I’m compelled to write this in light of the recent article on LS polls and the politicians using innovative marketing strategies and the like. I also write this because I followed the Oscars today with a great deal of enthusiasm and anxiety. It has been a very good season for fine movies and so the best categories were often very competitive. Although I was a bit disappointed with the final outcome, I must confess that I enjoyed every hour I spent on the CNN website that tracked the ongoing event as it was unfolding (I would also like to convey my special thanks to my onsite coordinator at NC who was watching this live, was having a conference call with his friends on this and still was kind enough to respond to my instant messages).
Coming to the main point here, I would state that my observation that, at least in my office people seemed really more interested into Oscars than any other polls or elections that have happened in the near future. Now this of course could also be attributed to our own ARR being at the Kodak theatre and winning all the 2 categories for which he had ultimate superiority in. Now, I really don’t know how many people in our office would’ve tracked the Oscars so closely had there not been an Indian nomination. The real question here is – are the educated so disgusted of the politics? Of course, going by my previous posts, you would probably question my usage of the term educated people to describe people in my office. But yes, I’ve come across very informative and knowledgeable people here. The person sitting next to me is one of them. I, by my own confession, would like to be termed ‘barely literate’ in this case.
I’ve really never seen this much enthusiasm in people while tracking polls or elections these days. Most just wear around the attitude ‘whatever’ and that does include me. I feel the very term ‘Politics’ is associated with dirt, disgust and negativity. I feel this holds good at least in India. I know I’ve already become the target for a great number of people here just aiming to fire and blast me, but please, let’s just hold it off till we get to the comments section- I’ve got more bad news for you.
During my days at college, I used to be amazed at the level of enthusiasm guys had in obtaining a voter’s ID and of course, VOTING. To be very honest, I’ve always felt proud that I managed to stay far away from all this. In fact, there’re times when I’ve really bragged to my friends about how proudly I DID NOT have a voter’s Id (I had a passport by the way). For me, it was plain simple- I DID NOT want to be blamed in being responsible for electing an irresponsible government. As to me, whoever wins, we ONLY lose. And if people had a great sense of responsibility in doing that, I just prefer to live without that sensation. Yeah yeah I’ve heard of all the democracy and stuff. But trust me, I’m just purely disgusted with the Indian domestic politics. We still maintain an edge when it comes to international diplomacy and defense thanks to the rigorous selection process in place and NOTHING else.
I for one, DO NOT think Slumdog Millionaire was worth the Best picture and Best Director Oscars. I really feel that they should’ve gone for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I also feel that the Oscar for the best visual effects should’ve gone for The Dark Knight as against the Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Heath Ledger rightfully got his Oscar so did ARR and Resul Pookutty for their brilliance in Music. On a whole, the Oscars were a mixed bag of surprises, Slumdog got more than what it deserved (my point of view here) and Brad Pitt missed his victory by a whisker. So what about the polls folks? Does the urban India vote at all? Is it also going to be this exciting? Let me know, for I’m NOT going to spend any effort in following it (I’m apolitical anyway).
“..about how proudly I DID NOT have a voter’s Id.., I DID NOT want to be blamed in being responsible for electing an irresponsible government.”
If you did not vote for a party or not eligible to vote for a party since u do not have a Voter ID, then how can you have the rights (although not barred in the constitution, saying ‘Right to Freedom of Speech’) to talk about the government in power or even the opposition or even the Left. Don’t you think that as a civilised citizen, one can have the authority to complain or question the credibility and functioning of the issues in the parliament only if you really voted for a party. Blaming the party, that it is irresponsible is a stupidity when you, your self was irresponsible in not even getting a voter ID. If you want to debate this using the Rights in the Indian Constitution, for you information, the Constitution also says that the People Votes for the party which forms a Government. How can you avoid one right and follow the rest as a ‘citizen’?
‘Slumdog Millionaire’ is one of a kind movie which took a lot of efforts in making. Most of its crew have never touched Indian soil until December 2006 when they started to research on the screenplay and art. This phenomenal display of Indian culture, Patriotism, Religion, Languages and best of all, the very own Slums and the slum dwellers attributes to a tremendous effort in Direction, Screenplay (of course adapted from ‘Q & A by Vikas Swaroop’) is a whole lot achievement in any sense you can think of. I am happy with Slumdog winning 8 out of 9 awards.. Sound Editing got a tough competition from ‘The Dark Knight’ and it deserved the Oscar.
I was unhappy not to see ‘The Dark Knight’ in the Best Picture nomination list. It was one hell of a movie! One of the bests I’ve ever seen!
Comment by Aswin — February 24, 2009 @ 4:42 pm
@Above..Our constitution gives us freedom to vote as well as not to vote…And thats really great!!
So its ok to not to vote if i feel nobody is eligible to represent me,and i protest by not voting…
yes by boycotting election.
But thats just an argument , i will surely vote.
Comment by Dhanesh — February 24, 2009 @ 6:19 pm
It is a shame when the young keep themselves uninformed about politics or when they do not even show even a small interest in participating it.
The problem with this is that, that leaves the avenue of politics open only to the criminally minded and the corruption seekers.
If you are not satisfied with today’s politicians, make change happen by actively participating in politics. When more idealistic people come in, it will tilt the bias away from the nebulous creeps that infest the scene now.
Comment by Domestic Avalanche — February 24, 2009 @ 11:46 pm
I think Indian politics is already criminally hardened leaving out any chances of any fresh entrants..unless of course they’ve had good political associations…
Comment by Ash — February 25, 2009 @ 3:41 am
I think Indian Politicians really suck… so does Indian Politics!
About the Oscar…I was really Surprised that SDM won so many awards…SDM did not deserve so many awards. Of course ARR is the best and he deserved both the trophies he got…but I would have loved to see Dark Kinght with a few more Trophies…One hell of a movie!!!
Comment by JMJ — February 25, 2009 @ 7:53 am
@Aswin,
As I said, I don’t care and I ain’t gonna resort to any activism and I’m most defintely not complaining. I have made peace with the fact that this nation will be run by people with IQ rivaling that of a cardboard box (not all, but most)!!
SDM was good but NOT great for scoring a victory in the best director and best movie categories. Lotsa others were OUTSTANDING when compared to SDM. TDK, as JMJ said was very very well made. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button may not have a lot of logic but neither did The Forrest Gump. How many of us would say Forrest Gump was bad? It is all about how well the movie is made and for curious case, this was simply amazing!
Again, SDM was good, but there were better ones.
Comment by The Nomad — February 25, 2009 @ 5:08 pm
And whats it with most of us? Till last week, lot of the guys I know were busy SDM bashing on the basis that it cast India in bad light whereas Danny was just portraying the real India…I stuck to my stand then…It is good as a movie…
The same guys now come back and celebrate the movie as though it was an INDIAN movie and they knew victory was imminent. I still stick to my stand here.. Its good as a movie..others have done better, though…
Looks like we have a great deal of shallow population…
Comment by The Nomad — February 25, 2009 @ 5:26 pm
The World has started bowing to India in most of its outcome and quality except for Politics.. They know Indians are only fit for blame games and denials.. Though India boasts to be a secular country, and has rights to freedom of literally anything, some people use it with adverse side effects causing to the nation as well as its people. Now, The Politicians in this country needs a change in generation, style of conduct, policy, attitude and most of all they should change their ‘goals’ coz rite now, their goal is ‘making money’.. and for this ‘goal’, everything else can be compromised.. SICK LEADERS! Shameful eh?
Comment by Aswin — February 26, 2009 @ 12:46 pm
I do agree to u… Check the most recent quote I got from TIME:
“These two children have brought laurels to the country … they live in slums, which cannot even be classified as housing.”
GAUTAM CHATTERJEE, head of India’s Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority, announcing that the two main child actors from Slumdog Millionaire will receive new homes from the government.
So what about this? Are the slums a new phenomenon? Did it take a foreign director/crew to show the existance of slums? Were they invisible?
The bare truth is that the leadership just chooses to close its eyes and rake up every damn opportunity to make a publicity stunt. I really find it very difficult to accept this action in any other way. These people have now become expendable resources to a few uneducated guys- plain USE n THROW, adding to my disgust…
Comment by Ash — February 26, 2009 @ 1:13 pm