Karan should work and fans need to keep up the pressure. Justice must not only be done but it must be seen to be done for there to be closure.
Bhalwankar used the largesse of ZeeTV to rub into Karan's face that he is dispensable and poured a ton of the channel's money in his ego battle with himself. No small screen actor must have ever dared to walk out on ZeeTV before and then ignored the channel. Standing ovation to Karan for what he did.
However, the media in India leaves a sour taste in one's mouth. No one in the mainstream media sought the truth. Instead, they published wholesale what ZeeTV provided to them and accepted ZeeTV's word over Karan's. The cartel media practice shines through. Bhalwankar "resigned" but Karan was "sacked". Any reporter with an ounce of brain cells would have realised that an actor out of a contract cannot be sacked. Naturally, the logical sequencing of Karan's explanation fell on deaf ears. This clearly show how little the media in India is interested in the truth. Sensationalism sells. What was the whole truth behind the Qubool Hai saga that saw Karan leaving the show? We may never know because Karan stayed silent on salient issues for reasons unknown and his silence was manipulated by ZeeTV and Bhalwankar. The truth appears to be closer to Karan refusing to work with ZeeTV and the channel retaliating with a vendetta slur campaign to malign him as a drunk and as unprofessional. Hence, a ton of money being poured behind a butchered and inconsistent story line in Qubool Hai.
Karan Singh Grover is undoubtedly India's most bankable and gifted television actor and at a time when he was sick and vulnerable, ZeeTV took advantage of him. ZeeTVs executives owe Karan an apology and that too publicly. Karan name sells. ZeeTV can testify to this. ZeeTV agreed to air 4Lions Films minority muslim background show on national television when no other channel wanted to touch the subject. Why? It had the bankable Karan in the lead. Karan's comeback was much awaited. Even before Qubool Hai was launched, the hype around the show was enormous because an entire crazy fandom was awaiting his return. Fans were blind to religion or to genre. Little did it matter it was going to be a family drama or a show with a muslim backdrop. All that mattered was Karan was coming back. Karan's fanbase exploded. And muslim shows are now coming back. All thanks to Karan and 4Lions Films.
Ironically, nothing that ZeeTV has ever said about Karan has stuck. Its accusations of unprofessional conduct nor its use of its largesse to rub into Karan's face his dispensability made any leeway in dampening the fervor for Karan's return. Rather, ZeeTV's strategy backfired, and made ZeeTV into a monster for trying to break the spirit of an actor who was clearly not well. All that ZeeTV succeeded in doing was to cause Karan's fans to rally around him like an embryonic shield and it tarnished its own image and became a big corporate bully. ZeeTV botched PR made Karan into a vulnerable icon. Karan is really blessed in that his silence for whatever reasons, was never questioned by his fans. They instead banded together as keyboard and phone warriors and daily sought creative means to win him justice. These warriors are not relenting and they are growing in strength and numbers. Hats off to these fans. Without direct support from Karan or his immediate circle (wife Jennifer Winget or father Amit Pal Singh), they waged a battled on Karan's behalf.Jennifer silence has been strange given she is an actress in a daily soap and was on more than one occasion asked about Karan but refused to answer. Both Jennifer and Karan's father are alsoTwitter aficionados but to date, have not issued statements on his behalf nor in his professional support. Instead, it is Karan's fans who have been leading the charge in this battle, using every social medium possible and a few small media outlets have also taken up the gauntlet.
It is not too late. Jennifer and Karan's father can still issue statements in his support, debunking ZeeTV claims that Karan was unprofessional or a drunk and demanding a public apology from ZeeTV for Karan. Jennifer may prefer to weather controversies in silence, but it would be a public relations coup if she issues a statement, even now. The vicious attack on Karan by ZeeTV may have been called off with Bhalwankar's replacement but Karan is still owed an apology. And the national media needs to pay attention. Until now, it has been the small media outlets which took up the battle on behalf of Karan. If Jennifer issues an outright statement, Times of India, IBN and the Hindustani Times among others would be forced to respond. Karan also needs to consider a no holds barred interview as the time is now opportune. Silence will only breed more speculation about his health, his marriage and his career. Keeping a dignified silence when slander and untruths are festering is a disaster in public communications. This is the age of global communications, where the social media has immense power and support for Karan can be found in masses here. If Karan is better, as Jennifer has reported, then it would be prudent for him to give a candid interview to a leading television station. Private and sensitive issues can be managed with diplomacy, and Karan is certainly eloquent and articulate enough to manage such an interview.
It has been over a month now since Karan left Qubool Hai. Life on small screen is not the same. ZeeTV is yet to initiate legal action against Karan as it has no leg to stand on. No contract, no cause for a legal action. Karan actually worked outside of a contract with ZeeTV which attests to his commitment to the show. And as per ZeeTV, 4Lions Films was willing to butcher the show's narrative and trajectory to keep Karan. This affirms that the production house did not have a problem with Karan. ZeeTv also clearly had no moral authority to call Karan unprofessional and accuse him of holding up production when as per the script, Karan was not required for shoots on a continuous basis because of limited screen presence requirements since September. ZeeTv actually comes across as an utterly repugnant for not giving Karan time off for medical checkups but was willing to wait several weeks before it could cast his replacement and then mount a slur campaign against Karan.
It is not over as yet. An apology is still needed. And Karan's comeback is much awaited. He talked about wanting to direct his own show. Whether he returns as a director or behind the cameras, fans are anxiously waiting.
Author: Gitanjali
Ajay Bhalwankar, content head of ZeeTV, was no doubt asked to resign by ZeeTVs executives because of the botched attempt he lead to malign the reputation of Karan Singh Grover and the relentless campaign by Karan's fans to get him justice. Nothing less than a public apology from ZeeTV to Karan should work and fans need to keep up the pressure. Justice must not only be done but it must be seen to be done for there to be closure.
Bhalwankar used the largesse of ZeeTV to rub into Karan's face that he is dispensable and poured a ton of the channel's money in his ego battle with himself. No small screen actor must have ever dared to walk out on ZeeTV before and then ignored the channel. Standing ovation to Karan for what he did.
However, the media in India leaves a sour taste in one's mouth. No one in the mainstream media sought the truth. Instead, they published wholesale what ZeeTV provided to them and accepted ZeeTV's word over Karan's. The cartel media practice shines through. Bhalwankar "resigned" but Karan was "sacked". Any reporter with an ounce of brain cells would have realised that an actor out of a contract cannot be sacked. Naturally, the logical sequencing of Karan's explanation fell on deaf ears. This clearly show how little the media in India is interested in the truth. Sensationalism sells. What was the whole truth behind the Qubool Hai saga that saw Karan leaving the show? We may never know because Karan stayed silent on salient issues for reasons unknown and his silence was manipulated by ZeeTV and Bhalwankar. The truth appears to be closer to Karan refusing to work with ZeeTV and the channel retaliating with a vendetta slur campaign to malign him as a drunk and as unprofessional. Hence, a ton of money being poured behind a butchered and inconsistent story line in Qubool Hai.
Karan Singh Grover is undoubtedly India's most bankable and gifted television actor and at a time when he was sick and vulnerable, ZeeTV took advantage of him. ZeeTVs executives owe Karan an apology and that too publicly. Karan name sells. ZeeTV can testify to this. ZeeTV agreed to air 4Lions Films minority muslim background show on national television when no other channel wanted to touch the subject. Why? It had the bankable Karan in the lead. Karan's comeback was much awaited. Even before Qubool Hai was launched, the hype around the show was enormous because an entire crazy fandom was awaiting his return. Fans were blind to religion or to genre. Little did it matter it was going to be a family drama or a show with a muslim backdrop. All that mattered was Karan was coming back. Karan's fanbase exploded. And muslim shows are now coming back. All thanks to Karan and 4Lions Films.
Ironically, nothing that ZeeTV has ever said about Karan has stuck. Its accusations of unprofessional conduct nor its use of its largesse to rub into Karan's face his dispensability made any leeway in dampening the fervor for Karan's return. Rather, ZeeTV's strategy backfired, and made ZeeTV into a monster for trying to break the spirit of an actor who was clearly not well. All that ZeeTV succeeded in doing was to cause Karan's fans to rally around him like an embryonic shield and it tarnished its own image and became a big corporate bully. ZeeTV botched PR made Karan into a vulnerable icon. Karan is really blessed in that his silence for whatever reasons, was never questioned by his fans. They instead banded together as keyboard and phone warriors and daily sought creative means to win him justice. These warriors are not relenting and they are growing in strength and numbers. Hats off to these fans. Without direct support from Karan or his immediate circle (wife Jennifer Winget or father Amit Pal Singh), they waged a battled on Karan's behalf.Jennifer silence has been strange given she is an actress in a daily soap and was on more than one occasion asked about Karan but refused to answer. Both Jennifer and Karan's father are alsoTwitter aficionados but to date, have not issued statements on his behalf nor in his professional support. Instead, it is Karan's fans who have been leading the charge in this battle, using every social medium possible and a few small media outlets have also taken up the gauntlet.
It is not too late. Jennifer and Karan's father can still issue statements in his support, debunking ZeeTV claims that Karan was unprofessional or a drunk and demanding a public apology from ZeeTV for Karan. Jennifer may prefer to weather controversies in silence, but it would be a public relations coup if she issues a statement, even now. The vicious attack on Karan by ZeeTV may have been called off with Bhalwankar's replacement but Karan is still owed an apology. And the national media needs to pay attention. Until now, it has been the small media outlets which took up the battle on behalf of Karan. If Jennifer issues an outright statement, Times of India, IBN and the Hindustani Times among others would be forced to respond. Karan also needs to consider a no holds barred interview as the time is now opportune. Silence will only breed more speculation about his health, his marriage and his career. Keeping a dignified silence when slander and untruths are festering is a disaster in public communications. This is the age of global communications, where the social media has immense power and support for Karan can be found in masses here. If Karan is better, as Jennifer has reported, then it would be prudent for him to give a candid interview to a leading television station. Private and sensitive issues can be managed with diplomacy, and Karan is certainly eloquent and articulate enough to manage such an interview.
It has been over a month now since Karan left Qubool Hai. Life on small screen is not the same. ZeeTV is yet to initiate legal action against Karan as it has no leg to stand on. No contract, no cause for a legal action. Karan actually worked outside of a contract with ZeeTV which attests to his commitment to the show. And as per ZeeTV, 4Lions Films was willing to butcher the show's narrative and trajectory to keep Karan. This affirms that the production house did not have a problem with Karan. ZeeTv also clearly had no moral authority to call Karan unprofessional and accuse him of holding up production when as per the script, Karan was not required for shoots on a continuous basis because of limited screen presence requirements since September. ZeeTv actually comes across as an utterly repugnant for not giving Karan time off for medical checkups but was willing to wait several weeks before it could cast his replacement and then mount a slur campaign against Karan.
It is not over as yet. An apology is still needed. And Karan's comeback is much awaited. He talked about wanting to direct his own show. Whether he returns as a director or behind the cameras, fans are anxiously waiting.
Author: Gitanjali
CID
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
0