Cool link! There's a stark difference between how it's covered in the newspapers (not the tabloids) abroad and in India. The former is quite sensible. The latter is pure hysterical. TimesOfIndia takes the cheese cake-- "India breaks sound barrier" and the even cheesier "OscAR Rahman: Raja of Roja now rules the O-zone layer". If you ever needed proof that TOI is a tabloid masquerading as a newspaper, there you have it. It's certainly a laudable achievement for many involved in the project. By all means give them their recognition. But also put things in perspective. There are so many problems plaguing India. It's just insane to forget about all that and devote an entire front page to the Oscar win. Are we such a nation of poor achievers that even a win for some from the entertainment industry gets such a massive celebration? I find it weird.
Shekhar Kapur said it well- "So why don't I see that the West celebrates when one of their artists becomes popular here in India ? Why don't we see headlines in the LA times then ? ... Why do we admire the West so much. Even in my career I thought that Bandit Queen was a far far better film, a more heartfelt film, and a much more meaningful film than Elizabeth or any of the other films I made in the West. But in India I was suddenly celebrated as a film maker after Elizabeth. I even was awarded a Padma Shree after that film. Why ? Because the film was nominated for 7 Oscars, and Bandit Queen was not. When will we stop being aspirational towards the West ?" And already the clamoring for a Bharat Ratna has begun! Keep things sane and in perspective folks. RR ________________________________ From: Anantha <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 7:36:15 AM Subject: [arr] SDM North America front page roundup http://www.sajaforum.org/2009/02/slumdog-frontpage-roundup.html
