Satyamev Jayate Episode 7
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SATYAMSHOT
June 17, 2012 at 8:52 AM
Haven’t seen this one yet but so far I think the best episodes have been the foeticide one and the intercaste/intereligious marriage one, not necessarily in that order.
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June 17, 2012 at 10:22 AM
Good one satyam – aamir keeps things light after first two heavy-duty emotional episodes – but invariably manages to pack in extremely touchy moments. This one was no exception. The song in the end packs a power-punch – each time!
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June 17, 2012 at 4:44 PM
I think the best one was child abuse one.
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June 17, 2012 at 9:00 AM
Hey folks – so any offenders or victims of domestic abuse– female and male–beware !!
Won’t be tolerated
Ps- couldnt see this one
Over to those who are experienced
Any summary/ thoughts …
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June 17, 2012 at 11:49 AM
Saw 3/4th of today’s Satyameva Jayate ( set top box went off around 12 ). Very god episode once again. Kudos to Aamir for choosing issues that pertain to people at all levels of society and makes us to re-look at some of our most cherished social values and traditions. Like his recent films, the thoughts are clear and are expressed in simple language. The tone is not strident and the attitude is not I-know-all. Guest commentators like Kamala Bhasin to have very clear and well-founded opinion, expressed with gentle humour and in the language of sanity. The best thing about the program is that a man, that too from the tribe of Bollywood heros usually celebrated for their machismo, taking up the cause of women and running down patriarchal values and aggressive male behaviour. This has more credibility and mindset-changing impact than some women espousing the cause, for it becomes easy to dismiss them as feminists.
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June 17, 2012 at 3:32 PM
Kamla Bhasin may be right but her way of putting her views were bordering rude. You don’t find solutions by being abrasive.
http://jayasreesaranathan.blogspot.com/2008/05/pati-patni-aur-vivaha.html
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June 17, 2012 at 12:02 PM
do hope they cover issues of rape
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June 17, 2012 at 5:45 PM
This was the most powerful episode yet IMO. The treatment of the issue was much less superficial here than before- they really got down to the root cause of the problem in terms of mindset, social structure, ideas of masculinity, upbringing etc.
My favourite segment was the one with Kamla Bhasin where she talked about how men and women are brought up to espouse the same patriarchal values and how it’s the patriarchial philosophy/ social setup and not specific individuals who are the true culprits.
I also liked very much the interaction with the male audience towards the end of the show- I think that they put the episode’s main themes across in a way that might be much easier for some men to identify with.
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June 17, 2012 at 6:05 PM
The last episode is always “the” best because we remember most details. All the guests are very well spoken…the best one was the guy/founder of love commandos….I LOVED the way he spoke and covered all points in the inter-caste love marraige episode. The most effective, value added one was IMO, the one on child abuse. I don’t think people in India still know that boys could be abused too by men.
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June 17, 2012 at 6:16 PM
It’s not about the last episode being the best. I think that the honour killing episode and the domestic violence episode were much stronger and more balanced than the rest since they tried to examine the social framework and attitudes that cause these serious crimes to become so widespread and acceptable. With the rest of the episodes the discussion was framed in a way that did not explore why such monstrous practises are so common in the first place.
But I do agree that the CSA episode was probably the one that brought about the most awareness. And in terms of pure emotional impact- the female feoticide one was the most powerful and devastating. But in terms of providing a balanced, intelligent discussion the latest episode was the most effective for me.
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June 17, 2012 at 7:12 PM
CSA,Domestic abuse exist in every culture/society but female foeticide, inter-caste-love marriage are more typical issues of Indian/indian-subcontinent/asian cultures. This episode featured men who beat their wives and last one showed khap…which is why it became ‘balanced’. But IMO, I really don’t know to know ‘why’ you beat up women or ‘why’ you consider inter-caste (or whatever the reason) love marraige bad…I don’t think I am interested in knowing the ‘logic’ of other side…sort of why try to understand the evil. There might be n reasons why someone abused a small child…would it matter in the end..would it make it right? So in that sense, I am glad that show doesn’t spend too much time on showing the ‘other’ side. In case of domestic violence, it makes sense. In others it doesn’t…IMO..
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June 17, 2012 at 8:21 PM
I think it is more with the belief tha you are physically more powerful and when you can not in amiable mindset or things are not according to your way, it is one of the way to take out the anger. It is more prevalent if the wife is a non-earner. If wife is independent and earning she will get out of house more quickly than a non-earning wife.
I don’t think it is any different from hitting your kid. As someone said you don’t hit your boss because you know the consequences. This is not limited to India it happens in West also. Most of the people in US must have heard of Rihanna and Chris Brown case.
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June 17, 2012 at 8:28 PM
So Rihana is non-earner 😉
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June 19, 2012 at 12:54 PM
Di- I’m not saying that the wifebeaters/ Khap Panchayat are justified in what they are doing at all. But in order to truly solve a problem it is important to understand why it is so prevalent- so the ‘other side’ i.e. the mindset of the ‘honour killing’ murderers and the wife beaters should also be explored.
Munna- I most probably misunderstood your comment- but if it is indeed a reply to Di’s comment on how there is no logic or justification to these social evils- then how does the fact that Domestic Violence also happens in the West or that it is similar to child-beating justify the crime?
And I don’t think that economic independance automatically translates into a lesser tolerance of abuse. Approximately 50% of Indian women are abused but the divorce rate in the country is only around 1.1%- that means that the vast majority of women who are being battered continue to stay in their marraiges. While DV might be prevalent in the USA as well- the chances that a severely abused woman will continue to stay in such a marraige are far, far less.
An Indian woman can be earning well and still be influenced by social conditioning/ family pressure to stay in a marraige for the sake of ‘honour’, ‘family name’, ‘wife’s duty to adjust’ etc
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June 19, 2012 at 1:32 PM
Ami, I think the term ‘social evil’ is a bit too imprecise which is in fact one of the problems I have with the show. The female foeticide issue is a singular one. Not too many countries in the world can match India’s record here (if any). But the sexual abuse of children is a universal issue. Doesn’t mean it’s ok because everyone’s doing it but it’s not quite an ‘Indian’ social evil the way murdering people who get into inter-religious or inter-caste marriages is. Aamir should have focused more on the latter. Now in fairness there is a certain subversive element here to the degree that these problems are less acknowledged in India in various ways compared to many Western countries. But the framing of the show is otherwise so ‘nationalistic’ that it would have been better to stick to certain kinds of topics.
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June 19, 2012 at 1:10 PM
Ami – Why people hits kids? because they can get away it. I know it is not same as wife beating but I think why it happens, is same. Can it be stopped completely ? I don’t think so. Bceuase it comes with feeling that you are stronger in your surroundings. It is more prevalent in India because there is more dependence. If there is less dependence the chances are less. It won’t stop otherwise west would be free of this.
ps – If you travel by train you will find hooligans who travel daily in part of leg and they make life of normal passengesr miserable. Why do they are like that? They think they are powerful enough in that part of world. If same person comes out of their area I don’t think they would behave similarly.
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June 19, 2012 at 3:12 PM
Don’t attack amy folks….
If she runs away, one of the roles in my film will have to be reshot–who will pay the bill 🙂
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June 19, 2012 at 9:07 PM
Satyam- but there is specific cultural context to the domestic violence that takes place in India- mothers advicing newly married daughters to always ‘adjust’ and not bring shame on the family/ parents forcing married daughters who come home to return to their abusive marital homes/ in-laws egging on and assisting the man in abusing his wife etc. Given this- I think that Aamir dealt with the issue in an appropriately ‘nationalistic’ way- advising parents to make their daughters independant by giving them a share in the property instead of dowry etc.
Munna- I’m not saying that domestic violence will stop happening in India anytime soon- but even if men can’t be stopped from attacking their wives whom they perceive to be weak/ defenceless- the way women react and tolerate this abuse can be changed.
Like I said- India has a very high rate of DV but one of the lowest rates of divorce in the world. In the USA domestic violence does happen- but the tolerance threshold of the average woman and the support system she has to escape from the abuse is vastly different from that of the average Indian woman- this sort of a change can be gradually brought about in India as well.
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June 17, 2012 at 11:55 PM
Good show. The first two ladies, their stories really touched me. Kamla Bhasin was forthright, funny occasionally, but also a bit rude and abrasive. I also liked Shanno driver and the guy from the audience, the one in red-framed specs–he spoke effectively and at length. Aamir was fine as anchor–but that joke about the Bandra Khans–umm, maybe avoidable?
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June 18, 2012 at 1:34 AM
The Aamir Khan Column: In homes, a menace whose victims fear to speak its name
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/columns/article3540063.ece?homepage=true
What kind of mindset makes us men believe that we have a right to hit a woman?
If one section of society were to start beating up and assaulting another section of society, the police would declare it a riot, the Rapid Action Force would be brought in, and the state machinery would swing into action to take appropriate steps to bring an end to the violence and protect those who need help. Thereafter the state might even set up refugee camps, etc. to rehabilitate those affected. Well, when we set out to do our research on domestic violence, this is precisely what we found. One section of society was physically beating up and assaulting another, there seemed to be a civil war like situation out there, only there was no Rapid Action Force to stop the violence. Two separate studies, one by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and another by the Planning Commission, showed that anywhere between 40 per cent-80 per cent of women in India are victims of domestic violence. Let’s take a conservative middle figure of say 50 per cent. That’s a huge percentage of women! And I’m afraid these figures don’t speak very well of us men.
What kind of thinking makes us behave this badly? What kind of mindset makes us men believe that we have a right to hit a woman? And why do so many women accept this beating for years on end? Once again, it’s good old patriarchy at work. It is alarming to discover how many different problems arise out of this strange animal called ‘patriarchal thinking’. In our two-year research work on the issues we chose for Satyamev Jayate, this is one factor that has repeatedly come up as the villain of the piece. And, as Kamla Bhasin, our expert on this particular issue, pointed out, women are as much a part of this thinking, products of the same society as they are.
Patriarchal thinking… men are superior to women! … men are the bosses! … they will decide what is good for their women… men will control women’s lives as they please and as they deem fit! And so we have female foeticide, female infanticide, the girl child is not fed properly, her health is not a priority, she is not sent to school, or less importance is placed on her education, instead she is taught to do housework. And while all this is happening, she is often beaten! This thinking also results in child marriages, dowry, discrimination against widows, and of course unequal share in property, that is, if there’s any share at all. Leave alone empowering our women, we are specifically disempowering them and have been doing so for millennia.
Let us examine some of the excuses that men put forth for assaulting the women folk in their family:
“I am very short tempered”; “there’s a lot of stress and problems in my life so it comes out like this.” So how come you don’t hit your boss? Why only your wife? Well you don’t hit your boss because if you do, your boss will take appropriate action against you. Are the women listening?
“I get violent with my wife because I love her so much”; “my love for her comes out in this passionate and violent way, it’s because I care for and love my wife.” Well in that case, there should be an equal amount of beating coming from the women folk.
“My wife asked for it.” Well she also asked for a diamond necklace, and guess what you are asking for?
There really does seem to be a civil war out there. Brothers hitting sisters, fathers hitting daughters, husbands hitting wives and in some cases, even sons hitting mothers. Our experts have explained how once domestic violence starts it gets worse with every encounter and never stops until the victim stops it! The woman has to say NO!
India has a fairly strong Domestic Violence Act and it is important for all women to be familiar with what the law says. The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act specifically states that the woman has the right to reside in what is called the shared household. Often a common fear among women is of being thrown out of home. This Act protects EVERY woman in this matter. No woman — wife, mother, daughter or sister — can be thrown out of the house, even if the property is not in her name and is owned by some other member of the family. The Act also states that every State needs to create shelter homes for women who prefer not to stay in the shared household. And, that the State Government needs to provide any woman fighting for these rights with a protection officer who acts as a liaison or bridge between her and the courts. So, a woman does not need to spend money on legal fees in order to avail of her rights under this act.
Historically, as men have been a part of this problem, it is high time we men become a part of the solution. Men have to be proactive in putting an end to this illness in society. And, look at it this way: do you want to be a man who is feared and hated by your wife or other female members of your home? Or do you want to be loved, adored and respected? Do you want your children to run away from you or run towards you when you get home? Do you want to be a home maker or a home breaker?
By the way, what is the opposite of patriarchal thinking?
Jai Hind. Satyamev Jayate.
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June 18, 2012 at 1:36 AM
Satyamev Jayate – What Constitutes ‘Mardaangi’?
http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/celebrities/features/type/view/id/3564
Several articles that I have read in newspapers and online, regarding human atrocities, have stunned me. But there’s one particular write-up that appeared in a national daily couple of years ago that I’ll never forget. It threw light on a survey where almost half of the women surveyed believed that they deserved to get beaten up by their husband, if they erred in any manner whatsoever! This was the result of the mindsets of our society that men are the breadwinners and do loads of hard work and hence deserve to show some attitude, and violence. Satyamev Jayate, in its seventh episode, deals with this centuries-old problem of domestic violence and brings out some eye-opening facts.
For starters, Aamir Khan and team got only men as the audience! The first guest on the show, Snehalata Jadhav, shook everyone. She looked like a normal Maharashtrian housewife, running a house and attending to her children. That’s what we judged from the way she presented herself. But she had a disturbing story to share – her hubby would beat her for the flimsiest of reasons and how she eventually broke free, after almost 15-16 years. Yet, even after suffering for such a long period of time, she was full of positivity, was pursuing law, writing articles in papers and excited for her bright future! Hats off!
Two more women shared a similar account – Rashmi Anand and Shanno Begum (aka Shanno Driver). These 3 ladies along with Kamla Bhasin, who’s associated with ‘SANGAT’ organization and a police officer, P Satheesh Balan, helped give a clear picture of the whole issue. Often, a woman feels scared stepping out of the marriage with her kids assuming that she would be crushed in this bag bad world. But Snehalata, Rashmi and Shanno proved that even single or divorced mothers can work wonders. Kamla raised laughs as she explained the various myths, especially the aforementioned misconception that men beat their wives because they suffer from stress and frustration with the everyday work. Kamla rubbishd these claims and states that it’s proved that women put in more hours of work than men. Officer Balan explained the legal recourses that women could take, if they suffer domestic violence. However, much needs to be done as the shelter homes, pointed out by Aamir, the places where battered housewives can take refuge and mandatory in all districts, are few in number throughout the country.
Two more myths were shattered. Many victims of domestic violence went back to their parents’ house and their guilty hubbies followed their wives and apologized profusely to her and also to her family. Thinking that the men have learnt their lesson, wives return only to realize that nothing has changed. Secondly, as stated by Shanno and also others, the victims should strongly object during the first instance of violence itself. If they don’t, the perpetrators get motivated to repeat the act and it goes on for years! Although the research and discussion on the episodes were praiseworthy, one aspect that wasn’t talked about was that domestic violence cases happen in rich and influential families as well. In fact, I was shocked when Kamla and Aamir talked only about cases in lower and middle cases and ignored the upper class section totally!
The last bit of the episode is where the all-men audience got a chance to speak. Pune-resident Anand Pawar beautifully summed up that one cause of domestic violence is the need to project oneself as ‘masculine’. The gentleman also threw a valid question – what kind of a parent/hubby you want to be: A loving parent whose wife/children love or the ones that they fear and abhor? Socho socho!
This was surely another mind-blowing and hard-hitting episode of Satyamev Jayate. Here’s hoping it succeeds in its endeavor and may we have many more Snehalata’s, Rashmi’s and Shanno’s.
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June 18, 2012 at 1:37 AM
Nice to see Meenal Jain ( former Indian Idol contestant ) singing for a change…she sung beautifully.
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June 18, 2012 at 1:39 AM
Don’t silence ‘messenger’ Aamir Khan: Medical bodies to IMA
http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/celebrity/dont-silence-messenger-aamir-khan-medical-bodies-to-ima_113387.htm
Mumbai: There seem to be differences of opinion between various medical bodies from the medical fraternity in the country. On the one hand as the Indian Medical Association is hell-bent on seeking an apology from Aamir Khan for “defaming” their profession on his show ‘Satyamev Jayate’, the Medico Friend Circle (MFC) and the Forum for Medical Ethics Society (FMES) have come out in full support of the actor.
Talking to a reputed daily, Dr Abhay Shukla, member of the MFC said, “We need to listen to the central message of the show and take steps to address the issues.”
MFC and FMES have teamed up and written a letter to the IMA urging them to not be rigid on their stance and assert on getting an apology from the actor. According to them, Aamir has helped in bringing core issues to the front that would otherwise have gone unnoticed.
Tagging Aamir’s show as a “wake up call” and advising IMA not to “silence the messenger”, the MFC and the FMES believe that people from the fraternity should focus on bettering the health care system and thus earn the good will back.
The letter drafted by the two bodies read, “Instead, the IMA should try to reverse the current widespread unregulated commercialisation of healthcare in the country, and contribute to the process of health system reforms for eliminating the distortions in medical practice. This would prove to be beneficial to patients and would also raise the dignity of the medical profession.”
The MFC has been in operation for long in the country and have health professionals, social activists and scientists working towards upgrading the healthcare system in the country. The FMES has doctors and other health professionals on board to campaign for reforms in the medical system.
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June 18, 2012 at 1:41 AM
Aamir Khan writes letter to Maharashtra government
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Aamir-Khan-writes-letter-to-Maharashtra-government/articleshow/14183322.cms
While Maharashtra government is facing flak for its inability to curb the declining child sex ratio, a letter from actor Aamir Khan will bring some relief to the government.
The bollywood actor in his letter to public health minister Suresh Shetty has appreciated efforts taken by the Maharashtra government to deal with the declining girl child sex ratio.
“Khan in his letter to the state government has stated that health department has taken enough measures to improve girl child sex ratio in the state. The actor further has appreciated the efforts taken by Mr Shetty on this issue,” a senior Mantralaya official said.
Overwhelmed with the response to a television show of Khan, where the actor focused on the female infanticide issue, last month the state government had written a letter to Khan. In its letter to the actor, Shetty had requested the film star to assist the state government in creating awareness in the society on the issue of ‘save a girl child’.
The census reveals that Maharashtra’s child sex ratio in 2011 was 833 girls per 1000 boys as against 913 per 1,000 boys in 2001. Beed district is the worst affected, with a drop of 93 in the last decade-894 girls in 2001 as against 801 in 2011.
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June 18, 2012 at 1:42 AM
Satyamev Jayate : Maharashtra flags off Generic medicine stores across the state
http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/idiotbox/satyamev-jayate-maharashtra-flags-off-generic-medicine-stores-across-the-state_113515.htm
So the ‘Satyamev Jayate’ phenomenon has made headlines again. And this time, despite fighting their way through a barrage of criticisms and allegations, the ‘Satyamev Jayate’ team can now consider themselves as instrumental in brightening up more lives with their hearty smiles.
A few episodes back, the iconic TV show had exposed the discrepancies and corruption involved in the selling of medicines. The episode further went ahead and exposed several flaws in the medical systems of the country, and as is well-known by now, Aamir Khan and his team have had to receive the criticism of many doctors.
Aamir, however, has a reason – and a huge one – to smile about now. His show has played an important role in the Maharashtra Government giving the green signal to a lot more generic medicine stores than the state now has. The Government announced that Generic medicines would be made available across all Government hospitals. In addition, the State Government has also planned to open medical stores across the state where generic medicines will be stocked in adequate amounts, and will be readily available for people.
Aamir Khan and the ‘Satyamev Jayate’ team are on seventh heaven after receiving the news, and they have profusely thanked Chief Minister of the State, Prithviraj Chauhan and Health Minister, Suresh Shetty.
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June 18, 2012 at 3:26 AM
The Best episode.
Because this marks the half way through these self righteous self congratulatory series. 6 more to go *groan*
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June 18, 2012 at 3:40 AM
As always, Amir like a blind man thinks the elephant looks like where he feels it, mostly it is that part which gets him the most applause.
Now, a man castigating men is awesome.
What about the MENTAL TORTURE of a woman? It has been recognised as an equally potent (if not more) destructive factor. I read somewhere once that the women in the village suffer a lot fron asthama , one of the causes triggering it is the constant bad mouthing of the mother-in-law and sisters-in-law.
They even play a major role in bride burning cases or torture of the woman.
AND what about the man – who goes around having affairs with women while married. This acts as a major blow to the self esteem of the woman who goes through hell, especially if it’s after giving birth to children when she knows she’s no longer the same physically in appearance. And he’s guilty of it. What hypocrisy.
THe psycological effects are very very negative. In India this is still a case not to easily solved as in the west.
For impact, it was clear that in the beginning the answers of the three men were staged.
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June 18, 2012 at 5:03 AM
I’m sorry, but I can’t make any sense of this comment. If it is meant to be humorous, I don’t have a funny bone. And if not, then well…
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June 18, 2012 at 8:26 AM
then well….
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June 18, 2012 at 8:28 AM
Jokes aside, I’m sorry that you can’t make any sense of this comment. Perhaps you are too manipulated and brain washed to do this.
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June 18, 2012 at 9:37 AM
jokes back from aside:-) abzee! oldgold uses aamir-hating as [edited]
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June 18, 2012 at 10:25 AM
And I’m sorry that you can do little other than suggesting ‘what’ I am, rather than explain the incoherence of your comment above.
Mind you, I have nothing against you going after Aamir. Please do. Godspeed and strength to you. But purely from the point of view of the English language and common ability to construct a sentence, any sentence be it one in the praise of a particular Khan’s arse or one in the disservice of another’s vertical handicap, kindly do explain how one is supposed to ‘read’ your comment?
How is asthma triggered by bad-mouthing, and what is the genius humour in the ludicrousness of that statement? I’m just trying to understand this new brand of humour that’s all!
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June 18, 2012 at 10:39 AM
Errrr…abzee…maybe ideaunique’s construction of sentences would give you an explanation more suitable to your mood and stance. LOL
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June 18, 2012 at 12:34 PM
Idea – That is not appropriate.
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June 18, 2012 at 1:15 PM
complete agree Munna, I didn’t notice that earlier.. it’s been edited.
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June 18, 2012 at 5:04 PM
sorry stayam, og and all – i think i went little overboard 🙂 but OG is quite an amazing aamir-hater
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June 18, 2012 at 9:46 AM
Huh? Not to be rude, but this is just plain incoherence.
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June 18, 2012 at 10:57 AM
Which part is incoherent?
The comparison to the elephant and blind men – which I used to illustrate the selective choosing of what to talk about?
or
the OTHER side of domestic psycological violence which is widely accepted now even legally? The depression caused by this leading to illnesses – one example being asthma.
Here women are also guilty.
Pray tell me what else you don’t understand.
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June 18, 2012 at 11:27 AM
Ot perhaps everyone is confused about the elephant/blind men illustration.
This is a story from the panchtantra.
6 blind men wanted to know what an elephant was like. Each was given the chance of touching one and finding out. Each touched a different part – tail, side, trunk etc and concluded that’s how an elephant was.
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June 18, 2012 at 11:36 AM
But I think the story does not at all make your point. In fact it’s quite the opposite. It’s about different perspectives on something being all there is because that ‘something’ is ultimately unknowable. And hence Aamir’s take on any single issue in any of the episodes is one such perspective. Necessarily incomplete (following the parable). And here the ‘cynicism’ charge (he’s doing it for applause) also goes completely against the grain of the story because that would imply one actually ‘knows’ (and therefore one does that which gets one applause) what one explicitly (according to the parable) cannot know.
A different implication to the same parable is that even though there are only different perspectives on something this doesn’t imply any ‘inferiority’. Because the ‘thing’ is what one makes of it. Here too Aamir’s take on any issue would be as valid as any other. The applause too would only suggest that there are many others who have the same perspective as him or can at least be persuaded along these lines. Either way it’s hard to make the cynicism case using this parable!
On the other hand your position is: why is Aamir gripping the trunk and not including the other perspective I have when I hold the ears?! This is an ‘impossible’ objection according to the parable!
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June 18, 2012 at 11:57 AM
No, satyam. Your interpretation is one I’ve never heard of before
It has always been used in the way I’m using it here.
I have always heard of it as shortsightedness on the part of the one trying to give opinion on something without the knowledge of what the whole looks like.
In the case applied here of Amir trying to describe the tail (for example) as it suits him (to get maximum applause) instead of the whole elephant.
It maybe a difficult task – but he did take it upon himself, didn’t he?
Talking only about the trunk/tail and giving that as the picture of the elephant is manipulations. Many here seem to think *that* is the elephant, and think I’m being incoherent. LOL!
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June 18, 2012 at 11:59 AM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_men_and_an_elephant
“I have always heard of it as shortsightedness on the part of the one trying to give opinion on something without the knowledge of what the whole looks like.”
The problem is that the ‘shortsightedness’ or the limitation in this sense is the necessity of all knowledge. In other words it’s impossible to access all of the elephant at once. One recognizes this ‘limitation’ and grip the trunk (or what have you) anew!
Getting back to the show Aamir might be able to incorporate what you think ought to be part of the show (assuming of course that you wouldn’t then jump on to something else!) but there would always be something else he wouldn’t be able to. There is no way he could come up with the totality of all possible perspectives on any given topic. And here your own ‘cynicism’ is itself evidence of the parable that you think supports your case. It is precisely because there can be no such ‘totality’ that you can keep jumping from one objection to another!
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June 18, 2012 at 12:02 PM
PS:
>your position is: why is Aamir gripping the trunk and not including the other perspective I have when I hold the ears
That is not my position at all. I’m trying to say – no, no, that’s not what the elephant looks like. Here is another part – the ear! There are other parts as well, but this isn’t my show to bring them all up. I have brought up a major part – psychological violence, and given a couple of examples.
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June 18, 2012 at 12:09 PM
No one’s disagreeing with that but the parable precisely is about there always being an additional element to the thing being talked about. So Aamir grips the trunk, you hold the ear.. what does this mean? That each of the positions is still ‘limited’! If both of you had a chat that would still not be the ‘all’ of the elephant. Notice how even the parable has to rely on something imaginary to make its larger point. In other words we always operate with the understanding that there ‘is’ an elephant there which the blind cannot quite see. But the deeper issue here is that we don’t really have that ‘God’s eye view’ on anything that’s important. So there is actually ‘no’ elephant. Who could for example say what the issue of intercaste marriage would look like examined from every conceivable angle? Such a ‘totality’ is imaginary.
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June 18, 2012 at 12:07 PM
satyam you are just looking for excuses. It’s not my show, so even if I don’t see the entire elephant – he should. Isn’t it all about awareness?
THe Psychological angle is a very important one.
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June 18, 2012 at 12:16 PM
Again as I’ve just stated it doesn’t matter whether it’s his show or not if the ‘elephant’ simply does not exist!
By the way note what my own objections (in the two pieces I put up) on all of this were really about framed in the light of this parable. That the angle of say female foeticide was part of a larger discourse on gender and ‘family values’ and an entire bourgeois edifice… so on and so forth.. if one didn’t interrogate that larger structure one couldn’t really arrive at a more precise solution for the problem. So here the foeticide debate would be the leg of the elephant or something where those other issues would correspond to the other parts. So my argument isn’t that he’s not holding the trunk the right way (this is your position) but that he at least has the trunk and we need to look at the legs or ears or whatever as well. So it’s not an incomplete perspective because the foeticide issue (or whatever happens to be the case) is not well-defined enough (or not more comprehensively defined.. as you’d say) but because it is linked to a number of other issues that might otherwise seem unrelated. And here my approach is simply about suggesting that there might be a larger body of the elephant here. This does not mean that the elephant could ever be ‘totally’ captured by even the most comprehensive interrogation. Put differently from my perspective what you are saying and what Aamir is saying might be more or less the same thing! Because it is still focused in each instance very narrowly on an issue.
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June 18, 2012 at 12:20 PM
By the way it’s immaterial whether it’s your show or not. The moment one launches an objection or criticism one has the same responsibility to be rigorous. If one’s objection lacks ‘internal consistency’ or is incoherent it cannot be taken seriously.
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June 18, 2012 at 1:05 PM
I’m very rigorous satyam. I’m not expected to go all the way to give the picture of the whole elephant.
I pointed out the fact that what Amir is showing is not an elephant. That should suffice.
To support I gave one example – that’s where my criticism lies. That the point I put up could easily have been talked about, but wasn’t as it wouldn’t have brought mim applause.
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June 19, 2012 at 9:06 AM
Well when I read your original comment I had no idea what point(s) you were trying to make! Bluntly, you made no sense. And now – having read through the rest of the thread- I’ve lost any interest in trying to understand what you’re trying to say. Carry on.
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June 19, 2012 at 9:22 AM
>carry on
I’m grateful for the green flag 😉
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June 19, 2012 at 12:42 PM
It would take years to show the whole elephant ..I will say the elephant story in reverse. Most of the people want to hear their version of story ..If they don’t hear they complain that it is not truth. The problem is the guy who is telling is the story isn’t claiming he will show the whole elephant. He probably is telling only about skin of elephant which “everyone” can feel and identify.
ps – In some way this elephant story is akin to Plato’s cave allegory..people have limited knowledge of surroundings and they consider it as truth.
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June 19, 2012 at 1:24 PM
You’re quite right Munna.. also the fairer criticism with respect to Aamir, and following his own statements on this, is that he paints in “broad strokes”. I see where he’s coming from. He says clearly that in a mass medium you have to do this. In this sense he’s building a ‘coalition’ of opinion on any topic that highlights it but also establishes the perspective that most people can sign on to. The point being that if you do more you start losing a share of the audience. Now I have some problems with this framing but nonetheless his point is a coherent one. The negative side here is that sometimes obvious things have to be left out as for example in the child sexual abuse episode the fact that a very high percentage of children suffer such abuse at the hands of parents is left out, especially daughters at the hands of fathers. So the whole episode focused on family friends and so on but the problem with this is that quite often there’s a parent involved. where then does the child run? so the “broad strokes” argument can lead to very limited discussions on certain topics. And in a larger sense it might well be that building this ‘coalition’ of opinion means blunting the truly hard edges. In other words the stories are deeply moving but appear within a framework that most people do not have problems with. So saying that family friends abuse kids and therefore parents should be careful is an easier sell than suggesting that sometimes parents might themselves be responsible. A very important component of the debate can be lost this way. But even where the excluded examples are not this important there is the whole question of whether true change in these matters comes about simply by more awareness or does there have to be (as I would claim) a very precise and polemical reframing of the entire debate? But all of this isn’t Oldgold’s argument. Because of course she’s not even willing to grant Aamir the minimal sincerity she’d have to if she adopted my line of questioning. Since it always has to be that Aamir is a cynic and an opportunist exploiting things to get the right reaction one has to go down a certain path — that he deliberately chose ‘x’ perspective and not ‘y’. Here my critique of the show has never been just about Aamir. The only point is that the show’s problems, such as I would define them, also reflect a certain ‘good liberal’ attitude in many ways. But again I understand where Aamir is coming from and I’d rather have his brand of discussion than nothing.
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June 18, 2012 at 5:14 PM
what was the ‘joke’-missed it-there should be another area for ‘deleted scenes” 🙂
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June 18, 2012 at 12:41 PM
psycological torture – Are not easy to define. It happens but many would be dismissed ki “sathiyaa gayi hai”…Physcial ones happen more often and easy to identify. Even in perfectly fine relationship we have psychological games between husband and wife to get upper hand in situations.
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June 18, 2012 at 1:10 PM
I don’t think one has to prove anything. This is not a court.
Anyway the saas bahu programmes, and the infidelity of husbands giving the wife much pain etc etc leading to mental depression and its side effects can be easily illustrated.
Pscoanalysts can be consulted in this case.
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June 18, 2012 at 6:36 AM
I will b e happy when this series ends–because then all these internet haters will not have any more opportunities to bash their pet hate.
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June 18, 2012 at 9:36 AM
but then they will say “Dekha! aamir was outright rejected by the masses, so he had to leave TV….” – 🙂
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June 18, 2012 at 10:07 AM
Freedom of choice hai naa. Agar accha nahi lagta, apko apply nahi hota, toh aap T.V. ko bandh kar K koi D.K. ki purani black-and-white hazy movie chalu kar sakti hai? Yaa puraney ganey. Why worry about how emotionally manipulative…mat hoiyay aap. I can’t understand the “complains”.
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June 18, 2012 at 11:06 AM
>Freedom of choice hai naa. Agar accha nahi lagta, apko apply nahi hota, toh aap T.V. ko bandh kar K koi D.K. ki purani black-and-white hazy movie chalu kar sakti hai? Yaa puraney ganey. Why worry about how emotionally manipulative…mat hoiyay aap.
This can be advised to every person on the other side of the discussion.
It’s like telling satyam etc why do you want to talk about yash raj and KJO’s films?
Talk about only those films you find worth talking about.
Anyway to get matters straight;
– I’m not complaining. I’m being critical.
-emotional manipulation – that’s my observation
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June 18, 2012 at 1:53 PM
OG: physical vs mental torture: Do you really think that is equivalent of blind man feeling the elephant? Physical torture is in your face violence but mental torture can go many ways. There are cases where daughter-in-laws abuse and torture elderly and also the husband. Mental torture could also be due to differences in personality and would be hard to prove on a show. I think your ‘bias’ towards the show is bit prejudiced. If you leave your pride and let go of your prejudice then maybe you can ‘see’ some merit in someone (forget that it is aamir), a common citizen of india, trying to do something, however small and appreciate it for what it is. In the D.Abuse show, Aamir didn’t cry…his eyes teared up a bit here and there but he didn’t actually cry.
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June 18, 2012 at 2:08 PM
I think it’s not me who is the problem here, but the people, who WANT to drag the whole thing into various channels, Ideaunique into crassness, abzee into aggressiveness, saket into some kind of psychoanalysis, you into mockery, trying to rub it in that I’m not thinking properly.
I don’t see my arguments as this.
In an earlier case no one here knew that surrogacy was illegal in many countries, and everyone tried to make it look like I was some kind of a harsh person with my hate for Amir going overboard.
Today, people have perhaps never heard of this tale from panchatantra and call my comment incoherent.
I remember there used to be horror films where the victim was told over and over again that what they were saying wasn’t right and driving the victim insane with this constant repetition for anything he/she uttered. 😀
I leave you all to scratch each others backs and praise Amir to nauseating heights as much as you all want to.
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June 18, 2012 at 2:26 PM
Oldgold, the problem with your arguments when it comes to Aamir is that they’re not plausible. I’ve said this many times before. if someone else had made the very same point one might have still disagreed but at least seen the merit of the argument. The problem here is that you attack him for any and everything anyway. So with each new episode it’s just a new excuse. I don’t think the ‘specifics’ matter very much. Anything will do as long as it sounds somewhat plausible. Ironically (and if you sincerely believe this) I find your claims in this regard at least as cynical as you think Aamir is in every sense imaginable (from his film to his public appearances to what not). This too could be defended if one were coherent in one’s criticism. The problem once again is that the things you criticize Aamir for are never issues you have with SRK. The idea for example that Aamir is cynically exploiting the media is a somewhat bizarre and rather hilarious one for fan of SRK’s to make! That too one as committed as you are! Now you’ve suggested many times that I go after SRK in similar ways (of course this begs the question that since you don’t consider my criticism genuine in this sense yours must not be so either!) but as I’ve pointed out before there is a ‘coherence’ here. I don’t like certain kinds of cinema for whatever ideological reasons whether he does it or someone else does. Similarly I like certain films whether he does them or anyone else. The nature of the criticism is the same each way. I don’t suddenly start finding problems with Swades or Dil se after liking this sort of thing elsewhere. Or I don’t start supporting SRK’s choices the moment Bachchan is associated with them. So on and so forth. That’s the kind of coherence I’m referring to. Just the other day Bachchan put up his latest ad campaign for Maggie noodles and I said the idea made me a little queasy! One can disagree with my stance but there’s a certain ideological consistency across the board. Your arguments are tailored for Aamir. The very same things you have no problems with in other contexts. Forget even SRK for a moment here. I know you’re a fan of Abhishek so I shouldn’t even be complaining here but in what universe is it ‘coherent’ to criticize a number of Aamir films from the last decade and then suggest Bol Bachchan looks like a great comedy?!
And it’s not enough to say that so many others criticize SRK here that you defend him and vice versa with Aamir. That’s a bit too convenient. One’s positions cannot only depend on what others say. if there are hordes attacking Bachchan I’ll defend him but I will not at all find it necessary to defend Ajooba!
Anyway this is really it from my side on this subject.
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June 18, 2012 at 2:33 PM
OG: there are lots of ills in the society; aamir’s show is not (an evil presence). If you want “panties in a bunch” then pick a proper cause. There has to be logic. I think blame entire collapse on hindi films onto KJO (satyam and co) or to blame Amitabh for family control in Bollywood (Anuraag K.) or to blame Aamir for “insipid” show (you)…are all extreme reactions of passionately emotional people who get blindsighted. I think Aamir has right to bring forth a show that is close to his heart; KJo has right to make movies that are closer to his south bombay heart; If your parameters are so rigid, then we all are like Ants and don’t have the capability (eyes) to see the entire elephant ever and should never do anything at all! Like Ami said that Aamir should also make his show ‘balanced’ by showing the ‘other’ side…which I disagree. Abuse is abuse…I don’t care to know the ‘reasons’ why you hit a woman or aborted a female in the womb. We all have view points. You may not be gung ho on the show in terms of its effectiveness or you may consider it emotionally manipulative time and again or here and there…but to completely dismiss it as you do, makes you very illogical. Understanding elephant, one part at a time, is a good start. Slowly we will see more and more of the elephant.
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June 18, 2012 at 2:42 PM
“I think blame entire collapse on hindi films onto KJO (satyam and co) ”
this is actually quite false. I have never made such a claim. Johar is for me the perfect symptom for a larger malaise, the ‘name’ for something bigger. He’s just a kind of shorthand I use. I never (ever!) mean that he’s some kind of evil master figure controlling everything! Which is why a great deal of my critique of his work also involves a similar one of the whole ‘India Shining’ moment. If it were just about Johar things would be very easy as once his sun set, which it surely has at this point, everything would be ok!
On the other hand Kashyap has that kind of view when it comes to Abhishek or perhaps the Bachchan signature. In fairness and even against his public statements I don’t believe he means exactly this. But nonetheless that’s the way he chooses to frame things, never bothering to provide greater contexts or nuance or what have you. So here one could actually believe that if Abhishek were not part of the industry everything would be perfect!
Olgold though is in a third category. She’s not even making any sort of systemic claim. That the Aamir brand of cinema is good or bad. It’s a much more basic claim that everything he does is overrated because he cynically exploits both the media and the fans into believing so!
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June 18, 2012 at 2:49 PM
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June 18, 2012 at 2:35 PM
The whole surrogacy debate in the light of female foeticide was ridiculous. As a separate topic, ok…but in comparition with SMJ and female foeticide…I found it baseless!!
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June 18, 2012 at 2:41 PM
“but I will not at all find it necessary to defend Ajooba!”- Satyam, but i ‘will’ defend Ajooba at all costs 🙂 ! Seriously imo Ajooba was not a trashy film at all unlike GJS, Inquilaab, jaadugar, indrajit, insaniyat- it was a risk and an experiment which did not work that well. I thought they had the right script but it required Desai and not Shashi at helm
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June 18, 2012 at 2:48 PM
Inquilaab is not a trashy film by any stretch of the imagination. Insaniyat doesn’t even count. He did a guest appearance here, the film was delayed for ages, eventually released when it didn’t even matter to the leads. I would disagree even with that characterization of Jaadugar though this was a ‘disaster’ in certain ways. Now if your claim is that Ajooba is a more refined attempt than some of the others I’d probably agree but then I never called if ‘trashy’. It’s just a very flat film. Having said that by your loose definitions of trashy Ajooba could easily fall into such a group. If the point is that low grade masala can often be or is often classified as ‘trashy’ that’s true but the same is so for campy fantasy where the SFX seem rather poor and so on.
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June 18, 2012 at 2:56 PM
Satyam, but considering the time when Ajooba was made SFX couldn’t have been much better (which bwood film during that age had better graphic work or sfx- the ‘suhaag’ helicopter scene also had bad graphics even though the film released much before Ajooba). And Ajooba was a mega-budget film unlike the other ones, was an Indo-Russion joint production of sort- so i think it was a very different film. Also let us not forget, it was india ‘s 1st true-blue superhero flick
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June 19, 2012 at 12:32 AM
“Ideaunique into crassness”
oh comeon now OG – u seem like looking for an exit route here where u know from the outset that u r on the wrong track – SHIT HAPPENS – all the time from your end as far as aamir is concerned – and now this is a tag-line from a movie – so satyam, pl. don’t edit it 😉
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June 18, 2012 at 11:23 AM
“I’m sorry, but I can’t make any sense of this comment. If it is meant to be humorous, I don’t have a funny bone. ”
ROFLOL !! Will badly miss Old gold’s priceless “comments” & our weekly dosr of emtertainment when SMJ ends !!!
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June 18, 2012 at 11:35 AM
Hmmm. All this talk of funny bones and incoherence leads me to wonder if it is because of a lack of ideas to respond to my comment.
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June 18, 2012 at 3:37 PM
OG, as far my understanding of Elephant and 6 blind men parable is, it speaks of a inherent spiritual/psychological truth, that reality can be perceived in different ways, in psychological terms, finite mind cant understand the Infinite reality… but that shouldn’t stop from having one’s own perception.. Every perception of reality is right if one looks at from the observer’s point or angle..its like taking different images of sun from different altitude and angle. every image will be different, yet every single image is true and right…
Rest You have a POV and my belief is it must be respected irrespective of agreeing or disagreeing …
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June 18, 2012 at 3:39 PM
Elephant stands for infinite reality and 6 blind man stands for Mind… Its Mind trying to know Infinite
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June 19, 2012 at 9:37 AM
LOL!
I’d missed this comment. 😀
It would seem you and satyam (perhaps others too) went scurrying along the Wikipedia/internet corridors to get information about this.
NO, the interpretation you are mentioning is the high flown religious/philosophical ones formed AFTER the INDUCTION of this parable into their school of thought.
I certainly DON?T mean this one – but the original one.
I have answered satyam below in this thread. I think this link will take you there. If not just scroll down.
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June 19, 2012 at 10:35 AM
nice try Oldgold! where is this ‘original’ story from?! I don’t believe it’s in the Panchantra (though there are other elephant tales here). Many think it’s originally a Jain or Buddhist story. Some think it originates in China. even the link you’ve provided there and the extract you’ve quoted in no way contradicts anything I’ve said on this! The central interpretation is still the one I’ve referred to! But again where is that original you have access to before it was introduced into Jainism or Buddhism or whatever? But in any case the canonical interpretation of this story is so obviously the philosophical one (whether one wants to trace it to Jainism or Buddhism or China or whatever) that it would be odd to suggest any other (though again you would at least have to produce the source.. I am happy incidentally that you like some of these internet links a bit more than you did yesterday..). The best anyone can say is that it’s an old Indian folktale but as in many of these cases it’s very hard if not impossible to discern what the later interpolations were. So what is the pre-Jain or pre-Buddhist version of this story? The generic one that’s presented is actually not traceable to an actual, verifiable source. In any case folktales come in different versions too.
But leaving aside all this history you’re now at a point where you’re saying you’re not asking Aamir for the whole elephant (in that link above), just for more of a it. We’re not buying meat at a butcher’s where we argue about the size of the steak or whatever it is we’re getting! And going by your logic had Aamir shown one other angle you would have argued for a third one! There would always be enough elephant left to consume!
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June 19, 2012 at 10:39 AM
on that note and more generally it’s always very hazardous to guess where the origins of various stories lie. So in this case the Jain or Buddhist version might well be the source. Or it could be ‘foreign’ as well. According to one of the sources this story is even found in Africa. But irrespective of what the real deal here is the truth can often be counter-intuitive. For example the most canonical stories of the Arabian Nights (ali Baba, Aladdin and so on) are in fact no more than 2-3 centuries old and the most recent additions to a canon which though it can be traced to the 7th or 8th centuries was constantly being enlarged and edited and so on. But those most quintessential stories (from our perspective) are very recent ones. who would intuitively imagine this to be the case?
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June 19, 2012 at 10:43 AM
by the way if the value of Aamir’s show depends on how this parable is interpreted and what version is used I think he’s in good shape!
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June 19, 2012 at 12:08 PM
@OG
Re : It would seem you and satyam (perhaps others too) went scurrying along the Wikipedia/internet corridors to get information about this.
I didn’t opened any Pedia and that’s where the problem lies.. You assume too much and than think its right.. bubbled up it from my own memory database and no one can decide with certainty the genesis of the parable… so the tale quoted to find resolution itself is now finding various POV 🙂
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June 18, 2012 at 11:25 AM
Salman Khan praises Aamir Khan aka ‘Teeluu’!
http://in.omg.yahoo.com/news/salman-khan-praises-aamir-khan-aka-teeluu-100040420.html
It is known to all that actors Salman Khan and Aamir Khan have been dear friends in the industry right from their ANDAAZ APNA APNA times. Now, the latest is that Salman took to social networking site to appreciate his dear friend.
In his tweet, Salman referred Aamir by his ANDAAZ APNA APNA character name i.e. ‘Teeluu’. Though Aamir’s character name was originally ‘Amar’, he was fondly called ‘Teeluu’ in the film.
Tweeted Salman on the blog, “Wah yaar Aamir Khan! ‘Teeluu’ ne toh kamaal kar dikha ya, yaar ab jisko hindi nahi aati vo zara pls isko translate karva lena, thank u.”
Well, may be only Salman and Aamir know the reason behind this sudden praise! But, probably it seems for Aamir’s television show ‘Satyamev Jayate’ that might have impressed Sallu.
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June 18, 2012 at 11:27 AM
Aamir Khan’s the woman’s man on talk show Satyamev Jayate!
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tv/Aamir-Khans-the-womans-man-on-talk-show-Satyamev-Jayate/articleshow/14231584.cms
Aamir Khan chooses his audiences intelligently, well in accordance with the issue to be discussed on his talk show, Satyamev Jayate on Star Plus.
Into the seventh episode, the audience for Aamir’s talk show was filled with men. Why so? Because he chose to speak on domestic violence, making Aamir a true champion and hero. He is the one man who takes up the cause for Indian women and their issues. Be it the episode on female feticide or dowry to the latest on domestic violence. As a host, Aamir has created a platform for the women of our country to throw light on tabooed topics that are swept under the rug.
Yesterday’s episode of Satyamev Jayate (17th June 2012) highlighted the plight of women who are subject to physical and mental abuse and torture at the hands of their husbands. Shocking revelations came one after the other as the women guests courageously spoke about their battered past. Snehalata Jadhav, a victim to physical abuse at the hands of her husband suffered the trauma for 16 years in the hope of things changing for better. But when things finally got out of hand, she took the brave decision to call the marriage quits. It’s a myth that women in the upper strata of society are an exception to this rule. Take the example of Rashmi Anand, a woman from a well to do family, pampered at the hands of her parents. When her marriage was arranged, she was clueless as to what lay in store for her! Just a few days into the marriage and her nightmare began. After several chances and many broken bones later, Rashmi Anand decided t walk out of the marriage but her pleading husband brought her back home, in the hope of saving their marriage. But things went from bad to worse and finally she had to courage to say not to violence.
Shanno Begum was also subject to violence at the hands of her husband and after years of torture, when he finally slammed her head with a stone, Shanno could take it no more. Says Shanno “I don’t know what got into me or where the courage came from. I slapped my husband”. And that put an end to her story of domestic violence. And soon enough, her husband passed away. All three women had two things in common: they were pampered by their parents and secondly, they chose to make a career for themselves. Snehalata Jadhav is a journalist who wants to pursue law. Rashmi Anand is a noted author and counselor. Shanno begum, with the help of her daughters is a successful driver with a cab agency in New Delhi.
This episode was an eye opener because according to statistics, every one out of two women in the country is a victim to domestic violence. Also, in a shocking interview with men from all over the country, Aamir shed light on an Indian male’s mentality: That it is his right to hit the woman in order to keep her in check and a way of proving his masculinity. Kamla Bhasin of Sangat organization gave helpful tips to women, wherein she addressed the parents of the nation. Her advice was simple: Make the girl child stronger, provide her with a share of property and accept her if she is abandoned by her husband. Aamir also brought on guest Satheesh Balan, a police officer from Haryana who has been brining justice to women in his state by setting up a shelter home for them.
Anand Pawar, a resident of Pune challenged the definition of masculinity and asked every man in the audience what defines mardangi and what sort of husbands and fathers do they want to be?
All in all, a well conceptualized theme that had its light heartened moments, but never once straying from the essence of the subject. And host Aamir Khan seemed to ask all the right questions for once! Through this episode, audiences were able to delve into the changing psyche of the Indian male which comes as a slight relief, though there are still those who believe that a man’s right lies in the power of his hand!
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June 18, 2012 at 11:28 AM
Satyamev Jayate’s reach continues to grow
http://www.glamsham.com/movies/scoops/12/jun/13-news-satyamev-jayates-reach-continues-to-grow-051216.asp
‘Satyamev Jayate’ has continued to grow its reach with the launch of its 5th week. The show has delivered historic reach of 40 crore people over the first 5 episodes aired in India. As per the TAM data for week 23, ‘Satyamev Jayate’ delivered 4.7 TVR in HSM markets (All 4+, HSM) and a national TVR of 3.9 (All 4+, All India). These are simulcast ratings of the original episode aired on Sunday morning 11 am across 9 channels.
The combined viewership over the first 5 weeks reached 11.8 crores as per the TAM universe (Original + repeat airings). This when extrapolated to All India Universe, as per industry conversions, means that the show has reached out to 40 crore Indians since its launch.
‘Satyamev Jayate’ has galvanized Sunday morning viewership on TV. The show has created a community viewing habit, where people are not only watching the show across the country and outside India, but are also simultaneously talking about it in the online space. Every week since its launch, the show has dominated the social networking trends not only in India but also worldwide. The conversations begin even before the telecast of the show at 11 am and continue through the week.
Says Sanjay Gupta, COO Star India, “We are overwhelmed by the reach and impact of the show. It’s great to see that people from all over the country and world are joining the conversation and discussing how the show has personally affected them. What is even more heartening is that conversation moves beyond the show to the issue on hand and the need for change. What we are witnessing is truly historic.”
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June 18, 2012 at 11:31 AM
Terrific figures after 5 weeks….Aamir & Star would be thrilled !
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June 18, 2012 at 11:35 AM
Parliamentary panel invites Aamir Khan for inputs on medical issues.
http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/celebrity/parliamentary-panel-invites-aamir-khan-for-inputs-on-medical-issues_113664.htm
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June 18, 2012 at 12:12 PM
@satyam
I’m posting here as it’s not accessible there anymore.
Posting wikipedia links is not a good support satyam. It’s like munna coming up with all those links to support his claim. 😉
I could go there and write the interpretation I learned.
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June 18, 2012 at 12:17 PM
Perhaps all the different versions of the story mentioned there and from all the different traditions are all wrong!
Usually all debates with you lead to this kind of ‘deadend’. Can’t say I’m surprised!
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June 18, 2012 at 12:30 PM
Here’s a link for you.
“The story illustrates how people form their reality and belief system on their limited experiences. …..perception is based on what a person is able to see or touch.”
http://www.wordfocus.com/word-act-blindmen.html
You will of course twist it round to fit your interpretation.
I’m not even saying he should talk about the WHOLE elephant, but another IMPORTANT part at least – which perhaps wouldn’t suit him. So he touches and feels what he wants to – to get maximum applause.
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June 18, 2012 at 12:36 PM
>There’s no elephant
WHAT!!! LOL!
There’s a reason why the 6 men were described as blind.
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June 18, 2012 at 1:27 PM
>Usually all debates with you lead to this kind of ‘deadend’.
You consider it a deadend because I don’t accept your explanations supported by wikipedia.
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June 18, 2012 at 2:06 PM
I’m not going to keep going in circles here but the problem isn’t Wikipedia where one could justly criticize certain facts and point out errors and so on but irrespective of the source your response would have been the very same. And this has been true many times before where when you feel cornered you make it an ‘angels-dancing-on-the-head-of-a-pin’ debate. So back to this wikipedia piece. Sure there could be errors here but is it plausible that every version of the story quoted here is wrong?!
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June 18, 2012 at 2:23 PM
It’s useless speaking.
-Your long arguments ALWAYS lead away from the discussion to confuse the reader and the one discussing – when you are cornered!!
-It’s either THAT or bringing in ‘background’ as thoiugh your background doesn’t reflect in your comments.
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June 18, 2012 at 2:28 PM
Not sure what you mean by ‘background’ here..
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June 19, 2012 at 9:31 AM
Finally I read the links. I didn’t have to resort to the net to know anything about this parable, because I’ve known it ALL MY LIFE along with several other stories from there!!
The ORIGINAL are stories for the common man, even children – with a moral. I was told the story with the interpretation which fits like a glove, and later on came across the same in articles and any mention of it.
The one you are talking about is the INDUCTION of this story into religion (Budhism) and philosophical thoughts later on and I was definitely not meaning this high flown intellectual applications which is perhaps the only one you know from the net.
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June 19, 2012 at 4:19 PM
Hmmm- interesting point about Buddhism ….Oldgold
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June 18, 2012 at 12:46 PM
Oldgold – Those links are necessary. I don’t want to write when someone in world has already stated or reasoned for me. Jyada likhne se Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ho jaata hai 😉
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June 18, 2012 at 1:07 PM
🙂 but they cannot be stated as facts and support.
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June 18, 2012 at 1:16 PM
Sometimes as fact and some times to support your opinion. If I don’t write well then I am going to lose arguments 🙂 ? Stated differently, people who don’t provide links, are saying facts? The point is in cyberworld world no one can claim to be expert of something when everything is anonymous. You can support your arguments from different sources. If I go for job interview and say that I am an expert in XYZ field, they may ask question and try to gauge. But if I have certification from third party then it carries more weight .
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June 18, 2012 at 1:30 PM
I agree. And somwhere or the other you’ll find people supporting and not supporting your view on the net.
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June 18, 2012 at 12:50 PM
Old gold’s love for Aamir is legendary.
If Aamir donates ALL his money to a charity,OG will find fault with him for donating to only one charity and forgetting the other five million charities!
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June 18, 2012 at 12:56 PM
I was watching “Blind side” yesterday and Sandra Bullock blurted out “Panties in a wad” ; gave me a good smile.
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June 18, 2012 at 1:14 PM
You know I don’t understand your american terms and phrases.
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June 18, 2012 at 1:17 PM
There are European versions also..:)
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June 18, 2012 at 1:35 PM
Which ones.
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June 18, 2012 at 2:53 PM
http://www.theblog.ca/panties-knot
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080707160428AA2ReQA
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June 18, 2012 at 1:57 PM
“when a party or subject begins to act in an anally retensive manner”
e.g.
SMJ is not that bad of a show, don’t get your panties all in a bunch, it’s going to be okay.
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June 18, 2012 at 5:52 PM
To me it seems EVERYONE here is getting whatever they wear bunched up and knotted.
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June 18, 2012 at 5:55 PM
Well said Oldgold, bravo 🙂
Btw what about those who are not wearing anything, oops..
Just wondering lol
Ps–Di: that surely was a ‘naughty’ comment from u 🙂
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June 18, 2012 at 6:08 PM
Ok folks, on that ‘lighter’ note, need to sort out some ‘bunched up’ stuff 🙂
c’mon Oldgold and Di- gud nite folks…
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June 19, 2012 at 5:15 PM
Lol roll on the next 6 shows and more abuse. The shows and ratings have held up surprisingly. Expected them to dip. As for the best show, the first one was the most hard hitting but for well balanced show I thought the last one was good.
I see oldgold is touching on all the crucial points that Aamir and his researchers have missed out on. Good going. Keep it up.
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June 18, 2012 at 1:37 PM
On a slightly tangential, but related note (it pertains to a certain pattern that’s obvious in the most extreme sense):
http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/18/3092928/internet-behavior-depression-study-missouri-university-science-technology
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June 18, 2012 at 1:39 PM
Being social
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Entertainment/Bollywood/Being-social/Article1-873900.aspx
India did not have a single case of polio recorded in a year as on January 12, 2012 and has also been taken off the polio endemic list by the WHO. How much of this success can be attributed to Amitabh Bachchan’s sustained presence in the Pulse Polio Do Boond Jeewan Ki ad campaign?
Salman Khan’s ‘Being Human’ signature has been replicated by streetside apparel copycats. Being Human foundation, with a clothing and accessories line, gives all sale proceeds to charity. It has organised high profile ramp walks, including the recent show by Bollywood divas as part of the HDIL Couture Week.
Rahul Bose has been running The Foundation, an NGO dedicated to the removal of discrimination, with special focus on communal harmony, children and gender equality. The current favourite cause célèbre is, of course, Aamir Khan and his Satyamev Jayate. He has built up his ‘socially conscious’ image through several films and involvement in the Incredible India ad campaign.
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June 18, 2012 at 1:41 PM
Valid points raised here.
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June 18, 2012 at 2:27 PM
Can anyone explain to me why I should watch SMJ? Am I supposed to be enlightened, entertained, moved, changed or is the hour spent watching SMJ my weekly hour of atonement? 🙂
Initially despite my reservations I thought SMJ was a noble idea and commended Aamir for his sincerity & effort. I don’t feel that way anymore. Now I consider SMJ to be 13 weeks of pointless drudgery and Aamir a labored bore. Should I feel guilty for this? Is disliking SMJ and Aamir in it the same as disliking let’s say kya kool hai hum and Tushar Kapoor in it? 🙂
BTW if I watch SMJ, how long should I wait before I can watch a mindless flick like HF2? 5 mins, an hour, a day, a week or NEVER?…LOL
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June 18, 2012 at 2:35 PM
Matrix, you do make a valid point here. And this has been my argument with some of the pro-Aamir folks here who’ve converted this whole thing into a crusade. I think a great deal of your response is about this very fact. One can of course dislike the show anyway but when one is told by everyone in the media or by the fans that there is no choice but to endorse the show completely if one has a conscience this is a very problematic thing. Part of an older comment:
[I’ve been arguing for Aamir for many years. So I hardly need to be convinced about what he’s accomplished here. But unfortunately there is a certain fanaticism that’s creeping up in many Aamir fans too. This is the sort of thing I always disliked in SRK’s fans. It’s not about whether I like SRK or not, like Aamir or not but about a kind of discourse that becomes meaningless by its exaggeration. Again my problem wasn’t that SRK fans felt he was the greatest actor around. That would be one thing. But the historic claims were just absurd. Just because I like Aamir, deeply admire what’s he’s been doing for years doesn’t mean that the rules change. One still has to say sensible things!
And let me take this even further. People suddenly become devoted to serious issues just because Aamir’s talking about them. It’s not as if people spared half a minute of their lives before this to female foeticide. Suddenly it’s the noblest thing around to talk about it. Why? Because Aamir is doing so! It’s one thing to not have enough awareness of these things and then have one’s perspective changed. That’s absolutely fine. But suddenly it’s ‘hey I’m for Aamir because he’s a social revolutionary’. Except that ‘I’ll also be for Aamir when it’s D3 and the 200 crores’ or whatever! So one is just being a fan. Could be female foeticide or D3 one’s ‘for’ anything Aamir’s attached to. The same happened of course with the films earlier. People who had no commitment to any kind of serious cinema suddenly lionize Aamir when he does TZP or DG or whatever. But then they’re completely on board with some of the other stuff as it’s only about crores then. Whether it’s Dhoom or the show each becomes simply the conduit to idolize Aamir and is otherwise not significant in itself.
Not picking on you here or even the other Aamir fans but it’s only fair to point this out since I have done so for SRK over the years. So the SRK fans loved KHNH when he did it but also Swades when he indulged in the latter! There is nothing wrong in being a fan or even an excessive fan or even being interested in every movie one’s favorite star does. I’m talking about this other stuff. Let’s not pretend we’ve all developed a conscience all of a sudden! Haven’t we otherwise been the cheerleaders for ‘India Shining’ all along? What happened? Didn’t we notice the squalor around us or all these social evils or whatever? If we didn’t how were we able to stay ‘blind’ for so long? So on and so forth. ]
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June 18, 2012 at 2:50 PM
“Suddenly it’s the noblest thing around to talk about it. Why? Because Aamir is doing so!”
Whats wrong with that? If the above is a fact, then his show is success in what he is trying to do. The problem is public memory is short but at least a seed of idea is sown. If there is dowry being asked, there will be more and more women who will try to go with secret camera or more and more Shannos who will try to become economically independant…in other words…it is not Aamir (per se) that is inspirational…it is the people that he bring forth in his show that are hugely inspiring…don’t you agree???
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June 18, 2012 at 10:50 PM
In other words, it is very wrong of you to think that SMJ is ABOUT AAMIR….it is certainly not. He is a celebrity medium. But it begins and ends with that. The real heros of the show are the people who come out and share their stories and how some of them survived.
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June 18, 2012 at 10:54 PM
“Now I consider SMJ to be 13 weeks of pointless drudgery and Aamir a labored bore.”
But it still remains the MOST commented upon thread on SS, week after week!
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June 21, 2012 at 9:48 AM
Indeed Di! I never said otherwise.
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June 21, 2012 at 10:52 AM
If ‘boring’ stuff is this actively commented, imagine how unboring stuff will be…very exciting and even more popular! Looking forward to Talassh 😉
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June 20, 2012 at 11:57 AM
Matrix, the other day I sympathized with your position to some degree but I must also say here that you might be reacting more to the media and fan ‘extremism’ on this score. I know there’s a certain narrative here which is being shoved down everyone’s throat. Almost as if it’s a moral obligation to like the show. Certainly with the fans 99% of it is star driven. So I do see all this but I still think that whatever the reservations one has (and I’ve of course always had some) one cannot be too harsh on the show. There is very much of value happening here. which doesn’t mean one has to love it. But don’t you think your reaction is much more about the other side’s insistence in this matter than anything about the actual show?
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June 20, 2012 at 6:16 PM
Satyam, to a very large degree YES I was reacting. I was reacting against a certain sentiment that it’s not polite or worse it’s a bit “cold-hearted” to question a ‘social awareness raising’ program and its host.
Forget about the hyperbolic fans, I wouldn’t react to their claims, everyone can see the absurdity of those claims. It’s the sensible, well-meaning folks I’m pointing towards. Whether verbalized or not, the almost pleading voice saying “How can you badmouth a show with conscience?” is very palpable in SMJ discussion threads. 🙂
For some reason, perhaps to assure myself more than anything else, very self-consciously I used to say despite my reservations I’m glad there is a noble program like SMJ on Indian TV, Aamir Khan has his heart in the right place, I commend Aamir Khan for his efforts etc. when I put forth my dissenting opinions in the very early SMJ threads. Although those self-conscious comments were true, I think I overdid them, it was like I was sub-consciously apologizing for having those ‘blasphemous’ thoughts. 🙂 I think other than Old Gold, the few skeptical voices on SMJ followed the same comment pattern ending with something like: but having said so Aamir is _______(insert any saintly adjective). In a way, here I’m trying to understand this need to put a preface or disclaimer with even a slightly negative opinion about the show.
Again returning to your question, though I was mainly reacting with my original comment, there is a kernel of truth in what I said. That is I found Aamir a less than compelling host, and SMJ a less than compulsive viewing, a bit boring both of them to be frank. You can say I was telling the truth albeit in an exaggerated manner. Exaggeration was there coz I was reacting! Also I think blaspheming in the midst of all the piety is fun! 🙂
PS: It is a personal taste-I am not a fan of confessional TV with moist eyed host and studio audience, Oprah type TV shows to be exact. I much prefer the format of BBC’s Panorama or CBS’ 60 minutes.
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June 20, 2012 at 10:01 PM
fair enough statement Matrix.. nothing I can really argue with..
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June 18, 2012 at 2:59 PM
2 busy-was drenched in work….
thanx 4 the good fun discussion
ps–well done oldgold—taking on everyone–1-woman army 🙂
Di-that ‘panty’ comment is a bit ‘explicit’ 😉
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June 18, 2012 at 3:36 PM
I was just trying to explain the meaning…using the expression in a sentence to make meaning clear 😉
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June 18, 2012 at 4:51 PM
Now this news will rub on both right and wrong way 🙂
Aamir Khan to address the Parliament
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Entertainment/Television/Aamir-Khan-to-address-the-Parliament/Article1-874328.aspx
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June 18, 2012 at 5:39 PM
Did you even read it?
What about the sentence;
“Minister of state for parliamentary affairs, Rajeev Shukla, however, says he is unaware of any such development. “I am not aware of Aamir being given any such permission. It is not easy.””
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June 19, 2012 at 12:18 PM
Re: Did you even read it?
I just posted the link and nothing more.. aamir may matter to you ( as vent out). for me he is just star and distant one and i also believe that Shows dont bring change but they can lead to sensitization of fraction of populous.
Btw, Aamir is meeting the parliamentarians on 21st and its confirmed 🙂
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June 18, 2012 at 5:24 PM
will add an ‘original’ point here–dont have the ‘experience’ that many seem to have here
and do admit that this is primarily a male problem esp in india
BUt to totally miss the other side is maybe incomplete coverage
Abuse by females on males also should be mentioned albeit briefly
this includes psychological, financial, emotional blackmail, and even physical (ive heard) and sexual …
Talking of bollywood, very few (if any) films have touched this issue—seen bits of pyaar ka punch naama and though bordering on misogyny did make some worthy points..
An Open Call/Challenge to all Males here (who are married!!)
Be frank and hold your hand next to your …. (i mean heart)
Have u not faced any form of abuse???
cmon face the ‘truth” and share your sexperiences …
and enlighten the inexperiences ones like myself so we can ‘learn’ from your ‘mistakes’
ps–more ‘eye opening’ disclosures from minor are also welcome–remember his ‘tied to the bunk bed’ near-rape of his buddy in college…..
Beginning with satyam, shubh, utkal uncle…..
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June 18, 2012 at 5:35 PM
@DI
I suggest you first find out the facts and then comment. The pomposity with which you have been responding to my comments merits that at least.
You don’t even know when and where I brought up surrogacy and have the audacity to say;
>The whole surrogacy debate in the light of female foeticide was ridiculous.
I DID NOT BRING UP THE SURROGACY FACTOR IN THE LIGHT OF FEMALE FOETICIDE BUT IN THE LIGHT OF DOCTORS AND THEIR TEMPTATIONS TO TEND TO RICHER FOLKS AND THEIR EGOS.
THIS PROVES – how not only you but all the rest just want to argue for the sake of it. to ridicule what I say because you don’t like hearing it.
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June 18, 2012 at 10:44 PM
OK..calm down…I am sorry, I made a mistake. You brought up adoption as possible option and human trafficing can increase because of couples wanting to do adoption…again going back to your elephant analogy, you too are guilty of checking the elephant blindfolded and I still feel that bringing surrogacy in SMJ context is ridiculous for surrogacy (even in india) is expensive and will never become a norm. Behind every person’s work, one needs to see the motive/ambition/desire and ultimately if you have good intentions, you will win respect. I think Aamir has some respect/credibility because of his intentions vis-a-vis other Khans or at least SRK. If the emotional ‘manipulation’ (that you have huge objection to) is the reason, then stop reading books and watching movies and many things in life that are ‘manipulative’ as well e.g. D.K movies. Also try to understand that other people may not have objection to such ‘manipulation’ as long as there is some positive change/impact in society, even if short term. Who knows it might even bring about snow ball effect? One needs to therefore try and it is onus of celebrity to do so IMO. I am happy to be thusly ‘manipulated’. Speaking for myself, I learnt A LOT from various shows, EVEN though I am not living in India. Too bad if you are having problems with my loving the show 😦
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June 18, 2012 at 5:46 PM
haha oldgold…good points
btw talking of ‘domestic abuse’….
where hav the likes of amy and sanjana suddenly disappeared @ this topic–hmmm….something fishy!
hope they are safe (or their ‘poor imrans’ are safe 🙂
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June 18, 2012 at 5:50 PM
Ami is back in Chennai and is enjoying her Sambhar and Rasam 🙂
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June 18, 2012 at 10:52 PM
Naa…at a rave party 😉
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June 18, 2012 at 5:52 PM
and have just heard that amy has beaten some poor imran black n blue and ‘enslaved’ him and is forcing him to cook and…
well, no more details 😉
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June 18, 2012 at 11:15 PM
You need some people to oppose otherwise it would be Shubh pasting article after article.
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June 18, 2012 at 11:26 PM
Parliamentary panel invites Aamir Khan for inputs on medical issues
http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/celebrity/parliamentary-panel-invites-aamir-khan-for-inputs-on-medical-issues_113664.htm”
New Delhi: A parliamentary panel has invited actor Aamir Khan, who exposed malpractices in the medical sector on his ‘Satyamev Jayate’ TV programme, for an interaction on the issue. He will appear Thursday morning with his team.
Rajya Sabha MP Shanta Kumar of the Bharatiya Janata Party, who heads the parliamentary standing committee on commerce, has invited the actor to share the knowledge they gained while researching the episode.
Aamir`s spokesperson confirmed to reporters that he will be there Thursday morning to interact with the panel.
Aamir, 47, lifted the veil from the malpractices in the medical profession through his maiden TV show ‘Satyamev Jayate’ and discussed issues like doctors taking cuts and other unethical medical practices. He presented live examples of people who could have been cured with simple medicines but were advised by doctors to undergo surgeries, robbing them of precious money.
Broadcast May 27, the well-researched episode also addressed issues like overpricing of life-saving drugs.
The expose brought brickbacks and criticism from the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which wanted Aamir to apologise. But he said his conviction in the concept and aim of the show have left him fearless of negative reactions.
“Satyamev Jayate”, which marks the Bollywood`s thinking actor`s entry into the field of television, has so far discussed issues like female foeticide, child sex abuse and domestic violence.
In fact, parliament has only now passed a bill on stringent action aginst those guilt of child sex abuse.
The actor has struck the right chord with the audiences as people are watching the show with great interest. Aamir says this is his way of contributing to society by creating awareness.
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June 19, 2012 at 6:29 AM
nice……congrats Mr A
Brand Aamir gets more prestige
😉
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June 18, 2012 at 11:28 PM
Did Aamir Khan inspire Ajay Devgn and Kajol?
http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/celebrity/did-aamir-khan-inspire-ajay-devgn-and-kajol_113632.htm
Bollywood couple Ajay Devgn and Kajol, who have endorsed a number of brands, will be the face of the Maharashtra State Government’s Save the Girl Child campaign.
The duo will appear in a 3 minute long film that will show them discussing the issue of female foeticide.
When a leading daily contacted Devgn, the actor said, “We are working on the script at the moment and should be ready to roll it within a month or so. Both Kajol and I will be part of this, and we will speak about female foeticide.”
On being asked if he would rope in Aamir Khan to discuss the issue, Ajay said that it is a “good idea” but it would be too early for them to confirm the same.
Looks like Aamir’s debut TV show ‘Satyamev Jayate’ has awakened his colleagues` social conscience as well!
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June 19, 2012 at 5:43 PM
@satyam, Di etc.
The attempt at sabotaging my comment and views has lead me to bring the focus back to my comment. Here’s a clear table (dumbed down for …..)
SMJ epi 7: about women suffering at the hands of men (husbands) —> ignores non physical mental damage caused by behaviour of husbands *and* women at home
—> which also lands them in hospital/psychiatrist ward as the cause of many illnesses can be found in the extremely unhappy state of mind of the person over a period of time, day after day.
—> 2 common examples of mental torture (among several others) are;
a)the saas and sisters-in-law(especially in small towns and in villages where majority live together)
b)infedility
—>a) is not a minor factor of torture (mental) of women by women to be ignored.
–>b)not a minor factor at all. It effects the self esteem and the whole personality of the woman especially after having given birth to children, and not looking the ‘kanya’ anymore. Not talking of women who immediately get down to regaining their previous looks. Amir is guilty on this count, as many stars, but they are not preaching at least.
–>I find that he manipulates by making the people feel that the problem is just *husband beating wife* (elephant looks like the trunk). My illustration here is the**children’s story with a moral** – no high flown philosophies.
–>who wrote this parable, what the interpretation is, does not change the fact that this part was overlooked.
—>why? Because it will not bring him praise and applause?
THAT’S ALL MY COMMENT IS ABOUT. ONE CAN AGREE OR DISAGREE
In future I will not discuss/acknowledge/respond to any comment on any thread from now on which tends to mock my opinion, try to belittle it, lead it astray, attempts at creating a mish mash all over the board, AND GIVING MY VIEW AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT COLOUR AND ANGLE
The above will most probably lead me into never commenting because the trick of doing the above list of things never fails to raise its head when I comment against Amir, and his lovers don’t like hearing it.
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June 19, 2012 at 10:08 PM
ROFLOL…every few threads and “debates” later OG threatens to leave and then boys have to humor her! OG….please don’t leave us…don’t get scared by the boys…SMJ debates and discussions wouldn’t be the same without you girl 😉
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June 20, 2012 at 2:27 AM
THERE YOU GO AGAIN!!!
DID I SAY I’M LEAVING?!
What’s wrong with your comprehension abilities? Do you have any?
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June 19, 2012 at 10:20 PM
“above list of things never fails to raise its head when I comment against Amir, and his lovers don’t like hearing it.”
I care a dang about Aamir (now if it was Irrfan or dhulia, it would be something different)…he is a “DJ” of the show but the highlight of the show (for me) is not aamir khan at all. The whole research team, the people who come forward, various issues and the kind of people who might be watching it. I would rather women/families watch SMJ than some insipid saa-bahu teleserials. I always think that critical appraisal of everything has a place. There is no need to become fan of Aamir or make him into next prophet or something but at the same time there is some merit in the show…wouldn’t you agree? Do not think of yourself alone watching in some foreign country but think of those millions who are watching in India…think of the kinds of people/audience that is watching the show (household help to upper middle class housewives). I am sure the mother-in-law who pushed the baby from the stairs or the one who got her daughter-in-law abort 7 times are also watching as well those who may take such actions in future. If there is a public opinion formed and some positive outcome, then why object it so much. Sure mental torture or father abusing child was not covered but at least they talked about dadaji abusing 2 year old or physical abuse…its a good start…maybe there will be second season..and follow up…which would be even more popular show. Who knows, Aamir may stop acting and start doing this full time. lolz
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June 20, 2012 at 2:58 AM
It was in India, researched by Indians, an article about the effects of emotional unhappiness leading to asthma in women subjected to constant abuses (not physical but with words and attitude).
The article was about Asthma – not women.
> think of those millions who are watching in India…think of the kinds of people/audience that is watching the show (household help to upper middle class housewives).
Because of this very potency I think a lot more should have been included instead of sticking to one point which is a ‘safe’ one for him. As a man he too is a culprit. The DJ should not play just one piece of music which ‘he’ likes.
Anyway, I seem to be getting into a useless discussion again.
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June 20, 2012 at 8:03 AM
Not useless OG..it is quite useful. I too suffered from Asthma and due to the reason you have mentioned, so I thoroughly agree with you on that. However I think a stone in the sea (mother teresa) is better than nothing at all. Aamir did his job of throwing that stone and he doesn’t have to do “EVERYTHING”. Rest of the onus of discussions and bringing other aspects remain with her. It is like giving beggar clothes and beggar complaining, par aapney khana nahi diya, paani nahi diya, ghar nahi diya, paisa nahi diya….par beggar should see that at least kapda toh diya! We should be appreciative and think positive…no?! Saara kaam aamir nay thoda karna hai. Once he brings D.V. or CST in light…we the people, have to take to it next level…what about mental abuse…what about incest…we also have some responsibilities naa? Thats all I am saying. But I DO agree with you….but don’t agree that Aamir has to do everything in one hour….that won’t “work”.
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June 20, 2012 at 10:27 AM
>.but don’t agree that Aamir has to do everything in one hour….that won’t “work”.
Finally we have zeroed in to what I have been incoherently trying to say for so long.
He cannot do everything in – isn’t it one and a half hour (?) – so what he chooses to leave is significant, and in this episode I feel as a man guilty he left a whole area undiscussed which is of equal importance – even legally.
>Once he brings D.V. or CST in light…we the people, have to take to it next level…what about mental abuse…what about incest…we also have some responsibilities naa?
LOL! If the people are going to make it move forward because of this programme alone now, I feel sorry for the hopes from such people. Perhaps after the episodes are over they will get further motivation from watching him in D3 and Talaash etc.
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June 20, 2012 at 12:57 PM
Di : how is your ‘asthma’ now ?
Any ‘inhaler’ type devices u use ? 🙂
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June 20, 2012 at 5:26 PM
“– so what he chooses to leave…”
And there in lies the problem. You think he “chooses”? So he should do a program on mental abuse, you will say he “chose” to ignore important issue of physical violence. If a PH.D student were to write a thesis on life cycle of monarch butterfly, would you say “hey you left 10000 other species untouched”??!! But knowing you, prolly you would say that. 😉
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June 20, 2012 at 5:50 PM
Good point there Di
Btw the likes of oldgold are imp or debates since she doesn’t take the politically correct stance just to ‘conform’ to a group and stands by what she feels irespectove of the ‘opposition’
Keep it up -my subtle support 🙂
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June 20, 2012 at 6:06 PM
@Di
A coherent answer;
–>he can’t choose to show all – (see, I agree with you here)
–>he chooses THAT which eases the manipulation of audience
–>he leaves THAT which he’s guilty of as a man
–>I see hypocrisy in this choice
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June 20, 2012 at 8:45 PM
OG: Maybe almost all his shows can be boiled down to “system under patriarchy”, so he is fighting his own gender….he is fighting bias against females in almost all the shows! Even in the last show the lady said “toh miya aap mard bilkul nahi ho”. It is very important in life to be flexible. Your inflexibility reminds me of Khap or Satyam or many others…this is not a way to grow!!!
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June 21, 2012 at 9:47 AM
I’ve posted the response here;
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June 19, 2012 at 10:45 PM
BTW OG…don’t take things “personally”. I get lot of below belt abusive stuff from rajen and likes at all times…just ignore them… and hey it is virtual world…and there are good people like Alex and Omrocky etc…so chalta hai, balance ho jata hai. Mere koi baat kaa bura matt lagana…agar lag gaya th I am sorry Madam. Datte raho.
Peace!
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June 19, 2012 at 8:40 PM
OG,
There is far more to you than your visceral hatred for Aamir.
So, please continue to comment and contribute. You are always a very welcome presence here, even when you make some seemingly indefensible comments regarding Aamir.
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June 19, 2012 at 8:51 PM
I second this..
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June 20, 2012 at 2:47 AM
Thank you Rajen, but I didn’t mean to leave.
I’m beginning to feel my comments really are incoherent .
All I’m trying to say is that the responses should not sabotage my view, otherwise there is no sense in my commenting.
BTW if/when I leave it will be without an announcement.
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June 19, 2012 at 10:22 PM
Satyam/Rajen,
I am also thinking of quitting.
😉
Lets see….
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June 20, 2012 at 3:19 AM
Di,
do u want me to sing “Abhi naa jao chhod kar….” 😉
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June 20, 2012 at 3:40 AM
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June 20, 2012 at 6:59 AM
LOL,Di!
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June 19, 2012 at 10:28 PM
Didi- Idhar aao batlaayen hum Janeman..
Tumhe quit karne key lakhon jatan..
jaatey ho, Jaaney jaana…
aakhiree salaaam letey jaana…
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June 19, 2012 at 10:36 PM
waah…waah…kya baat hai…Didi aur Janeman ek sentence mai…lolz
Theek hai…trying to “quit” for a long time…its a bad addiction Mr Bard….
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June 19, 2012 at 10:40 PM
itna serious maumla chal raha hai aur apko poem sujj rahi hai?! BTW accha attempt hai. Roak bhi rahey ho aur khuda-hafeez bhi…wah wah…politics toh koi aap say seekhey. BTW did you watch Shanghai? Did you like it, rockstarji/omrocky/rocky?
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June 20, 2012 at 12:07 AM
rockstar is a different member.
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June 19, 2012 at 10:44 PM
LOL……my screen name for NG has been Rocky , but had to create a new ID to become a member of SS so put in OmRocky786, every now and then it switches which can best be explained by Satyam/ Munna..
Will wait for DVD for Shanghai…..I know I wil like it…
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June 19, 2012 at 10:48 PM
Rockstar is a different individual…
am pretty clean and straight forward that way…I have NO AKS…….
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June 19, 2012 at 10:51 PM
After reading the contant( subhah aur raat) threat of revealing everything and no one will be able to take it and that it will create a turmoil and a seperate post is needed etc. etc…..
I felt like saying- Major , Bhonktey hee rahege ya katogey bhee….LOL
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June 19, 2012 at 11:29 PM
Sir, like that line from Kaante but i like the original from RV even more- “Are u gonna bark all day little doggy or are u gonna bite”? Anyway, in case u r hinting towards me,Sir i wonder what made u wait for so many days before saying this. i don’t think i ever ‘threatened’ anyone here abt anything. Regarding the matter, Satyam knows everything so u can ask him abt it-at the end of the day it is he who is allowing me to be on the blog.in case u have a problem with my presence,u can ask him. Regards
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June 19, 2012 at 10:55 PM
Contant= constant
noe it’s not letting me post my comments as reply, I have to post them as seperat new comment…..
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June 19, 2012 at 11:51 PM
sir jee….do not care and have no objection to your presence here….don’t want to ask satyam either,and nothing made me wait for so long..jo man mein aaya bol diya…..was just intrigued by the constant – don’t force me spill the beans varna anarth ho jayega….line….going to sleep now… peace/sleep/take a break/….
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June 20, 2012 at 12:04 AM
lagtaa hai aap dono Doon alumnis shaant nahi baithenge.. 🙂
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June 20, 2012 at 7:54 AM
I don’t think Rocky or OmRocky did anything wrong here…but anyways…I even forgot the “doon vs Doon” connection 😉 lolz
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June 20, 2012 at 1:16 AM
Aamir’s show is 7 episodes old and has had an impact every week, in some way or the other. I’ve loved listening to the experts every week. Victims who have suffered have told heart-wrenching tales that have woken us up, and some victims have overcome problems, offered hope top others. Conscientious government officials have appeared on the show and spoken about doing duty and not caring for rewards; these people, like the SP of Bhiwani in Haryana, one Mr. Balan ( from 7th episode ) ,or the Rajasthan IAS officer from Medical Malpractices episode–he and a few others–they have been so inspiring.
I’ve also loved listening to people like the fiesty Shanno ‘driver’ from latest episode or the emphatic hilarious Dr. Gulati from the 4th episode. Loved hearing Kamla Bhasin spell the basis for a truly equitable society–latest episode. In every episode, the people who appeared they have been the stars.
And Aamir has done a TERRIFIC job as anchor, speaking gracefully, sometimes wittily, but only as much as necessary, never overshadowing the guests on the show, NEVER.; he has improved with each show, eyes tearing up less on each subsequent show, more and more confident with each show ,natural and confident as he talks to guests
He has been invited to parliament to share his medical episode reserach stories–and he will be doing it today, Thursday, accompanied by some SMJ team members. I wish him and SMJ team luck.
I have written this piece above, because somebody needs to say it loud and clear, speak up for beleagured Aamir who is being continuously dismissed by ungenerous jealous whiners and malcontents on various media spaces. Firstpost.com and Open mag are only two examples of such people. The Hindustan Times has a weekly column from Aamir, The Hindu too. But The Hindu only allows proper comments, not spiteful personal attacks–which HT allows. One can well see the difference in attitude and class of these papers.
And of course,this space has its own resident Aamir hater-critic or two–at least.
It is depressing to find a positive tv show being attacked in such a selfish manner, for the most far-fetched reasons. For the most part , I’ve stopped reading negative mealy- mouthed sarcastic comments/blogs on Satyamev Jayate. A positive show like smj needs a positive outlook on the part of those who care to watch it. And those who don’t care for it–or its anchor more likely–why don’t they just stay away instead of spewing venom every week?
Aamir has said that this tv show is probably the best thing he has done so far in his life. I agree .
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June 20, 2012 at 2:05 AM
very well said LS – fully agree and support your opinion. “And of course,this space has its own resident Aamir hater-critic or two–at least.” and they are smart hater-critic here! they will pour out all the hatered here and then…..suddenly take offense to everything and everyone who tries to oppose them and then create a dramatic scene where they want to resign and they will never comment again and blah…blah….blah….for what? so that someone will come and say – oh no! don’t go. Continue commenting……instead of that if they keep a balance of criticism and praise…….but yahaan to “Sau choohe maar ke billi…..” 🙂
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June 20, 2012 at 7:56 AM
Right on the money L.S. I agree wholeheartedly with everything you are saying! India needed a program like this and I am glad there is a dialogue and a forum for it now!
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June 20, 2012 at 8:38 AM
Carryon LS. I like your spirit, your thoughts, your decency. Unfortunately, haters will have a field day as they have support. Murky politics will always have an upperhand and empty vessels make more sound.
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June 20, 2012 at 11:23 AM
Well said LS and also the point Di made in her earlier comments ‘.. wrong of you to think that SMJ is ABOUT AAMIR….it is certainly not. He is a celebrity medium. But it begins and ends with that…”
This is the crux of this whole debate. Firstly please pardon me but the show is not catering to you westernized idiots only. The reach of the show is in the heartlands of India where people are still not fully educated and aware about these issues. I presume he is purposely filtering the program with stories from the lower strata mostly to connect to a larger section.
Have heard a lot of celebrities talk in their interviews about giving back to society but to me ‘this’ is the real way of giving back and I see this whole show nothing but Aamir’s gratitude towards his countrymen for the love and support he got from them. This is an exercise to enlighten his countrymen to make this a better place. There is no award/reward for these kinds of gestures.
Another one of these selfless kinds in bollywood is Salman. Hats off to both of them!!
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June 20, 2012 at 11:48 AM
“This is the crux of this whole debate. Firstly please pardon me but the show is not catering to you westernized idiots only. The reach of the show is in the heartlands of India where people are still not fully educated and aware about these issues. I presume he is purposely filtering the program with stories from the lower strata mostly to connect to a larger section.”
This is an uncalled for and very rude statement. I nonetheless leave it here to make a certain point which is that the implication of your remarks is actually even more offensive though it’s hardly original with you. It’s an old bourgeois trick to constantly posit this heartland/lower class ‘imaginary’. The guy who needs escapist entertainment or who likes mindless fare (I suppose compared to the geniuses who love the romances and family films and what not!) and who constantly needs to be ‘educated’ as he (or she) is elemental or instinctual man (or woman) needing to be refined into civilization! Of course the irony here is that as the stats reveal on every single episode any of those societal problems is precisely not confined to ‘lower’ classes and so forth.
So even though I don’t think you intend to insult these classes there is an easy and fairly stale assumption here about some imagined other about whom we nonetheless feel confident we know everything! So we know why the auto driver likes masala, we know how he needs to be educated in various ways, on and on.
And again consider the ‘choices’ of those one would consider to be on the other side. Are the viewers of KKHH and Dhoom going to be guardians of some notion of culture and/or progressive ideas?! Gimme a break!
By the way for any viewer of ‘Bollywood’ at any level and for that matter some of the Southern industries and similarly for any consumer of Indian TV at any level the idea of anyone being more of a ‘Westernized idiot’ than any other is plain silly. Aamir’s very show is not imaginable without a ‘Western’ talk show ‘confessional’ format already being canonized!
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June 20, 2012 at 3:38 AM
oldgold has a view n everyone has the right to have one, and good thing is she’s consistent about it.
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June 20, 2012 at 3:52 AM
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/services/advertising/trps-fall-for-satyamev-jayate-advertisers-raise-noise/articleshow/14283470.cms
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June 20, 2012 at 4:27 AM
Satyamev Jayate reaches out to 1 in every 2 TV viewers in India
http://www.mediamughals.com/News/1/1/Article/10128/Satyamev_Jayate_reaches_out_to_1_in_every_2_TV_viewers_in_India.htm
Satyamev Jayate has continued to grow in Reach into its 6th week of launch. The show has now reached out to an unprecedented 43 crore people over the first 6 episodes aired in India. As per the TAM data for week 24, Satyamev Jayate delivered 4.1 TVR in HSM markets (All 4+, HSM) and a national TVR of 3.4 (All 4+, All India). These are simulcast ratings of the original episode aired on Sunday morning 11 am across 9 channels (Star Plus, Star Pravah, Star Jalsha, Star World, Star Utsav, Star Vijay, Asianet, ETV Telegu and Doordarshan).
The combined viewership over the first 6 weeks reached 12.7 crores as per the TAM universe (Original + repeat airings). This when extrapolated to All India Universe, as per industry conversions, means that the show has reached out to 43 crore Indians since its launch, which is nearly one in every two Indians who are watching TV. The lead platform for reach build in the simulcast continues to be Star Plus which delivered 75% of the cumulative reach.
Says Sanjay Gupta, COO Star India, said, “We are very pleased that the show continues to have an unprecedented impact. Satyamev Jayate has brought back to TV the hard to please upper SEC audiences who have become loyal followers of the show. The belief is that these audiences are tough to please. To not only get them back on TV, but having done so in such an impactful way is extremely heartening and demonstrates the strength of the content. On the other end of the spectrum the show also delivers well amongst terrestrial homes, demonstrating the universality of the content.”
The growth story in social media also continues with more than 68 crore impressions. The show continues to be on top of Twitter trends every week not only in India but also worldwide. Every Single episode of Satyamev Jayate has trended as No.1 on Twitter, which is a remarkable performance. The buzz and impact generated by the show online has been unprecedented and conversations have only grown over the weeks. The show’s website continues to receive overwhelming support with messages of encouragement and extremely heartening stories of change at a personal level.
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June 21, 2012 at 10:10 AM
Good stuff 😉
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June 20, 2012 at 7:52 AM
@Saurabh: There is a saying in gujarati, baandh besti pagahdi pehervi…your statements remind me of that saying BTW…it means that you tend to wear headgear (paghadi) which seems to be fitting your head but really it is not for you…loosely/badly translated. IN other words, I have same “issue” with you…things are not meant for you but somewhere you jump in totally unrelated things and start maroing comments that how hurt you are because they are directed at you! I don’t think omrocky’s comment vaguely even hinted you…
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June 20, 2012 at 9:16 AM
Di, he himself said that he was referring to me- can u see his ensuing response. but i wonder why are u butting in.(u invariable drag ur ass in arguements which have nothing to do with you). anyway i don’t have any issues with him. on the other hand u seem to be having major problems with me which is becoming clearer with each comment of yours abt me. i have been politely trying to avoid u and not trying to pick up a fight simply bcos i do respect u. but my patience is running out.
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June 21, 2012 at 7:13 AM
reminds me of a song..( yet again,lol).
Sau rab Di….
main mar jaaooingee, main mitt jaaooingee
Jo tune mera naam na liya..
SauRabDi……lol
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June 21, 2012 at 8:38 AM
ROFLOL..aap bhi baaz nahi aayegay Rocki!!
.it is more like Sau Rock bhi….Doon Vs Doon…brothers in arm..or since gangsta is popular these days you being haji mastan and him being dawood. lolz
p.s. Dawood always wins in the end 😉
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June 21, 2012 at 9:11 PM
win as in hiding in Pakistan ?? LOL !!
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June 21, 2012 at 10:57 PM
or some medical facility in maharastra 😉
lol…now wrath will release in minor way
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June 21, 2012 at 11:14 PM
LOL- i don’t think that i am that wrathful, atleast not always (and i am currently not able to be really angry with you. had i been so, i would have said much worse things by now) 🙂 – anyway i am kind of perversely enjoying this small-talk abt me which you are indulging in- i never knew some people have harboured so much of love for me that it’s overflowing now 🙂
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June 21, 2012 at 10:28 AM
ओम रॉकी ओम ….ओम रॉकी ओम ..LOL
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June 21, 2012 at 9:11 PM
LOL!!!
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June 21, 2012 at 9:45 AM
@Di
>Maybe almost all his shows can be boiled down to “system under patriarchy”,
—>WHAT????!!!!
Except Female foeticide and intercaste marriages all other problems exist everywhere.
>so he is fighting his own gender….
—>By pointing fingers at other men but excluding himself?
>he is fighting bias against females in almost all the shows!
Hmm, a very cushy, cosy way of fighting it, with great dividends in the form of increased popularity, adulation and wah wah!
>Even in the last show the lady said “toh miya aap mard bilkul nahi ho”.
—>LOL!!
> It is very important in life to be flexible. Your inflexibility reminds me of Khap or Satyam or many others…this is not a way to grow!!!
You sound as preachy and self righteous as the man himself.
Khap or no khap, I don’t go by the definition of ‘rigid’ as;
“not accepting my views tantamount to rigidity”
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June 21, 2012 at 10:56 AM
sometimes the ‘preachy’ and ‘self-righteous’ laffo is much needed. When you are in darkness, sudden light is annoying, uncomfortable and brightening the eyeballs but ultimately it is all good 😉
Change is a good thing…but some people will always resist change…e.g. the “khap”
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June 21, 2012 at 11:00 AM
Now you are blabbering meaninglessly 😀
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June 21, 2012 at 1:33 PM
All of this related patriarchy:
female foeticide: check
Dowry: check
love marraige: check (I didn’t see any female in Khap)
child abuse: check: really I don’t see women abusing cases..possible but not likely or widespread.
Domestic violence: check
I would say disability was the only one that was not related but in the scheme of things, I would say it still is.
The difference is this:
You think that Aamir’s intentions are not well placed;he is manipulative or his show is; it has no impact whatsoever…yada. And I think the truth is always somewhere in between and not in extremes. Sometimes we become cynical and lose faith…it happens…
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June 21, 2012 at 1:48 PM
Aamir proposal will cost Rs. 28,000 crore in five years
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Aamir-proposal-will-cost-Rs-28-000-crore-in-five-years/Article1-876691.aspx
Bollywood star Aamir Khan had two simple prescriptions for a Parliamentary committee to reduce high health costs for citizens. First, make doctors prescribe generic medicines rather than brands. Second, set up a regulator to ensure big pharmaceutical don’t take over smaller ones and monopolise
the medicine market.
Khan and his team were invited on Thursday by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce headed by BJP MP Shanta Kumar, which is considering the issue of Foreign Direct Investment in India, to make a presentation after his weekly show Satyamev Jayate.
For Khan, who has struck an emotional cord with his first television show, the issue of high prices of medicines was a reason for high indebtness in rural India. He reportedly referred to government studies such as that of National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) that over 65 % of rural Indians the cause of indebtnes was high costs of health.
Despite Indian Medical Association criticizing Khan for his views on the show, the actor pointed out at several improper practices being promoted by pharmaceutical companies to increase sale of their products leading to unethical medical practices.
A possible way-out suggested was making doctors prescribe generic medicines and let the consumers decide which brand they want to buy, said a member of the standing committee.
A recent Planning Commission study has pointed out that Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation had bought medicines at up to 1/20th of the retail price through bulk buying and made it available to people at an affordable price.
The market price of a strip of 10 tablets of Albendazole for worm infection was Rs. 250 whereas the corporation procured it’s generic version for Rs. 4.62. Arteether, an injection for malaria, cost the government one-tenth of its market price.
According to corporation, around 100 companies supply over 450 different medicines and surgical equipment for distribution free of cost through public health facilities (PHFs), the only state to have such scheme. “At a budget of Rs. 29 per capita the Tamil Nadu is able to provide medicines to all indoor and outdoor patients in all public health facilities,” said the panel’s committee on providing cheaper drugs to citizens.
“The government can chip-in by selling generic medicines as done in Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan,” Khan later told reporters. The panel had estimated that the cost of providing generic medicines free of cost to all would be just Rs. 28,000 crore in the 12th five year plan (2012-17).
Impressed by presentation made by Khan’s team, another committee member said, they highlighted how a few pharmaceutical companies were taking over smaller companies and monopolizing the market.
“Khan suggested a regulator for Foreign Direct Investment in pharma sector to check monopoly,” a committee member said, adding that data on number of smaller Indian companies been acquired my multi-nationals in the last few years was also presented.
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June 22, 2012 at 3:51 AM
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/talking-heads/965074/0
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June 23, 2012 at 4:15 AM
Why Aamir Khan and SJ were made for each other
http://www.firstpost.com/living/why-aamir-khan-and-sj-were-made-for-each-other-354892.html
Some 11 years back, this writer happened to be at an event where Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was the main guest. Since he was in a hurry he came in dancing into the hall and immediately asked the audience to ask him some questions.
After a few questions came this gem, “Swami ji, jeevan ka matlab kya hai?. To which he replied “jisne jeevan ka matlab bataya usne samjha nahi, aur jisne samjha usne bataya nahi.”
This philosophical gobbledygook, or to use a simpler term mumbo-jumbo, left the audience impressed, and they kept talking about it for some days to come. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was an upcoming guru back then who was trying to find his audience and we all know he has done rather well since then.
Over the years I have thought a lot about the statement that he made on that given day. Why did he really say that? I guess those were the days when he was trying to build a story around what he stood for. He was trying to create an image of himself in the minds of people, which was significantly different from the gurus already present and doing roaring business in the market for ‘spirituality’. And his story had to be different from them.
The story that Sri Sri Ravi Shankar perfected and spread over years is that of spreading happiness and peace, targeted at the upper middle class segment of society with a dash of yoga and music thrown in for good measure. He supports this story with a bit of philosophical gobbledygook at times.
The fact that his rise coincided with the so called India growth story is no coincidence. People worked longer hours under a whole lot more stress. They also made a lot of money, something which they could use to be spiritual on weekends and seek peace, a few times a year.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is not a mass market guru like the Sai Baba of Puttparthi was, or Baba Ramdev is these days. He does not hold his sessions in open grounds like Baba Ramdev does. He holds them in air-conditioned halls. And he makes sure that he stays true to the story he stands for. Recently when Baba Ramdev went on a fast against corruption in the country, Sri Sri was asked, why doesn’t he go on a fast like Ramdev had? To which his reply was “I have so many followers outside the country. If I go on a fast, it will become an international issue. This is our problem and it should remain in India.”
So even though Sri Sri thinly associated himself with Ramdev’s campaign against corruption, he didn’t go all the way with it. Associating himself with a mass market guru on a mass market issue would have spoilt his story of being an international guru promoting peace and happiness through yoga, music and mumbo-jumbo, to the upper middle class. He had modeled himself along the lines of Osho Rajneesh (though Sri Sri is nowhere as radical as Rajneesh was), who was also a rich man’s international guru and he stayed that way till his death.
Spiritual gurus in India are big brands and big brands over a period time build stories around them. These are stories that help the mass market to relate to them. And when it comes to big brands, they don’t make bigger brands than film stars.
Dilip Kumar was the brooding lover. Raj Kapoor was the Indian Charlie Chaplin who got lost in the big bad city. Dev Anand was the gunda with a noble heart. Rajesh Khanna was the boy next door who got the girl in the end with some hiccups thrown in between for good measure.
As times changed, people forgot Khanna rather quickly, and Amitabh Bachchan became the angry young man. Bachchan tried to do something different now and then, but was unsuccessful at it during his heyday. Chupke Chupke and Alaap, two of his best performances during his peak, didn’t set the box office on fire. In the late 1980s, he played the man with no name in the superb Main Azad Hoon (inspired by the great Hollywood flick Meet John Doe), directed by Tinnu Anand, who had also directed the Bachchan comeback movie Shahenshah. Main Azad Hoon tanked at the box office.
In the next generation, Salman Khan became the bhai next door. Shahrukh Khan became the new Rajesh Khanna, the sophisticated guy next door, who gets the girl in the end, after singing a few songs in between. This story became attached to Shahrukh Khan since Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (DDLJ) released in October 1995. His anti-hero movies of Darr, Anjam and Ram Jaane all came before DDLJ.
Almost all of his biggest hits after DDLJ have had Shahrukh playing the sophisticated guy next door, who usually gets the girl in the end. Be it Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, Dil to Pagal Hai, Chalte Chalte, Main Hoon Na, or Veer Zaara.
Whenever he has tried to go against this, be it Swades, Paheli, Kabhi Alvida Na Kahna or, for that matter My Name is Khan, it hasn’t worked for him. And most recently that assault on the senses called Ra.One.
In the recent past Chak De India has been the only Shahrukh movie that has worked where Shahrukh did not play the guy next door. The reason the movie worked was that it had a strong story line, which isn’t a characteristic of most Shahrukh movies, and had a fairly limited budget.
So that leaves us with Aamir Khan, the other big star of the generation. What is his story? His story can be expressed in that old Maggi Tomato Ketchup line “It’s Different”. Aamir Khan over the last 10-12 years has been associated with movies which do not fall under the ambit of conventional Bollywood cinema. Be it as an actor or even as a producer.
As an actor he has done movies like Lagaan, Dil Chahta Hai, Mangal Pande, Rang De Basanti, Taare Zameen Par, 3 Idiots and Dhobi Ghat – Mumbai Diaries. These are movies which would be categorised as “different” in the scheme of Hindi cinema. Almost all of these movies come with an overt social message as well, something that Bollywood isn’t really known for. His next release Talaash, looks like what crime writers call a “police-procedural”. It is a sub-genre of detective novels where a murder, or murders for that matter, are investigated painstakingly by normal police detectives, who are not as smart as Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes or Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot.
Getting back to the point, during this period Aamir has also done an out-and-out masala flick like Ghajini, where his role required him to shave off his hair, something that no other Hindi film super star would have agreed to do. The only normal masala film that he has done in the last few years is Fanaa. And that is the exception that proves the rule. Aamir Khan likes to do movies that are different from the usual and have an overt social message.
Even his films as a producer, Lagaan, Taare Zameen Par, Peepli Live, Dhobi Ghat and Delhi Belly, fall into the “it’s different” category. And other than Delhi Belly, which was an out and out zany adult comedy, the other movies had an overt social message.
So that brings us to Satyamev Jayate, Aamir Khan’s latest big hit. As Aamir has repeated in many interviews, around four years back he was approached by Uday Shankar, CEO of Star India, with an idea of doing a game show. This Aamir rejected, as the Open magazine reports, saying “I don’t want to do a game show. I want to do something dynamically different”.
There you have it from the star’s mouth himself. He wanted to do something that was “different”. Aamir Khan probably understood much better than the people who wanted him to do a game show that the image he had built over the years wouldn’t allow him to do a game show. A game show required a star who didn’t really have a “serious-thinking” sort of an image that Aamir has. A Salman Khan could pull off a Dus Ka Dum. But an Aamir couldn’t. A Shahrukh could do Zor Ka Jhatka in his informal sort of way. But even he couldn’t pull off a Kaun Banega Crorepati which required the gravitas of an Amitabh Bachchan.
Media reports suggest that Aamir Khan and Star TV’s CEO Uday Shankar did not leave it at that. As Business Standard reports, “It started some sort of engagement between the two to leverage the power of television. After over one-and-a-half years Khan, who undertook extensive research with his creative team, hit upon the idea of Satyamev Jayate.”
So convinced was Aamir about the idea that other than hosting the show he even decided to produce it under his banner Aamir Khan Productions, which will get paid a whopping Rs 45 crore for the 13 episodes planned.
The entire concept of the show jelled with Aamir Khan’s image of being associated with work that is “different” and has an overt social message to it, though the social message in Satyamev Jayate is much more than any of his movies.
Aamir Khan went looking for an idea like Satyamev Jayate and found it. But it can also be safely said that an idea like Satyamev Jayate needed a presenter like Aamir Khan. They are “made for each other”, as the old Wills cigarette ad went.
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June 23, 2012 at 4:16 AM
Beyond TRPs: Decoding the ‘success’ of Satyamev
http://www.firstpost.com/business/beyond-trps-decoding-the-success-of-satyamev-352001.html
As we cross the half-way stage of the Aamir Khan starrer Satyamev Jayate on STAR Plus, the consumer, empowered by the newly learned acronym TRP, is busy talking about the ‘success’ and failure of the program in trains, at airports, in bars, restaurants, on Facebook and Twitter. Some consumers say it is a success, some dub it a failure.
What do media buyers think of the performance? Has it worked? Has it delivered?
Firstpost spoke to a range of experts to decode whether the program has worked or failed. What is common to their responses is that they see benefits beyond the simple TRP metric, pointing to the involvement, the buzz and PR, all of them difficult to measure.
Ravi Rao, CEO, Mindshare India sees Satyamev Jayate as a success. “It has delivered on the expectations on both counts, (though most people were hopeful that it would) break the TRP barrier. The content did create a good strong following, buzz and, in a way, provoked consumers to not just talk, but act, on real issues we face in the country.”
“The real success is that SJ got some real social issues, even taboo topics, into living room discussions among households; and the buzz it generated across social media, newspapers and word of mouth cut across all segments. Yes, the only thing that went wrong was creating too much expectation (in the advertising and media industry),” Rao adds.
Lynn DeSouza looks at the non-TRP benefits. “SMJ is not the kind of program to be judged on the basis of ratings. Indeed it is more in the public broadcaster domain where social change, rather than viewer entertainment or commercial gain, is the motive. With the unprecedented combination of Aamir Khan as a host and distribution platform of all Star channels plus DD, it should have performed much better by traditional ratings measures. However there is a lot of non-measured viewership and impact that must surely be there,” she says.
MEC’s Shubha George doesn’t think the program has done too well as far as viewerhip is concerned, but sees other benefits. “The really tricky thing is to separate the hype and the reality. The truth probably is that the performance lies somewhere in between the hyperbole of the media blitzkrieg and the indifferent television rating it has generated. It depends on whether we want to see the glass as half full or empty – it isn’t as full as social and other media portray and not as empty as TAM suggests would be my take,” she says.
However, she adds that, “the program is definitely a marketing, and, even more significantly, a PR success. In terms of content, I think while the attempt is admirable, it is perhaps a bit too templated which doesn’t work when a viewer doesn’t naturally connect with the social issue of the week. Also, the length of the program is a weakness. These weaknesses are probably the cause of falling viewership and low average ratings.”
Anupriya Acharya, who heads Mindshare Fulcrum in India, took charge of her job after a long innings at Singapore. “I was just back from Singapore and still settling down so actually got TV going at home just a day before the SJ debut! As an average viewer, I did not have much expectations of the program apart from the fact that if Aamir was doing the show it would be meaningful. Turned out that the content was bold and to me, very refreshing. Some of the episodes though I must admit, I found too depressing for a Sunday morning (reality sucks I guess!); and so, have been on and off on episodes,” she responds, more as a viewer than a media professional.
As a professional, she says, “It’s a great concept with the right anchor choice. It’s well thought-through; episodes are well researched, adequately represented by various stakeholders on the issue at hand, well moderated and well-paced. The PR and social leg is also well executed. Given the concept, it has naturally generated a lot of discussions, debates, views and if any of these lead to even some betterment of the society, it is all worth it. I hope it does not lose steam and more importantly is able to make a difference that can be showcased too.”
Lynn de Souza however, is unhappy about the fact that each issue sees just a single NGO being tom-tommed. “I do not like the association with any one NGO per episode. That belittles the work of many other NGOs in that space and attracts funds to only one, though of course awareness objective is achieved. Star should have set up a Star Foundation to receive donations, with a monitoring system to distribute the funds.”
Finally, we come to an issue which is being debated intensely in advertising and media circles. Has STAR, through SJ, created an 11 am slot?
“The days of time slots are gone. Consumers are active in different ways all through the day. Even SMJ may be telecast at 11 am but is in the social space 24X7,” says de Souza. “Ratings show that it has indeed opened up well and while it might not totally ‘create’ or ‘revive’ the slot, it has and will surely make a difference. However, I think the objective is larger than just creating a slot viewership. It’s in the area of larger social responsibility and in a way, I guess, Star’s move to redefine thought leadership in the television arena. I hear that Star went all out on it and organized some viewings even in villages where there is no TV access. Now, that I would say is a great example of driving ‘new users to the category’ and not limiting to only ‘creating a brand preference’,” says Acharya.
It’s the content, feels George. “As for a Sunday, 11a.m slot, I think people are choosing to watch Satyamev Jayate despite the timeslot and not because of it. If its replacement is not compelling enough, my guess is people will go back to doing whatever they did pre-SMJ,” she says.
So what’s the verdict? In a nutshell, media professionals seem to be happy with the TRP deliveries – and happier with the non-TRP deliveries. There’s obviously more that could be done in terms of involving more NGOs in each sector. And, finally, the feeling is that the 11 am slot will do only as well as the content that is broadcast in the slot.
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June 23, 2012 at 5:42 AM
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/aamir-khan-generic-drugs-parliamentary-committee-on-commerce/1/201866.html
The ‘guest appearance’ of Aamir Khan before a parliamentary committee discussing pharmaceutical industry on Thursday appeared to be more a star moment for parliamentarians than serious work.
The ostensible reason for Khan’s parliamentary do was to present his views on the need to promote generic drugs in the country. The actor had featured generic drugs as one of the themes in his show Satyamev Jayate recently.
It is no fault of the star that he was invited to be a witness before the standing committee on commerce. The fault lies with his hosts who appear to be blissfully unaware of the work being done on generic drugs by other panels of the parliament.
The parliamentary standing committee on health is already seized of the generic drugs issue. It has deliberated on it for long and has made detailed recommendations in its report submitted in May 2012. This report on ‘issues relating to availability of generic, generic-branded and branded medicines, their formulations and therapeutic efficacy’ had blamed the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) for the tardy progress on this account.
All this was much before Aamir ‘discovered’ generic drugs. DoP which is supposed to promote generic or cheaper versions of branded drugs is going slow on this count, resulting in continued flooding of the market with costly branded drugs, the panel had observed. Generic drugs are several times cheaper than branded drugs of same efficacy but are difficult to find.
The department, according to the report, has failed to ensure availability of generic drugs. It was supposed to have promoted a string of generic drug stores called Jan Aushadhi all over the country but just handful of them have been set up so far.
No deadline has been set for implementing this scheme, which in the panel’s view “gives an impression that the issue of promotion of generic drugs is being soft-pedalled”.
Generic drug stores are to be set up in collaboration with state governments and voluntary bodies in government hospitals to begin with. At present, over 100 such stores including three in Delhi are working. Original plan was to have 3000 of them within two years.
Committee chairman Shanta Kumar rejected suggestions that the actor’s appearance was more of a ‘publicity stunt’ and said anyone with an interest in the subject was free to depose before parliamentary panels.
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June 23, 2012 at 12:14 PM
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/good-at-heart/965572/0
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June 24, 2012 at 3:59 AM
Why do we expect so much from Aamir? an article by Shobhaa De in TOI-
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/politically-incorrect/entry/why-do-we-expect-so-much-from-aamir
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