HIGH LIFE- Look who’s talking
We all know how media savvy Aamir Khan is. In fact, when I first heard that the mega Khans - Aamir and Shah Rukh have their films pitted against each other, I thought how much of the Khans will we read day after day, for weeks. Every channel would have them. We saw how cleverly Aamir used the media to promote his nephew Imran Khan’s Jaane Tu… Now it’s time for Aamir’s own film. He knows exactly what to say when and where. Even his smile and facial expressions are calculated. This is something I admire about him.
Over the years, he has mastered the art of being flawless. But I watched him on TV on Eid day. He accused the media of being overzealous about the terror attack coverage. He thought the media went overboard giving minute-by-minute coverage of the situation. He felt the media should have gone easy. This, coming from Aamir who came out of our ears and eyes when he went on a film promotion binge and put us through a blitzkrieg of publicity.
I guess Aamir forgot people had their families trapped inside. People who didn’t live in Mumbai. This was their only way to find out what was happening. The reporters didn’t shave, or shower, or eat. Sixty-two hours of non-stop coverage is no joke. Especially when you aren’t sitting in an air-conditioned room with your make-up man touching up every crease on your face. Some self-righteous TV bosses said no to commercials breaks. This was a lucrative time for them. But they realised that this was not the time to be making money; instead it was a time to keep the bereaved posted. While Bollywood did little about the terror blasts. Besides getting publicity for themselves. Have they given people any real hope as icons? Have they tried to raise money for the dead cops and commandos? No. Instead, they are worried about losing money if their movies aren’t allowed to release in Pakistan. No Aamir, I am not referring to you here.
And what are our politicians doing? I remember an angry Shobhaa De on TV on the night of the attacks. She had said, take away the security from these netas and then see how they will tackle terrorism. Even if a hair on their head shakes, they will panic. No one could have said it better. So on Saturday night when I saw a neta dining away with his family at a five star restaurant I was enraged. The tables outside his reserved area were blocked. Cops sat guarding him, totally destroying the restaurant’s atmosphere. Nobody got tables close to his. This, he did to a hotel which is already deserted thanks to the fear in peoples’ minds. But how do they care about our economy or what happens to our city? Life rocks for these shameless and selfish politicians while we continue to seethe in anger and rage, week after week.
For your eyes only
And while on Shobhaa De, I know she wanted a very private wedding for her daughter. She isn’t insensitive to the attacks. Yet, it was well-attended and simple. Right from Nita Ambani, Tina Ambani to Parmeshwar Godrej and a host of other socialites. And yes, I do know that Shobhaa wasn’t too keen on publicising it. Blame it on the paparazzi. But Zoom couldn’t have missed this one. No other channel could get this for you. Watch exclusive coverage tonight on my show Page3Xtreme at 7.30 pm and Wednesday 2.30 pm, only on Zoom. Isko Dekho!
Simi Chandoke is the Editor-in-Chief, Lifestyle and Society, Zoom