A Discussion on a Small Aspect of Social Hypocrisy

13 July 2009

A rather thought-provoking discussion took place the other day: why are people in India so obsessively crazy about Bollywood stars? A lot many of them don’t know how to behave, are criminals, hypocrites, no-gooders. They get drunk and drive over people, hunt when hunting is banned, carry around unlicensed weapons, beat up women, have little or no moral or social values. Why, then, are there long queues in front of their houses? Why do people listen to them when they campaign for various political leaders? Why do they appeal to people in spite of being rogues? Is it because people love rebels?

Well, why is it that people look down upon prostitutes (their children are denied admission in schools) and adore actresses dressed in hard-to-find-clothes, strutting around doing whatever it is that the movie “demands,” hugging and doing what not with a different “hero” each time? Most of them don’t even know how to act, for crying out loud! What special skill makes them ‘respectable?’ It is a well-known fact (remember those millions of sting operations?) that a lot of wanna-be actresses and top models have been known to be high-end call girls and escorts. What separates them from a regular prostitute? Beauty? Good PR?

Why must people be so hypocritical? What is it that a Salman Khan (he, of the drinking-and-running-over-people-and-beating-his-girlfriends-to-a-pulp fame) of the country will have to offer? How does he become a “hero?”


21 Comments, Opinions & What Have you!:

Allergic To People 7/13/2009  

The only difference lies in people being unaware of reality. Even if they know the reality they choose to turn their faces away. Nothing but shameless hypocrisy.

Saad Shaikh 7/13/2009  

ah.. right.. I agree.. I think what creates an illusion in the minds of the people is what they see in the films..

Usually, you'd see lines of fans in front of the house of a Filmy Hero.. but one will never find a similar happening in case of a Typical Villain.. Gulshan Grover for that matter.. or Amrish Puri.. or anyone the same..

So people tend to create a perception of the person from what they see on-screen.. but yeah.. everything has a limit.. I don't think adulating and worshipping should be there associated with anyone here..

As Indians, one thing we are used to is hype.. hype about everything.. be it Rakhi Sawant's Swayamvar or be it Akshay Kumar's Advance Tax... :p

Jaideep Sobti 7/13/2009  

Is it really hypocrisy?

Ma'am, i have a post on my blog that beseeches your reply on 'what makes a human being good?'

BardSpeaks 7/13/2009  

@ Jaideep: This isn't about celebrities...it's about people who go ga-ga over them & make them celebrities. We go bonkers when it comes to celebrities. What if we gave them no importance? Would they have such an attitude even then?

Imogen 7/13/2009  

we idolise celebrities now but not ordinary people who do extraoridinary things. This is mentioned in a book called sara's face by melvin burgess. you might want to read it. very thought provoking. a review of it is coming soon on my blog keep your eyes peeled and check my blog out!

http://writeaboutwhat.blogspot.com/

Esther 7/14/2009  

I agree with this post! Well written! =)

Natalie 7/14/2009  

That's so right. I for one, don't bother to give a second look to any celebrity unless they are worthy of attention. I happen to come across a lot of them and they get zero adulation from me. Good for nothing. I should know- I work with them.

Manorama 7/14/2009  

I completely agree with Natalie and the others. Ignore them. That's all they deserve. We don't acknowledge the real heros and place these idiots on a pedestal for no reason. Human beings are crazy. They need to sort out their priorities.

Sid 7/14/2009  

yeah...why differentiate at all? Especially if they don't have any talent to back up on. I don't understand why people forgive horrible crimes that the celebs do...how can an actor who has driven over sleeping people, beaten up women, killed endangered species be accepted and be so popular? Why the hell do people look up to him?

Antarang 7/14/2009  

Why the hell do people look upto Bollywood actresses anyway? Name one that will be taken to appear in a film if she refuses to wear the kinda clothes they want them to wear. There is no talent, only figure selling, great make-up, good lights.

Aswani 7/14/2009  

Hello, this is my first ever visit to your great blog. just read your post. very thought provoking indeed!

Must say, bollywood is nothing but a crap for me. Exceptions do prevail. And to what you have said in your post, I would rather blame media for all these nonsense. Media is responsible for making people believe what they shouldn't have actually. Thus generating Social Hypocrisy!

The Temporal Guardian 7/15/2009  

It seems people relish in other people's popularity and fame; albeit fame of a good or bad cause. For some reason, fame sugar-coats and slightly changes labels from "prostitute" to "high end escort", and from "woman beater and abuser" to "assaulter", etc. The media controls them, and whether these famous people have a good or bad life, people love to read/hear/watch the news about them. When a celebrity is on the news because something BAD happens to them, people flock to watch because people love the drama and love to know that these "famous" people have troubles/problems worse than their own. It's like what they say, "there is no such thing as bad publicity".

BardSpeaks 7/15/2009  

@ R.J.: I like the way you summed it all up. :)

Anonymous 7/15/2009  

Media hypes but it is the people who add to the craziness of putting these so called stars on a pedestal.

-Sudhanshu

Anonymous 7/15/2009  

Its the society which differentiates. Anyway I think its the glamour that makes celebrities intersting. They are larger than life so people run after them.

Neelam

Sugandha Gupta 7/16/2009  

well I do not think you can compare female actors with prostitutes or vice - versa... it's a different matter altogether...

Anonymous 7/16/2009  

Nice one!
As RJ had said,people love to watch others in distress.We cant brand them sadists.Because sadism is incurable quality of human beings.Yes,we can suppress it,but not completely destroy it.it is sadism that we laugh when someone falls, even in films.This had been clearly filmed in "untraceable"!
Just accept the fact that everyone or most of us watched executions by iraqi extremists on tv,the death of man on top of train and some even laughed at the man.There is site called darwinawards which mocks the way ,many had died.(and you will search this site,though it is bad to laugh at other's painful death :( ).But it is pity that people label only some as sadist but they're all sadists in whole.

And regarding this,it is kind of recognition in group.If a guy/girl gets a snap with star(:P),he/she will get center of attention in his/her group.This is the force that keeps people jump and do every sorta things to meet a celebrity.We celebrate them,so they're called celebrity.The fault is in us,not in them.But it is mad to celebrate a mad man.
Yes,I'm fan of south Indian actor.But i never followed his life nor wanted to meet him.I know that he just acts what is in the script and he acts in films that entertains me.So,I frequent his films.As in my point of view,this should be limit.But then everyone have the right to act as per their point of view.

BardSpeaks 7/16/2009  

@whysoserious: I am not comparing female actors to prositutes as a rule or in a general sense. My target is those untalented people who have absolutely zero sense of acting and survive AND thrive just by selling their bodies to get somewhere and THEN, pretend to be holier-than-thou. Also of crimnals strutting around freely because of their star status. I am targetting the hypocrisy of such people and those who accept them as stars and adulate them, to boot.
A prostitue sells herself to survive...a wannabe sells herself for glamour and fame. What's the difference?

Vasudha Narasimhan 7/16/2009  

hi !!!!
I loved this post... will read the other posts in detail.... but i loved this blog....your language is simple and very easily understood....lovely... these thoughts are in everybody's mind...but no one bothers to share it out.... What you are doing is wonderful....and enlightening too.... especially this post encourages open mind to think what is right and wrong and simply not follow what our older generation has set..... Please do visit my blog.... www.cherishingspaces.blogspot.com

BardSpeaks 7/16/2009  

Thanks, Vasudha.

i want to be... 7/24/2009  

yea a good point raised indeed.infact ppl envy and admire all these so called tv stars even 4 their wrong doing dat shows how hypocrite they r...
nice post!!!

i'll be glad if u get time and visit my blog...thanks tc!!!

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