Tag Archives: sanju

The Art of the Spin

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Some years back I saw two top level state politicians from different political parties bonding together at a resort. They were hand-slapping and laughing loudly. The same morning they had been featured on the front page of a national newspaper calling each other derisive names. The esteemed correspondent had analysed that the parties could part ways soon.

Politicians are past-masters of Spin and it’s more extreme form- Propaganda. But their most effective spin has been that they are all bitter rivals on the grounds of ideology and policy. Nothing could be farther than the truth. With a few exceptions like the feud between Jayalalitha and Karunanidhi which had sunk to personal levels, behind the scenes the political fraternity is just that- a fraternity. When one is in power he ensures that the other is not unnecessarily harassed , leave alone prosecuted. All the name calling is for public consumption-during elections, on media and on the floors of Houses and Assemblies. Politicos switch parties whenever it suits them and political alignments are formed or dropped as the landscape changes.

Please think why lip-service is paid to some of the most significant legislations our country requires. But is never passed. Think 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha and the State legislatures. Think the police reform bill basically freeing the law enforcement agencies from the clutches and control of the political masters. Think about the Election Finance Bill making the source of political funding transparent to the public. The Criminality Law barring candidates with criminal records from contesting elections. Lots of talk but no action. No politician of any consequence wants these ground-breaking changes. They will destroy his well entrenched interests and derail their dynastic agendas.

The media has become a willing accomplice in these manipulating games. Some have become propaganda mouthpieces. Think of Fox News in the US. In India the so-called high brow, intellectual channels are as guilty as the shrill competition they laugh at. The common man today does not have a single TV channel or newspaper she/he can turn to for unbiased, factual news content.

The avalanche on the social media platforms is also disturbing. Political parties and big business have their spin professionals and there is a lot of fake stuff floating around. The consequences can be scary and momentous. Think back to the 2016 US election or the Brexit referendum. Russian hackers with downloads of Immigrant hordes and impending marginalisation of the white population could easily have swung the results.

Spin is not the domain of only the political stream and need not have national or global repercussions. But even at this level there are interesting case-studies. Remember the ‘whitewash’ job done by Rajkumar Hirani in ‘Sanju’. A bio-pic of Sanjay Dutt?. A large hearted and at times misguided victim of circumstance and the media. His close ties to the mafia and the wanton ways of this privileged person are all glossed over. Hirani and Sanju Baba will soon team up for the third instalment of the lovable Munnabhai series.

Take the case of the legendary Dhoni. Embroiled in several controversies between 2013-15. He was VP at India Cements, captain of Chennai Super Kings and captain of India. His boss, Srinivasan was the owner of the first two and the Chairman of the BCCI. A cushy position for MSD. All bases covered. The Tamil-Nadu police officer who exposed the match-fixing racket has disappeared into the shadows. Smaller fish like Sreesanth have been sent to the cooler. Dhoni has manfully stood up for his boss’s son-in-law Meiyappan before the investigators, reportedly calling him’ just a special fan of CSK.’ Public memory is short. But this sordid episode is just not cricket. The Chennai team and RR are back after a two year ban. THALA IS BACK.

Then there is the small matter of Rhiti Sports, an agency run by his friend Arun Pandey. Co-owned then by Dhoni. Representing Jadeja, Raina and Ojha amongst others. Any conflict of interest, friends?

The same Pandey produced the hit movie “Dhoni”. The uplifting story of MSD from humble beginnings in Ranchi to railway conductor to captain of the World Cup winning team. The legend who finishes of the final with a six. Etched in our memories forever. But no mention of the match-fixing saga, the 2 year ban, the conflict of interest et al.

His accomplishments are undeniable. Captain Cool. Winner of two World Cups for India. One of the greatest cricketers ever. An inspiration to millions and millions. But with a spin-doctor in the background.

The latest chapter in what is at least this dubious- association tale is the case of the Amrapali Builders. The SC has come down like a ton of bricks on the real-estate operators who have duped thousands of middle-class buyers . Dhoni has been their public face and endorser for years. Now his lawyers claim that the cricketer has been duped of his Rs 40 crore fees. Another victim, right?

Is it any surprise that a docu-drama called “Roar of the Lion” is now streaming on HotStar. MSD setting the record straight. The cricketer-hero will soon be riding out into the sunset. But before that the country anticipates the Dhoni magic again-conjuring up the third ODI World Cup win for India.

The IPL event shows the Hype Machine in all its glory. This unusual mix of cricket, Bollywood, Big-Business and the Politicos is seductive. But the novelty may be wearing-off. The crass commercialisation may be its undoing. It has become more of a social event than a serious tournament. In which other top sports event will you hear the commentator screaming a ‘Yes Bank Six’? Even the ultimate cricket stroke is sponsored. Show-time it is. Great sport it is not. The passion, the edge is missing.

Make-believe and Bollywood are two sides of the same coin. Take the case of Salman Khan, the other bad-boy of the film-world. Maybe, Hirani can do another effective ‘white-wash job’ The super-star has been accused of killing an endangered species of deer whilst on a shoot in Rajasthan 20 years ago. Then there is the reckless driving and manslaughter case where a poor pavement dweller was run over and some others injured. In India, the rich and powerful can literally get away with anything. Then, the Spin kicked in. ‘Being Human’ a philanthropic organisation was born and promoted with gusto. Remember the T shirts with the logo.The large-hearted BHAI was taking shape.

Salman has become something of a social phenomenon, in the same way Rajnikanth is. But his is a carefully cultivated image off-scream. On-screen the swag, the attitude, the over-the –top action and the one-liners are the formula for success.

‘King Khan’ has however been having a disappointing run over the last few years. His last film Zero disappeared without a trace. But his PR machine is in top-gear. He is all over the social media. Everyday , there is some latest news about SRK. A honorary degree from some University, the doting father, some nostalgic pics from his early days, the enthusiastic owner of KKR, his grand visit to China. Hat’s off – the celebrity is happening while his career is in a slump. His friends in the media and his mega-star status ensure that there is little talk about his poor choice of movies and even taking his audience for granted. Now, he has hit the pause button and is on the look-out for the right role. His legion of fans are praying for a blockbuster. Here’s hoping that something of the quality of Swades or Chak De is in the offing.

But herein lies another example of the power and mystique of Spin. Many people will assume that SRK is the King of the Box Office. That has always been the title he is crowned with. Reality-check says different. In the last decade Aamir and Salman lead the honor list with 3 movies apiece in the top 10 Indian Movies list. A Shah-Rukh film does not make the cut.

The Corporate World has also bought into this game of Buzz and Hype. ‘The Best Company to Work with’, ‘the Best in the Industry’ are all trophies ardently solicited and even bought. There are media channels, newspapers and industry bodies willing to oblige. There are professional facilitators willing to show the way. All for a price. There are sponsored appearances on television and paid articles and interviews in the print-media to raise the profile of the CEO or the Company.

As for the tycoons, they own or have a stake in the media-houses and other hubs of influence. Need anything more be said.

In this spinning, at times manipulative world with its over-dose of planted news, it is difficult to sift through the real information. But for our own sake, let us hit the pause button at times, question what is being presented and try to make our own sense of things.

SANJU-The Art of Manipulation

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“Sanju” is his fifth block-buster in a row and Raj Kumar Hirani is being justifiably feted as the film-maker with the Midas touch. His formula of injecting emotion ,drama or laughs into every other scene has paid off handsomely. His creativity is being discussed across TV channels, news media and at other forums.

It is a clever film. The performances of Ranbir Kapoor in the eponymous role and Vicky Kaushal as his close buddy are excellent. The screenplay and editing is sharp and keeps the audiences engaged. The tabloid type serving of masala has hooked the cine-goers.

But does it qualify as a credible bio-pic. ‘One Man….Many Lives’ is a good tag-line. However, the movie faithfully spins Sanjay Dutt’s take on his own life. He is this well-meaning guy with a big heart- a victim of unfortunate circumstance, a fall-guy for a sensationalistic media. Hirani becomes a willing accomplice to this project. After-all the star has been his friend and collaborator over three successful films, going back to that first hit-‘Munnabhai MBBS.’

To get sympathy for his seriously flawed protagonist, Hirani performs a delectable sleight of the hand. We are quickly introduced to the two most likable characters –the noble father and the endearing friend. The redoubtable Sunil Dutt and the very funny Kamlesh play the perfect foil to the troubled Sanju and down-play the dark sides of his personality.

The producer-director-writer strongly rebuts that he has’ white-washed’ the character. He has shown the ‘drugs , guns and girls’. What more do the critics want?

Let’s start with the drug addiction to which a considerable amount of screen-time is given. Sanju cannot come to terms with the tragic loss of his mother and falls prey to an unscrupulous, drug-traffiking friend. His father being a strict disciplinarian does not help matters. Give us a break! Sanjay Dutt is a privileged, spoilt star-son and a weak person. Period.

Next. The illegal possession of an AK-56 for which he went to jail. He procured this assault weapon to protect his family. Threatening calls after the Mumbai riots had left him with no other option. So say Sanjay Dutt and his friend Hirani. What is left unsaid is that the weapon was supplied by the underworld, which masterminded the bomb blasts in the city. Yusuf, whom Sanju appeals to recover the gun from his house and destroy it was sentenced to 5 years behind bars for this helpful deed. The real Sanjay Dutt has shown his fascination for guns and hunting in TV interviews. His close bond with the underworld is in public domain. Listen to his recorded conversations with gangsters on You-Tube. He is on comfortable, first name and even family terms with some of these criminals.

But Hirani chickens out. The only bizarre reference is to a Hindu hoodlum who wants Dutt’s presence at a Ganpati Mandal event which he is organising. The film-maker again goes for the soft target. He does not have the guts to call-out the real underworld dons who are now notified as international terrorists.

The film hits other narrative lows especially when Sanju admits to an author (Anushka Sharma) that he has slept with more than 300 prostitutes and sundry more women. Anushka’s (a surrogate for Hirani himself) broad grin is cringe-worthy. It is as if our hero has done something medal-worthy. His frankness deserves our admiration. The light music in the back-ground makes light of the situation-trivialising this objectifying and conquests of women.

He continues with this wink and shrug approach. When Sanju sleeps with the girl his friend Kamlesh wants to date, he passes it off with, “She is not fit to be my Bhabhi (sister-in-law).” Look, who’s talking!

The film is already one of the biggest hits of all time. Hirani is laughing all the way to the bank. At the small cost of compromising on his professional integrity.

Raju Hirani will be reuniting with his ‘Sanju baba’ soon. For the third instalment of the lovable Munnabhai  franchise.