B-town makes news

The film fraternity has always shared a love-hate relationship with the media.

Of late however, there seems to be more hate than love, with the media being the industry’s favourite punching bag even on chat shows like the one hosted by Karan Johar.

The portrayal of the fourth estate in films has been diverse — in some cases stereotypical, farcical and in a bad light. How else would you explain Aishwarya Rai Bachchan telling Jackie Shroff, “Journalist log bahut kum sach bolte hain,” in Albela? Jackie, who played the journalist, says, “The media is targetted in films, but so are politicians, cops, sportsmen and film stars. But like every other profession, there are responsible and irresponsible people even in the media. Ash’s character eventually fell in love with me in the film. That says it all.”

You might never catch a journalist doing an item number in real life, but Zayed Khan, who played a TV reporter in Mission Istaanbul, did just that.Also, scribes being snubbed by actors is common in films. Remember how Abhishek Bachchan abuses a hapless scribe on being asked a ‘personal question’ in Naach? Or the Big B chasing a journo out in The Last Lear when he gets a fact wrong? Madhur Bhandarkar’s Page 3 is one of the few films that backed the scribe. “When I was making Page 3, everyone asked me who’d want to be sympathetic towards a journalist. But it became a bible for journalists in India. I met page 3 journalists who gave me the inside story. I attended parties in Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai as part of my research,” reveals Madhur.

If Madhavan played the gutsy journalist in Guru working under a righteous editor (Mithun Chakraborty), Minissha Lamba became the truth-seeking reporter in Shaurya. But not all are righteous, maintains Madhur. “Konkona wasn’t one. She was modern, had a boyfriend, drank wine and was fun-loving,” says Madhur. From the cranky Seema (played by Sridevi) in Mr India, to the fiery Romila Dutta in Lakshya, essayed by Preity Zinta, film-makers have attached different faces to the profession. Says Farhan Akhtar, who directed Lakshya, “I met war journalists before shooting. I was clear that Preity’s character needed to be a responsible journalist who gets the news first-hand rather than from someone else. You have to be sure about what you say to people, particularly in a panic situation.”

Why did he adhere to the kurta-crinkled skirt-jhola bag stereotype while deciding Preity’s look in Lakshya? “Indian movies are guilty of stereotyping all professions. But there’s some element of truth in them. Preity’s look in the film was very Delhi,” explains Farhan.

Nishikant Kamat’s Mumbai Meri Jaan highlighted the tendency of news channels to sensationalise reports, with the journalist (Soha Ali Khan) herself becoming a victim. The media has also been accused of being overtly intrusive, with many condemning sting operations, something that Alia (Priyanka Chopra) in God Tussi Great Ho planned to do. Ram Gopal Varma’s next, Rann, shows the media resorting to yellow journalism to grab TRPs. Gul Panag, who’s acted in the film, says, “It exposes the nexus between the media, politicians and industrialists. Ramu hasn’t shown anything far-fetched. Why are some always targetted while others go scot-free? Some politicians are caught accepting money in sting operations, others are never exposed. News anchors are expected to give unbiased reports. But during 26/11, reporters went breathless, were panting, and creating images that were worse than the real situation, thereby creating panic.”