Rocking the boat....

The bureaucracy strikes again! I mean, do these people revel in making such inane decisions or is it just their innate incompetence peeking through the just-working superstructure of the system? Time and again, they have never failed to amaze onlookers with their ‘wisdom’ and their sheer ‘sanguinity’ about how things could be better if we just leave things to them.

The Election Commission of India, one of the most respected institutions in today’s turbulent times and more so because it has remained as a sole guardian of reason in the cesspool that is India’s bureaucracy. Its impartial and exemplary work in the area of conducting free and fair elections sans mishaps and misdemeanours has been appreciated all around, not only in India but also abroad. Its reluctance to tolerate the whims and fancies of blundering politicians has earned it the respect of the electorate.

And that is why the decision by the Commission to order the removal of all advertisements in the state of Uttar Pradesh pertaining to the polio immunization drives featuring Amitabh Bachchan is puzzling. The drive is part of a government initiative to reduce the occurrence of polio, and has been amongst the few successful initiatives coming out of the establishment’s stable. And the sole reason why these advertisements are on the radar are because Mr. Bachchan has often expressed support for the ruling Samajwadi Party in the state.

I find it an implausible notion that an advertisement for polio immunization should ever be construed as an appeal for votes. I mean, the drive isn’t a state government initiative; it’s governed by the central and the state government together. And Mr. Bachchan isn’t just any model; he’s an officially accredited UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. By the EC’s logic, then I don’t think that any advertisements issued by any State or Central Government ministry should pass the EC’s barrier. Let’s make it a level playing field, while we are at it, shall we?

Meanwhile, the move is being seen as one that could become a major blow to the campaign per se. While the EC is happy to allow the campaign itself to continue and just wants the endorsing celebrity to be changed, it is hard to imagine what impact any other celebrity would have in comparison to Mr. Bachchan. A study by the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry in collaboration with UNICEF had identified Uttar Pradesh as the epicentre of polio occurrences. The study found that 73.6 per cent guardians with children under the age of five in lower socio-economic categories could recall the television advertisement featuring Bachchan. The study also determined that the campaign had a positive impact. The percentage of “caregivers” who reported taking their children to polio booths was higher among those who were exposed to the TV campaign (73 per cent) than those had not seen it (55 per cent). At this juncture, to replace Mr. Bachchan with any other celebrity would not have the same impact as desirable. And we cannot afford slackening on this assault against polio.

While I don’t support canvassing for parties at the public exchequer’s cost, this hardly qualifies as the same. It should be noted that this campaign associates Mr. Bachchan with the polio campaign. Targeting Mr. Bachchan per se smacks of stupidity. Rather, the EC would do well to target those specific advertisements wherein some political figure is also mentioned. The campaign needs Mr. Bachchan; let’s not disturb the waters now!

Reviewing the Quiz Masters...

It is often said that while the young have energy at their disposal, the elders have experience to prove their superiority. And perhaps, not without reason. While energy is perhaps a great thing to have if one wants to get something done in the best possible manner, experience helps direct that energy in the best possible direction.

The new KBC or Kaun Banega Crorepati show, the Indian variant of the 'Who Wants to Be A Millionaire' show, started on Monday amidst much fanfare. The host, Shahrukh Khan, is touted as the incumbent monarch of Hindi cinema, and perhaps this was supposed to be a great qualification for a quiz-show host. Sure, he's popular, ladies swoon over him, and films cross the thin line between being a box-office hit and an utter failure just by his presence in the leading credits.

But somehow his personality is not up to the requirements of the show. Or should I say, it is not up to the high standards that the audience must have come to expect of the host of the show, considering that the previous host was the ever-graceful and ever-charming Amitabh Bachchan. Mr. Bachchan is also an actor of great repute, but I doubt that even he could have pulled off the show only on the basis of his popularity as an actor. On the contrary, when he assumed the role as the host, his career was in the pits, his media company bankrupt, and creditors baying for his blood. So, what does this man do?

He becomes a quiz-show host. And not just another quiz-show host. No, he becomes the best host that India has ever seen, a host who not just quizzes his participant, but also empathizes with the participant's joys, sorrows, dismay, disappointment, excitement, and happiness. His humility, his manner of speech, while formal, was endearing to all age-groups, quite like the proverbial Uncle Joe. He wasn't just there to give out money; he was there to help you get the money.

It isn't that Mr. Khan is not helping participants become comfortable. He's doing a good job at that, only I think he's overdoing it. His insistence on hi-fying the participant after every correct answer is perhaps the best example of it. Besides, while Mr. Bachchan's style was likeable by everyone, be they of rural or urban backgrounds, Mr. Khan stands the risk of being seen as an urban yuppie, an upstart. While Mr. Khan is a sharp dude, he isn't as witty as his predecessor, and doesn't make the experience of watching the show as enjoyable. When one watched the show with Mr. Bachchan, one learnt a lot, not just by way of the questions, but by way of Mr. Bachchan's conversations. His style of addressing his audience was respectful, yet comforting. Mr. Khan's is friendly, yet jarring at times.

One hasn't read many criticisms of Mr. Khan's performance in the dailies, perhaps because he is such a big star, and maybe because it is said to be too early to comment on Mr. Khan's performance, and also because Mr. Khan bears the onerous responsibility of being compared with Mr. Bachchan. Maybe, but Mr. Khan knew the burden of the job beforehand, and cannot claim to not having been prepared enough. I still hope that he improves his style and maybe infuses his own brand of originality into the show, originality that goes beyond freezing the answer instead of locking it, and hugging the participant at the end of his/her journey in the show. Until then, Mr. Bachchan will remain the best KBC host ever in my eyes.