MxMIndia

Category: HARD KNOCKS

Anil Thakraney’s view on adland, medialand and more

  • in the absence of public sympathy, whatever little hope Mallya has of a government-led bailout begins to fade. What is truly incredible is that in the face of such a mega challenge, he continues to be bombastic!

    Anil Thakraney: Mallya’s image is working against him

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    All that’s gone wrong with Kingfisher Airlines has been discussed enough in the media (I too have posted on this in the past), so there’s nothing more to add. One can only grab a Kingfisher beer, sit back, and quietly watch the airline go down the tube. Clearly, there’s no scope for a turnaround, so utterly horrid is Dr Mallya’s business model.

     

    However, I think the reason why there is so much public anger against Kingfisher is not just because the innocent employees remain unpaid, not just because the wife of an unpaid staffer killed herself, it’s because of Vijay Mallya’s own flamboyant image. All those yachts, the lavish parties, the wild IPL celebrations, the frantic air kissing… it’s all come back to haunt the man. And these images are being beamed right next to the images of protesting employees on the news channels. That his equally high-life living son has been posting floozy tweets is adding to Mallya’s already overflowing mug of woes.

     

    The colourful imagery is projecting the man to be deeply insensitive to his starving employees (even if that’s not the case), and that, for any organisation chief’s image, is akin to corporate hara-kiri. The Indian junta will never accept the idea of a man having a good time while his ‘family’ suffers. This goes against the grain of Indian culture. And in the absence of public sympathy, whatever little hope Mallya has of a government-led bailout begins to fade. What is truly incredible is that in the face of such a mega challenge, he continues to be bombastic!

     

    The least Vijay Mallya must do now is to come down to earth (like his aircraft), roll up his sleeves, meet up with his angry employees and personally clean up the mess. If that means filing for bankruptcy, then so be it. Time for arrogance and ego is up. It’s time to do some dirty work and take hard decisions. And if he does this even now, some of Mallya’s dying reputation may yet get salvaged.

     

    And oh, while the booze tycoon is at it, he must ensure his air-head son stays off Twitter for a few decades.

     

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    PS: Wonderful interactive video from Old Spice. You can use the keyboard to decide which instrument you want the musician to play, and how he must play it. It’s gone totally viral, 18 lakh hits at last count. And do note that the brand isn’t directly selling anything. This clearly is the future of viral marketing.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ15vCGuvH0[/youtube]
  • Jaspal Bhatti’s ‘Flop Show’ was a national show-stealer on Doordarshan in the early nineties. He was like a breath of fresh air in DD’s mostly dreary programming

    Anil Thakraney: Bhatti was a comic genius

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Long before Indian TV audiences got saddled with the motormouth Navjot Singh Sidhu, another truly funny Sardar had the nation enthralled. Long before the likes of Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal began protesting against corruption, that hilarious man, with his wicked satire, was busy giving netas and babus a great deal of tension on his popular television show.

     

    Jaspal Bhatti’s ‘Flop Show’ was a national show-stealer on Doordarshan in the early nineties. He was like a breath of fresh air in DD’s mostly dreary programming. What is amazing about the serial is that it enjoyed a relatively short run, but many people still remember it quite vividly. Such was the comedy magic Bhatti possessed. We loved the mad Sardar not just because he dealt with incidents of corruption we encounter in our daily lives, but also because his style was never over the top (unlike Sidhu). Bhatti, even while being totally funny, performed like a common man, his troubles felt like our troubles, we could easily relate to him. I must add here that Priya Tendulkar’s Rajani enjoyed the same fan following for pretty much the same reasons, but Bhatti’s unique comedy style enhanced the overall entertainment value, the entire family would eagerly look forward to his Flop Show.

     

    The funny man went on to do more TV shows later in his life, he even acted in and produced feature films. But sadly, as times changed, Bhatti evaporated from public memory. As private entertainment channels took control, and the focus shifted to loud, slapstick comedy. And Bhatti got left behind in the new scenario, which is a pity, really. His ideas, his stories and his acting could have got a huge play if the channels and the producers were alive to the man’s powerful, understated comic timing.

     

    Rest in peace, Mr Bhatti. We are still busy fighting against corruption (that will never change!), but the laughter is gone. It’s time for the heavens to guffaw a bit.

     

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    PS: Remember Conrad Black? The disgraced media baron who was sent to jail after being convicted on charges of financial fraud? Well, he’s out from jail, and is now getting ready to promote his book. Here’s his recent interview with the BBC. Don’t miss the arrogance, the bluster and the I-can-do-no-wrong attitude. Black even calls the interviewer a fool. Guess if you’ve once lived the life of power, fame and riches, it becomes very, very difficult to descend to earth.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBI35DMHjy4[/youtube]
  • Popular belief is that some amount of politics is an inevitable fact of life. Everyone wants to get ahead fast, everyone wants to retain control, so messing with another group/individual becomes par for the course.

    Anil Thakraney: Dirty corporate politics

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    We will never really know the exact reason behind CEO Vikram Pandit’s abrupt departure from Citigroup. And that’s because there are always two sides to a story. Most of the media reports, however, indicate that Pandit was a victim of organizational politics, that it was unholy play by his boss that led to Pandit’s sacking. And this, despite the officer’s good performance. Apparently, Citigroup’s Chairman, Michael O’Neill, had been planning Pandit’s exit for a very long time.

     

    If indeed that is the case, Pandit becomes just another name in a very long list of senior execs who were shown the door as a direct result of dirty office politics and back-stabbing. Unfortunately, this happens quite commonly in organizations, so you can imagine how many bright minds have fallen by the wayside because they couldn’t play the game, or chose not to participate in it.

     

    I must add here that the No 1 reason I preferred to be a freelance operator was to escape the clutches of politics. I make less money than I would in a full-time job, I get no annual/sick/casual leave, and I have long forgotten what ‘Perks’ means (I am now convinced it’s just a chocolate brand). In addition, I often have to chase payments harder than I chase stories. And yet, I am at complete peace, all the negatives get nullified because I no longer have to put up with shitty corporate power games.

     

    Popular belief is that some amount of politics does get played in all organizations, that it’s an inevitable fact of life. Everyone wants to get ahead fast, everyone wants to retain control, so messing with another group/individual becomes par for the course. This may be true. And yet, I do believe this is a cultural issue. If the man/woman at the top encourages a culture of ethics, mutual respect and integrity, and comes down heavily on back-stabbers, it is possible to build a clean organization. In fact, I am certain there must be many such across the world. That’s why I believe it’s purely a matter of good leadership. And am afraid, if the media reports are accurate, Citigroup has projected a very sad image of itself.

     

    Surely there’s more happiness in achieving goals on one’s own merit, and not by trampling on others? Or am I living in fool’s paradise?

     

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    PS: Haha. I like this ad. Not just because it features the international Hollywood heartthrob George Clooney, but also because the ad is a totally surprising solution coming from a bank. Guess it will take our desi banks like Vijaya Bank and Shamrao Vithal Bank a zillion years to discover such a ‘treasure’. 🙂

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl8Dh1Yp3aY[/youtube]

     

     

  • Diwali is a festival of many cultural hues, and it’s a great opportunity to associate one’s brand with them for effective advertising.

    Anil Thakraney: How to make Diwali count

    By Anil Thakraney


    Diwali is upon us and a whole lot of advertisers must be gearing up to make the most of India’s biggest festival. And for the next fortnight the media will be flooded with Diwali special ads and offers. All very fine, but there’s a small problem: Most advertisers and their agencies create the usual, predictable ads, very few try to either explore the cultural facets of the fest or dig into the various joys it brings to people’s lives.

     

    Yesterday I reviewed the Tanishq Diwali ad in the Debrief section, where I felt that the advertiser had wonderfully synergized the festive mood with their own product. And this set me thinking. What must advertisers do to ensure they don’t end up with those stupid, generic ‘Happy Diwali’ ads? And headlines that scream the usual discounts and freebies? Is there some sort of a road map for making the most of this festival? Quite obviously there can’t be because this is a creative activity, so one gets limited only by one’s own imagination.

     

    However, here are some things to look out for, and these are only a few pointers, there’s a lot more that can be done.

     

    No advertiser ever attempts to use the key message of Diwali: The victory of good over evil. Are they worried about treading too close to religion? They don’t need to be, this can be handled in a religion-neutral way, because it’s the universal truth. I can visualize interesting work with this particular route.

     

    Diwali is that time of the year when desi family members travel miles to be together. (This is the reason why airlines jack up their rates big-time.) And this leads to a lot of bonding/secrets sharing/new discoveries within the family. While Bollywood does exploit this, it’s rare to find it in advertising.

     

    Some people gamble on Diwali night, it’s a cultural thingy. Again, this never finds place in our ads. Wonder why, when such engaging situations can be created using this as a backdrop.

     

    Most people wear brand new clothes on the big night. Funnily, I have rarely witnessed anyone using this theme, not even fashion and accessory brands!

     

    I can go on but I guess you get the drift. There’s no point releasing ads that look like clones of each other, no brand really benefits in the process. Diwali is a festival of many cultural hues, and it’s a great opportunity to associate one’s brand with them for effective advertising.

     

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    PS: Like many other James Bond fans, I too am eagerly awaiting the release of Skyfall, the latest in the Bond series. But we must look out for it for another reason: The movie has pushed the envelope on product placement, many big brands find their place in the film. Would be interesting to watch how they tackle this, because Bollywood invariably screws up product placement. Here’s more in The Guardian:

     

    Link: http://m.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2012/oct/23/skyfall-marketing-james-bond?cat=film&type=article

     

  • For that one day, we were all New Yorkers and New Jerseywallahs, as the world came together on Twitter and FB to bond with those affected by Sandy

    Anil Thakraney: Sandy goes social

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Sandy did sound like a scorned woman, and she did bring the US East Coast to a halt. Thankfully, her fury was short lived, and cities and towns in the region are already back to near normalcy. However, thanks to her popularity on the social media, for that one day, we were all New Yorkers and New Jerseywallahs, as the world came together on Twitter and FB to bond with those affected by Sandy. The social media also helped local residents stay in touch with their near and dear ones across the world. I personally know of a few Indians who stayed connected with their NRI family members on Twitter. And that’s such a wonderful thing.

     

    Compare this with what usually happens. I often tear my hair out over the posts many people put out. Utter rubbish goes on in the social media, and I have come precariously close to disconnecting my account. This is what I call social media abuse. People continuously posting drivel about what they are thinking, where they are lounging, the song on their lips, the dinner menu and the usual quotes from those dead and long gone. I often feel this abuse will one day be the death of this hot new medium. And I hope folks understand this before it’s too late. Because, as Sandy showed, the social media can play a very important role in a crisis.

     

    Just imagine the likely scenario if Twitter and FB were around during the 9/11 attacks. Or if they were as popular as they are now, when 26/11 happened in Mumbai. The furious networking would probably have helped locate the victims faster, and this could have helped save some lives. Not to speak of the emotional succour the social media offers when a person is facing trouble. You will experience its awesome power when (god forbid!) the next ‘shock & awe’ campaign breaks out.

     

    I sincerely hope people realize the importance of the social media and quit screwing this space. No one wants to know what you plan to eat for dinner. Repeat, no one. And if your ‘friends’ are showing some interest, it’s either because they have a hidden agenda or they simply want to indulge you. The sooner you get this, the better.

     

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    PS: Hee hee hee. I love this idea. LG, for their ‘lifelike’ monitors, conducted an experiment inside an elevator with hilarious results. What an outstanding product demonstration, it makes an otherwise cold product come alive. However, I would slip in a word of caution: If someone suffered a heart attack in the process, no one would be laughing at this stunt. And it could bring the brand a great deal of misery.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeXMxuNNlE8[/youtube]

     

     

  • The saddest thing about 1984 is that there was no private news channel at the time. Because of which, unlike in the case of the Gujarat riots, most of the rioting wasn't caught on film. And this helped the goons escape very easily

    Anil Thakraney: 1984’s real tragedy

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I was too young in 1984 to fully comprehend the injustice that happened in this country after PM Indira Gandhi was gunned down. I have just two distinct memories. One, that Mrs Gandhi died on the eve of my birthday, thus sending my party plans for a toss (unforgivable, I say!). I sat at home and sulked all day. Two, that good ol’ DD took its sweet time to announce Mrs G’s death. The puppet channel was obviously waiting for a nod from the Congress netas.

     

    The massive anti-Sikh riots that followed will always be the biggest blot on this nation’s history. Makes our heads hang in shame. The bigger tragedy, of course, is that the criminals were not prosecuted, in fact, they weren’t even caught. Just like the Gujarat riots of 2002, it’s hard to believe that the State had no direct role to play in the carnage. And DD did in 1984 what it does best: Be the mouthpiece of the government.

     

    It’s appalling to watch so many Sikhs demanding justice even 28 years later! Long after many of the family members of the victims, and the culprits, are dead and gone. What can be more embarrassing for a nation? Which then brings me to the point: The saddest thing about 1984 is that there was no private news channel at the time. Because of which, unlike in the case of the Gujarat riots, most of the rioting wasn’t caught on film. And this helped the goons escape very easily.

     

    Many of us have issues with the way our news channels go about their business, and I regularly pick holes in their modus operandi. Sure, a lot of improvement needs to be made in their functioning. But 1984 is a poignant reminder of the very important role they play in this fractured nation. I am quite certain that had there been private television at the time, a number of the Sikh killers would be behind bars today, even if the government of the day had come to their aid.

     

    Just for the memories and the wrongs of 1984, just this one time, I am happy to overlook all their foibles. Am glad that our often hysterical, rabble-rousing and judgmental news channels are busy in this nation. The aam janata badly needs them. Perhaps they are their only hope for justice.

     

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    PS: Air New Zealand has taken in-flight entertainment to a new level. They’ve totally sexed up the boring air safety announcement video. And it’s a smart promotional move by the makers of the upcoming flick, The Hobbit, which is all about elves, gnomes and dwarfs. Good one! Over to our very thakela Air India.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qUKwF076Q0[/youtube]

     

     

  • Bollywood rules on the idiot box, no matter if it's an entertainment or a news channel. These guys either use to it make a lot of easy money, or to 'grace' the studios to plug their upcoming films

    Anil Thakraney: Complete Bollywoodization of TV

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The other evening I was wildly switching channels to find something interesting to watch (a usual pastime, haha!). And on every single channel I was attacked by the Bollywood frat. At one place, Bachchan was having a good time with SRK and Katrina Kaif. Elsewhere Salman Khan was busy with his famed pelvic thrusts. On another channel Ajay Devgn (his spelling, not mine) was seen promoting his new flick. Then there was some hot gossip about Deepika Padukone on a Hindi news channel. Not to speak of the ‘ThinkFest’ which had a whole lot of ‘intellectual’ filmi types walk into our living rooms. And I am not even going to discuss all those hundreds of ads that feature our movie stars.

     

    Yup, it’s been happening for a while but now it looks like a complete take-over has happened. Bollywood rules on the idiot box, no matter if it’s an entertainment or a news channel. These guys either use to it make a lot of easy money, or to ‘grace’ the studios to plug their upcoming films. Quite frankly, I am quite fed up of the same faces. Let me also add here that this is a peculiarly Indian phenomenon, nowhere else does it happen in the world.

     

    So then what the hell happened? Where are the television stars? Don’t we have enough homegrown TV talent to keep the audiences enthralled? I think there is. But the poor folks are not being given opportunities to shine, so they have stayed under the shadow of the movie stars. Television chiefs will tell you it’s because the audiences are in awe of the big screen actors. I totally disagree with that. I think the culprits are the TV honchos themselves, they lack the guts to experiment, and they run to cinema biggies to cover their backsides.

     

    Who’s to say Ram Kapoor won’t be fabulous on KBC? How do we know Sakshi Tanwar won’t glam up a reality show? Or maybe even Barkha Dutt as the Bigg Boss host? Don’t laugh, it is quite possible! Thing is, no one even imagines these possibilities. And to think these TV stars will come at a fraction of the cost of movie stars.

     

    I am really hoping to see this change. Don’t want to see the same faces on TV every single night. Don’t.

     

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    PS: This is bad news for Obama. Clint Eastwood has dissed him in a political ad. Eastwood is a hugely respected star in the US (there isn’t one single Bollywood hero who equates that power in India) and his views may hurt Obama. Also, bear in mind that Romney didn’t, at least directly, hire Eastwood’s services, this is what the man seems to really believe. And that’s more bad news for the incumbent Prez.

     

    [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PH3mK8gHW-8[/youtube]

     

     

     

  • All the excitement in India over Romney versus Obama reminded of that lovely proverb: Begaani Shaadi Mein Abdullah Deewana

    Anil Thakraney: The Obama Drama

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Some observations on the media coverage of the US Prez elections, and a couple of notes on the politics of it.

     

    Obamaji’s biggest strength is his public speaking skill, his charisma on stage. This not only keeps the Americans enthralled, it must have prompted many to press the button on his name inside the polling booth. Wish Maun Maun Singh had a millionth of the guy’s charisma, we might have tolerated the assorted political scams with a slightly cooler head.

     

    I watched only NDTV and Times Now for the election coverage. No, I didn’t skip the other channels because I don’t approve of them, it’s just that there’s only that much I can handle on an election that doesn’t affect my life even remotely. In fact, all the excitement in India over Romney versus Obama reminded of that lovely proverb: Begaani Shaadi Mein Abdullah Deewana.

     

    Abdullah reminds me of J&K CM Omar Abdullah analyzing the elections for us on NDTV. Bichare se Kashmir sambhalta nahin, and he’s got the gall to discuss American politics.

     

    Watching Dr Prannoy Roy on air is always a delight. Not just for the sense of proportion he brings to the table, but because of his innate calmness and neutrality. Really wish his protégées (including those who’ve left him), learn something in television journalism from the man. As for NDTV’s coverage itself, it got a trifle boring as they went too deep into the US micro politics. Dr Roy can’t help it, I guess, since he’s a passionate psephologist. But I’m quite certain his audiences felt a tad restless.

     

    Arnab Goswami, on the other hand, had the right idea. He chose to focus only on the relevance of the election to the sub-continent (and he kept reminding us of this super cool angle). But then he went ahead and invited the same thakela faces on his show, the same gents who indulge in the usual Indo-Pak tug of war. Therefore this show became dull as well.

     

    I did try out CNN International for a bit, but the reporters appeared too excited and too busy exchanging friendly banter with one other. Never a good idea this, because this mutual bonhomie can, and often does, alienate the viewer.

     

    As for the big picture, sadly, the American politicians are making the same deadly mistake their counterparts make in India. They have totally polarized the nation, and have divided it into different vote bank communities. This lethal strategy will come back to haunt them one day. We Indians know the sort of suffering political fracturing brings to the nation.

     

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    PS: PETA has decided it’s time for real ‘shock and awe’ to make you go vegan. They have used veggies in their latest ad as a phallic symbol, with absolutely absurd results. If this doesn’t prompt all the size-obsessed hunks to opt for sabzi tarkari, nothing will.

     

    Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/05/stay-firm-and-fresh-peta-_n_2076499.html

     

     

     

  • The time is up for professional cinema critics. The only thing that can possibly save this dying species is if they quickly re-invent their craft and find innovative ways to keep the readers engaged

    Anil Thakraney: Death of the film critic

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Apart from all the gassing and the plugging that goes on in the social media, there’s one common tendency I have noticed, regardless of what the tweeter/Facebooker does for a living: To immediately post his/her two bits on a movie that’s just been released. (Even as I write this, my timeline is awash with tweets on Jab Tak Hai Jaan.) Speed is of essence; you have to post on the weekend of the release, Monday is too late. In fact, I often wonder if some people rush to the multiplexes ONLY to be the first out there with a micro film review, such are the times we live in.

     

    And here’s the thing: many social networkers (including film directors and movie stars) take these little reviews quite seriously. And this isn’t entirely surprising, these posts can and do affect the fortunes of a film to a significant extent (well, at least in the urban areas). In the olden days, we would pass the word around though direct interactions or phone conversations. I still recall all the excited exchange when Sholay was released, even though I was a bachcha. We would gather around during the school recess to discuss the movie. All this word-of-mouth took time to take effect and that’s why Sholay, which started out rather poorly, took its time to pick up. Social media updates now play the same word-of-mouth role, except that they are lightning fast. Which is why I guess these posts aren’t taken lightly, even if the ‘reviews’ are by cinema amateurs.

     

    And this means no one really reads the newspaper film reviews anymore, or at least many people take very less interest in them. Folks have already discovered what the movie is all about, and there’s nothing more to find out. Which is why I believe the time is up for professional cinema critics. They will sooner or later have to pack up and leave. The only thing that can possibly save this dying species is if they quickly re-invent their craft and find innovative ways to keep the readers engaged. I don’t know what these new tricks can be, but they have to be found. The traditional format of reviewing a film is pretty much finished.

     

    Yet another reason why I so adore the new media. It’s constantly challenging the old world. Innovate. Or perish.

     

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    PS: Interesting interview with Golden Globes presenter Ricky Gervais. And all the questions pertain to the man’s views on today’s journalists and the entertainment media. All journos must read this. Chances are very high that Indian celebs think pretty much the same of desi reporters.

     

    Link: http://www.cjr.org/cover_story/questionable_taste.php?page=all

     

     

  • To all those heavily paid corporate leaders reading this: There's no point in splurging all those millions on slick advertising campaigns, there's no point in making tall claims in the ads, if you have failed to adequately train and motivate your task force

    Anil Thakraney: Your demotivated, ill-trained staff

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    So, this lady ‘forgot’ to tip the pizza delivery boy. And the dude, not very happy about the gesture, relieved himself right at her doorstep. (Hope you have been obediently tipping all the Diwali baksheesh demanders!) Here’s the link to the story that’s funny when you are not at the receiving end of stinky yellow. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/05/pizza-hut-delivery-man-urinates_n_2078748.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003

     

    This incident set me thinking. Can we blame only the pizza delivery boy? To an extent, yes, and this also shows there are enough frustrated taporis all over the world. I actually see a larger problem at play out here, one of the lack of organizational training and motivation. If the pizza delivery boy had been a committed, motivated employee, do you think he would indulge in this or any sort of behaviour that would bring disrepute to his organization? I suspect not.

     

    We may not be getting peed on as customers, but each one of has had horrid experiences of being treated shabbily by staffers of companies we do business with. Mobile phone companies top this chart. The social media is buzzing with tales of incompetent, rude, indifferent representatives. My own list is pretty huge. I have had my share of problems with auto companies, insurance giants, banks, hotels, airlines, you name it. There was a time I would blame the company representatives, but I’ve now realized that particular dude/dudette is only a foot soldier of a badly run organization. No point in losing one’s cool on them. Quite obviously, the boss has not done his/her job, which is to build, run and manage a happy, professional, efficient, driven team.

     

    It is shocking how very little attention is paid to this critical function by many managers, when you consider it is the lower rung employees who are usually the first contact with the customer, and are therefore the face of the organisation. They behave poorly, you assume the entire unit sucks.

     

    To all those heavily paid corporate leaders reading this: There’s no point in splurging all those millions on slick advertising campaigns, there’s no point in making tall claims in the ads, if you have failed to adequately train and motivate your task force. What is the use of all that big investment if your front man ends up peeing at my doorstep? Chew on it, buddy.

     

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    PS: Haha. Whites seem to have gone into mourning in America, following Romney’s defeat. Polarization of the US is complete. Not a good sign at all, I say! Check out the angry posts and the gloomy pictures.

    Link: http://whitepeoplemourningromney.tumblr.com/

     

     

  • As for the press coverage, the only thing I enjoyed was the reprint in Mumbai Mirror of Busybee’s super columns on Thackeray. There has not been, and perhaps never will be, a finer chronicler of Mumbai city than Busybee

    Anil Thakraney: Insensitive for channels to call know Thackeray-baiters

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    For the last two days there has been carpet coverage of Mr T’s death, across the media. The poor Chadha brothers. They chose to shoot each other dead on the same day, and no one was interested in their totally sensational action, their story went almost unnoticed. Some random observations on the media coverage of the Sena chief’s death:

     

    I was not very happy with the TV panel discussions on the evening of the demise. On the one hand the same boring politicians were invited, who then belted out the usual clichés. On the other hand, to spice things up, the anchors invited the known Thackeray-baiters. This, I found to be a little insensitive. Criticism of the man and his legacy must begin after the last rites are done, and not as soon as he’s announced dead. Not only is this morally wrong, all the dissing could have led to lumpen elements of the Sena losing their unusual cool. And a number of people in the city, who were still scrambling to their homes, could have come to grief. I think the news channels, in their search for eyeballs, must demonstrate a degree of sensitivity to the already harried aam aadmi.

     

    Glad that the news channel CEOs did not decide to pull the ads as a mark of respect. Though I am certain this must have been discussed in the boardrooms. Doing such a thing over the death of a person who, although very popular, was an extra-constitutional authority, would have been way over the top. Apart from being bad for business, of course.

     

    Some news channel editors seized the moment to replay old Thackeray interviews they had done, and kept reminding us that ‘Balasaheb told me this, he told me that, he opened up to me, etc’. Someone should point out to these worthies that this sort of gloating, especially at the time of death, is in real bad taste. Also, television is a total ‘team work’ medium, it must always be ‘We’. Never ‘I’.

     

    In addition, the archival interviews, already watched umpteenth number of times by all and sundry, were quite boring. When most of us viewers, at least in Mumbai, were keen to know if there was a threat of violence in our backyard. And Dilliwallahs must have been desperate to find out what happened inside the Chadha household. Sometimes I think Indian channel editors are dictators. Don’t think their juniors have the guts to point out their obvious flaws.

     

    As for the press coverage, the only thing I enjoyed was the reprint in Mumbai Mirror of Busybee’s super columns on Thackeray. There has not been, and perhaps never will be, a finer chronicler of Mumbai city than Busybee. He will be remembered long after Balasaheb is forgotten. Yup, I choose writers over cartoonists. 🙂

     

    Must say Twitter was the most delightful of all media. The contrast was telling. All the movie stars (most of who did not know Thackeray personally), were busy singing sweet praises in his memory. And the ‘mango’ people were tweeting about traffic problems and other hazards that would come in the way of Mumbaikars. No prizes for guessing whose side I was on.

     

    Last word reserved for the man himself: I don’t know whether to feel happy or sad that an average cartoonist hailing from a middle-class family, who builds his political brand solely on the junta’s perceived insecurities, can become such a powerful leader in this nation. Not sure if this is the sort of democracy our founding fathers had in mind.

     

    RIP Balasaheb Thackeray.

     

  • The law needs to be amended. And parents need to inform and educate their children on ground realties. Because when virtual world collides with real world, the result can often be traumatic

    Anil Thakraney: The IT Act needs to be rewritten. ASAP

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    ‘If you have nothing good to say about the departed soul, best to keep quiet. Safety of Mumbai comes first.’ This was my tweet immediately after the announcement of Bal Thackeray’s death. This was not because I panicked, it’s because, one, I wanted all those Mumbaikars who were out on work or on personal errands to make it home safely. And if possible, stock up on rations in case the Sainiks decided to go on a rampage. Two, people from my generation are well aware of the Shiv Sena’s methodologies, and a violent reaction was always to be expected. That nothing happened is largely because of Thackeray Jr’s call for peace.

     

    Which then brings me to the two young girls from Palghar who were made to face the music over an anti-bandh FB update. (Wish they had been following me on Twitter!) First, the girl who posted the message made a technical error. The Shiv Sena had not called for a bandh (though there were stray incidents of a few goons intimidating shopkeepers). The city had decided to shut down on its own. Partly because of fear, partly because of respect. Secondly, and this is where I blame the parents, many young Indians may not be aware of the Sena’s violent ways because that outfit hasn’t launched a big campaign in the last ten years. But those of us who lived through 1992 and 1993 are perfectly aware of what these men are capable of when provoked. I think parents need to make their kids aware of political realities, now that the social media has given everyone an unfettered platform to speak. In that sense, I don’t really blame the two girls.

     

    So does that mean there’s no place for dissent in this so-called democracy? Obviously not. But belting out criticism even before a mass, hugely popular leader has been cremated is inviting trouble. Had the young girl posted her update later this week, I suspect there might have been no reaction at all. Also, it must be said she got unlucky, many others had posted far more damning messages. I do believe timing is the key out here. Unfortunately, the social media has turned many young fingers very itchy, and I have often noticed folks hit the buttons before they think.

     

    So then what now? Well, the goons who attacked the hospital need to be punished, for sure. Charges against the girls need to be dropped and the case withdrawn. But more importantly, the IT Act needs to be totally re-written and made abundantly clear so that there’s zero scope of misuse by the cops in the future. That is a no-brainer.

     

    However, that still doesn’t change the fact that the Facebook-addicted girl has caused two big harms. One, many, many young Indians will now think ten times before commenting on hard issues. I am told many have already deleted harmless updates and tweets on Thackeray. Two, she may have unwittingly given the Sena the bite it needed after their patriarch’s demise. The Sena shakha pramukh from her area is already being hailed as a hero amongst the party cadre.

     

    Net net: The law needs to be amended. And parents need to inform and educate their children on ground realties. Because when virtual world collides with real world, the result can often be traumatic. As we just discovered.

     

    ***

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0N8axp9nHNU[/youtube]

    PS: An utterly charming, endearing Christmas ad from the UK. The power of love. And the power of advertising. Brilliant! This is what festival ads should be like.

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and editor based in Mumbai. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are his own.