Mamata Didi, the fighter...

Bengalis have always impressed me with their 'never-say-die' attitude apart from their aesthetic sense. It is not really surprising that Tamil films in its early days borrowed extensively from arts in Bengal and many Bengali stalwarts like Kamal Ghosh worked in Tamil films. There is so much hype about Modi being CM of a state for 3 terms. Sheila Dixit has been so. The purposefully forgotten fact is that Communists have been ruling West Bengal for many decades WITHOUT A BREAK.

It is in this perspective that the role of Mamata Banerjee stands out. I could immediately sense seeing her speak that she is a fighter willing to last as long as thinkable. Almost a lone crusader against the Communists, she has been reasonably successful in putting her party - Trinamool Congress as not just an alternative to Communists but also bigger than Congress. In West Bengal, Congress allied with Trinamool Congress after accepting that it is a minor partner and had reasonable success. 2011 is expected to be a watershed for West Bengal with quite a bit of expectations that Communist rule for decades may finally end. If it really materializes, there is no doubt on who should be the Chief Minister. If Sourav Ganguly is the fighter who showed the way in cricket, comrade (;)) Mamata may well show the way in politics. The fighter never gives up and success in 2011 assembly elections will be a mere justification to her efforts for decades.

A double hundred in one-dayer

I am sure eulogies are going to go over the top for a banal knock at an one-day match in yet another Indian pitch. 'No one deserved record more than Tendulkar' goes the first one from the sycophant and ex-teammate from Mumbai. I had always thought of such records and Sachin as 'Yet another record, yet another player?'. Given the fact that he opens the batting and has been playing for so many years (easily 100 matches more than Ponting as of now), it is in some sense strange that he took so long. Especially when he relishes such opportunities against minnows like Bangladesh and in Indian pitches.

So far, so bad :(

Update: 27 Mar 2010

There has been an orchestrated campaign, rather Gavaskar, Sidhu join chorus for Sachin's T20 WC inclusion. There is a 'notion' that only younger players are fit for T20, which the 'veterans' are trying to dispel. Nothing but shadow-kill. Hindu brought out a recent cartoon, which I had thought when I saw this IPL announcement of Lalit Modi for IPL I itself.

The act of politics!

Ajith's talk at a function by Tamil movie industry to felicitate TN CM for providing housing facilities, had found quite some mention in the press.

Ajith, who is known for his nonappearance in such events, made a rare entry yesterday at a glittering ceremony at Nehru Stadium in Chennai. He made a frank appeal to the CM that film fraternity should not be arm twisted to attend such political and social events. He said, “They want us to attend such events and at the same time are against us joining politics.

He has indeed shown great courage to talk frankly on what he felt and he should be complimented on that. At the same time, going into what he said, I dont think he can complain too much. I am not sure if his angst is against attending such functions or opposition against actors entry into politics. Given the profession (well, they say that actors are really professionals), siding with the Government is an occupational hazard. Actors including 'superstars' have no option but to wag their tail for any Government, irrespective of the Chief Minister. In 2006, there was a function by film industry to praise Jayalalithaa (then CM of TN) for acting against video piracy. Within a few months, Karunanidhi became CM of TN and there was another function by the same film industry to praise him. Film industry is inexorably linked to the politics atleast in Tamil Nadu. Stephen Hughes, professor of Anthropology and Sociology, had this to say

On the everlasting association between film and politics, Mr.Hughes says films were seen as an effective medium to spread political ideologies even before the M.G.R. period. “Regional parties found foothold through cinema. The Congress had divided opinions about embracing cinema as a propaganda medium but parties such as the DMK made the most out it.”

Especially given the current economic scenario, it is reassuring that Tamil film industry has been churning lot more films which are also diverse. One of the reasons could be the tax exemption given for films that have Tamil titles. Especially for 'low budget' films, producers and more importantly distributors need to have that comfort zone that even if film does average business, they may be able to get back their money. CM did announce that entertainment tax exemption for Tamil cinema would continue.

With the film industry having such a big chain of jobs - from carpenters to painters to actors, forget media, publicity etc, any step to promote production has to be welcomed by the actors and they cant complain. MR Radha, popular called as நடிகவேள், mentioned way back in a public speech in Malaysia

மக்கள் சொல்லுகிறபடியெல்லாம் கூத்தாடக் கூடியவருக்குத் தான் கூத்தாடினு பேர்.

So actors may not have much choice in such things. Their appointments are booked without their acceptance. All the world is a stage and atleast they are all actors :))