The iifa awards held at yorkshire this year was as usual grand and full of starry glitz.After all our bollywood was there in full force.ya, i watched the event on tv.It certainly feels great when you see that our bollywood flew all the way to yorkshire to give and take awards.and yes the iifa viz bollywood chose to attach itself to one of the most sensitive issues in the world today-GLOBAL WARMING.three cheers.and they even had to offer suggestions about how we can stop global warming. But someone has to ask all our filmstars if they can live a day without AIR CONDITIONERS?? I think that they need to be told how much CFC their ac's working day and night pump into the atmosphere? well, they also asked us to 'save electricity'. I was like.., is it some kind of a joke? Cant they lift up their heads and look around to see how much electricity they were wasting on putting all those stage lightings and to boast off their popularity!! They all claim to be bringing pride to India by putting up such shows in other nations! Another suggestion- 'CAR POOLING'...well I guess our beloved film stars forgot about it when they all arrived by their individual limos!! Imagine shahrukh,amitabh,salman,hritik,abhishek pooling a car..the thought is indeed amusing but not the reality..Why preach something they themselves cant practise??
Recently I read somewhere that the amount of water that is used for shooting a rain dance sequence in bollywood can meet the needs of water requirement for a colony of people for 30 days or so...
what else can I say..I was really outraged at this display of hypocrisy..I bet half of them sitting there didnt even know what 'global warming' means..Does the burden of curbing global warming lie only on the common man??Well, the day this planet yields to global warming,destruction wont see the faces of people it engulfs..star or no star!!
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Very well written. I appreciate your concern about global warming but I feel you should magnify your way at looking things. What do you want the film stars to do? They are actors and let them do their job of acting. If they are showing concern over the problems of global warming and trying to create awareness, I think they deserve a big applause for it. And as far as living without ACs are concerned, how can you say like that? They do their film making and shooting in remote villages and other places even where the weather is extremely hot. They really need ACs. Am sure even you also live in Ac room in this scorching heat. Moreover they work 24X7 and so if they live a luxurious life then that should not be anybody's concern. They are creating awareness and that's what they can do. Rain scenes, lighting and all is a way of expressing art in the films. It is needed in the film otherwise who will pay 120 bucks in multiplex it they movie look just plain and dull. You can't compromise on everything. After all, making films is a form of art. Now, please don't criticize that alteast. And if they celebrate their ceremonies with huge lightings, that should not be a problem because it is glamour world. What I would suggest that if people focuss on renewable fuels like biodiesel, it will definately help finding the soultion. And please, would be glad to read one more blog if you write on how we can save earth from global warming instead of criticizing the film stars. Why people just criticise instead of writing something developmental. Approximately, 8 years left to save the earth. So, write fast. Who knows, whose attention it might draw. Reportedly, Sanjay Dutt and King of Bollywood, Shahrukh also surf net sometimes. They might glance at your blog and learn from you. And one more thing, last line is well written. (Stars or no stars). And I apologise for my unconventional way of giving feedback. But I guess, I have not gone beyond the limits of freedom of expression.
hey thanx for ur feedback.i certainly respect ur point of view.but,but,but i strongly disagree with u ven u say dat i should magnify my way of looking at things.i ve no personal grudges against any filmstar..lolz..the point that i was tryin to make was that how vud one react if one sees a smoker asking others to quit smoking!!ahh..i know d comparison is a bit lousy but neeraj my point was that saving earth is nt the responsibilty of only the people who were watching them on tv or live!!and if they were addressing it to us,the masses then u bet we do hv a right to react and express and tell smthing to them,dont we??u wrote"they are actors and let them do their job of acting".then i vud say"we are students,let us do the job of studying;we are engineers let us work in our offices;we are businessmen let us do our business...and so on.."..and finally let the researchers who give us these statistics to just keep doing their work and to go hell with it..because just like actors are just actors and they hv to be left to do acting so that they produce beautiful films and we go n pay 120 bucks to watch..similarly other people should b left to do their own things..who will cm and save this planet on which we all hv to live??..be it actors(shahrukh and sanjay dutt who hv been reportedly found to 'sometimes' surf the net..wow!awesum news!!),eng,docs,or even a beggar all hv a responsibility.i wud beg to repeat wt i wrotew in my blog that why preach something you cant practise??its morally incorrect!!(according to me)and yeah those remote villages they shoot in are nt lived in by ppl or wt?you advocated their need of ac's as if they are climbing the everest.i live in an ac room but i dont ask others to save electricity and not to use ac!i pointed them out cuz they are doin exactly dis..talkin bout global warming,car pooling and stuff..if u go into any middle class home u vud see that though dey also njoy a few luxuries but dey dont overuse it only reason being they cant afford to.dey cant overuse their ac's cuz dey hv to watch out for electricity bills,dey dont hv 5 cars for 3 members of the family..each one of us on this earth are to be blamed for global warming but who is more responsible,the one who has more resources or less??imagine a rich person askin a beggar to spend judiciously..!how does it sound?and u say they work 24x7..oh my god!!but for what?to earn crores??ya ya they do provide us entertainment but is it dat big a deal dat it shud b no ones concern as to wt kind of lives they live??u said 'they are creatibg awareness and thats wt they can do'..ppl who think like this promote these film stars to the position of god in india.!!oh ok dey r in the glamour world so huge lightings are a must..my humble request neeraj,if next time u hv a power cut at ur home for 4-5 hrs or u dont get water for 12 hrs plz dont crib cuz remember ur glamour world needs electricity to conduct award shows and talk bout savin electricity and yeah dey also need water to 'express art' thru rain sequence...rite??so u can easily sacrifice a few days or hours vitout lite and water so dat these hardworkin filmstars can make films and then we can pay 120(why,v can even pay more and buy ticket in black!!) to watch movie in multiplex..ohh dey are indeed doing an extraordinary favour to the country!!..yeah so i ve finally learnt a lesson dat do not criticize people who are wrong..u advised me to write something 'developmental',if only u cud tell me wt exactly is developmental??again to quote u'would be glad to read one more blog if u write on how we can save earth from global warming'.and address it to whom,the middle class people who get a fraction of luxury dat ur stars njoy,or go even lower to people living in slums and tell them stop causing global warming!!yeah people shud focus on biodiesel and find solution while let these people live ultraluxurious life..actually if we all join hands and pledge to sacrifice a lil bit of luxury we can actually pay back the filmstars for we owe them so much,dey make films for us,they work 24x7,they shhot in such horrible conditions..they deserve more..they shud never,ever compromise..
well this thing got too far.may be i ve replied very unconventionally but dis was cuz i didnt react even half as much afta watchin iifa than how i did at ur supprt for this cause they took up..i ve absolutely nothing against filmstars.my blog was a very personal point of view after watchin the program.if their address did spread awareness well and good but i wud still stick to my arguement that the person who is preaching shud learn something from his own preachings.i was made to react cuz is it only the duty of common ppl like u and me to do smthing while all dat they can do is spread awareness!!well i also think that this is a very minor thingy.but yeah people have right to react to these things.nobody has the right to question others way of looking at things..so in the end i respect my friends point of view if so be it and i expect him to do the same:-)
For a moment, I thought to write one more comment criticising you again. It's not that I like criticising people. Even, I don't have any personal grudge against you. But then, I gave up that thought because I realised it would just lead to a series of irrational, illogical and utter irrelevant argument. My intention was just to make a point that why we all (I am saying all because it is my habit too at times to criticise people though I dont like it and I repeated it by posting my critical comment on your blog) always criticise things when we ourselves don't take any intiative about the cause in our life. We would never do anything for the cause and still criticise people. And in this case, atleast filmstars raised their voice about global warming. I agree even you did by taking out time from other work to write this blog. I have to appreciate that you actually spent time in thinking about the issue and then jotting it down with your brilliant writing skills. And I must say am impressed with your writing skills. But, let us look at the whole issue once again and in a different way. You said that the film stars should not talk about global warming when they themselves do not really do anything for the cause. Take it in this way, Amitabh is a star icon. People do respect him and as you pointed out some might regard him as God. If people do listen so much to him and repsect him, then it becomes extremely important for us to get a man of such stature to speak about the whole issue of global warming. The program was watched by many thousands and even if say hundred out of them realise that it is important to bring down global warming, problem would definately come down to some extent. Moreover, you blog is also a good piece, I agree but it is accessible to only those who are computer literate. The cause is so big that we need somebody to communicate to the huge population. And am sure that people would atleast listen to Amitabh's voice if most of Mumbai first time visitors take the pain of going to see his house from outside. Everybody atleast need to talk about it regardless of whether they personally do something about it or not. One more important point that he did not speak about it out of the blue or he wanted to do some sort of show off. He is the brand ambassadar of some organisation like extra cool that is trying to bring down global warming, I dont remember the name exactly but have seen that ad of which even Tony Blair is also one of the ambassadors. They all came to a consent that they will talk about global warming to the people throught the television medium to create awareness. Moreover this same organisation was also one of the supporters of IIFA and therefore Amitabh spoke about global warming being the authority of IIFA as ambassador and in return they gave ad space to that organisation in the event. Bringing change is always a slow process and here atleast awareness is being created. Let's get honest about it. Both of us know about global warming. From the time we got to know about it, did we really do anything for the cause? Writing is something different. But, did we actually stopped using AC for long time?? Please write about what all you did for the cause in next blog if you get time for it. Please don't write if you find my point insane. I must confess that even I didnt do anything for the cause. But , I should not criticise you and even that was not my intention. Atleast, you opened my eyes about it and I might now do something about the cause. My problem is that good your raised concern over serious issue of global warming but don't connect it to Bollywood when it doesn't have any relevance. Let's not always hold filmstars and politicians responsible for every small problem. Let them breathe. The whole point is that we just talk and dont really do anything about the issue. We all know about pollution and talk so much about pollution. Most of us blame the government or companies for garbage pollution. How many times did we actually kept the chewing gum wrapper in our bag or pocket if there was no dustbin aside and threw it later. I never used to do it and I confess that I used to criticise government too for not doing anything about pollution. But, then a sweet friend of mine, actually said that I say so much but then why I dont do something for the cause by not throwing the chewing gum wrapper on the road. I actually did it, still do sometimes and trying to make it habit. (At times, I still throw it on the road) I would like you to write more, atleast your article or I would say your provocative style of writing compel us to spend some time in talking and discussing about such issues. Last but not the least, I am nobody to ask you for magnifying you views but then as a reader I possess the right to ask or saying it GENTLY, request the author to think well with a broad vision and then write something. It's not to dominate or cut down the writer's freedom of expression. You are a writer and you have full fledged freedom to write what you want but then you also need to realise how powerful the medium is that you are using. You also have the responsibility of handling the medium carefully being a writer. Some might cross question you on the points you have made but some might just take it to be fact or your opinion might just get super imposed on their vision and narrow their thinking. I know am generalising little bit and again wrapping up by criticising you (apologise for it) but am just trying to convey that this medium is very powerful and please use the medium with care. Take it easy. Thanks.
even u compelled me to reply again:-).well i guess this arguement can go on endlessly!!!but one thing i vud like to clarify is dat i never meant dat filmstars shud not talk bout this issue..i was actually trying my best to draw a contrast btwn the suggestions they gave like save electricity,car pooling n stuff lyk dat and the actual lifestyle they follow.we all hv a duty to mind our own lives first but its nt entirely wrong to point out as a viewer who got their message as to wt i fel bout their lives..n why do u look at my blog as some sort of criticism.jus like dey raised their voice i also did.n actually my blog was more of on d humorous side of it.(not at all demeaning the issue it deals with).and i m not dat opinionated bout stuffs.my blog vil always b written on the lines of my very personal thought process(which need nt b politically correct)n i wont use this medium to propagate my ideas which if u ask me r nt worth propagating also...lolz.. so dont take it so seriously....
" Everybody atleast need to talk about it regardless of whether they personally do something about it or not."dis is wt u wrote..but den u contradicted urself bcuz afta a few lines u write " From the time we got to know about it, did we really do anything for the cause? Writing is something different. But, did we actually stopped using AC for long time?? Please write about what all you did for the cause in next blog if you get time for it.
so neeraj taking ur advice i repeat wt u said.. dat evebody has the right to talk whether dey do anything bout it or not...right??
talking bout amitabh bachchan..yea he is a super super star n if ppl listen to his voice well n good..but i dont want to be heard nor are ppl goin to hear me cuz m no sup star..the least i can do is jot down my thots on my blog..
over and out..lolz
on a different note lemme tell u it waz really really nice to get such a superb feedbak for my first blog..though i dont xpect many ppl to read my blog i vud definitely count on u to read it..:-)
Ok Ok... write another blog..hehehe
Blog sized comments on a blog post... whoa...
Anyways, Neeraj, lets agree to disagree - the filmstars, when they talk about an issue, have a moral responsibility to go to atleast a small extent to help in other ways to the cause - not just excercise their vocal chords!
When you talk about films being an "art" - so is it justified to burn up lands for a scene, land which could well be used for agriculture or building homes for the homeless??? And you need to waste that much water for a rain scene - dude, ask Chennai-ites about water shortage!
All this, when the same sequence can be made using special effects - graphics! There is no need to restrict to Rajinikant's "amazing stunts" alone - use it for showing the demolition of a building, the destruction of a car, burning of land, wasting water..... When there are means... Justified???
And Ruchika, when we say "they shouldn't talk about Global warming, because they dont practice what they preach, but we can talk about them only talking even if we're no better because we're not talking what they're talking"... Somehow, the logic is screwed.
This is an issue. The larger issue - Global warming. Criticise or not, if we don't do something about it - and fast! - the earth is going to die. I can talk - I don't use an ac. I drive around on a bicycle. I don't think there is need for so many cars in one house when there are people out there without a house to live in. Without electricity and water.
The filmstars do their bit of charity - we must agree on that. Whether they do it out of genuine concern or for evading tax is another issue altogether.
But they have a voice - people listen to them, especially in a movie crazy country like ours! Smoking is banned in movies (atleast in TN) today. The railways is planning to ban sequences on top of moving trains so that the wrong message doesn't get accross. Using animals in a cruel way is not allowed...
Commendable. Take it a step further. Get small messages about global warming accross in all the bollywood movies made this year - trust me, that'll help more than anything they've done till now.
I agree with u, RGMLK that the filmstars could do much more for the cause than exercising their vocal cords. But, let's not deny the fact that some of them have taken the intiative and no doubt about it. Angeline Jolie went to African countries for social service, Richard Gere keep visiting India to promote aids awareness (now, don't raise the argument of Richard locking lips with Shilpa Shetty, I feel that entire incident was just over hyped by the Indian and mostly hindi media). Vivek Oberoi went to the tsunami affected areas after Tsunami and he even stayed there for a week. That's incredible because very few people would think of doing that. Aishwariya does a campaign for eyes donation and she herself has donated her eyes. I find it simply great.
But, then nobody can be forced to take the intiative for the social service. The urge to do it have to come from the heart and so the awareness programmes does help in motivating people for it. We have to agree that over the years, people have become more responsible towards the society and it's a slow process. So, it will take time for a reformation to take place. Just keep the fingers crossed and I can forsee a bright future. Let me move to the next argument now... Just realised that the woman has already posted another blog. Thanks.
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