Ba(nne)d substances…

What after tobacco, Dr Ramadoss, gutka, junk food, chocolates? Shailaja Bajpai in the Indian Express

If cigarettes are harmful, what about all those other equally harmful ‘substances’ that regularly get promoted in the movies and on television – gutka, junk food, cola and chocolates… (Incidentally, if gutka advertising is banned, a majority of the television channels will have to shut shop)

And what about those sights which are not quite harmful but offensive all the same? Starting with Shah Rukh Khan Speaking of The Khan, Karan Johar’s promotion of him on Koffee with Karan dropped to sickening levels in the last episode of the chat show that featured the actor for only the third time. There’s something downright unhealthy about Johar’s Magnificent Khan obsession. And now the disease has spread to Amitabh Bachchan. We had to spend 90 minutes watching them butter each other like a particularly dry piece of bread. And then, for Jaya Bachchan to appear on the show and treat the two of them as though they are the Taj Mahal, and Johar the sweetest sweety ever, a ban on this one, Mr. Ramadoss. Please.

And Abhijeet Sawant – For instance, Indian Idol Abhijeet Sawant ought to be snippety-snipped. His music video Lafzon Mein is an affront to our eyes and ears. He doesn’t know how to dance, he can barely sing and he wears a long coat that makes him look like a character from another century. As for those finger kisses—give us hot lips from the Pepsi at any day.

Incidentally, Sawant is on Indiatimes’ list of most overrated Indian faces – , His Fevicol smile and humble face are such a put-off, that one wonders how long can one fake it? Since the time he’s won the title, he’s been boring us with that music video on the sea shore in that overly mellifluous number. Abhijeet there is no need to be Mr Good Boy because you’ve won what you wanted. Smile a real smile idol, before you really become ideal…

If you have seen his music video on television (by that I mean Sony Television), you will agree completely. This boy is the result of sheer marketing genius from Sony TV, and little else…