A Celebrity a day… may be more

Every heavy-weight word needs to be used consciously, cautiously and carefully.

Today words like awesome, great, amazing, out of the world and even Laurette are being used at the drop of the hat. For instance, the word traumatized is insanely heavy stuff but parents say ‘My son was totally traumatized the other day as he was asked to go out of the class by the school teacher as he was making noise in the class ’. Aiyo! Worst is ‘my dog got traumatized when my neighbour shouted at him’!


Instant gratification is the name of the game. Men and women were born ‘show-offs’. Selfies are making people die- literally (Taking a selfie when at the edge of a cliff and falling a thousand feet to your death into a ravine below) as well as psychosomatically when they post a selfie from Mumbai airport to their friend's group with a tag line and a pout ‘ at Mumbai airport- catching a flight to Chennai’. How exciting but how silly- who is bothered yaar, yet friends will be weirder by saying ‘you look awesome so sexy, so lovely we love you miss you, just factor ka natak but everyone seems’ to be happy and high. ‘Selfie na hui balaa ho gayi’

Unfortunately, today avenues to become a celebrity have become ridiculously high. You get ten thousand likes on a social media platform you have arrived, at least you feel ‘great’.

And hold on, one million hits make you an influencer- I don’t know who is influencing who. But they feel like being on the list of Who is who is who.

By the way, the word ‘celebrity’ typically occurs about four times per million words in modern written English. But today ego makes every tom dick or a harry a celeb.

Page 3 concept sold on this ‘psycho selling’ idea. If you are on page 3 of a paper however insignificant in reach/circulation you are told ‘you have arrived’ but where? Even GPS in your car or mobile tells you ‘You have arrived at your destination’.

One day heroes

Reality Shows are churning out dozens of heroes by the day. They are pumped up on the show by experts in the field. In an instant, you are made to believe you are a celebrity. And of course, you believe it- a small-town boy or girl not even an adult is on cloud nine.

When they go back to their home town, they get a hero’s welcome more than a guy getting a bronze in track event in the Olympics!

You have people lining up to shake hands with you, several dhol, Tasha in toe people showering flower petals. Your parents are proud of you and so are you. Band baja aur barat is full on. At least for a few days.

This hits you like a sledgehammer and your senses are at once numb for a while.

Now this boy or a girl thinks they have conquered the world, and lucky ones get some interviews by journalists big or small.

It fades out faster than it got you there. Now there is no cloud after a few weeks as the clouds drift away but you are still hanging on to cloud nine – though imaginary.

‘come to Mother Earth’ is sane advice by friends and parents but the heady success doesn’t leave you. ‘Papa main celeb hoon!’ you retort.

The problem days are here and now

Some just drop out of college or even school as the celebrity bug has really bitten them. You refuse to do a regular job or a nine-to-five job. How can I? I am a celebrity. It is below my dignity to reach some down-market office and do a routine job. I have talent. But who are you? Your boss asks. I am a celebrity winner of so and so reality shows. Don’t you watch TV?

You do not realize that arch lights have been long switched off. But celebrity ‘keeda’ doesn’t go away.

Such competitions are good as they give any ordinary young man or woman to showcase their talent. But the flip side is injurious to health and mind. Once you have tasted blood you refuse to give up. Remember show biz has a lot of platforms today, yet the celebrity crowd is also swelling by the day. The ratio of opportunity to celebrity/ talent may be the same as in 1960 or even worse.

Some films to go by to demonstrate the reality

Madhur Bhandarkar a successful film maker made several hit movies. Two are relevant to this discourse.
One was a movie titled ‘Fashion’ where he shows glamour, glitter and gutter of Fashion models and designers. It is tough and unpredictable.

The most noteworthy was ‘Calendar Girls’ where he shows how young girls take a chance to be a poster girl on a calendar and could be even exploited by the people who run the show. You are on the calendar of Kingfisher and you are the talk of the town. You feel now the world is at your feet- wish it was true.

Madhur said he got the idea of making a film on calendar models when he came across Vijay Mallya’s annual calendar.

He did some research about the chances this offered the young girls to make it to the top or at least make a decent living out of this.

“Almost 99 per cent (of calendar girl’s career) are failure. And hardly one per cent achieve success, either as models or actresses. I interacted with a lot of calendar girls… some were forthcoming to talk about it, some were reluctant,” the “Fashion” director said.

There is so much frustration with a dangling hope that some or most refuse to give up. Personally, it is a tragedy and for parents, it is worse.

The problem gets magnified as one wants to maintain a façade of good health, looks and clothing. You can’t be seen travelling in a local train. Some resort to beg borrow or steel mantra.

The most unfortunate land up with drugs and even things worse than that.