B’wood smitten by media

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Call it the pull of the popularity of media or the acceptance of characters played by actors like Konkona Sen Sharma, Preity Zinta, Rani Mukerji or Amitabh Bachchan in films like Page 3, Lakshya, No One Killed Jessica and Rann, the role of a journalist continues to inspire filmmakers to make their protagonists play journalists on the big screen.

Aamir Khan will be interacting with investigative journalists and policemen for his upcoming movie Talaash. Kareena Kapoor is preparing for her role as a journalist in Prakash Jha’s upcoming film. Amrita Rao is attending workshops to play a scribe in Anil Sharma’s next. Emraan Hashmi had played a TV reporter in Rush, so did Minissha Lamba in Joker. Jackie Shroff plays a reporter in Dutch filmmaker Laurens Postma’s Cover Story, while Kangna Ranaut played one in Knock Out. Peepli Live, India’s official entry to the Oscars, is a satirical take on the reaction of the Indian media to the growing number of farmer suicides in the country.
Emran Hashmi, while speaking about his role of a television journalist in Shamin Desai’s Rush during a media interaction, was quoted as saying, “Before beginning shooting, I interacted with journalists and learnt a lot about their profession — the obstacles, difficulties and the hardships they face in real life. I even visited a newsroom in Delhi. The fourth estate intrigues me.”
Peepli Live director Anusha Rizvi feels that the premise brings certain gravitas and weight to the film. “Since media is all pervading, it is almost unavoidable being affected by its presence. Also, filmmakers’ choice of subjects is mostly determined by what surrounds a commoner. So, the portrayal of media in films becomes a relatable subject for the audience.”
Trade analysts and film critics feel that the media has many vistas that can be explored onscreen and that lends itself to an interesting subject for the viewers. “Glamour, power, morality make for an interesting mix,” says Amod Mehra, a film critic.
Director Sanjay Puran Singh feels, “A watchdog of political democracy, media has become a part and parcel of everybody’s lives. Journalists have become guardians mirroring societal issues.”
This spiralling trend of playing real life characters has unleashed new horizons and avenues in the industry.
“When journalists are impersonated on the celluloid, people can relate to such characters. Film viewing then becomes an involuntary, effortless act. Actors yearn to do such roles as they prove to be a challenge for them. They experience an unparalleled adrenaline rush reliving the precarious lives of journalists,” adds Sanjay.