Bollywood celebs pray for disaster-hit Japan

A host of Bollywood personalities, including Amitabh Bachchan, Shekhar Kapur and Madhuri Dixit have expressed grief at the devastation in Japan, which was hit Friday by a massive earthquake followed by a tsunami.

The celebrities are shocked at the images of the country after the disaster and, in postings on their blogs and social networking site Twitter, they hope that the pain and suffering will subside soon.

Here's what they had to say:
Amitabh Bachchan: The horrible visuals of the earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan are just unbearable to watch! The fury of the devastation and the helplessness of those that suffer is petrifying. In this hour of grief our heads bow down in prayer and hope, for those that face this trauma and wish that we can through our thoughts give them solace and comfort.

Shekhar Kapur: Watching videos from Japan was like watching an apocalypse. Heart and prayers go out to people of Japan.

Madhuri Dixit: Can you believe another quake and tsunami? My heart goes out to them.

Gul Panag: My heart goes out to all those affected by nature's fury in Japan. Gut-wrenching images on TV.

Vivek Oberoi: Just got back and saw the heartbreaking images of the tragedy in Japan... brings back memories of the destruction and devastation I saw during the tsunami in India. The images we see on television are nothing compared to the real pain and anguish of the people going through it... my thoughts and prayers are with them.

Shahana Goswami: Feel really helpless and upset with the tsunami and what its done to Japan. All the support and love to the survivors.

Aftab Shivdasani: Shocking visuals of the earthquake in Japan... Dreading the loss of life there. It's nature's way of saying do not spoil the planet... Must respect nature before it gets too late. My condolences and deep compassion to all those who lost their loved ones in this unforeseen fury of nature. May the divine bless the souls.

Arshad Warsi: God be with the ppl of Japan...

Siddharth: The visuals of yesterday (Friday) still haven't sunk in. It's all so very tragic. 2012 does seem like just another doomsday prophecy anymore!

Shahid Kapoor: Spread the love people... Life is just too short... Japan could have been us... Live with no regrets... May god bless us all!

R. Madhavan: My heart goes out to Japan. Having lived through one in Chennai I can't even imagine how this must be.

Lisa Ray: Deeply saddened by news of natural disaster in Japan.

Sanjay Suri: Heart and prayers for all suffering in Japan. Life is so very fragile.

Divya Dutta: EverythIng that we run around for is so frivolous in front of nature's fury. Let's make every day magical as if there's no tomorrow... prayers for Japan.

Sophie Choudry: As I lay me down to sleep, can't help but think of today's (Friday's) tragedy. My heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to all the people of Japan. Lord have mercy.

Shreya Ghosal: The Japan Earthquake, Tsunami is MASSIVE!! I am just praying... Dear God, have mercy..

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Bollywood bazaar

Lahore : Bollywood’s involvement with our local businesses be it films, music or fashion, has always been a contentious issue in the country. Any collaboration with professionals across the border is typically seen as a sellout at best and an unpatriotic act at worst. While Bollywood has largely remained a sore subject for our ailing film industry as the thug who steals precious screen space, it has now become a topic in many a household gatherings as the villain who is usurping billboard space for valuable ad campaigns.

When Firdous, a company that has been producing lawn for several years came into the limelight (quite literally) with its campaign last year with Bollywood’s reigning queen Kareena Kapoor, many eyes popped and mouths were left agape at the mere thought of how a Pakistani enterprise could land Bollywood’s crown jewel. While till last year, the industry and people at large were stunned by this coup, this year Firdous’ billboards with Deepika Padukone and debutante Crescent lawn’s ad’s with Sushmita Sen, have set tongues wagging. and on fire.

“I am totally against this using of Bollywood starlets to market our products,” said Shama, one of the millions lining up at a lawn exhibition. “We have such beautiful girls here like Shaista Wahidi and Nadia Hussain who look great on billboards, so what’s the need for getting Deepika Padukone?”. Perhaps with Kareena Kapoor last year, people felt that it was a onetime event — the shock value was enough to resonate with the masses for a very long time.

The fact that now, this gimmick has become a ‘trend’ is what disturbs many as yet another tactic of Indian supremacy.

New timers Crescent Lawn rebuke the critcism against Sen. They say, “We don’t believe in shooting stars, our theory is to use shining stars and Sushmita is currently the only Miss Universe in the sub-continent,” spoke Farhad Naveed, the COO of the group. Omer Saleem, the director of marketing and sales at Firdous, is indignant that his company is being censured so acerbically by all and sundry. “I have managed to sell in India, Malaysia and the UAE because of the Kareena Kapoor campaign. Believe me I didn’t do as much business in Pakistan as I did internationally,” stated Saleem. “This is business. I am not doing this for fun. The return of investment is far greater when we used an international celebrity like Kapoor”. He pointed out that nobody spoke to him about his lawn when they were using local models.

“Who knows our models abroad? Name one model or celebrity that people abroad can identify with,” Saleem asks challenges. And he is right. We have a severe dearth of stars, let alone stars that have global recognition and fame.

Naveed from Crescent says, “We have worked with local talent. Our last few campaigns had Iman Ali representing Stoneage. Since we don’t have much female talent in Pakistan, plus, whoever was available was being used by other lawn brands so we opted for Sushmita Sen as an eastern iconic face people can relate to.”

While fashion industry insiders also condemn the Bollywood move, PR professional Selina Rashid holds a pragmatic view. “These ads are to attract a certain demographic that we do not fall into. Such ads have massive recall and aspirational value.” If they did not, it wouldn’t be a point of contention to begin with. Yet someone like Saleem is quite irate with the way things have turned ugly: “There is no law against using Bollywood actors in ads so how can they ask me to pull down my billboards! I have spent hard earned money on these campaigns. If India is so hated then we should stop all kinds of international trade starting from multinationals. Stop drinking Pepsi and Coke, then if you want to promote local Colas. Ban all international products then,” he says.

The ‘we should promote our own talent’ slogan is a double sided dagger, a handful of media savvy talent exists in the country in the first place and they too do not have the kind of status to lure in foreign trade. Secondly, instead of being threatened and on the defensive, one should become strong enough to compete with international talent.

It is time to stop the endless cribbing and as one gentleman Asghar concludes the lawn war debate. “We should promote our talent to that level where it is at par and even beyond international talent. We should not grow by obstructing other’s growth.”
The Crescent lawn exhibit opens today, only time will tell how much lawn the ex-Miss Universe sells.

Credit : The Express Tribune, Pakistan

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