AMAN KI ASHA ya PROFIT KI ABHILASHA ? ? ?

My disappearance should be attributed to the clinical depression that I was into due to lack of interest by the readers(actually reader - only I read it). But, nothing absolutely no amount of dissuasion can stop me from blogging(bugging). So I continue...
The title of the post must have given a fair idea about what I have to SAY this time! But let me make something extremely clear at the outset about my outlook. I am downright negative, unnecessarily judgemental, and very cynical.
For those who have escaped the heavy duty promotion from Times Group, Aman Ki Asha is a peace project in collaboration with the Jang Group of Pakistan aimed at improving our relationship with Pakistan. It is such a noble exercise ! Then what is it that I am whining about...

Being India's largest media house, the reach of Times Group cannot be questioned. So can't the manipulation that must be going into the 'Business' of their 'public service' campaigns! Is it a big allegation that I am making? Maybe, but making irresponsible allegations should not be confined to the media alone. Someone needs to question them too.

Lets come back to Aman Ki Asha. What a beautiful campaign, executed masterfully. Gulzar's poetry, Amitabh Bachchan's baritone, a Senior Citizen of Pakistan requesting a Hindi film song across the border! Who's heart won't melt? I am all for India-Pakistan friendship but after following the campaign closely I wondered what happened all of a sudden to the group which was saying snap all ties with Pakistan. Times Now Editor in Chief (the news Channel belonging to the Times Group) was raking in highest TRPs for his 9p.m. show for his Right Wing views after 26/11. Times of India went on an offensive when the Government of India had shown some interest in backdoor diplomacy during July last year. Their Editorials were full of how our UPA government is bowing down to 'International'(read American) pressure. Front page of TOI carried a story saying the evil Taliban is some 300 km away from Indian Capital and will strike anytime the Pakistan Army wants it to. And many more of such articles, columns, reports full of Pakistan bashing right after 26/11 till early November last year. (appeasing readers is part of the profession) So as a follower of the media group I was taken aback when I read about this campaign. Why are they taking such a simplistic view of such a complex issue? Like everybody else even my first reaction was that its a noble exercise. But it left me wondering why such sudden change of heart.

And then came the eye opener. Times Music(a heavy loss making subsidiary of Bennett & Coleman & Co. Ltd. -the owners of the Times group) is out with the album 'aman ki asha' priced at Rs. 300.(normal Hindi Audio Album is priced at around Rs.150) There is more. Nobody bleeds like the Indian Film and Music Industry(reason : piracy) due to the tension between the two arch rivals. With the Times Group having high stakes in both these industries, pushing for relaxation of the ban on Hindi Films across the border makes economic sense and would be smoother with renewed public perception. Full page print ads in multi-lingual sister publications of Times of India, Visual ads on various channels during prime time, outdoor ads across the Indian cities , so much of moolah won't be spent just for so called public service campaign by the largest media house in the country. Its not even a stray incident, so as to give the Times Group the benefit of the doubt. They start such campaigns and don't follow them up. Lead India, India Poised, Teach India are such examples. All the other three campaigns had the biggest Hindi film stars viz. Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Shahrukh Khan etc. (that too for free). Everyone is aware that friendship with Pakistan is something close to Gulzarsaheb. So manipulating the public perception with such great stalwarts and popular icons is relatively easier.

Along with some quick profits, scoring brownie points and earning a reputation of socially responsible media house without doing anything constructive is really a great strategy!
But, with the wounds of 26/11 still fresh, Times Group in my opinion has gone a little too far in their quest for taking the high moral ground. I will end the post with an idiotic poem for an idiotic campaign,

No Aman , Not even Aman ki Asha,
Its Only about balance sheets and Profits ki abhilasha,
so all we do is an unnecessary Tamasha...

But, I have to admit, the ads are nice, the dove is innovative, the music is lovely, Gulzarsaheb's poetry is ethereal. My only problem is its usage to manipulate our emotions... Till then be happy and if you can spread the cheer . . . . .