Of late, a lot has been said and several persons and organisations have had a free run following the LoC strikes. Some even went to the extent of “demanding” apology from a “select few” (as if they were endorsed by the Government of India) for the continuous attacks. Some went on to demand a free screening of the strikes as if such defence and strategic issues could be discussed openly and depicted like Karan Johar’s yet to be released film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.
In all these, the government of India got a bad name. Unnecessarily, the Centre had to bend like never before to ensure that a film had a smooth release, which was threatened by fringe elements. If one keeps tab, it may be noticed that these elements are involved in such activities at least 5 to 6 times a year. Of course, to give their demand some credence, the Cinema Owners’ Exhibitors Association of India (COEAI) announced that they would not screen Karan Johar’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil starring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma and Fawad Khan in four states, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Goa.
We must understand whose film was involved? Karan Johar’s! And his timely apology had put pressure on the government and the self-styled custodians of arts and culture of the country also created a huge ruckus. Never has the Home Ministry of the Centre reacted and ensured that a film will be released smoothly. The country was held at ransom by fan-atics and they have ensured that the film got enough pre-release publicity so that the box office opening is huge. It is also sad to see how Johar chose his time to apologise. But mind you, the government of India never asked Johar to do so. Also, the Home Ministry, in the first case, never condemned Johar for engaging Pakistani actors. It was a section of the media and the self-proclaimed custodians who orchestrated the whole affair in this manner. Who asked Johar to apologise? Whom did he apologise to? Who asked him never to take Pakistani artistes? And when the COEAI announced the ban it had not kept a rider that the Home Ministry had to intervene. Suddenly with the Home Ministry’s intervention how come the COEAI has fallen silent? It is easy to understand that these are pressure games.
The ‘emotion’ seemed completely misplaced. These issues in real terms don’t bother the common man. They would not even feel like asking such questions leave alone demanding an answer. The saddest part is how marketing has been able to rule the roost and a non-issue was made into a mountain. Some papers even carried the Home Ministry’s assurance as a page 1 lead item!
It was also ridiculous to see how the self-styled intelligentsia ‘used’ their freedom of speech. Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap went on to ask the Prime Minister of the country, ‘@narendramodi Sir you haven’t yet said sorry for your trip to meet the Pakistani PM. It was Dec 25th. Same time KJo was shooting ADHM? Why?’
Mr Kashyap should understand that freedom of speech doesn’t mean, he can ‘use’ it in this manner. It would have been appropriate if these questions were asked by the Leader of Opposition in Parliament. It was in bad taste.
It is unfortunate that the self-certified intelligentsia chose to jump the gun and a section of the media and marketing was perhaps very well strategised to weave the whole plot. What these ‘thinkers’ failed to grasp is the collective angst in the minds of the common Indian who were disturbed by the Uri killings and these comments and gestures trying to make themselves tragic heroes created a bad image in the minds of millions of Indians.
