MxMIndia

Tag: Hard Knocks

  • The HT story reports that because crime shows carefully deconstruct each incident (this is what makes these serials highly interesting), and present the minutest tricks used by cops in their pursuit of criminals, it's becoming difficult for the police to nab these guys

    Anil Thakraney: Are crime shows helping criminals?

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Read a disturbing story in the Sunday HT on how crime shows on television are helping criminals escape the police. This, according to the report, is because these sods learn the tricks used by the cops, and then employ them for their own benefit. Naturally, this is alarming to hear, and given the way India operates, someone will file a bitter PIL, and these crime shows will come under serious pressure. Which will be a pity, because Crime Patrol on Sony is my favourite serial, and the team does a wonderful job. Other channels have launched clones, but they don’t pack in the same chutzpah.

     

    Anyway, let’s examine this issue carefully. There are two parts to this debate: One, do these crime shows inspire potential criminals to take up crime? That’s bullshit, so let’s kill it right away. There’s violence happening all around us. On the streets, in the house next door, in the movies, in the media reports, even in the parliament. It’s all pervading. So to blame TV shows for this is stupid. As a matter of fact, the moral lesson in each crime show episode is this: Crime doesn’t pay. In every single episode the criminal gets caught and is duly punished. In fact, crime shows almost always show the cops in a very good light, and we all know that’s not how it turns out in reality.

     

    The second issue: The HT story reports that because crime shows carefully deconstruct each incident (this is what makes these serials highly interesting), and present the minutest tricks used by cops in their pursuit of criminals, it’s becoming difficult for the police to nab these guys. Having picked up the modus operandi, these criminals are able to pre-empt police action. Now this is quite worrying. Because TV crime shows are based on real incidents (unlike most movies), they are sure to have a bigger impact on a criminal’s psyche.

     

    I have a suggestion to offer: At the risk of diluting the show’s engagement value, the producer should consider concealing the critical processes used by cops, especially those that involve technology. Perhaps the producer can indicate the particular process used, but avoid the detailing. I know this doesn’t sound very exciting, but it’s something that crime show creators need to ponder upon, and very quickly too. Before legal action or governmental interference leads to their closure. And no one wants that to happen!

     

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    PS: Absolutely fantastic media innovation. An anti abuse message that only a child can see, and it’s invisible to the adult accompanying him/her. Made possible by some super tech magic. Wonder why such outdoor innovations don’t happen in India, we are (allegedly) a nation teeming with tech wizards.

     

    Link: http://gizmodo.com/this-ad-has-a-secret-anti-abuse-message-that-only-kids-493108460?fb_action_ids=10151402018997544&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action _object_map=%7B%2210151402018997544%22%3A458284080919358%7D&action_type_map=%7B% 2210151402018997544%22%3A%22og.likes%22%7D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D

     

     

     

  • Prannoy Roy is unarguably India's best news channel personality, and one would like to see more of him

    Anil Thakraney: The Kar Natak elections

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I have absolutely no stake in the Karnataka assembly elections. Since I feel the same way about the Maharashtra elections, a state I belong to, you can well imagine my interest in what happens in the politics of other areas. That’s because nothing ever changes, one fraudster gets replaced by another. However, as things turned out, I was bedridden on Wednesday, and with nothing else happening, I spent all day with Arnab, Prannoy and Rajdeep. My temperature went up a few points, but that’s not the fault of these gentlemen, I do feel feverish each time I see Yeddy’s pretty face. Anyway, here’s my brief analysis of the election analysis.

     

    Prannoy Roy was his usual excited self, the man loves dissecting Indian elections. Serious, analytical, deep… all that we have come to expect from him. As I watched Roy in action, I realized his absence from regular news programmes is a huge loss. He is unarguably India’s best news channel personality, and one would like to see more of him. I still vividly recall how Roy gave the Chairman of Cadbury India a very hard time when worms were found slithering inside the chocs. (This was about ten years ago.) NDTV’s boss didn’t seem to care he was pissing off a huge advertiser. Hope to watch Roy anchor the 9pm news, at least few times a month.

     

    I don’t like it at all when Arnab stands up, it makes him look like a slimy government babu. He doesn’t possess a body that works in the erect pose. Arnab must always remain seated for best results, he looks far more authoritative that way. That apart, Times Now did the predictable number. Lots of shouting and heckling, and the busy screen bursting with all sorts of numbers.

     

    Rajdeep did the best job on this occasion. He was incisive and energetic. And missed no opportunity to bring in some humour to the proceedings. This is very important for viewers from the rest of India, people not really excited about the Karnataka politics. I must also add here that CNN IBN does the best job with info graphics. Clean, clear, uncluttered, simple layouts. The credit for this must go to Rajdeep. A techie pal, who once worked with the man (at NDTV), told me Rajdeep gets totally involved with the packaging. It shows.

     

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    PS: Haha. My photographer pals will love these posters. Satirical, these messages carry exactly what photographers have to say to us when we envy them for their ‘cool’, ‘easy’, ‘sexy’ job.

     

    Link: http://www.demilked.com/sarcastic-posters-for-photographers-shoppe-designs/

     

  • If a channel can be dedicated to music, movies, food, animals, leisure, fashion, etc, why not scams? After all, cheating is an intrinsic part of the great Indian culture

    Anil Thakraney: Introducing! Ghotala TV!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I have a deadly idea, and through this blog post, am attempting to reach out to venture capitalists or angel investors or whatever the moneybags are called these days. I want to launch a brand new news channel, but with a difference (hatke, as my Bollywood pals would boast). The channel, which I wish to call Ghotala 24X7 (Gee TV, for short), will be dedicated to scam related stories from India.

     

    With a scam happening every other day in this glorious nation, I really think the time has come for such a speciality channel. Here’s my content plan:

    Scam newsbreaks and heated TV debates thereof, every single evening.

     

    Reporters from across the nation getting members of the junta involved in the discussions.

     

    Special features which will dissect the anatomy of each scam, in order to make it easy to understand for the aam viewer.

     

    Regular sting operations on chronic fraudsters. And potential thieves (that’s most netas and babus, it’s a huge market).

     

    Special discussions with business leaders on each scam and its impact on the economy. (Their active involvement in the programming is anyway useful for ad revenue generation.)

     

    Noon TV debates will deal with broader issues like why India has become such a corrupt nation. These can be philosophical in nature, as the tired housewives are likely to watch at this hour.

     

    For the morning slot, which would cater to the senior citizens, religious leaders will be called to perform yagnas and conduct aartis to make this nation scam free. These sadhus will also enlighten us on whether people born in certain sun signs are likely to be more corrupt, etc.

     

    And the marketing staff will package each scam for sponsorship rights. For example: ‘This part of the Railway scam is brought to you by Rupa underwear: Yeh andar ki baat hai.’ And so on.

     

    Well, you get the picture. Call me if you wish to finance Ghotala TV. I am very serious about this project. If a channel can be dedicated to music, movies, food, animals, leisure, fashion, etc, why not scams? After all, cheating is an intrinsic part of the great Indian culture.

     

    PS: I would be glad to have you as the principal investor even if you have scammed the funds. That would be in the fitness of things.

     

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    PS1: An anti domestic violence ad from Saudi Arabia, a nation not really known for respecting and honouring its women. Good to see such an effort from that country, and it’s a good ad too. The caption in the ad: Some things can’t be covered.

     

     

  • The way the television media went over the top, for the Johnnie who came in lately, it would appear as if a top Indian minister had been hacked to death on a visit to Pakistan. This is not to say the man's life had no value, but by Sarabjit's own claim, he was no Indian spy or a state terrorist

    Anil Thakraney: Sarabjit saga: Disproportionate coverage

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Must say I am quite bewildered over the Sarabjit Singh media frenzy. The way the television media went over the top, for the Johnnie who came in lately, it would appear as if a top Indian minister had been hacked to death on a visit to Pakistan. This is not to say the man’s life had no value, but by Sarabjit’s own claim, he was no Indian spy or a state terrorist. Here was a small time farmer who got pissed drunk one fine day, and accidentally drifted into the enemy territory. Since then, Singh had been facing trial in that nation on charges of terrorism and espionage, and we really can’t blame the Pak courts for taking decades to arrive at a final verdict, our courts don’t do any better on that count.

     

    Ergo, all that media tamasha over an aam aadmi killed by inmates inside a foreign jail? Prison violence happens regularly all over the world, and if my knowledge serves me right, jails are places where criminals reside, not nice guys. Therefore some blood bath is always expected. Which is why all the television noise beats me. Some channels have been addressing Sarabjit Singh as a martyr. Wow! Do they have secret information that the man was an Indian agent? In which case they should make that public.

     

    Anyway, all the attention from the television media resulted in the expected. Bada netas made it a point to join the funeral procession (good chance for some quick OTS), our Pappu neta even offered the man’s sister a shoulder to weep on. Full state honours for a man who drifted into enemy territory drunk. And the way Singh’s sister used the incident to build her own fiery brand, I can see her being nominated as a red hot candidate in the next general elections.

     

    Once again, this is not to belittle the man’s life. It’s to highlight the lopsided media coverage. Which often happens because of the herd mentality amongst the desi news channels. If one channel starts shouting about a story, a hundred others dutifully raise their own decibel levels. And then it becomes a total free-for-all.

     

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    PS: A Brisbane ad agency has created print ads supporting asylum seekers. This is to change the image of these new arrivals, which in Australia is pretty horrid (ask Indian students!). Good public service idea, and the ads do address the hard issues. And they have used real asylum seekers in the ads. All very well, but I have to say the guy featured in this particular ad looks a bit, er, dodgy. Perhaps they should have been more careful with the casting.

    Click to enlarge

     

  • I like his angst, his hard edged temperament. It is this hot attitude which will make him a superb leader in the coming years, even if it gets him into trouble now and then. So he must keep the fires burning

    Anil Thakraney: Kohli’s abuse = Good news for IPL

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Virat Kohli is an angry young man these days. He is furious with a section of the Wankhede crowd, because they booed him right through the IPL league match between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore. I will come to Kohli’s frustration presently, but let me start by saying that this incident should make the BCCI suits smile very widely.

     

    And that’s because, contrary to the views of many sceptics (myself included), it’s very clear that the IPL has managed to establish solid city-based loyalty. The Indian junta appears to have adopted the various teams as their own. Personally speaking, I still don’t feel any connect with the Mumbai Indians team (just as I feel no connect with Antilla), but I don’t matter out here. The hardcore IPL fans definitely do. It’s one thing to cheer for your team, it’s another to jeer for the rival team’s captain. The captain who happens to be a star player for India, the future of Indian cricket, but that didn’t seem to deter the crazed IPL fans. The mad passion for the Mumbai Indians team explains the insults heaped on Kohli. And this is superb news for the tournament organizers. No one doubted the popularity of the T20 format, what was always in question is the issue of team loyalty. Because many players from each team don’t belong to that particular city/region. One can safely say that has been achieved too. In short, the IPL can now officially be called a Super Duper Hit. Congratulations!

     

    As for young Kohli, I like his angst, his hard edged temperament. It is this hot attitude which will make him a superb leader in the coming years, even if it gets him into trouble now and then. So he must keep the fires burning. However, for the Wankhede incident, our man should have handled things a little more smartly. This is a trick the youngster needs to quickly learn, because there’s no glory in abusing cricket fans, however rowdy their behavior might be. Kohli should have blown air kisses in the direction of the jeering crowd. That would have immediately disarmed the louts, and would have made them run to a dark corner.

     

    Kohli ought to learn from his boss, Dr Mallya. Notice how the booze tycoon keeps beaming and shining at the stadia (when his team wins, that is) despite the Kingfisher Airline mess.

     

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    PS: Have always loathed IDEA’s mind effing ‘Honey Bunny’ jingle. Well, this bunch of cool doods has composed a neat jingle of their own in honour of this rubbish. Now this I like, Sirji! Have fun.

     

     

     

  • Jet must regain the full service segment, invest in food and service, and with no competition on the horizon, they will own it for a long time to come

    Anil Thakraney: Opportunity for Jet to raise the bar

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    If you are a shareholder with Jet Airways, you just made a neat profit. The airline’s share price has shot up by over 20 percent, following the equity participation with Etihad Airways. But this post isn’t about stock prices (which I don’t understand at all), it’s about domestic air travel, and that concerns every single one of us.

     

    Am sure Naresh Goyal has exciting international expansion plans in mind with the huge sums he’s pocketed  following the tieup (a jaw-dropping 2000 crore rupees). All that’s very fine. But Jet must use a part of the huge funding to make domestic air travel a better experience for Indian flyers (at a reasonable fare), and thereby dominate the one segment that’s been stagnating in recent times: Full service flights.

     

    With the demise of Kingfisher, low-cost carriers have been ruling the Indian skies. Even Jet, which was at one point a full service carrier, had to cut down on frills and promote JetLite and JetKonnect, both low cost options from the group. If you visit their portal and key in any flight schedule, you’ll notice that most options thrown up would be Jet’s budget flights. In short, majority of the market is now dominated by cheap flights, flights where you are forced to pay for a cold, yucky sandwich. And that welcoming cold towel is now a thing of the past.

     

    Jet must regain the full service segment, invest in food and service, and with no competition on the horizon, they will own it for a long time to come. They can once again bring back the fun into flying (rather than the ordeal it’s now become), and pamper their guests with some cool frills. This will generate tremendous brand loyalty in the business travelling segment. They must also examine the possibility of providing additional leg room in the ‘cattle class’, that will be a huge draw for cramped flyers. Even Mr Shashi Tharoor would be delighted.

     

    In short, here’s hoping that in his quest to make Jet more global, Naresh Goyal doesn’t overlook the opportunity that’s staring at him back home. He’s finally got the moolah to make things happen.

     

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    PS: Yet another insensitive ad, this time Hyundai and its German ad agency are the culprits. The ad wants to communicate that the car doesn’t produce carbon monoxide fumes, it only jets out water emissions. And to demonstrate that, they have shown a man trying to commit suicide. Following outrage, the ad has been withdrawn and disowned by Hyundai. The only people who should kill themselves are creators of such utterly irresponsible trash.

     

  • What I find appalling is that the Super Jury dudes have used a technicality to escape the plagiarism mess. The bigger message, of course, is this: Keep the photocopy machine buzzing

    Anil Thakraney: Kya Super Cool Jury hain hum!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Hahaha. If I was Ms Shobha De, I would scream ‘I told you so!!!’. But unfortunately because I am not, I shall try to keep the gloating level down. Yes, I have to say it was always pretty obvious that the so-called ‘Super Jury’ members would never declare themselves guilty as charged, even if the crime committed is a daylight robbery, witnessed by thousands. Simply because people charged with misdeeds can’t be appointed as policemen, that’s nothing short of a joke. Here’s the link to my last week’s post, in case you missed it.

     

    http://www.mxmindia.com/2013/04/anil-thakraney-superjury-keep-the-cds-out/

    What I find appalling is that the Super Jury dudes have used a technicality to escape the plagiarism mess. Nope, they aren’t saying there was no chori involved with the ads whose awards were taken away, they are using timelines as the explanation for retaining the trophies. According to a report, this is the ‘ final verdict’: ‘During the meeting, the Super Jury believed that sufficient time was given during short listing of entries and the final judging for complaints and objections, and all of them were accepted and followed up prior to the announcement of the final awards list. It was also felt that the awards’ sanctity had to be maintained and deadlines strictly adhered to. Therefore any speculation after the Goafest/Abby Awards cannot be entertained. In light of the above decision by the Super Jury, it has hence been decided that all awards given will stand. In addition, awards that had been rescinded due to similar complaints for DHL (agency BBDO Proximity) and Electrolux (agency DDB Mudra Group) will be reinstated’.

     

    Well, darlings, the robbery usually gets noticed once the entry is in the limelight. How could many of us be in the loop on every single entry being sent by every single agency for awards? And so what if the theft is discovered after the so-called ‘deadline’? That doesn’t make the cheating any lesser. Notice the stunning parallel, this is exactly what politicians would say: You should have discovered that the winning candidate is a rapist BEFORE the elections; you had ample time do so. Now that you’ve elected him, we shall take no action, go to hell.

     

    The bigger message, of course, is this: Keep the photocopy machine buzzing.

     

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    PS: Who says advertising for soaps has to be boring, straightforward and led by a thakela movie star? Dove shows the way to doing excellent work in this category. Using a combination of realism and powerful lateral thinking, they have created a heart-warming ad. An ad that would make every woman feel happy. And beautiful. Respect. That’s the only word I have for people who create such wonderful communications.

  • Does the government value the life of a businessman more than that of the aam aurat? Had Ambani been given protection before December 16, 2012, there may have been less outrage

    Anil Thakraney: Ambani needs solid PR

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Mukeshbhai is the first Indian private citizen to be gifted with Z+ security cover. Naturally, this has got the entire media (including the social media) up in arms. Very quickly, in order to dilute the backlash, it was announced that the multi-billionaire will pick up the tab. Smart move that, it has temporarily silenced the cribbers. And the bill, which is likely to be about Rs 15 lakhs a month, is less than loose change for our tagda industrialist. This is the amount Nitaben might tip the Antilla staffers each month. So that’s the end of that, one would imagine.

     

    The unanswered question is this: Is it incorrect for an industrialist to demand security cover if his life has been threatened by hard-core terrorists? In Ambani’s case, a threat letter was delivered at his office, this has been confirmed by the police. Incidentally, I must say it appears odd that the Indian Mujahidin guys would send out an advance warning, that’s not been their modus operandi so far. Be that as it may, the deadly letter did arrive, and therefore the security cover. But why is everyone so upset? Is Ambani’s life less important than all those undeserving politicians who enjoy Z+ cover, and make us, the tax payers, pay for it? Obviously that’s not the case. The man’s a global business leader, his life is as important as any other powerful person. So then what gives?

     

    The problem, according to me, is two-fold. First, the bad, bad timing. The security cover has been granted just when women are on the streets in Delhi, crying out for protection from rapists and molesters. Now this sounds bloody unfair. Does the government value the life of a businessman more than that of the aam aurat? Had Ambani been given protection before December 16, 2012, there may have been less outrage.

     

    The other, bigger problem is Ambani’s shoddy public image. He’s not perceived to be a socially conscious industrialist… in fact, his popular image is that of a selfish, self serving, hard-edged dhandhewala. Although his wife hangs out with deprived kids at the IPL matches, that hasn’t changed the image. And that monstrosity called Antilla isn’t helping matters at all. A billion people from a third world nation can’t understand why a family of four needs 27 floors to live in. So it’s actually an image issue, and it’s strange that with all his astounding wealth Mukeshbhai hasn’t been able to hire kickass PR agents (not Ms Niira Radia, she’s an image breaker!), who can swing a little public goodwill into his assets column. I think more than Z+ commandos, our man needs A+ spin doctors.

     

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    PS: Another superb ad by Stella Artois, fantastic lateral thinking. Goes swimmingly with the punch line: Reassuringly Expensive.

     

    Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDkJVIsDRaE

     

  • We are a nation of a million scamsters and cheaters, so there's no reason why the desi ad guys won't join in the party. This nation scores very poorly on ethics, and it's a reality we have to accept and live with

    Anil Thakraney: Why plagiarism is unstoppable

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The root cause of scam ads and idea thievery in advertising is the mad lust for awards. As long as national creative directors continue to reward/hire people based on their ability to bag these (meaningless) trophies, creative people will continue to fraud and cheat. So that’s a given.

     

    But the moot question is this: How come the frequency of creating scam ads and looting ideas is higher in India than in the western world? Surely agency heads in those nations too value personnel who win awards. I think part of the answer to that question lies in the great Indian culture. We are a nation of a million scamsters and cheaters (look around you, it’s happening everywhere), so there’s no reason why the desi ad guys won’t join in the party. This nation scores very poorly on ethics, and it’s a reality we have to quietly accept and live with.

     

    The other answer is creative sloth, and to an extent, lack of talent. Not getting hit by a bright idea? Why not quickly scan the Black Book to see if an ‘inspiration’ strikes. Or trawl the internet to suss out what the firangi creatives are up to. Easy, no? Who will notice the lift? Award juries can’t keep an eye on millions of ads being created around the world. Also, if I do get caught, I can always claim it’s ‘divine coincidence’. In any case, by the time the chori is discovered, I would have got that massive pay hike.

     

    I’ll give you another insight: Notice that most plagiarism and scams ads happen for the static media. Press ads, posters, hoardings, stickers, etc. It’s not often that we catch people lifting TV commercials. And that’s because of two reasons: Senior creative directors in India are entirely focused on the TVC, and pay very little attention to the other stuff, which is delegated down the line. With no one to keep an eye on them, some junior/middle level creatives resort to cheating. There’s another thing: Art directors/Visualisers in India (this is not the case in the west) usually get left out of TVC script writing and production. This is because many are considered to be ‘the down market, vernie, JJ school types’. Which means their only chance of recognition is an award for a press ad/poster. And this leads to the frantic Black Book/D&AD annual scan.

     

    So now you know why scams and copying of ads won’t stop anytime soon.

     

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    PS: Excellent press ad by Colgate. Am getting to see a truly brilliant print effort after a long time. Are you experiencing that ‘Why didn’t I think of it’ moment? Tempted to copy? Go ahead, lift this idea for your brand. I won’t tell anyone. Promise!

    Click to large

     

  • What got my anger on the boil, more than the US bombings, is something that happened in our own backyard: Cruel apathy shown by many motorists during the horrible Jaipur road accident, and the resultant tragedy

    Anil Thakraney: CCTV footage should be used to kill apathy

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I can understand why the Indian media got into a tizzy over the Boston bombings. It’s not because lives in America are more precious than, say, those in Pakistan and Afghanistan (bombings in these nations are now a routine event), but because the latest attack has demolished the perception many have harboured for a decade: That the US, post 9/11, has been able to lick terrorism on its soil. Now that we know even that nation is unsafe, it means there is no safe place left in this world, and that’s an unsettling thought.

     

    However, what got my anger on the boil, more than the US bombings, is something that happened in our own backyard: Cruel apathy shown by many motorists during the horrible Jaipur road accident, and the resultant tragedy. Here’s a link, in case you missed the story:

     

    Clearly, it isn’t an isolated case, this happens all over the nation, we seem to have turned into a nation of billions who don’t give a shit about the lives of fellow citizens. This is completely shameful, and it has to be dealt with, we simply cannot ignore it with a shrug. My thinking is that the television media should closely examine the CCTV footage, and with the help of the concerned RTOs, expose every single motorist who coolly drove past the accident spot. Perhaps the best way to tackle such unforgivable selfishness is by naming and shaming. Let’s put out the faces of the people who refused to help. Of course, one can’t legally punish them, but the threat of shaming will help in energizing others, the next time such a deathly road accident happens.

     

    With the possibility of terror attacks on the rise, various state governments are installing CCTV cameras on many roads/streets/junctions. The media must use this opportunity to help in exposing callous, insensitive people. And simultaneously, honour those good men and women who stop to help. This is the only way to shake up this apathetic nation.

     

    We’ve got the technology, now let’s use it to kick the indifferent dolts. And help save lives in the future.

     

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    PS: Hmm. This is a national icon who arrives each evening in our living rooms to sells us gold, insurance policies, noodles, cold creams, cars… it’s a very long list. If this report is accurate, then DD would surely have got the footage erased a long time ago, leaving no trace of any evidence. The bigger tragedy of the 1984 riots was that there was no private TV channel at the time. Many powerful people would have been nailed had that been the case.

     

    Link: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/1984-riots-Why-nobody-noticed-Amitabh-Bachchan -spewing-venom-in-India/articleshow/10429011.cms?intenttarget=no

     

  • The people who will actually queue up to cast their votes will, as usual, come from the lower or very lower classes. They have no interest in the social media chatter, they give a damn about who tweeted what

    Anil Thakraney: The Feku/Pappu tamasha

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Two stories from last week caught my attention. One, as the battle of Feku (NaMo) and Pappu (RaGa) got raging on the social media, with both their followers (many of them fake) getting into a mudslinging match, the television media got busy discussing the social media’s impact on politics. On whether all the fan following (or hatred) on Twitter will affect the fortunes of the netas in the next elections. Well, all they had to do was ask me, and save themselves a lot of precious airtime. The answer is a big NO. And I don’t say that because a vast majority (over 95%) of Indians aren’t connected on social media, that would be the obvious explanation.

     

    I say that because a vast majority of those who are, are likely to be from the Great Indian Middle Class. The class that cribs heavily but never goes out to vote (me included!). The kind of people who have opinions on politics but don’t wish to engage with the process. These people are having fun on the internet, and all they want to do is outsmart each other on the ‘retweet’ value, have a good laugh, and then forget all about it. The people who will actually queue up to cast their votes will, as usual, come from the lower or very lower classes. They have no interest in the social media chatter, they give a damn about who tweeted what. They will vote for the same reasons they always vote: Regularization of their bastis, a new bore well, electricity connection, etc. And they will vote keeping caste, religion, language, etc, in mind.

     

    In short, enjoy all the outpouring on the internet. It’s fultoo time pass, and nothing more.

     

    The other story was that ‘super exclusive’ on Times Now. Which involved bowler Sreesanth giving the channel a soundbite, which had him ranting about the ‘Slapgate’, an incident that happened five long years ago! What was funnier was Arnab babu excitedly announcing that ‘this is the biggest cricket controversy’. Wow, Mr Goswami, you call a slapping incident post an IPL match a bigger controversy than the assorted match fixing scandals? Anyway, Sreesanth is upset it’s still being called ‘Slapgate’, he claims he was never actually slapped. Apparently, our man was struck by Bhajji, with the latter using the back of his palm, and not the front. Therefore, according to Sreesanth, that can’t be called a slap. Haha. Two things: One, Arnab babu needs to dig harder for real stories if trash like this is getting him fired up these days. Two, mental Sreesanth needs urgent help.

     

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    PS: Interesting campaign by The Guardian for its US launch. Using graphic design, each ad puts out two sides of a heated political debate. The flip side of the ad reveals the flip side of the argument, so to speak. Fantastic work by the art director.

     

  • Once Modi positions himself as the Next Big Thing (which he’s very busy doing), it will be impossible for the BJP to nominate someone else

    Anil Thakraney: Full On Modi Mania!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    So, mota bhai has decided to emerge from his Gujarat hideout for a Bharat Darshan. Modi has sniffed a golden opportunity of becoming the nation’s PM in 2014, and is therefore on a media feeding frenzy. No medium is being spared. Conferences, seminars, TV interviews, Twitter, 3D holograms, it’s all happening. And I think he’s doing the right thing at the right time. The janata is maha fed up of UPA’s assorted corruption scandals, and the BJP does have a chance to get back into power, provided, of course, they can hitch up support from regional satraps, and that’s not going to be easy.

     

    The 360-degree media blitz will not just get Modi quick national attention, it will help him crash Advaniji’s perpetual dream of becoming PM (as also the hopes of other BJP contenders). Once Modi positions himself as the Next Big Thing (which he’s very busy doing), it will be impossible for the BJP to nominate someone else.

     

    Even better news for the controversial neta is that the media fully reciprocates the love and affection. This is because Modi is a colourful character, a cool orator, and you can be assured of wicked soundbites. In complete contrast with his arch rival, Rahul baba, who’s a huge bore. This attracts journalists to the man like bees to a beehive (Oops! Politically incorrect metaphor, hehe). There’s another reason for the media’s lust for Modi, and I can say this as a journalist: I think each reporter/anchor is secretly hoping that the much demanded and much awaited apology to the Muslims will happen on his/her channel/portal/newspaper. Well, that apology isn’t coming anytime soon, but it keeps the journos on their toes. And I am pretty certain the clever Gujarati leader is aware of this, and is using it to his full advantage.

     

    Also, luck seems to be running on Modi’s side; Shri Jagdish Tytler, the face of the 1984 anti Sikh riots, is here to help mota bhai’s cause. With the case reopening now, the Congress’s 2002 anti-Modi strategy gets instantly negated. So, expect a Modi media blast right till the next general elections. Of course, whether it will convert into votes, and the PM’s job, is another story.

     

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    PS: This is not for the attention of Narendra Modi, he already knows how to handle the press. But every stuck-up, self-obsessed Indian movie star and celeb should watch this video. This is Jennifer Lawrence at a press con, soon after winning the Oscar. Witty, charming, disarming, natural. That’s the way to go, people.