Topic Guide

After Satyamev Jayate:

"Celebrity culture is bad for politics"
STAR India's hit TV show Satyamev Jayate sparked controversy this year not only because of the issues it has
debated - which include pesticides in food domestic violence and the abortion of female fetuses - but because it
is hosted by !ollywood star Aamir "han# Some feel the show blurs the line between politics and entertainment
by sta$in$ ar$uments to make $ood television with an emotional kick rather than clarifyin$ and resolvin$ the
serious issues involved# %ritics are also concerned that "han lacks the authority to discuss these issues
seriously and is usin$ his fame as an actor to $ive spurious wei$ht to his own opinions# In fact there is a lon$
tradition of celebrities involvin$ themselves in politics often takin$ up particular causes much more e&plicitly#
"han himself has previously spoken up for tribals affected by the Sardar Sarovar 'am and backed Anna
(a)are durin$ his protest fast# *urther afield (ollywood le$end %lint +astwood recently backed the Republican
,S presidential candidate -itt Romney while actors like !rad .itt and An$elina Jolie have championed the
-illennium 'evelopment /oals for e&ample# !ut there is often a backlash from those who feel film stars are not
0ualified to discuss politics and should not abuse their position by holdin$ forth on their pet causes#
After an episode of Satyamev Jayate on medical malpractice the parliamentary standin$ committee on
commerce consulted Aamir "han on the 0uestion of *'I in pharmaceuticals# %ritics ar$ued that this made a
mockery of the deliberation process since "han is not an e&pert on the sub1ect but merely an opinionated
celebrity# 2onetheless others ar$ue that it is a $ood thin$ when celebrities like "han use their fame to brin$ an
issue into focus and champion causes that mi$ht otherwise be ne$lected# This is especially true at a time
when there is widespread cynicism about politics and politicians and ar$uably people are more likely to pay
attention to a sympathetic filmstar or sportsman than a career politician# *or supporters of an initiative like
Satyamev Jayate the cynics are ne$lectin$ the value of sheer publicity and the emotional appeal celebrities
can brin$ to an issue# !ut critics insist such appeal is superficial and short-lived and that when political issues
are $iven the celebrity treatment the public will respond as they would to a soap opera en1oyin$ a brief feelin$
of en$a$ement before walkin$ away 'without a trace of any emotional residue'#
The debate in context:
Celebrities in politics
It is not unusual in India for celebrities to move into politics# Veteran -alayalam actress Sheela is one of the
latest film stars to turn politician by 1oinin$ %on$ress# Amitabh !achchan had a short political career in the
3456s but other film stars have made more of an impact particularly in the South where 2T Rama Rao and
-/ Ramachandran have founded successful political parties so it could be ar$ued that such 'celebrities' have
successfully made the transition into politics and should be respected as such# *or his part Shah Rukh "han
famously claimed he would never $et involved in politics because he is 'too selfish too materialistic and
capitalistic' 7as well as 'too $ood lookin$'8# 2onetheless he has courted controversy by speakin$ out about the
lack of .akistani cricketers in the I.9 and 0uestionin$ the motivation of anti-$raft campai$ner !aba
Ramdev# %onstantly under the spotli$ht it is perhaps difficult for someone like "han not to attract controversy#
!ut some have willin$ly used fame as a sprin$board into politics and not only film stars# %ricket icon Sachin
Tendulkar was nominated to the Ra1ya Sabha this year in what was widely seen as a populist $esture on the
part of %on$ress sparkin$ some controversy as well as pu))lement on the part of social activist Anna
(a)are who su$$ested an award like the !harat Ratna would have been a more approriate way to reco$nise
Sachin's undoubted sportin$ achievements# :f course celebrities have as much ri$ht as any other citi)en to
enter politics; what is at issue is whether it is healthy for democracy when it is star 0uality and $lamour rather
than serious political ideas that influence public debate < whether in formal democratic politics or throu$h
Topic Guide
campai$nin$ and championin$ causes# In the case of Satyamev Jayate, the 0uestion is whether Aamir "han is
usin$ his fame to hi$hli$ht political issues or simply turnin$ these issues into a form of entertainment#
Dumbing down complicated social and political issues?
:ne of the main criticisms made of celebrity involvement in politics is that it tends to reduce issues to black and
white morality tales more in keepin$ with !ollywood melodrama than the realities of the modern world# It has
been pointed out that Satyamev Jayate pro$ramme was edited in misleadin$ ways with the sound mi&in$ in
post-production manipulated for emotional effect# *or critics this reflects a more profound problem with celebrity-
led political pro$rammin$# As writer and activist *arah 2a0vi says of Aamir "han ,'The concern is that he
presents both a populist and one-dimensional truth on an enormously comple& social issue with a dan$erous
authority that only his kind of stardom can muster'# *or e&ample there were particular criticisms about the
episode on pesticides in food which many felt ne$lected the necessity of pesticides portrayin$ them as
simply evil and championin$ an unrealistic model of or$anic farmin$ instead# :thers ar$ued the episode on
pharmaceuticals 7which led to "han bein$ consulted by the parliamentary committee8 dan$erously over-
simplified the issue by endorsin$ $eneric dru$s re$ardless of the risks# :ne reason for this is that the format of
the pro$ramme re0uires a relatively simple solution that viewers can subscribe to so ar$uably the tendency will
always be to simplify and moralise# This is common to many celebrity-led campai$ns# *or e&ample economic
1ournalist Rupa Subramanya points out that while economists fiercely debate the merits of the -illennium
'evelopment /oals the likes of An$elina Jolie present them as bein$ synonymous with economic development
itself# +ven a celebrity with perhaps more intellectual credibility than a film star like the novelist Arundhati Roy is
accused of hyperbole and hysteria by the historian Ramachandra /uha even thou$h he broadly supports her
causes such as protectin$ tribals# (e ar$ues that even if celebrities can draw attention to an issue 'the media
will soon abandon the cause for the star' and concludes 'we would all be better off were she =Roy> to revert to
fiction'#
Raising awareness and inigorating democracy?
Supporters of Satyamev Jayate and celebrity involvement in politics more broadly ar$ue that even if they do
simplify the issues celebrities can play an invaluable role in brin$in$ them to the public's attention# After all if
marketin$ people pay celebrities lar$e sums to endorse their products it follows that it must work to some
e&tent# !roadcast in (indi and various re$ional lan$ua$es Satyamev Jayate reaches a wide audience
throu$hout India and ar$uably any compromise in terms of presentin$ the issues in a populist style is 1ustified by
the potential for $ettin$ more people involved in discussin$ such matters# Social scientist Shiv Visvanathan
compares Aamir "han to Anna (a)are seein$ both as innovators within Indian democracy at a time when the
public has little respect for professional politicians and even $oes so far as to describes his show as 'a $ood
social science class wonderfully presented'# Akhila Sivadas of the %entre for Advocacy and Research also
praises "han ar$uin$ '(e connects to people at the popular level is not dia$nostic raises conscience and
pleads for chan$e'# And newspaper columnist Tavleen Sin$h has con$ratulated Aamir "han for usin$ his
celebrity to publicise the important 'human interest' stories ne$lected by 1ournalists# 2onetheless critics insist
that the emotive style of the pro$ramme obscures the political issues at hand# Accordin$ to one critical review of
the first episode its overly emotional style $ot in the way of substance# A fiercer critic S Anand dismisses the
pro$ramme as 'bour$eois moralism of the most patholo$ical sort' ar$uin$ that in each episode 'the only solution
turns out to be nothin$ more than emotional catharsis'# Social commentator Santosh 'esai distin$uishes
between a 'social crusader' like /eor$e %looney who uses his fame to lend wei$ht to a cause such as the pli$ht
of people in 'arfur and an 'entrepreneur' like Aamir "han# Accordin$ to 'esai "han has identified social ills as a
market to be catered to# In that case the 0uestion is whether his attentions can help resolve these problems
or will ultimately do more harm than $ood#
Topic Guide
!ssential Reading:
Sachin Tendulkar in Ra1ya Sabha; ?ho said what "DT# $ports @ June A63A
http;BBsports#ndtv#comBcricketBsachinBnewsBitemB343ACA-sachin-tendulkar-in-ra1ya-sabha-who-said-
what
The usefulness of celebrities by Santosh 'esai Times of %ndia C June A63A
http;BBblo$s#timesofindia#indiatimes#comB%itycityban$ban$BentryBthe-usefulness-of-celebrities
+conomics Journal; 'o %elebrities Really -ake a 'ifferenceD by Rupa Subramanya %ndia Realtime C6 -ay
A63A
http;BBblo$s#ws1#comBindiarealtimeBA63AB6EBC6Beconomics-1ournal-do-celebrities-really-make-a-
differenceB
The Truth .aste by 2amrata Joshi &utloo' %ndia A3 -ay A63A
http;BBwww#outlookindia#comBarticle#asp&DA56546
The !ottom 9ine; ?hy !ollywood stars fail in 2ational politics by /V9 2arasimha Rao (iemint 3E :ctober
A66F
http;BBwww#livemint#comB.oliticsBe5S10cC*2pGR1:/A(Hd!3"BThe-!ottom-9ine-?hy-!ollywood-stars-
fail-in-2ational-politi#html
)or:
The .roblem with Aamir "hanIs JSatyamev Jayate* by Isheta Sal$aocar %ndia Realtime @ July A63A
http;BBblo$s#ws1#comBindiarealtimeBA63AB6FB6@Bthe-problem-with-aamir-khans-satyamev-1ayateB
Satyamev Jayate's Ardh Satya by *arah 2a0vi The +indu 3A -ay A63A
http;BBwww#thehindu#comBopinionBop-edBarticleC@643FE#ece
'o we need Sachin and Rekha in the Ra1ya SabhaD by Sherna /andhy Rediff C -ay A63A
http;BBwww#rediff#comBnewsBcolumnBdo-we-need-sachin-and-rekha-in-the-ra1ya-sabhaBA63A6E6C#htm
The Arun Shourie of the left by Ramachandra /uha The +indu AK 2ovember A666
http;BBwww#hindu#comBA666B33BAKBstoriesB3CAK6@33#htm
The %elebrity and %ulture by "averee !am)ai %ndia Today @ *ebruary A636
http;BBblo$s#intoday#inBinde&#phpDoptionLcomMmyblo$NcontentidLK3F5CNshowLThe-%elebrity-and-
%ulture#htmlNblo$sL3
Against:
The 2ew (ero of Indian Television by Aatish Taseer ,all $treet -ournal K July A63A
http;BBonline#ws1#comBarticleBS!36663@A@6EAF6AC6@EE666@EFFE36K3C6ECEEAAF5#html
The human factor by Tavleen Sin$h %ndian !xpress 3E July A63A
http;BBwww#indiane&press#comBnewsBthe-human-factorB4F@E3FB6
%elebrity Activism; Aamir deserves backin$ not criticism by Shubham /hosh &ne %ndia AA June A63A
http;BBnews#oneindia#inBfeatureBA63ABaamir-khan-deserves-backin$-for-his-social-efforts-36AA53C#html
Topic Guide
Aamir "han shows mirror to society by Ra1esh Sin$h .ioneer 3E -ay A63A
http;BBwww#dailypioneer#comBcolumnistsBitemBE3K34-aamir-khan-shows-mirror-to-society#html
Satyamev Jayate; -ere spectacle or a new movementD by Shiv Visvanathan )irst .ost F -ay A63A
http;BBwww#firstpost#comBbollywoodBsatyamev-1ayate-mere-spectacle-or-a-new-movement-C665E6#html
)urther Reading:
Silence +va Jayate by S Anand &utloo' %ndia AC July A63A
http;BBwww#outlookindia#comBarticle#asp&DA53K@K
Review; Satyamev Jayate +pisode 36 clean and crisp D"A %ndia 33 July A63A
http;BBwww#dnaindia#comBentertainmentBreviewMreview-satyamev-1ayate-episode-36-clean-and-
crispM3F3AF36
Aamir "han *alls Short on .esticides by Tom ?ri$ht ,all $treet -ournal AK June A63A
http;BBblo$s#ws1#comBindiarealtimeBA63AB6KBAKBaamir-khan-falls-short-on-pesticidesB
(asty prescription Aamir by 'r Anoop -isra# %ndian !xpress AC June A63A
http;BBwww#indiane&press#comBnewsBhasty-prescription-aamirB4KEEK5B6
Talkin$ heads +ditorial %ndian !xpress AA June A63A
http;BBwww#indiane&press#comBnewsBtalkin$-headsB4KE6F@B6
.olitics N !ollywood /ollywood 0antra F June A63A
http;BBwww#bollywoodmantra#comBnewsBpolitics-bollywoodB436@B
JIIm 2ot A A@&F Social ActivistI 2amrata Joshi interviews Aamir "han :utlook India A3 -ay A63A
http;BBwww#outlookindia#comBarticle#asp&DA56554
A %ase :f !a)aar .iety by Santosh 'esai &utloo' %ndia A3 -ay A63A
http;BBwww#outlookindia#comBarticle#asp&DA5654C
'?eIve been throu$h so much raw emotion our whole team feels we need some counsellin$' by Shoma
%haudhury Tehel'a 34 -ay A63A
http;BBwww#tehelka#comBstoryMmainEA#aspDfilenameLhub346E3ASATOA-+V#asp
The Aamir way versus the Anna way by Shiv Visvanathan %/" (ie 3E -ay A63A
http;BBibnlive#in#comBblo$sBshivvisvanathanBA4@CBKC@56Bthe-aamir-way-versus-the-anna-way#html
Aamir "han's Satyameva Jayate played it safe by Sheela !hatt Rediff 5 -ay A63A
http;BBwww#rediff#comBmoviesBcolumnBaamir-khans-satyameva-1ayate-played-it-safeBA63A6E65#htmD
printLtrue
2o need to send Sachin to Ra1ya Sabha $ive him !harat Ratna instead; Anna (a)are "DT# C -ay A63A
http;BBwww#ndtv#comBarticleBindiaBno-need-to-send-sachin-to-ra1ya-sabha-$ive-him-bharat-ratna-
instead-anna-ha)are-A6EE@5
'o celebrities add shine to Indian politicsD Times of %ndia 35 *ebruary A63A
http;BBtimesofindia#indiatimes#comBworldB'o-celebrities-add-shine-to-Indian-
politicsBarticleshowBE6EAF@#cmsD
Topic Guide
Why Indian celebrities are afraid to be political, by Namrata Kilpady, IBN Live, 31 March 2010
http;BBibnlive#in#comBblo$sBnamratakilpadyB3KK4BK3K4EBwhy-indian-celebrities-are-afraid-to-be-
political#html
P%elebrities should keep out of politicsP Debating 0atters 12 Topic Guide 3 September A664
http;BBwww#debatin$matters#comBtopic$uidesBtopic$uideBcelebrityMpoliticsB
!ollywood and politics; -arria$e or an affairD by Soutik !iswas //C "ews 3 April A66@
http://newsbbcco!"/1/hi/world/so!th#asia/3$%32$$stm
%elebrities in politics; A step towards the de$eneration of politicsD %ndian3!lections4com undated
http;BBwww#indiane&press#comBnewsBsouth-actress-sheela-set-to-1oin-con$ressB44KKKKB
%n the "ews:
Jay-G knocks :ccupy ?all Street "ew 5or' Daily "ews 4 September A63A
http;BBwww#nydailynews#comBentertainmentBmusic-artsB1ay-)-knocks-occupy-wall-street-article-
3#33EEACK
South actress Sheela set to 1oin %on$ress %ndian !xpress A September A63A
http;BBwww#indiane&press#comBnewsBsouth-actress-sheela-set-to-1oin-con$ressB44KKKKB
'Satyamev JayateI; Aamir "han and his 0uest $race the cover of Time -a$a)ine 6eenews C3 Au$ust A63A
http://&eenewsindiacom/entertainment/celebrity/aamir'"han's'satyame(')ayate'ta"es'
him'to'the'co(er'of'time'ma*a&ine#11%1+1htm
"ollywood to !ollywood celebs endorse Anna campai$n Times of %ndia AK Au$ust A63A
http://articlestimeso,ndiaindiatimescom/2011'0%'2+/delhi/2--310.+#1#anna'ha&are'
anna'campai*n'(i)ay
Satyamev Jayate; Resul .ookuty apolo$ises publicly to Aamir "han over 'misrepresented' remarks 6eenews
AE Au$ust A63A
http;BB)eenews#india#comBentertainmentBidiotbo&Boscar-winner-resul-pookuty-claims-aamir-khan-s-
satyamev-1ayate-was-manipulatedM33FFEE#htm
Aamir "han's Satyamev Jayate was doctored; Resul .ookutty +industan Times AC Au$ust A63A
http;BBwww#hindustantimes#comB+ntertainmentBTelevisionBAamir-"han-s-Satyamev-Jayate-was-
doctored-Resul-.ookuttyBArticle3-435A35#asp&
Tendulkar -. plots IndiaIs revival Dawn 34 Au$ust A63A
http;BBdawn#comBA63AB65B34Btendulkar-mp-plots-indias-revivalB
Silsila in RSD %on$ress picks Rekha to counter Jaya .une 0irror AF April A63A
http;BBwww#punemirror#inBarticleB@BA63A6@AFA63A6@AF6AEFCC4C3a@6befEBSilsila-in-RS-%on$ress-
picks-Rekha-to-counter-Jaya#html
Topic Guide
/eor$e %looney arrested; how his protest could help Sudan# Christian $cience 0onitor 3K -arch A63A
http;BBwww#csmonitor#comB,SAB.oliticsBThe-VoteBA63AB6C3KB/eor$e-%looney-arrested-how-his-
protest-could-help-Sudan-video
.olitics is for selfless people; Shah Rukh "han D"A C June A633
http;BBwww#dnaindia#comBindiaBreportMpolitics-is-for-selfless-people-shah-rukh-khanM3EE6FA5
Aamir "han !ollywood support Anna (a)are %ndian !xpress 5 April A633
http;BBwww#indiane&press#comBnewsBaamir-khan-bollywood-support-anna-ha)areBFFAE55B6
Amitabh !achchan and politics of celebrity Reuters C6 -arch A636
http;BBblo$s#reuters#comBindiaBA636B6CBC3Bamitabh-bachchan-and-politics-of-celebrityB
I.9's .ak boycott humiliatin$; Shah Rukh "han Times of %ndia AK January A636
http;BBarticles#timesofindia#indiatimes#comBA636-63-AKBindiaBA533F333M3Mpakistani-players-ipl-
franchisees-australian-players