CELEBRITIES IN INDIA

Recently I read an interview given by noted Telugu writer Yandamoori Veerendranath. In it, he stated that he is not celebrity now. I wondered at it. I did not like his saying that way because he was/is/will be a celebrity forever in my view. I sent him emails thereafter and made him accept that he is a celebrity. In this context, I would like to post my views on what I mean by celebrity.

Celebrities are of two types, broadly, according to me. They are Shallow Celebrities and Significant Celebrities.

The story of Shallow Celebrities:

1. They do anything possible to them to be identified by others and retain the related fame they earn in that process.

2. Doing something uniquely once, sometimes or many times or anything continuously is their system of fame establishment and retention.

3. They crave for the attention and appreciation of others every day because others don’t have time to mind them always and beat their drums around them every day and night. They expect it now and then at least in exceptional cases.

4. If they notice that others are forgetting them slowly, for the right or wrong reasons, they create an occasion (like throwing parties to others or organizing some events wherein many participate to gain something from it or just like that) and get focused somehow. They spend their money and influence largely or moderately for it. They must be noticed and appreciated by many immediately by whatever they do in this format of their lifestyle.

5. Some don’t have much worth of their own at all and so they do something extraordinary by choice and thus get recognized by others. Guinness Book records fall into this category. There are two kinds of celebrities in this section. Those that serve many directly or indirectly through their achievements and those that do not contribute at all for the welfare or happiness of others through these extraordinary achievements. Growing beard, eating foods, jumping walls and living in unique conditions for long are some examples for those blokes who struggle for recognition badly, doing any nonsensical thing. Scientists, doctors, blood donors and philanthropists constitute the other section. They benefit many through their achievements and mostly Guinness Book folks approach them without their invitation to them.

6. Some are so idiotic and nasty in their character that they search for identity and fame in highly avoidable and detestable ways. Husbands suppressing their wives in their homes, bosses showing off in their offices before their helpless subordinates, fans association blokes shouting on roads when the films of their favorite actors and actresses are released to cinemas, and those bursting crackers publicly when India wins cricket tournaments against Pakistan form this section of worthless creatures.

7. Some degrade to any level to achieve something. Beauty contests for women, opportunities to act in films and chances to play in famous games and sports are examples for this section of shallow celebrities. They walk nakedly before you if it brings them instant recognition and fame. They lick the desired parts of your body if you tell them that you would make them celebrity within days using your money and fame in your field. They do all kinds of mad things publicly to attract the looks of people they think can make them celebrities.

8. Some start and run special institutions, ashrams, orphanages, old age homes and all-free hospitals to gain public attention and fame on the way. They really don’t possess virtues but act that way doing ideal things. They beat their wives at homes; spend with high-class prostitutes on many occasions and attend press meets frequently to announce nonsense there.

I would give you a few examples to make you understand shallow celebrities:

1. Sachin Tendulkar: Cricket is a game loved, played and discussed by worthless blokes in any nation because they don’t need creativity, intelligence, vision or virtues to learn it, play it or discuss it. Sachin created millions of nasty Indians spreading the infection of cricket along with his other associates like Dhoni. Consequently children stopped reading good books to improve their lives and concentrating much on their studies to build their characters and careers. Adults are wasting their time talking this or that about this filthy game in India. In short, today, to be considered a contemporary Indian ‘you must know something about cricket’. Sachin established such situation in India today. He is the king of shallow celebrities in this nation today in the field of sports and games.

2. Rahul Gandhi: He is a curse to India today because he wants to become the Prime Minister of this nation at any cost. We know the reason; family politics in India. Nehru, Indira, Rajiv, and Sonia. Whether you like it or not, whether you live or die, whether India perishes or shines, Rahul should become the Prime Minister of India in 2014. Sonia Gandhi wants it to happen. All the dogs and bitches under her political control now also want it to happen because it is the nature of Indian politicians. They would do anything to satisfy others and acquire positions and fame on the way. Rahul Gandhi is not a special personality. Since he wants recognition and fame at the highest level, artificially at least, he wants to become the Prime Minister of this nation, depending on the “family politics” concept, rooted and sustained in India over the decades. He is the king of shallow celebrities in the field of politics in India now.

3. Subbarami Reddy: I think many know about this cool man. A few know how he earned crores of rupees in this state but he thinks that others don’t know about it at all. He frequently does this or that to remain in the focus of media. He is a devotee of Lord Shiva and organizes big events in that direction occasionally to establish and retain his identity as a pious and spiritual man of India. He frequently felicitates other celebrities with gold bracelets, cash prizes and such other attractive ways. He badly needs to be recognized by others. So, he does such cool and noticeable things publicly, of course decently and democratically.

4. Daivagna Sharma: I think many know about this gentleman in Hyderabad and Secunderabad at least. He is a numerologist. He collects the list of details of functions and celebrations in the twin cities almost every day and night and rushes there, with or without invitation. Others must feel his presence. He craves for it. He does it going everywhere and being snapped by photographers on any occasion.

I think you got my point about the nature and activities of shallow celebrities. Now you can prepare a list with the details of such celebrities in your region. Those admiring and following them frequently or continuously also mostly possess such characteristics only. So, you can decide whom to admire or not now.

I am not including anybody related to film industry in this section because it is associated with creativity, art, and hard work. They are becoming famous and rich entertaining us daily. There are some shallow celebrities in this field also but their number is negligible. They don’t ruin our lives considerably. We need not find fault with them for whatever they represent or do for us.

The story of significant celebrities:

1. They do many things with standards and values.

2. They achieve great things without expecting recognition and fame from others but others admire them in course of time and make them celebrities because they benefit from what these celebrities do for them, directly or indirectly, now or in future.

3. Mostly they look simple, humble, sensitive and ideal in their looks and activities. If they start talking, writing or doing something else in that order, on issues they are serious with, nobody can face them, including the Chief Justice of India and Barack Obama. They are real stars of worth in their fields. They explode only when a situation demands it but not for recognition or fame in a wrong way.

4. They like others appreciating their acts and following what they are saying and doing, for the benefit of a few people in a region or many across the nation or the world. They enjoy appreciation from a few great people but not from a million sheep or rogues like shallow celebrities. They don’t enjoy blind admiration and baseless appreciation at all. They like those who challenge them in their field of pursuits and activities meant for all. They would be accountable for everything they do. They are not escapists or opportunists.

5. Honesty, vision, kindness, silent or violent hard work for others, intelligence and universal fraternity are some of their virtues.

6. Their thoughts and acts may look irrational, illogical, detestable and nonsensical to many in the contemporary society but they keep doing it because they know why they are doing it. They don’t want others to approve it. They are challengers and dictators in short. They turn and remain so to set and achieve lofty goals in course of time, alone, or along with others.

7. They meet and spend with shallow celebrities also frequently because they know that all are not significant celebrities like them in this world. Their goal is to meet and understand many bad people also. It helps them devise plans to correct them later, slowly or rapidly.

8. They may have bad habits to some extent but they do not hurt or disturb the lives of others that way. Mostly they ruin their lives to some extent or largely because of their bad habits but keep serving the society at large.

Let me provide you with some examples to make you understand these people better:

1. Jaya Prakash Narayan: He was a district collector once in Andhra Pradesh. He left it. He started Lok Satta. He wants to change Indians, slowly. He entered politics. Many did not vote for his candidates in the recent elections in this state. He only became an MLA. I consider him as one of the greatest thinkers and social reformers in India now. He is spending among lakhs of crazy and ignorant masses in India now with the mission of changing them, clearly knowing that they are not ready to change. He can live happily and comfortably if he shuns this mission but he is not doing it. History shows that Indians take minutes to turn into bad and mad creatures but years into virtuous and disciplined ones. This challenger is fighting against historical truths. The truth is Indians do not change. His mission is to change them. He is working among us decently and silently today. Notice him. Listen to him. Follow him. Change in tune to his expectations from you. That change is for your benefit, happiness and comfort. Understand and appreciate the qualities and acts of such significant celebrities in your region. We need them badly because they lead us when we are in darkness and sadness. Mahatma Gandhi did it and earned much fame on the way. There are many such significant celebrities even now in India. Unfortunately we are not listening to them. Unfortunately they don’t pull us out from our narrow domestic walls of lives and professions until we are prepared for it voluntarily. It is your role to follow them. Sun and moon do not crave for our recognition when carrying out their ideal duties in the sky far away from us. We love and appreciate them daily because they are benefitting us a lot. See if such moons and suns are there among you also on this earth and try to benefit from them also. Jaya Prakash Narayan is just one of such significant celebrities among us.

2. Arundhati Roy: She became famous with one book only. She did not expect it. I did not read it so far. Awards followed her. Fame flooded her. A thin woman with simple look in one corner of India achieved it all silently and unknowingly. She gave most of that money to others. She did not write book after book for earning more money and fame. She writes when she feels that need. She goes somewhere if others invite her. She thinks and works every day for India and Indians. I wonder at the personality and achievements of this significant celebrity in India. Is she not greater than Indira Gandhi, Indra Nooyi, Aiswarya Rai and Sania Mirza? But how many of us are thinking about her and following the suggestions made by her. Did she stop writing and shouting among us because we are not running after her madly as we do it in the case of these other shallow celebrities? Stars keep shining. To benefit or not from it is up to you. Winter blesses you with fascinating winds. How you enjoy it is left to you. Significant celebrities do not impose their agenda on you. They expect you to change one day. They pity you when you are perishing without change.

3. Industrialists: Every industrialist and entrepreneur in this nation and abroad today, who is directly or indirectly giving salaries and so many other benefits to many employees in the organized or unorganized sector, partly or fully adhering to the good standards set by the respective state and central governments, is a significant celebrity. Even those employers employing 10 people at least are great. They are saving 10 people from committing suicides or becoming naxalites out of frustration. This list of significant celebrities is very long. I consider TATAs, Infosys, Dabur and Amul the best in this category. I have no data about great industrialists in this nation or abroad. So, you can prepare your list. The yardstick is ‘serving humanity at large substantially adhering to great standards and values on the way, externally and internally’.

4. Artists: A great artist is one that does many things to satisfy his or her ideals and values and a few things to please those that love him or her deeply, going against his or her self-imposed restrictions and guidelines. They entertain and educate you through their music, songs, paintings, dance, sculpture, drama, films, and writings. There are many kinds of artists and arts in India. Ilayaraja, O P Nayyar, Jagjit Singh are some of them. This list is also long. We know about 50% of these artists but there are 50% other equally great artists beyond our notice. These are all significant celebrities. They are influencing our lives to a great extent.

5. Scientists: I accord my highest level of respect, gratitude, love and veneration for those scientists, who struggled/are struggling hard to make the lives of humanity safe, comfortable, prosperous and happy from many respects. All gadgets and facilities we are using today are their blessings. Medicines we are using today to save our health and life are their blessings. They dictate the progress or destruction of a nation or world, silently, working in their laboratories. They are next to God. Majority of them are idealists, visionaries and intellectuals. It is why we are all living like this today. They are thinking and working for us as long as they are active in their body and spirit. They influence and change our course of life to a great extent in every age. They don’t crave for appreciation from all sections of blokes because they have no time or interest to entertain them that way.

6. Common People: Does your father allow you to throw some food outside just like that when he is going to die within a few minutes if he does not eat anything? He beats you and scolds you before grabbing that extra food from your hands. Millions of common people in this nation are greater than your father, mother, siblings and relatives living happily around you. They are allowing Sachin Tendulkar to play cricket and spoil Indians every day irrevocably, not thinking about their poverty and helplessness. They are allowing rich people to drink alcoholic drinks, smoke cigarettes and cigars, spend with prostitutes, going abroad and thus wasting billions of rupees every year on the way, when they have no a little money in their hands to survive considerably at their level. They are not killing corrupt politicians, immoral celebrities, illegal lawyers and judges but bearing with them and continuing to live. They are admirable Indians and significant celebrities in this nation because they are living based on the principles of patience, kindness, spiritualism, self-denial and ignorance. We are living crazily and lazily because they did not kill us till now. They don’t have/crave for an identity of their own. We generally call them “masses” or “the poorest of the poor”.

7. Armed Forces: They are working for us, when we are awake or asleep. They are sacrificing many comforts of their lives for us. Many of them are not as intelligent and rich as we people living outside but they know how to use a gun when somebody, from or outside our country, misbehaves with them. We should kill a few wrong people to save many good and innocent people. They are on this mission every day. I left the Indian Army after spending there for a few weeks as a garden boy and recruit. I could not be there more than that because it is very tough to experience the life of a soldier there. If everybody that joined the armed forces did like me, our India would have been under the rule of China or Pakistan years ago because our enemies want to rule us, exploiting us daily. They don’t love us and serve us as great people. Everybody that worked/is working in the armed forces of India is a significant celebrity, excluding those few that committed frauds and crimes to some or large extent misusing their power accorded by the government. Salute them in your minds. Love them in your hearts. Greet and hug them publicly if you can. They enjoy your honest and direct appreciation because they are working for you daily. Do something good for them if you can.

8. Naxalites: They are intelligent, organized and violent social reformers living in our forests. They think that villains must be killed immediately to save innocent and virtuous people from them and thus establish an ideal society based on equality and justice for all. They are leaving their parents, relatives, villages, towns and everything associated with their simple or special lives in our bad societies. We are cursing corrupt politicians, careless and lazy government employees, exploitative representatives of private sector who do anything aiming at more comforts and benefits to them, cruel businessmen, selfish middlemen in many fields and so many such other villains who are insulting, hurting, disturbing and exploiting us daily in some or other form. Can we change a villain cursing him daily? He considers us a mad man or he kills us one day if he thinks that we are posing a threat to his existence on this earth. So, what is the solution? We must kill our villains strategically, using dangerous weapons on the way, if necessary. It is what naxalites have been doing for us over the years. They are killing ordinary people also now and then. They are collecting money and other resources for their survival from people and police stations in objectionable manner. Perhaps they are doing it as the last resort. All naxalites may not be gentlemen as we imagine but 90% of them are thinking and working for us violently. As long as there are corruption, unrest, poverty and exploitation in India, naxalism survives. It should survive. Where there are villains, there are heroes and heroines. Naxalites are our heroes and heroines in the film of our daily lives and professions, filled with unrest and exploitation, caused by corrupt and immoral people around us. They are not craving for recognition or fame but dreaming of a great India where all good and innocent people can live happily till they die. Do we hide in a forest when we want fame? We walk on to the roads and shout publicly keeping placards in our hands and blocking roads and railway tracks on the way. It is how we idiots of India crave for fame and recognition. Naxalites are spending in forests and such other uncomfortable and unsafe regions, to serve us silently, killing our common villains violently. They may die at any time. They quit everything for us. They are living for us. Are not they significant celebrities of India? Shallow celebrities are struggling hard, spending millions of rupees and many resources, to trace and kill them brutally, wherever they are. It is fate of India and Indians!

If we understand the essence of a concept or ideology, we can create and develop many thoughts, ideas and plans from it, based on our priorities, compulsions or helplessness, in course of time. I hope, by now, you could understand who is a shallow celebrity and who is a significant celebrity.

Try to become a significant celebrity, if possible, or, at least, do not promote shallow celebrities around you. Ignore them or discourage them.

Identify, encourage, promote, appreciate, admire and follow significant celebrities you know depending on your rational, logical, righteous and visionary mind and conscience. We are all not equal in intelligence and strength, in body and mind. Since God knew about it, centuries before our birth on this earth, he devised the idea of creating shallow and significant celebrities in every nation. Shallow celebrities misguide and disturb us silently or violently. Significant celebrities help and guide us kindly and effectively.

You need not be a celebrity but it is your responsibility to love and follow a significant celebrity because he or she fights or works for you when you can’t/don’t do it for some reasons. Don’t you want to be safe and comfortable at your level, being guided and helped by them?

Shallow celebrities are not powerful entities. Their strength is wide following and appreciation from ignorant masses and misguided youth. You can encourage them if you want to live in a hell created by them for you, secretly or publicly. You need not kill all shallow celebrities but change them to the better, just by ignoring them forever. They do not contribute to the development or beauty of this nation but grow up as celebrities relying on your crazy following and admiration for them.

Do not admire shallow celebrities like Sachin, Sania, Rahul and Indra Nooyi.

Sachin Tendulkar is eating our brains filling it with the thoughts and doubts related to cricket. So, we stopped thinking and working for the real issues of this nation. If we keep a hungry dog so for long, it attacks and pulls away the plate of food from our hands. More thieves, killers, rapists, kidnappers, corrupt politicians and exploitative businessmen and middlemen exploit and kill us day by day if we keep admiring Sachin Tendulkar and leave all other issues to time.

 

Nothing disastrous happens in this world if Sania Mirza does not play tennis to entertain her mad fans but if people like Arundhati Roy stop thinking and working for us, being disturbed by our absolute negligence toward the issues of this nation, our politicians and corporate companies kill us soon or sell us to some other rich country. Then Sania and Sonia fly off to Dubai and Italy leaving us all here. They are not our saviors, but pure opportunists.

Rahul Gandhi does not improve our fates but enjoys his position as a prime minister just like his great grandfather, grandmother, father and mother did. He is an intelligent liar and decent escapist. Manmohan Singh promotes him because he is old and does not mind much about the fate of our present or future generations. We, the active and visionary citizens of India, should not continue this detestable, horrible and retrograde trend of “family politics” in India.

Indra Nooyi sells us carbonated drinks and earns a place in the list of influential people of India prepared by worthless and mad foreign publishing entities. We are spoiling our health and lives drinking carbonated drinks regularly. Instead of it, we must drink cow or buffalo milk, buttermilk, lemon water, fruit juices, fruit salads and such other really useful foods and drinks to our body and mind. As long as we admire and promote Indra Nooyi, we don’t have time to think about these crucial issues of our nation.

Yandamoori Veerendranath said in his interview that he is not a celebrity now. What he means by it is “I am not a shallow celebrity like these dogs and monkeys barking at others on roads and shouting madly before offices and houses daily craving for artificial and negligible fame. I am a different celebrity altogether. I enjoy that status always in my mind”.

This writer is a prolific personality. He did a lot earlier as a writer to entertain and educate others. Now he avoided working that rapidly because many are running after shallow celebrities. A significant celebrity does not like to be identified as a shallow celebrity by ignorant and innocent sheep around him. So, he is writing a history-based serial novel in a Telugu daily supplement to educate a few Telugu speaking sheep at least on what is happening in India now and what needs to happen. As I wrote earlier, significant celebrities don’t shout on roads and railway tracks. Yandamoori Veerendranath is shouting in this book every week, to awake us.

Significant celebrities struggle hard and suffer when the society is very bad. They are thinking and working hard for you means you are nearing hell in your life or profession. Sometimes they leave sheep and rogues to their lot and mind their business allowing time to settle issues slowly. Perhaps many Indians are at this stage of their lives and professions now.