A Somewhat Open Letter to Mr. Aamir Khan


Dear Mr. Khan


          It is not very often that someone or something comes about and shakes a section of public alive, from the deep caverns of inherent slumber. Even rarer it is, if that someone or something succeeds in appealing to a relatively wide bracket of perception in its purpose and brings hence a general consensus. Your show does both, and with prowess and I am really happy for that.

          But you see, being a cynic that I am, what vexes me the most is the act part of all that your show is. I don't care about other criticisms. I don't care how long does the momentum set by your show will last to change the situation on ground, or how, if it steers clear of the gloomy stuff, the uncomfortable realities which are too much to show on TV. I don't care if Reliance is doing an in-your-face advertising of their philanthropic endeavours. There's only so much a show or a man can be held accountable for. Your acting however, though otherwise pretty good, is what remains for me, the main indigestible portion from the platter of 'Satyamev Jayate' from the very first episode.

          The consummate art of summoning tears at will anywhere and any time and which you apply so generously throughout the show, becomes too difficult for my brain to comprehend. The speed with which your eyes swell up, and that too on a recapitulation, seems perfunctory and frankly, a little upsetting.

          I know the stories and the events are unfortunate and really sad, and its moving to hear the ordeal in victim's own words. But feeling sad and immediately going on and wiping tears off are completely two different things. I feel, the first reaction after listening to such incidents always, is that of shock, then anger for the injustice they've suffered, and then the sorrow. Anger may not always be present, but shock does always precedes the tears.

        In your case however, the element of shock can never be there. And coupled with the fact that you may well be aware of worst cases, which for obvious reasons you can't include in the show and which somehow dilutes the grief for the story at hand, makes it all the more difficult for me to understand your gasps and tears.

          I am not an insensitive apathetic monster and neither am I saying that you don't feel sorry for the victims in real. If that were the case, you wouldn't have taken up the responsibility of making such a program in the first place. I am only trying to say that when you start crying within minutes of start of the show, it just comes out as fake and sometimes annoying.

          It's no doubt that you understand viewers and their behaviour or emotions associated far better than I do, and most probably, you may have in mind the intended viewer-ship before hand and maybe they do need those tears. But for the sake of practicality, I would still request you not to cry so often that the tears start loosing their worth.

          I also understand, that you are the one who's doing something good for the society in whatever measure you can and I am the one sitting at home writing this letter, highlighting faults that may not be faults at all for others. But no matter how mean I sound up there, I am doing this out of malice or ill will. It's just to see the show I like watching be a little better. I hope you won't take offence at the words I used above and consider it a constructive criticism.


A viewer

                 

Comments

  1. Hmm... I never thought of it this way. I guess the since the show timing is limited and it really happens for long, it's made that way? The parts which aren't required are omitted maybe.

    I definitely admire this show for allowing us to know what's happening, but yeah, maybe if you look closely, these loose ends may irritate you.

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  2. I too admire the show immensely, but if somebody starts to cry within 10 minutes of the start of the show, it's wither edited wrong or it's fake. Either way it puts people off. :/

    As I said, maybe he understands the public emotions better. The rest of it is all good. It's pure hard work on their part. And it's prompting action within the government on some level, hopefully leading to changes for good.

    Thanks for the comment. :)

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