Media Hype

An India-Pakistan wedding saga (April 2010)

The saga of Sania Mirza, India’s top tennis player, and Shoaib Malik, Pakistan’s former cricket captain, has finally been put to rest with the couple married.

In the recent past, the duo has dominated media and mind space in India, and expectedly, in Pakistan as well.

The two subcontinent stars will undoubtedly remain in public consciousness due to their good looking celebrity status and eyeball catching ability that translates into TV ratings.

Here’s one post-mortem, dubbed the Shonia episode, though there surely will be more to follow:

Indo-Pak relations: Observers (read doves, not hawks) have found a quick connection between an India-Pakistan courtship and the diplomatic language that accompanies such occurrences --- confidence building measure (CBMs), people to people contacts and a passionate undercurrent that actually unites the two populations.

Big budget Bollywood movies such as Veer-Zaara have delved into such cross-country relationships, emphasizing the victory of the human spirit over artificially and politically motivated divide between the two countries.

Yet, powerful and deep rooted institutions such as the Pakistan Army or the ISI, with vicious and vested strategic agendas will require much more than such matters of the heart to change their profiles.

So, will relations between the two countries given vexed issues such as terror, Kashmir, water sharing and building hydro dams along each others borders.

In the past debonair cricketers such as Imran Khan and Mohsin Khan have been linked to Indian women, yet the two countries have squabbled and fought.

There was much talk about comfort levels between former Prime Ministers Rajiv Gandhi and Benazir Bhutto, belonging to similar backgrounds and legacies.

Connections are today drawn between Congress Party scion Rahul Gandhi and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

Yet, it cannot be forgotten that politically the two countries continue to be on diverse planes, with influence over Afghanistan a new strategic playground, along side America.

The differences cannot be glossed over so quickly.

Important as CBMs are in building a constituency of peace between the two countries, it is unlikely that Shonia gave much thought to such issues when they saw each other.

Traversing the globe due to their sporting commitments, they bumped into each other a few times, got along and kept in touch, courtesy technology, the Internet and cellular phone. Shoaib could very well have been an American star.

The Shonia connection is purely personal, though the consequent talk about building bridges between the two countries would certainly have crossed their minds.

Their matrimony does add a sense of bonhomie and distracts from all the serious Indo-Pak talks that have failed to re-start following the Mumbai terror attacks November 2008.

But, that is about all.

Why did she marry him? Many Indian men have not figured out why she chose him and perhaps never will.

Some consider their egos personally bruised even as the aura of debonair Pakistani men who attract the best women across the border, stands buttressed.

Many here have counted other eligible bachelors with considerable distinctions, even within a sporting sample.

Indian cricketers of course remain the most pampered and highly paid stars in the country, not to speak of Bollywood achievers such as Shahid Kapoor, considered a ``close friend’’ of Sania, whatever than means.

A delectable rich and single cricketer selection for Sania has included Zaheer Khan, Yusuf Pathan, Gautam Gambir, M S Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Irfan Pathan, Rohit Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, Robin Uthappa…the list of such successful men is endless, given the proliferation of various forms of cricket (one day internationals, T20 and Test matches), all money spinners.

Shoaib remains a moderately successful international cricketer no doubt, but grey areas continue to sprout -- match fixing allegations, a supposed previous marriage, though such qualification nowadays seems to only work favorably given the entourage of Indian Bollywood actresses and other beauties settling for men as their wife number two or three.

Sania, her very moderate career plagued by injuries, must have her reasons to pitch for Shoiab. Such is life and the inscrutable mind of a woman in love.

Tailoring Faith: Sania has had a fair share of attention from Indian clerics and ulemas who have protested her short sporting attire in the past, declaring it un-Islamic.

Politically motivated right wing Hindu radicals, who revel in anti-Muslim, anti-Pakistan speak, have again raised their ugly heads, especially in Maharashtra.

They have already labeled Sania a ``traitor’’ due too her decision to marry a Pakistani. Indian society, however, is fairly liberal in large pockets and many more have protested such foolish and silly dictates.

The Shonia events, however, did throw some light on the complicated Hindu and Muslim personal laws.

It seems that Shoaib married his first wife (Indian and residing in Hyderabad, the same city as Sania) over phone from Pakistan, but had to sign divorce papers in India due to the intervention of clerics and also pay a hefty alimony.

All does not seem very transparent here.

Across the border, Sania bhabi (sister-in-law), as she is being referred there, will surely not find the going easy, given the ultra-conservative environment as British heiress Jemima Khan, ex-wife of cricketer-politician Imran Khan found out quite fast.

Sania has grown up in cosmopolitan Hyderabad, a global software hub, attended an expensive private school, surrounded by frills of India’s new consumerist growth --- malls, discos, pubs, movie multiplexes, flashy cars, gadgets and more.

As the wife of a Pakistani player, Sania will certainly be in focus of those who measure faith by clothing or the lack of it. Pakistani sports women are known to cover themselves from head to toe, even during swimming events.

Sania has said that she would continue to represent India, with the Commonwealth Games this year and Olympics later being the big goals. Shoaib has backed her intentions.

Wisely, Shonia have chosen to live in Dubai for now. As has been spoken, Shoaib could shift to India and try his hand at the lucrative T20 private cricket league.

The couple will be watched and followed closely.

The Indian who stole Tiger Woods thunder (January 2010)

While Tiger Woods has hogged mind and media space in the past few weeks, in India the greatest golfers exploits off the fairway has been upped by an octogenarian Indian politician N D Tiwari, aged 86 years and still going very strong (in bed that is).

Tiwari, a long-standing national Congress party loyalist, was recently caught on camera apparently half naked cavorting with three young girls, in a TV sting operation, which are a common occurrence in India now to trap the usual wrong doers such as corrupt policemen, government officials and politicians, generally accepting cash for favors.

The most famous image of course is of the former President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Bangaru Laxman caught on camera accepting money. Until, Tiwari came along, that is.

While questions remain about Tiwari using his superior position as incumbent governor (now sacked) of Andhra Pradesh and former chief minister of Uttarakhand to make the girls do what they did, the ethical and legal doubts have been set aside by his supposed ability at 86.

Indian men, given smaller physiques, genetic structures and generally unfit bodies, are known to lose it in their mid-30s and look for remedies and aphrodisiacs to rid the private dysfunctions and reverse the never discussed in the open male biological clock, so to say.

Fittingly, Tiwari has been labeled the Tiger of India, overtaken Woods as the most searched on Indian Internet portals, with plenty of questions being asked about his successful score, looking very happy than embarrassed with his pants down, as one might expect a near 90 year old to be. Everybody knows Playboy’s Hugh Hefner is just a marketing gimmick.

Some say that Tiwari truly deserves to be brand ambassador of Viagra and other similar concoctions and fill his coffers more, unlike Woods who has been surmounted by sponsorship losses, expensive lawsuit by his wife and no golf.

While the pessimists and cynics say that Tiwari could not have ``actually done it,’’ the optimists see hope for a very long innings ahead, even as news reports speak of at least two ``illegitimate’’ children sired by Tiwari, out of wedlock.

For the uninitiated, Tiwari is not a big name when compared to contemporary Indian politicians such as Atal Behari Vajpayee, Manmohan Singh or Sonia Gandhi, but has had an above average and steady political innings.

At one time in the 80s and 90s as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, there was talk that he could be Prime Minister of India, given the nature of India’s coalition politics.

However, his political career subsumed by other events such as advent of caste equations, the Congress leadership finally appointed Tiwari as governor, a graveyard posting for spent but loyal political leaders that offers comfortable living, some power and free medical treatment.

Tiwari, it seems had other ideas even as his latest exploits have raised him to heights of national popularity that his political career never did.

Indian politicians generally tend to live long unlike the rest of the population which many say is due to the heady and life enhancing mix of power, money fame and fawning sycophants, though in Tiwari’s instance, the elixir has included more.

Other politicians as they age step aside, promote sons, daughters and their spouses to carry forward the political lineage and enjoy the fruits of power. Not Tiwari, who remains hands on.

Age has caught up with some of Tiwari’s ilk such as Bal Thackeray stricken by heart disease, the diabetic Arjun Singh and Sharad Pawar who has suffered a stroke. Tiwari, however, has not slowed.

Indeed, it can never be easy for a young at heart old man to turn into a pin up boy in a nation such as India where the majority population is under 35 years of age and look up to film stars such as Shahid Kapur, Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan, at least half Tiwari’s age, who spend hours at the gym to develop and expose in their movies the coveted six pack abs, to appeal to males and females.

A healthy, avuncular Tiwari has stolen the thunder, at least for the time being, also from colleagues in the same age bracket, but placed much higher in the pecking order.

In the recent past, India’s top political echelons have been occupied by men well into their 70s and some into the 80s, now staid and dull compared to Tiwari.

There is Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, upright and a paragon of virtue in every sphere, including academic achievements and demeanor. If Manmohan has been caught displaying passion in public, it is to defend the Indo-US civil nuclear deal that he has personally backed and staked his reputation.

Then there has been former Prime Minister Vajpayee, similar aged as Tiwari, but bent over due to knee and other health problems.

Vajpayee during his time in power, aged late 70s, had his asides in poetry and good food, but remained passionate about pushing the Indo-Pakistan peace process which is dead now due to the brazen 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

BJP leader L K Advani is known for utmost discipline in personal life that spans food and daily routine that has kept him healthy and fit in the 80s. A bit of Advani’s drive of course comes from his unfulfilled ambition to be Prime Minister of India.

At the best of times, however, Advani has been most aggressive about Hindutva, the politics of majority Hindu rule.

Former President of India APJ Abul Kalam is known for his missionary zeal in backing science and renewable energy.

While the moral issues of exploiting girls under duress and corruption charges are being investigated, Tiwari for now is India’s Hero Number One, biologically.

No questions about that.

If Tiger Woods Crashed In India (December 2009)

In an Indian situation the Tiger Woods saga perhaps would have been a little different:

Firstly, if he crashed his vehicle outside his house, the police and ambulance would be the last to know, given the sorry state of such services in India. Nobody would have bothered to call or inform them as they never arrive when needed.

No one wants to be involved in a ``police case’’ in any case that could drag on for years, with innocents usually harassed the most. Woods would have been carried back home by the otherwise usually helpful and also very nosy neighbors.

``He is having an affair/s so problems with the wife’’ they would all talk only in whispers as such things are never spoken about loudly, in public, to the media and never in front of the wife.

Secondly, riots would soon threaten to break out outside Woods house, presumably in congested Delhi or Mumbai where road side pavements are the home to the millions of homeless. It would soon emerge that Woods in a state of intoxication and in order to escape his wife ended up driving his vehicle over beggars and construction workers sleeping on the pavement at night. A couple of people would have died without knowing what hit them.

Thirdly, after sometime the police would arrive anyway as they would have sensed that the accident involved a rich man, who is not a politician or bureaucrat or an affluent businessman with connections. They would wonder how being a golfer could be a profession. Over cups of tea, they would wait for Woods to regain consciousness and ask him to breathe into a dirty, bacteria and infection laden instrument to test for alcohol levels. Then they would threaten to take away his driving license (which are never easy to procure, given the inefficiencies of the system) and SUV unless he took care of them. Bribe and booze bottles accepted they would step out and fire in the air to disperse the crowd. The log at the police station would read: No alcohol traced. The accident would not be mentioned.

Fourthly, the media, seeped in middle class sensibilities, would have sniffed out the story as it has a very powerful and saleable peg --- the rich driving big cars over the poor. Only the top reporters with experience of covering events such as the Mumbai terror strike last November that provided first hand live visuals, including to militant coordinators sitting in Pakistan, would be selected for the assignment. The top reporters would station themselves outside Woods house 24/7 and others would fan out to hospitals and push and shove their way and mikes on the half dead or dying accident victims for the elusive byte, against all medical advice or intervention, in the name of freedom of press and democratic rights.

Fifthly, the case would go to court. By now much money would have changed hands, involving Woods well placed friends, relatives, lawyers and important police officials. Handed more cash incentives, the police would discover that the SUV that Woods was driving was not registered in the drivers name as it was illegally imported to escape duties and taxes. The court would accordingly be informed that the entire case was fabricated as Woods owns no SUV so he couldn’t be driving one. The accident probably happened due to a rashly driven truck that escaped in the cover of darkness, so no registration could be noted. Witnesses could not be trusted as they were sleeping. The number of killed and injured would in any case be reduced by the cops as some would be illegal migrants from Bangladesh with no record of their existence in India. Media reports about the actual injured and killed would be dismissed as mere hype and hyperbole.

Sixthly, some of India’s top people who love to appear on TV on any occasion and also known for multiple affairs, multiple wives would support Woods publicly. They could include film stars Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Vinod Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan, Kabir Bedi, Shekhar Kapur, Boney Kapoor, Mahesh Bhatt or cricketers Mohammed Azharuddin, Saurav Ganguly or Yuvraj Singh.

Seventhly, Mrs Woods would be extremely sorry for what happened to her husband and hold herself responsible for all the problems to her family because under Indian conditions, the husband is God and can do no wrong. She would undertake a grueling fast and visit temples all over the country to cleanse her sins. Woods mistresses would disappear from the scene. For the unmarried ones who presumably had a good time (in bed and otherwise), there would be no question of exposing to the media to protect their family honor. They would have been taught by their mothers to keep intact the virginity tag, the ultimate gift on the ultimate night of their marriage and valued most by the Indian husband Gods. The married mistresses would keep quiet for obvious reasons.

Eighthly, the laborers and construction workers who survived the crash would wake up from their unconscious states to discover that one of their kidneys has disappeared from their body, to be sold to the organ trade mafia. They would be told that they are lucky to survive as both their kidneys could have been easily taken and packed off by the hospital authorities and the police.

Woods would go back to playing the PGA, wife and mistresses, if he happened to be an Indian, that is.

French couple arouse Indian interest (December 2008)

Used to handling the usual wives of Presidents and Prime Minister’s, the protocol for ``first girlfriend’’ is turning to be a ticklish issue for New Delhi to handle.

The case relates to the very public courtship of 52-year-old French President Nicolas Sarkozy and 39-year old glamorous heiress, ex-supermodel and singer Carla Bruni that has attracted a bit of attention.
.
Sarkozy is to be in India later this month and will be the chief guest when India celebrates Republic Day on January 26, a cultural event also marked by a parade that displays India’s latest military wares and acquisitions.

The foreign ministry, however, has some tricky issues to sort about Bruni-Sarkozy. The piquant situation has arisen, as New Delhi has never had to host a guest ``companion’’ of a country’s political head on an official visit in the past.

Sarkozy recently divorced his second wife, following which the relationship with Bruni has unveiled for all to see. The lovelorn couple reportedly caused a bit of embarrassment to officials in Egypt and Jordan that they recently visited.

While it is still not confirmed whether Bruni would actually be coming, the Indian protocol machinery at the foreign ministry is taking no chances as
Sarkozy has mixed his recent official foreign sojourns with some time off with Bruni, catching up on pleasure and tourist sites.

The foreign ministry has thus sounded up French counterparts about her ``status’’ as ``girlfriend’’ or ``first lady’’ or ``delegate,’’ if she visits.

``It is up to the French officials to tell us. We have no problems in dealing with the issue the way they want us to,’’ an official said.

Depending on the final definition, a reference to Bruni could be included or excluded in addresses by the President/Prime Minister at official banquets, separate/sharing/connected hotel stay bookings, seating/standing arrangements at ceremonial and other functions.

Ideally of course the government would like to settle for Bruni as the ``first lady’’ as there is a well laid out procedure for such dignitaries while the husband involves with more important matters of the state.

It is easy to arrange trips and photo-ops at government managed handicraft emporiums, public-funded schools and lately technology hubs that empower the underprivileged.

There is process to inquire about personal interests of visiting leaders to make matters more interesting for them. If there is a little more time the ``first lady’’ and if possible alongside the hubby are commonly sent off to Agra to pose in the picture perfect backdrop of the Taj Mahal.

It becomes even better if there are kids as it portrays the right image of ``happy family’’ that the government likes to associate itself with. All very politically correct and in sync with what is considered morally and socially appropriate in the country.

High profile couples that have visited in the past include the Late Princess Diana and Prince Charles who betrayed a bit of their discomfort with each other and the charming Bill and Hillary Clinton who did not shed even a hint of their extra-marital discords, to the disappointment of many.

Experts and analysts have spoken about the French President’s upcoming visit in the recent past (that is until Bruni surfaced).

Discussions have centered round important issues such as India’s cancellation of the recent multi-million dollar Eurocopter helicopter deal due to supposed US pressure and controversy about the Scorpene submarines.

France is also expected to make a commitment about supplying nuclear fuel for electricity should USA and other global forums ratify India’s new status.

Yet, the visit of a French Premiere can never attract the kind of frenzy or attention that accompanies a US Presidential visit or the interest that a Russian or Chinese head can create.

Sarkozy with the comely Bruni, however, tilts the balance, that has already evoked the expected response from tabloids, clutch of new mid-day papers and the increasingly aggressive Indian paparazzi that feed the very competitive TV channels.

Sarkozy’s pictures with his pretty companion during recent travels to Egypt have found prominent display in all media here.

In short, the visit of the couple could hog a bit of the limelight, not expected initially and an otherwise dour Indian visit likely to center round defense deals and nuclear power will certainly be a more interesting one.

Indeed, the little dilemma that the Indian establishment is faced with has to do with some of the deep-seated mores of the country that have sometimes refused to evolve or go away even as sections of society have changed.

Despite very liberal pockets of thought and behavior in India, publicly and especially the government prefers a conservative image, reflecting deep-seated opinions in society about what is considered deviant or right.

Thus, landlords do not encourage live-in couples as tenants, couples need to be married to have kids, homosexuality is illegal and in rural India, where the majority population resides, marrying somebody outside the caste or religion can invite death by public slaying.

However, Bruni and Sarkozy will perhaps need to watch out for the rising numbers of hyperactive, hypersensitive radical elements referred as the ``moral police’’ who love to pick on celebrities, especially film and sports stars, usually on charges of indecent portrayal of women, hurting religious sentiments and one latest trend of disrespecting the national flag.

The attention seeking moral brigade, often with the backing of regional political outfits such as the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, also closely monitors content in films and interpret works of art to assess any ``wrong.’’ Painter M F Husain is one favorite whipping boy.

Among those who have been slapped court cases include actress Shilpa Shetty following a peck on the cheek by Hollywood actor Richard Gere at a public function; another actress Sushmita Sen has been hauled up for saying that virginity is no big deal; tennis player Sania Mirza is a favorite of Muslim clerics who keep a hawk eye on everything she does, says and wears --- the latest charge against her is that her feet were ``wrongly’’ pointing towards the national flag while she rested after a match. Earlier, there has been a big brouhaha about her short skirt.

Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and Narayan Murthy, head of software giant Infosys, have had to deal with accusations of disrespecting the national flag. Tendulkar happened to cut a cake made in the colors of the flag.

Like most French and western people Sarkozy has been quite open about his affections for Bruni.

Such displays of fondness can be considered illegal in India as obscenity and is often misused by the police --- just this week, a married couple were beaten, harassed and hauled off to a police station in Bangalore.

The two happened to be sitting together at a park and were talking on different cell phones, like most good husband and wife.

While nothing of this sort will happen to Bruni-Sarkozy, the moral brigade will be keeping a close eye.

When Richard Gere kissed Shilpa Shetty (April 2007)

On TV it looked innocuous and spontaneous. At a HIV-AIDS awareness function in New Delhi, Hollywood’s crusader-actor Richard Gere chose to jokingly plant kisses on Bolywood actress Shilpa Shetty’s cheek.

Everybody knows about ``Pretty Woman’’ and ``Chicago’’ star Gere. Shilpa, beautiful in every sense, has had a-resurgence in her public profile courtesy a British reality TV show in which she emerged as an emotional favorite due to apparent racist barbs at her by other contestants.

There was an element of showmanship and parody as Gere caught Shilpa, even as an assembled audience of truckers was quite amused.

The next day’s papers carried pictures of a much bigger in size Gere in a clinch with Shilpa, who on closer scrutiny did not look too comfortable, clearly more aware of the conservative Indian elements who keep a hawk eye on such happenings.

By Western and Indian liberal standards of man-woman proximity and behavior this would count for nothing. Technically, it was not even a kiss, but a peck on the cheek.

But, to many in India, the act has been outrageous, anti-social, anti-Indian culture and anti-woman. At least three lawsuits have been filed in local Indian courts against Gere-Shilpa on grounds of indecent portrayal of women.

To top it off a local court in Rajasthan has issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against the two.

Countrywide protests have taken the form of effigy burning and impassioned appeals on TV. Gere has been asked to leave the country or sent to jail for outraging Shilpa’s modesty, while the actress has been asked to apologize to the Indian people for her indiscretion, even as she gamely defended Gere at a quick press conference.

Shilpa is trying to make it in Hollywood, so it helps to have somebody like Gere for support. But, if Shilpa is not complaining why should anyone else?

In the past, observers have blamed the media for blowing such trivial matters out of proportions. It also provides an assorted collection of disgruntled, opportunistic or out-of-work people their 10 seconds of fame on TV.

Given the proliferation of national (English, Hindi) and regional channels as well as a saleable Gere-Shilpa news peg, the chances of being featured are quite high.

However, recent instances of such moral policing, mixed up nationalism and far-fetched self-righteous interpretations, seem to tell that there are deeper dynamics at play.

Around the same time as Gere-Shilpa, radical Hindu protestors, probably belonging to the rightist Shiv Sena, ransacked the office of Star TV for broadcasting the interview of a runaway couple, a minor Hindu girl and a young Muslim man.

About 50 people attacked the channel's office in Mumbai, saying that the TV Company had insulted Hinduism by promoting love between people from different religions.

Recently, there have been cases filed against actress Liz Hurley and Arun Nayyar who married in grand style in the state of Rajasthan. According the allegations, Hurley-Nayyar defied Hindu customs by kissing in front of the holy fire when the marriage ceremony was underway and sat on a sofa instead of the floor as per the norm.

N Narayan Murthy, head of one of India’s biggest software firms Infosys, has also been in the line of fire for having supposedly disrespected the national anthem.

Admittedly it was a bit of a mistake as Murthy has himself said that he was ``embarrassed’’ but the charge of deliberately hurting Indian sentiments and ethos is plain ludicrous. Local Karnataka state politicians seeking to gain some political mileage due to complex caste equations have joined the fray in attacking Murthy.

Murthy is an Indian icon having been at the forefront of India’s information technology revolution that has seen the image of the country change forever from the land of snake charmers and maharajas.

India’s iconic cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, known for his impeccable conduct in public, too has been facing the ire of hard line elements, who have sought to charge him for insulting the national flag. During a recent public function, Tendulkar had inadvertently cut a cake with the national flag designed on it. Denigrating the national flag is an offense under Indian law.

The question is: Do these happenings, protests, charges in court, separated by time and spatial zones, yet images edited and crunched together on TV, have an underlying message? They do.

Such negative, seeming waste of time and effort, does hide a broader undercurrent of deliberate thought and also frustration.

In the past, India-Pakistan cricket matches have been sought to-be disrupted when relations between the two countries have been at a-low ebb.

A diplomatic furor was created when author Khushwant Singh planted a friendly kiss on the cheek of the daughter of the then high commissioner of Pakistan to India. Mutual suspicions between the two countries were very high at the time.

In the 80s an over enthusiastic actress Padmini Kholapure planting a kiss on Prince Charles did not go down well, when Indians were still coming to terms with the extent of colonial exploitation under British rule.

At one level, political parties that espouse a communal or caste agenda encourage and protect acts of vandalism and fascist attacks.

Attacks on Murthy or exhibitions of paintings of Hindu Gods by Muslim painter M F Husain are buttressed on this count. In the 90s, the political agenda of the right wing Bharatiya Janta Party centered around the building of a Ram temple, a revered God of the Hindus, in Ayodhya.

Protests about Shilpa-Gere, Nayyar-Hurley are a reflection of the acute social, linguistic and economic barriers in the country.

Clearly, the people that take to streets following such events are seen as society’s losers, by a large section of the Indian population who would not have the time or inclination, given their busy lives, employed probably in one of the high rising service sectors of the Indian economy.

Solutions have to be found in education, employment and enhanced sensitivities. The overburdened judiciary has to take a call on loss of its work time due to such frivolous cases and perhaps impose a fine on those who are driven purely to gain selfish mileage.

Laws have to be changed. Exploiting a caveat in Indian statute that does not differentiate between public displays of affection and indecency, cops in India are notorious for preying on amorous couple in parks, beaches and other open areas, to make a fast buck. It sets a wrong precedent of intolerance.

There has been some change. Reflecting some of the popular mood, the entertainment industry, including the censor board has been bold enough to cast away some of its self-righteous baggage.

Kissing has emerged with a renewed vengeance in Hindi movies with all the top actresses Priety Zinta, Aishwarya Rai and Rani Mukherjee trying to outdo the other. Again, this is not only about kisses, but a broader trend of Hindi movies exploring new themes and bold ideas, which in turn underlines more intelligent sensibilities.

India is in a country in flux. It is always good to move by consensus and build a healthy balance in thoughts and actions. Easier said than done.