It's that time of the year again when we look back at the 'year that was.' And agonise over who might be worthy of the title: 'Person of the Year'.
Time magazine - the guys who invented the concept - just chose U2's Bono, along with Bill Gates and his wife Melinda.
"For being shrewd about doing good, for rewiring politics and re-engineering justice, for making mercy smarter and hope strategic and then daring the rest of us to follow," were the reasons given by the magazine .
One of the other 'persons' who made it to the shortlist was Mother Nature. In light of the tsunami, earthquakes, Katrina and other unusual natural phenomena shaking our world, a strong case indeed. But not one providing any inspiration or hope. You can't tame nature, can you?
But you can celebrate the good being done by mere mortals. Especially those who 'are not the people you expect to come to the rescue'. As the essay accompanying the mugshots elaborates:
Rock stars are designed to be shiny, shallow creatures, furloughed from reality for all time. Billionaires are even more removed, nestled atop fantastic wealth where they never again have to place their own calls or defrost dinner or fly commercial. So Bono spends several thousand dollars at a restaurant for a nice Pinot Noir, and Bill Gates, the great predator of the Internet age, has a trampoline room in his $100 million house.
It makes you think that if these guys can decide to make it their mission to save the world, partner with people they would never otherwise meet, care about causes that are not sexy or dignified in the ways that celebrities normally require, then no one really has a good excuse anymore for just staying on the sidelines and watching.
Offbeat choice but eloquent justification. I buy it!
'Surprise'!
Once upon a time, the Economic Times also announced its 'Person of the Year'. No, not Manmohan Singh or the Ambanis or any of the usual suspects. It was Abhishek Bachchan.
Granted, a pink paper does not have to select a businessman to 'capture the new spirit of confidence that's emerging across India Inc. and represent the spirit'. But the connect they've tried to make between Aby's career and Indian business is well, not that convincing.
"So, why is he on top of the heap these days? Because he worked at it. And that is our connection with the confident new India. None of these companies had it easy (care to elaborate "which companies?"), they faced competition and hurdles ("doesn't every company, and every individual?"), both nationally and internationally, and had to overcome their small-town image ("maybe in the year 2000! With India now the acknowledged hub for IT and outsourcing... what are they talking about??)
This part is more well reasoned.
"An Indian company becoming a global leader? AB Baby becoming a hot stud? Yet it's happened. With some luck and a lot more professionalism, hard work and sheer grit..."
Very true but 'hard work' and 'grit' are such boring cliches. Isn't it also about being in the right place at the right time? A number of factors have come together to script the 'emerging India story'. A youthful demographic, burgeoning middle class, low-cost worker advantage etc etc.
Same is the case with AB Jr. Shahrukh turned 45 this year. India needed a hot new, 'youth' star. Aby finally started working with better film makers. And he decided not to shave.
The star's success was born out of working with the right people and the right projects. Just like business mostly is.
The problem really is not AB. Poor guy. His whole life, he'll try and prove to the world that he can be something as magnanimous as his father...what a complex (reminds of Krishna's pseudo brother Balram. Krishna had the babes, knowledge, respect, aura, brains, and a publication - The Bhagwad Gita :) ...and what did Balram have ?? A HULL !!)
Around Mallika, around MMS scam, around Delhi Univeristy (what bull) and other stuff...ET does it again! They keep exposing their dumbness everytime with their man of the year or personality of the year!!
If ET had selected NRN again as person of the year or some Business Tycoon, it may have had to throw a conservative party where the tycoons just speak in whispers and talk tall of the growing Indian community. Whereas, by choosing a film personality, ET can call more filmi people and add glamour to the show and make the party more "marketable". Pink paper will sell like hot cakes then!! And since, AB baby endorses some brands nowadays, Ad revenues too add to ET's kitty :) Apart from this, I don't see any reason for ET to choose AB baby as the person of the year..
The "go fida" ad really sucked ! What was Ford thinking? They thought they were getting a good deal in getting a not-shaven hunchback stud???!?!?! No wonder FORD is going into losses! I guess this was the first campaign and hopefully the last with him.
I love Bono unquestioningly. Mostly for his music, but it makes me happy that someone in his position is doing something, no matter how haphazardly, to make a difference. At least, I think, he's informing many of us who can't point out Rwanda on a map that there are people much worse off than the rest of us who could do with a better deal.
In Hindi they say "Ugte suraj ko har koi salaam karta hai" Its exactly the same scenario here. If there are no gods, we create our own gods. Media can do it very easy. In the end, we the mass always look for someone who can inspire us. So here is just one more of those attempts.
With this post, my assessment of ET being a shallow paper remains intact. Only ET can stoop to this level and give an award to somebody who, even after more than a dozen flops, survived in the show business only because of his father's demigod status. No prize for guessing who will win the Filmfare award for Best Actor.
Why is the media sucking upto Abhishek Bachchan so much??? He is neither a tremendous looker..neither a great dancer...nor a great actor...then why is Indian media hyping a person only because of his lineage, contacts and power in the industry??? It really upsetting to see the "real talent" is being ignored and the undeserving walk away with all the glory.
"When Aby Baby rocks, India rolls..." says ET. For those still looking for their cool, offbeat, under-30 'person of the year'...
"When Sania serves, India lurves..."
"When Mallika reveals, India squeals.."
"When Irfan takes a wicket, India buys a ticket "...
"When Amitabh groans, India moans.."
"When Shahrukh dreams, India screams.."
"When Bollywood dances, India advances..??
The possibilities are endless!
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