Grab the Headlines.....ANYHOW!!!
There is fame in being infamous. The present times ruled by media are a perfect testimony to this observation. The convention has become a rule going by the numerable stories of bad gone good when publicity is the concern.
Rahul Mahajan is a house hold name. He is not only known but also loved. His claim to fame? One media show. Yes exactly! His father’s legacy has nothing to do with Rahul’s popularity. It is a stark difference to the days when he was caught red handed with drugs. He fell in the public eye at a time when the party was looking at him as a substitute to their lost leader. His nervous press conference did nothing to improve his stand which further worsened with news of his being a wife beater followed by the divorce ending his short lived marriage. Oops, a long list of ‘not so good boy’ image builders….. Circa December 2009, Rahul Mahajan is hailed as the most promising winner of a television show and then appears in another one to judge children’s comic talents.
Similar is the case of one Rakhi Sawant. From a sleazy item girl to a hot shot anchor and celebrity, she is the most mimicked personality on Indian Television. An upbeat channel like Zoom roped in this once tagged ‘laughably low class’ dancer. Controversies ranging from vulgar outfits in Kohlapur to the Mikka kiss did her good. So did the drama on a reality TV show and her naive raw tactics on another. Once, the media found nothing right with her, from her manners to opinions, dressing to talking ….circa November 2009, Miss Sawant looks good, talks sense, is elegant, presentable, talented and well in demand. She is paid highly for mere guest appearances. Her claim to fame? Being notorious back in the history.
We have had examples like Phoolan Devi who jogged from the Chambal straight to the Parliament. Veerappan indeed would be jealous! Only if he had known the power of being hated so popularly!…. Ah, but some realize it and make hey while the sun shines. Monica Bedi, the talk of the town-Abu Salem’s love interest, is banking upon the ‘fame’ factor to turn her image one eighty degrees. Bravo Miss Bedi.
Seems our politicians had long ago known the advantages of being known, then be it in any sense. Renowned gangsters win elections, so do popular bad guys. Either it is the sympathy or the public acquaintance, whatever, it does them good. It is evident that if you are not able to win a Miss India crown or cannot be a Bollywood star, manage to do something that bags you the headlines ….for good or bad reasons, is your choice…but just a piece of advice, the badder, the better. Hey come on now, don’t frown at the wrong word coinage… you as public, are known to forgive so much, this is just a petty grammatical error!
Going by the thumb rule, proven by the above cases, the future seems the brightest for Muntadhar al-Zeidi and the likes.
