Shame on NDTV and Barkha Dutt
On India’s Republic Day, blogger Chyetanya Kunte published a retraction to a post he did on the irresponsible role of the journalists in the Mumbai attack. I read the original piece and while it was angry, it could hardly be termed libelous (I refrain from quoting from it for Chyetanya’s sake, but curious minds might be interested in Google’s cache of the post – scroll to the very bottom).
All over the blogosphere, angry posts were written after the Mumbai attacks–some criticizing the government; and others questioning the media’s role. In tone and content, they did not differ from Chyetanya’s piece. It is clear that NDTV is trying to make an example of Chyetenya as a warning against future criticism. That is unacceptable.
What’s appalling is the very bodies who owe their survival to free speech, the very organizations that used free speech to report on the Mumbai attacks, and defended their content as necessary for information dissemination are now against a blogger’s right to free speech.
Let’s take the following scenario – NDTV and Ms. Barkha Dutt do a piece on someone. Let’s call her A. They tear A to shreds for some reason. Talk about how A didn’t live up to the expectations of her job. Let’s say the piece is a liberal mix of opinion and fact – based on my limited visibility to Ms. Dutt, that’s her modus operandi anyway (which she’s entitled to).
Now, let’s say A sues NDTV and Barkha Dutt. What do you presume would happen? Using their huge platform as a national news channel and their vast legal resources, they would fight it. There would be stories on freedom of the press and freedom of speech. There would be righteous stomping around on how the press in India is always maligned blah, blah, blah. Needless to say, other channels of mainstream media and, of course, bloggers would join NDTV in defending its right of free speech.
In fact, all of this happened in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks where the press in India hoisted a vigorous defense of itself. Excellent, I say – defend yourselves. Excellent – use the right to free speech and stand by your right to report events as they happen.
Now, let’s turn to what they are doing to poor Chyetanya Kunte1. According to NDTV and Barkha Dutt, he is not entitled to freedom of speech. He’s only a piddly little blogger, so he’s not entitled to the freedom of the press caveat either. Who is he? A poor sod who’s an individual blogger? Well then, throw the entire weight of the NDTV legal staff at him and coerce him into a retraction2.
This is pathetic. This reeks of a double standard so despicable it probably violates some journalistic ethic. There, I said it. Sue me!!
Updated -
Please also read this excellent post by Rohit.
And this hilarious one by Falstaff.
- I have not spoken to Chyetanya Kunte about this. I do not know him. I read his blog on occasion and happened on his retraction
- I have no idea if he was “coerced”, but the verbiage on the retractions is clearly a response to a legal claim – again, I do NOT want to make his life more difficult
President Barack Hussein Obama!
We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus – and non-believers.
This is the first time a President has acknowledged Hindus and Atheists in any address, let alone an inaugural address. This is a small sign that Barack Obama is a President in touch with reality, in touch with the country that America is today. Finally – an intelligent leader. Now, let’s hope his policies are as effective as his rhetoric.
The Last Laugh – F. W. Murnau
We slide down in the elevator, slip past the opening doors and glide towards the front of the hotel and the revolving doors. Looking out, we see the doorman coordinating guests and luggage, managing arrivals and departures. It is with this incredible camera movement that Murnau opens The Last Laugh.
The camera movement doesn’t sound so amazing you say? Well, consider that the movie was shot in 1924. The opening shot had me saying – “He came up with such brilliant and fitting camera movement more than EIGHTY-FIVE years ago??!”
The Last Laugh is about a hotel doorman who defines himself by his job. He is treated with deference at the hotel and at home in the apartment complex – his grand uniform and his well-brushed, giant moustache lending an air of unmistakable gravitas. When the hotel manager decides he’s too old for the job, he’s replaced with a younger version of himself and is suddenly demoted to the washroom attendant – the lowest job on the totem pole. His world shatters.
The completely silent film doesn’t even use title/dialog cards to explain what’s going on. The acting would be considered over the top today, but considering that it had to convey all the emotion without a single word, it is understandable. Emil Jannings as the doorman is exceptional. His desolation and humiliation are painful to watch.
With a very straightforward story line, the movie is about emotions. The camera is used to excellent effect to highlight his mental state. Initially the camera idolizes him, shooting him from below or straight on. After his demotion, he shrinks – not only in comport, but the camera also moves higher, making him smaller. The hotel, is shown as a towering edifice, with revolving doors extending skywards – his perception of his workplace when he returns in fear. Murnau also used the camera to depict Jannings’ inebriatedly-depressed state. The camera swings around Jannings capturing the surreal, discombobulated state he’s in very nicely. And then there’s the dream sequence where Jannings imagines himself back in his role, easily hoisting large trunks of luggage with one hand – the camera flies through the air towards and around Jannings, emphasizing the removal from reality. When his secret is discovered, the laughing faces of his nosy neighbors are super-imposed onto each other – all leering at him. The movie illustrates how the camera, in concert with the actors, can communicate so much without a single spoken word.
The only incongrous part of the movie is the ending. After an utterly crushing emotional attack, it would be most fitting if the doorman collapsed and gave-in to the circumstances. Apparently the studio wanted a happy ending – and so the movie’s first title card apologies for what lies ahead – the doorman unexpected inherits a fortune from a patron who dies in his arms. He’s shown eating and drinking heartily in the hotel and being benevolent to all those who work there before he rides off into the sunset.
That aside, The Last Laugh is an excellent movie. A movie I enjoyed much more than I expected to and one that gets better with repeat viewings. Murnau did things with the camera in 1924 which many directors today are too conservative to try. Bravo!
Congratulations, AR Rahman!
YouTube – AR Rahman wins Golden Globe
The movies
After a dry spell for huge chunks of 2007 and 2008, the recent past has been better on the movie front. What hasn’t been better is my willingness and ability to document my thoughts on the stuff I’ve watched.
Writing a full review seems like a huge effort in the days when I am getting very little sleep. But hey… when did my little movie blog have to be anything other than what works best for me?
So in 2009 I hope I’ll blog more on Tatvam. But when I talk about a movie, it won’t be a classic review. Rather it will be the thoughts and emotions that struck me as I watched it. Will it be interesting to anyone else? Well… I guess I’ll find out.
Hello 2009
Ah… 2009. I finally feel well enough to blog and here I am.
And what better way to start than with a most excellent (yet pithy) post from Seth Godin…
Not having a goal lets you make a ruckus, or have more fun, or spend time doing what matters right now, which is, after all, the moment in which you are living.
The thing about goals is that living without them is a lot more fun, in the short run.
It seems to me, though, that the people who get things done, who lead, who grow and who make an impact… those people have goals.
My publicly stated goals are then – to find the time and inclination to blog more. Specifically to blog more about movies on Tatvam – that starts today. Besides that, all of my goals for 2009 are personal.
Hello my year… please be kinder and gentler than 2008 was!
I also blog at
-
Design