South Indian actor Prithviraj doesn’t deserve the scalping he is now taking on Youtube and Facebook.
It is simply unfair, and more than anything, another clear instance of the double standards and hypocrisy of Malayalis. I would have loved to use the word Mallus but apparently it is derogatory, according to whom and for what, don’t ask.
When you stick out your head for Prithviraj, it also becomes imperative to underline that I am no fan of the young actor. As an individual, he has largely whipped up two extreme reactions – love and hate – and though I am generally not the indifferent kind, I would say, I belong to the neither list.
So, why do I feel the need to defend Prithviraj?The trigger was this interview of the actor, which as I write this, has fetched some 48,000 hits, while the original ‘Prithvirajappan’ – has clocked over 450,000 and counting.
The Asianet interview is now doing its round on Facebook, with practically every ‘friend’ of mine posting it as his/her status message. Really? This man’s interview is your status? The argument is that the Youtube clip shows Prithviraj as stumbling and fumbling when asked about a book/author he likes. (Secretly, I would salute anyone who swears by Ayn Rand and The Fountainhead – that novel is the ultimate tribute to individualism and objectivity.)
I have no idea how these Prithvi-bashers missed the fumbling and stumbling of the interviewer; do we have two yardsticks to judge people simply because some are ‘media idols?’
Ok, let me not make this into another bashing session on how our television interviewers behave on the idiot box (more so because I have a bad history of being bashed by the Youtube crowd for an AR Rahman interview – if you are interested in its print version, read it here – where I gesticulate and ahems through it – oh yeah – am pretty bad at this; I break into sweat and shiver and all that; cameras scare the shit out of me).
But why do we hate Prithviraj? Because he is arrogant? Because he tends to speak his mind? Because he tends to exaggerate his claims of his movies? Because he sounds disrespectful to his peers and seniors?
Show me one Malayali who doesn’t do all this! We are the biggest of bitchers/whiners. We revel in crushing idols, demeaning anyone (like my stab at the interviewer above), and we sincerely believe that as individuals each one of us is the best, the rest be damned.
Just a case of one of my theories, that we refuse to acknowledge the asshole within ourselves but see the ass in everyone else.
Now, honestly, what has Prithviraj done to irritate us? He has been extremely successful – for his age. And the boy speaks like a dream; his diction and command of languages – both Malayalam and English – is flawless. He has good looks. He exudes confidence. He is as much at ease in front of Asianet as in front of a London media.
For a young actor, he has taken the best risks and challenges – that even the veterans have not ventured. I hated Urumi but I loved his guts to take on history and give it a twist by the tail.
And let me remind you of the lost battle he waged – he was perhaps the only one to stand up against the Big guns during the Vinayan debate.
He stuck to his conviction and did movies with a director who was practically an outcaste (for all his obstinacy and stupidity and lack of skills, Vinayan’s original sin was to cast a Mohanlal-look alike in his debut – the star, apparently, didn’t pardon him then, or now.)
Where were actors like Dileep who had enjoyed the benevolence of Vinayan when he fell into troubled times? At least Prithviraj stood up for him.
We need boys and men like Prithviraj. You can’t hate him because he didn’t invite the whole of Kerala to his wedding or because he ‘lied’ to Vanitha (isn’t this a women’s magazine – why does it need cinema stars to stay ‘as the largest circulated women’s magazine’ in the market?)
I was sure Prithviraj would have laughed this all away; but no, he looks affected – anyone would be – and it shows in his reactions.
My request to Prithviraj would be to cease to react or to bother; this is not about a ‘barking dogs’ syndrome.
This is because I believe we need more men who stand up for their conviction -for good or bad.
I have always believed that the ‘inferiorty complex’ which the Srinivasan-Mohanlal combo inflicted on our generation is why we became the ‘lost generation.’ Look at any of those glorified movies of the twosome – the heroes are great loveable men (like us in the 40s, lol), but what the heck, they are such losers!
I read this today by chance: “Those who create enterprises from nothing are by nature egotists; impressing their vision of a new undertaking upon the world. The truly humble would never be able to carry out a task like that’ – (A crisis is the only way to test your value – by Luke Johnson, writining in FT)
Prithvi, be the egotist; create something new.
And for heaven’s sake, give more Malayalam television interviews.
Just give it to them, though!
(Tailender: Don’t give me the suckup award; I am not planning a movie with Prithvi)
Prithviraj’s picture from Keralabuzz.com; no copyright violation intended
