April 6, 2010 (Sampurn Wire):Media makes stars or it’s the former who can’t survive without the latter. This is an unsolved debate but this relationship has always hinged on a ‘give and take’ basis. Unfortunately, we live in times where competition has let to a real dip in standard of journalism. Similarly, the hunt for TRPs has also resulted in decline of quality shows. Well, our actors too aren’t holier than cow. With time, they too have learnt how to use the media to their advantage.
Perhaps, the small screen needs the media more and thus TV actors are more vulnerable to falling prey to the over zealous TV journalists especially our erstwhile friends from the electronic media. Pressure forces an electronic reporter to produce a visual that’s different from the competitors. At times, these efforts see them resorting to silly means. When actors don’t oblige, the media label them as arrogant beings. That’s precisely what happened to actors Ayub Khan and Pragati Mehra. (Mind you, a lot of actors are arrogant)
The duo was shooting for Uttaran yesterday where Ichcha’s (Tina Dutta) bidai sequence was being shot. The electronic media was invited for this special shoot. It so happened that Mehra and Khan refused to oblige to a request from a journalist. As it always happens, word spread that the two acted in a haughty manner and allegedly told the scribes that they were paid to act in the show and not in news visual.
We spoke to Pragati Mehra who narrated things as it happened.
“Well, one particular journalist came up with a very stupid request wherein she wanted me to present a sad face and express my feelings about Ichcha’s bidaai. Ayub and I snubbed the idea and this reporter then immediately packed her kit. So, obviously she made it clear that she didn’t want anything else from us. This I thought was very disrespectful towards a seasoned actor like Ayub,” said Mehra.
“I respect the fact that reporters suggest ideas for their footage but if that idea doesn’t appeal to me then you cannot force me to give a byte. I rather have no publicity than have something negative written about me. We actors are paid to act in the show and not for a reporter’s visual,” Mehra sighed.
We respect Pragati’s point but we thoroughly understand the pressures of an electronic reporter. In times that we live in, these unfortunate things will continue to happen. It’s foolish to ask actors to do things against their will but neither can we tell a reporter to shut his/her camera.
-Mayur Lookhar/Sampurn Wire
