Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Govinda Gela Re Gela...

"I am an actor... I don't understand politics," says Govinda in an interview to Mumbai Mirror. The question to ask him then is - " What the eff were you thinking when you contested an election, displaced a veteran (Ram Naik) from the constituency, and let down the people who voted for you?? Why didn't you stick to acting? " This whole thing has become such a monumental farce. And Govinda's brazen talk only highlights the comi-tragedy of Bollywood types cashing in on their popularity during elections, hogging the limelight, winning the seat, and then doing bugger all. I like Govinda, the actor. Rather, I used to like him, till his bheja khiskoed and he lost it totally. I have fond memories of him coming home to interview me for the Stardust Annual some years ago. Of course, he'd turned up late. And of course, he'd hammed it to the hilt. But that's Govinda. The piece was titled, " Class meets Mass." You go figure. It was a hilarious encounter, and one of my most enjoyable interviews.
It's another Govinda one meets these days. He appears lost and confused. His quotes are inane and insane. Sample this one ,"I stood the ground when everyone else was running. Don't ask me how much I walked and why I didn't run." Huh??? There are several similar gems strewn through the story. But I shall spare you the torture. Bottom line? Actors should stick to what they know best. Leave netagiri to netas. And that goes for you to, Munnabhai. Sanjay Dutt put his foot in his mouth - yet again - when he said his 'Begum' was at home, where she belongs, and where all Begums should be, when asked why she wasn't accompanying him to Lucknow.
One of you wanted to know why I hadn't made a comment on the SRK-Aamir Khan verbal duel. Frankly, I am bored to death with their sniping. I really don't care whose pooch goes by which name. Or who threw the first stone. Aamir hit a home run with his dig at SRK'S current insecurity on account of his films not doing well. God knows what SRK's comeback will be. I'd say sharp and lethal. But just to put things in perspective, there was a time when Bollywood was dominated by three mega stars - Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand. These guys were far bigger than today's Kings and Queens (pun intended). But you never ever heard them bitch each other out. Nobody boasted about being the REAL number one, and they were consistently civil in public. Whatever their personal differences and rivalries, their conduct towards one another was impeccable at all times. A question of class, breeding and basic good manners. But will today's heroes ever learn from those big boys? Naah.

30 comments:

Zlaek said...

Govinda stopped making us laugh. Gained weight. And decided to try his luck in politics. I don't understand Sanjay Dutt and his wife.

Aamir's fun. Great artist. So it doesn't really make a diff which one says what about the other. Aamir's a different LEAGUE. SRK has only two movies to his credit to date-- SWADES and CHAK DE

Arun said...

"But will today's big boys ever learn from those heroes?"

Says a lot more, doesn't it? :-)

Sidhusaaheb said...

You are absolutely right about Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand.

If Aamir and Shah Rukh were gentlemen, they would stop sniping at each other.

Anon said...

Remember the ad with Cyrus Broacha screaming "Munna when will you grow up??". Guess someone needs to get a hint... Nudge nudge wink wink! Seems like these guys have forgotten that CRASS is not the same as CLASS! Certainly seems like it. Perhaps some english lessons along with etiquette or dare I say "Common sense lessons"

Anonymous said...

Zlaek, if you want more serious films from srk (and others) clearly bollywood is not the place to be looking.

Anonymous said...

SRK - Next Election ?

Narendra shenoy said...

Agree with Zlaek. Aamir Khan is way way better than SRK, who acts like he's competing for the World Histrionic Championships. To call his acting 'understated' would be like calling the Hiroshima bomb a fire-cracker.

naval said...

Aamir khan has got inferiority complex thats why he lashes out at SRK always ........ writing about Sharuq the bog he has and like that

Apoorva said...

@Zlaek & @Narendra..

Good on you guys.. I am enjoying SRK critisism..

Anonymous said...

Shobhaji, Raj Kapoor Dilip kumar and Dev Anand did not have inane TV channels and newspapers to worry about. Neither did AB or Rajesh Babu.

Because however childish, these rants and snipes may be, good newspapers do not seem to carry the story any more than it needs to.

Pseudo journalistic (more tabaloid, less news) channels and newspapers (TOI, MM, Stardust) live and possibly sustain of this kind of Tu-Tu Main Main.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Gautham. Times have changed and so have superstars. SRK even talked about this in some interviews saying it's kind of a give-and-take. They get their readers and he get's his publicity. Personally, I think, it's just the opposite. Where stars like Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand never boasted or bitched, irrespective of their differences; today's SRK, Aamir bitch because of publicity/attention while not giving a 'eff' about it actually. This can be inferred from their 'bitching' pattern. They start doing so only when they have an upcoming release. :)

Serendipity said...

well said. Now who wil go tell them?

Nagma's vying for a seat too. What are we coming to.

Scarlett said...

Can't believe Govinda can make such statements & get away with them! Exactly what the eff was he doing contesting the elections then? Did no one ask him THAT question??? I remember how the media made a big hue & cry (and rightly so) about Govinda not even stepping out of his home to check on people in his constituency after the Mumbai floods. Our political system has become a mockery & our politicians the biggest jokers in the country.

athi said...

i happen to be a big srk fan but i agree aamir is definitely a diffrnt league. Der have been times wen i misd an srk movie bt aamir never :)

athi said...

N who rly cares wot dey say bot each oder? As long as v get gud movies to watch? Let dem have fun sniping !! :P

Kalyan Karmakar said...

my first time on your blog and wasn't dissapointed.
One question on your last observation on the earlier super stars. i cam across this belief while growing up in Calcutta that the big three got together to keep Uttam Kumar out, specially when he did a Hindi film, 'Chhoti Si Mulaqat"
Any truth in that? Or is that another big Bengali conspiracy theory?

yogendra said...

Govinda doesnt understand politics and neither do you.In one of your columns you glorified Obama and crucified Rahul Gandhi.I am no supporter of Congress nor Rahul Gandhi.But why so much for Obama?You used all kinds of superlatives for him.Now jut look what he is doing to us Indians.I know your job is secured.But now Obama is putting restrictions on companies who outsource.This in turn is resulting less outsourcing from America which is major parts of revenue for IT companies of India.The already worse scenario due to Satyam-gate and Recession ,is now turniing even bleaker for IT engineers but nobody is raising a voice because its election time.BTW just remember every politician irrespective of cast,religion and country always thinks of HIMSELF first,his country,his state and not other countries.Respond to the comment if you have a view

slash said...

Shobha, I agree with you that Govinda, Sanjay Dutt and all other actors (and by that I mean the ladies too) should stick to their profession (acting) and leave politics aside. If politicians do their job well, they would not need these stars to come to their election campaigns or join their parties to attract votes.

Re SRK-Aamir spat, I must say that SRK appears to be a spoilsport. He cracks jokes at almost all his colleagues at public (award) functions and thinks of himself as quite humorous in the process. As per some media reports, he did that with Amar Singh too at one of the Filmfare awards. (http://in.rediff.com/movies/2007/feb/27amar.htm)
I am no fan of Amar Singh. Not at all. But I am all for fairness. When you accuse someone of having 'darindigiri' (in the eyes) in front of a large audience and pass it off as a joke, it's not fair. It doesn't matter how or what you think of that person. The joke is cruel. Period. Then, when Aamir Khan names his dog SRK, the so-called and self-proclaimed number one feels offended. I ask why. When you crack jokes at others, you bloody well be prepared for some of it to come your way, someday. It is called Karma.

Lastly, I have a bone to pick with journalists and I say this being a journalist myself. Even you, Shobha, if you don't mind my saying so. Let us all stop calling Sanjay Dutt as Munnabhai, Arshad Warsi as Circuit, SRK as Badshah, and so on. These names are just given by chamcha journos who want to stick up to these stars. (I do not mean to include you here, Shobha, as I know in what context you refer to them, but it is still avoidable, I think). Mr Dutt is not Munnabhai, that was the role of an angel he had played in that movie. It is a pity in India that when actors play hugely positive roles, they somehow get associated to those characters, while those who play villians fade away from public memory, no matter how good they may be in their real lives

Another Kiran In NYC said...

The crowned Bollywood Raja's of yesteryear wernt exactly blameless nice guys either. In thier own time and by thier own standards I am sure they were equally cut throat and strategy minded, so I am not going to compare them favorably to todays contemporaries.

SRK and Aamir know exactly what they are doing, amusing us no end and getting newspaper inches. They are playing the part of entertainer in thier oneupmanship plots. They depend on newspaper realestate and thier careers are bolstered by it. They are certainly laughing all the way to the bank and we are laughing along with them while we go deposit our money into thier accounts. So its all good.

As for Govinda and his ilk, opportunist famewhores/politicians, what can I say. You and I vote them in. Yeah you and I ... even if we say we are disgusted blah blah. Our inaction is as bad as voting for them ourselves. So do we all get whipped with a wet noodle or wet sevian as the case may be?

Rant start...
Am I the only one really bothered by the horrible text speak as is written by everyone 30 and under, in India. It is really awful. (wen, gud, dere etc). I even came across a resume with some words like that. Needless to say. it was thrown into the garbage pronto.
Speak in Hinglish all you want, but when it comes to writing atleast write like you passed elementary school without failing thrice... which is what wen, dere, gud reads like!
end Rant!

Chandra said...

@Another kiran

Totally agree with you about the paper real estate..and before we talk about ppl voting intelligently,I think media should change its habit of making entertainment and everything/one associated with it media luminaries.
In my opinion,media gives ppl like sanjay 50% of the power they use to sway ppl.

"everyone 30 and under, in India. It is really awful. (wen, gud, dere etc). I even came across a resume with some words like that. Needless to say. it was thrown into the garbage pronto."

'Am I the only one bothered'???i shld say yeah.
1.Wen we guys r NOT writing a resume,we ll rite any way we want 2...as long as its understandable.
Are u d custodian of communication?

2.even if d poor guy had used 'sum' such words in his resume,u threw it 'pronto'?do u realize dat u cld hav cost sum1 his career cos of ur prejudice?

Another Kiran In NYC said...

Yeah Chandra, perhaps I cost someone a job, but you know what, my employees are my public face. If they cannot communicate effectively, they cant be my employees. Simple.

In any real job where what you do affects profitability there are rules. Good and effective communication and good manners are the most fundamental of them.

athi said...

hmm... for a job resume i ges dats not pardonable kiran bt oderwise we all do wot we pls :) N we are assuming ppl who r reading hav 'passed elementary school without failing thrice' n r able to correlate d words :P Nothin personal. Cheers

Another Kiran In NYC said...

Athi,

"we are assuming ppl who r reading hav 'passed elementary school without failing thrice' n r able to correlate d words"

After living into my forties with some life experience, I have learnt not to assume ANYTHING.
Assume.. is pretty much ASS-U-ME!:)

Its all good, write how you may, but the real world out there... especially the corporate world dosent like it at all.

And thats all folks! :)

Anonymous said...

Govinda just attended parliament for 12% and didn't even ask single questions in parliament. I guess, he went their to take some rest from his busy shooting schedule. Stars and actors (atleast in India) can only speak loudly but once again proved that they could not work for common man and their problem. And now Munna bhai is contesting election and that too from SP. What else can we expect from party like SP.
I hope that he will not win.

Unknown said...

I agree with Scarlett, the journo who interviewed Govinda did not have the courage to ask him why the eff he had then contested the elections, maybe the privilege of interviewing the honourable MP was so great. That's the problem with the media, they create heroes out of nobodies and then rant.

athi said...

gud one on ASS-U-ME. I ges it ll take me some time to rch der Kiran :) to gain dat experience u r talkin bot :P

Unknown said...

I teach a lot of young people meditation and so get invited to their homes for lunches and dinners... and thence into their rooms, where there are always photos of some bollywood star or cricketer or bodybuilder...
These kids look upto them, but when asked would you like to be like them... They look down, and say no ...
And thats when i know there is hope for our country :)
Jai Gurudeva!
bawa

www.bawandinesh.name

Kush said...

I miss out on that regular everyday dose of trashy news coz I dnt get regular access to TV and news feeds of BBC doesnt feature all that. Nonetheless, some nasty clips are dwnloaded and circulated in the hostels so get to watch then!

amolsledge said...

Absolute truth.. I don't understand why People of India too accept these guys just like that..

It is just good times that today's star have a larger media to take their so called self promoted fame to masses.. but Older generation made headways not just within India but overseas on sheer talent.. & not self propoganda..
Love reading your blog... thanks.

Unknown said...

you are right...

Work from home India