Ranjona Banerji: The Interview: A press release from govt-run PIB?

By Ranjona Banerji

So “The Interview” has not been as well-received by other news organisations as Times Now might have imagined (hoped?) it would. Before we get into the “jealousy” factor, which I gather has been raised by Times Now, its own sibling newspaper The Times of India was mildly critical of the Prime Minister’s contention that the media should not make “heroes” out of people within his party who make objectionable comments. As TOI pointed out, it is the media’s job to bring such comments to public notice. And it is the party’s job to correct those who step out of line.

Unless of course, the party imagine the line is elsewhere…

Most editorials pointed out that the “Interview” in fact achieved nothing and that the questions on Subramanian Swamy and the comments by other BJP leaders were not tackled strongly enough. You could add to that the NSG fiasco, the way the drought was dealt with, rising prices, the false election promises, rise in communal attacks, the condition of farmers, relations with Pakistan, terrorist attacks…

A little more homework and a little less self-preening may have led to a better job When you read the transcript of the interview between Arnab Goswami editor-in-chief of Times Now and Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, the flaws are even more apparent. The theatrics and optics – to use today’s jargon – are missing. And what you are left with is reality, stripped of all its makeup. The questions were either anodyne or leading or contained the answer within them. There was also all that mandatory sucking up (O, you have a lovely sense of humour) which unfortunately (for the interviewer) looks so obvious without tone and sound.

“The interview” now looks like a press release from the government-run Press Information Bureau. It may well have been a speech by a Prime Minister who is very good at giving speeches. This was an interview as a public relations exercise. Many PR companies today will in fact provide you with such an interview with a film star or a sports star if you want. You attend a press conference, pick up your goodies and the Q&A and get back to office, story in hand.

When the Prime Minister says that it is a matter of concern that there is a lack of humour in public life, the interviewer needs to take it further. A “matter of concern” in what manner, one may ask, when it is people who are opposed to the BJP who pay the price for their humour. Instead, the PM made himself into the victim, where even he is afraid of using his remarkable sense of humour. Perhaps that would have been a good time to talk about rising intolerance in the country.

The answers about Raghuram Rajan and Subramanian Swamy’s attack on him were marginally higher than bland, about as gentle as the questions. Incidentally, soon after the interview was aired, Subramanian Swamy was back on Twitter attacking Arnab Goswami and calling all journalists “presstitutes”, which is the BJP’s favourite term. So much for being chided publicly on air.

Some commentators have postulated that Goswami was angling for the job of government spokesperson and they may well be right!

I can only add to that the idea that Seth Rogen would not be able to make a film out of this “Interview”.