Indian idolizing

Today is a unique day. 12.12.12. This date only comes once every hundred years and many couples, especially Chinese lovebirds choose to tie the nuptial knot today, in belief that 12.12.12 is an auspicious date. As far as I am concerned, this is nothing but superstition. Try telling a guy who met with an accident today that today is a propitious day and see his reaction. It would be pretty ugly, his reaction.

Now let's leave the debate of superstition and take a look at Indian youth here prioritize when it comes to idolizing people of weighty significance and worth as well as fame.

Today is the birthday of Sivaji Rao, more famously known as Rajinikanth and his moniker, SUPER STAR. He is a south Indian actor and he shot to fame in the 80s in Tamilnadu's cinema industry as well as dabbling in Hindi and English, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam cinema fields.

After a brief phase of portraying antagonistic characters in Tamil films, he gradually rose to become an established film actor. Within a few years, he was acclaimed as the superstar of Tamil cinema and continues to hold a matinee idol status in the popular culture of India. His mannerisms and stylised delivery of dialogue in films contribute to his mass popularity and appeal.

I was listening to THR Raaga today and it was out an out offshoot celebration of Rajini's birthday in the studio. Songs from the movies acted by Rajini and his special mention covered the whole slot of the programmes and they brought a Rajini imitator to the studio and have him utter several famous Rajini punch dialogues. Calls from listeners brimmed, them wishing Rajini happy birthday and all.




My question is, are such lengths to wish a film actor happy birthday necessary? Is such melodrama warranted and needed? I think not.

How many of us wish our parents happy birthday or even know the date our parents are born? Petthe thai ode birthday eh kondada mudiyileh ivungge Rajini ode birthday eh kondaduranggelam. ( Cannot celebrate the birthday of the lady who gave birth to us, we are celebrating Rajini's birthday)

And then, the callers' enthusiasm on wishing Rajini happy birthday. I mean, don't they have some grey matter in their cranium? Why you no think critically? It clearly shows how much Indian cinema has imbibed itself in the Indian numb skulls. All the gaga literally put me so off, I switched to Mix FM channel. I am an atheist but such individuals successfully made me go, "Oh God!"

 

Yes, Rajini is undeniably a great personality and human being. He is the epitome of modesty. He is humble and down to earth, very austere man, charitable, he had worked hard to be where he is now with grit and determination generously incorporated and applied.

I would have listened to THR Raaga with great interest today if the disc jockeys expounded the literal biography of Rajini, the disclosing of from his rags to riches story and hail him of being an excellent role model for the old and youth alike. Sadly, it didn't happen. What did happen is, a plethora of Rajini's punch dialogues professed by the guest Rajini imitator and Rajini mollycoddling.

 Talking about the birthdays of iconic Indian individuals, how many of us are aware that yesterday was the 130th birthday of Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyar, the great Indian poet? He, in his lifetime, was an exponent of women's rights and publicly opposed the caste system and earned many condemnation from casteists and misogynists. His ideas and thinking were ahead of his time. He would make a neat role model for our youth.



Actor or poet, high regard should be given for their inspiring humanizing accomplishments and the positive change they make in a John Doe and a Jane Doe's life.