What do you think about the grand PR exercise that has been going on for ‘My Name is Khan’ for the past few days? The entire Shahrukh-Shivsena tamasha was designed to bring the film in the news. The film itself looks like an effort to win Muslim fans for Shahrukh. The 26/11 and discrimination against Muslims etc are passé topics for films as many films have already talked about it. So, how do you make it relevant? By showing people that such discrimination still exists and we still have to fight with forces thinking in the racist manner. The hullabaloo over NY airport security check aimed at that but it fell flat on its face. So, they had to come up with some new trick and that too just before the release. Shivsena, who doesn’t mind being the face of racist, separatist, fascist forces in India seemed too willing to come in the centre stage and become the topic of national news for a few days.
When the IPL auction took place, there was no ban of any sort from anybody on Pakistani players. Yet, the team owners chose to ignore them. Shahrukh’s team didn’t buy a single Pakistani player. Then suddenly, he gave a statement in the US that Paki players should be allowed to play in IPL. Who had disallowed them in the first place? To this, Bal Thackrey responded, ‘We will not allow Pakistani players to play in Mumbai’. When no Pakistani player was playing in IPL, where did the question of letting them play arise? But this seems to be a written script. What can they do?
Then Shivsena staged mock agitation in front of Shahrukh’s house. Have you ever seen Shivsainiks doing symbolic, peaceful agitation and calmly getting arrested? For extra effect, there were some society ladies in fashionable glares standing in a small group ‘supporting Shahrukh’. These ladies looked like they would never come out on the streets like that even to save their own lives. They were supposed to be ‘fans’. The day chosen for tamasha was Sunday. Shahrukh was still in US giving sentimental statements like ‘I am worried for my family’ ‘I haven’t done anything wrong. I will not apologise’ etc. By that time Shivsainiks had torn some posters and Bal Thakrey had announced the ban on the film. Just as the day of Shahrukh’s arrival from US drew near, suddenly declared he will not oppose the film. For no rhyme or reason, he opposed it and after media milked the issue 24/7 and Hero Shahrukh was everywhere, he suddenly withdrew opposition. Shahrukh arrived like a war hero and was taken to his home like a state guest. He didn’t lose the opportunity to behave like one.
Shahrukh’s statement on arrival was ‘I love Mumbai. I am what I am because of Mumbai’. Hello, the issue was about Pak players no?
It looked like a stunt from day one. It was an exercise to show that the film’s topic is still relevant. It was an effort to align Shahrukh’s real life image with his character in the film and film’s message. It also helped him win hearts in Pakistan and Middle East. It created enough interest in the film and I am sure most of us are going to rush for advance bookings the moment they open. Mission Accomplished. Till then, we can entertain ourselves by listening to Shahrukh’s sermons about patriotism, terrorism, religious harmony etc on various tv channels. We can also treat ourselves to features put together to show us what a great actor and a personality that shahrukh is. To drill it in, you also have some interviews laced with rehearsed ‘witty’ remarks and a show of humility.
The entire media willingly became a part of this circus. They were jumping like monkeys and shouting like donkeys, raising irrelevant questions and blabbering nonstop to prove nothing. Shivsena suddenly started criticizing Rahul Gandhi just before his arrival in Mumbai and the regionalism issue also started. Then this commotion over IPL-Pak players-Shahrukh-Rahul Gandhi-Bihari-Maharashtrians-
By
VOICE TODAY TEAM
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