The right to life and such matters

There was this furore sometime ago about Harsh and Niketa Mehta’s right to abort their child. It died down after the miscarriage but left a few questions unanswered. The couple wanted to abort the pregnancy because of medical test reports that showed a high probability of the child being born with a heart defect that would necessitate the use of a pacemaker from an early age, thus effectively ruling out a normal childhood, or indeed a normal life. The couple got to know this in the 24th (if I’m not mistaken) week of pregnancy, way after the 20 weeks deadline that the abortion law in India allows for. This made the Mehtas appeal in court, asking permission to abort the foetus in view of the circumstances. The court asked for a second medical report, and eventually rejected their appeal. Sometime later Niketa had a miscarriage.
That’s the story.
The court’s ruling and the logic behind it, is beyond the scope of this piece. I simply wanted to pen down my thoughts on the matter. And they are really rather simple. The logic against taking away a life is indisputable. However in circumstance such as the one that the Mehtas found themselves in, facing a lifetime of pain at seeing the misery of their child, and the impossibility of a normal life, for both child and parents, it seems to me that an exception could have been made. It’s unfortunate that the Mehtas learnt of the defect after 20 weeks of pregnancy, otherwise there would never have been this controversy in the first place. But in light of the situation, it seems logical to grant their request. I come to this conclusion from the following line of thought: What would I have done in the same situation? Not an easy decision at all. While it seems criminal to take a life, let alone the life of your child, it seems equally unfair to have a child who will surely be chronically ill. One can argue that some defect might have surfaced after the birth, which of course is true. And we all live with that reality anyway. Who’s to say if a medical defect will not show up, or an accident occur and incapacitate a close one at any stage in life. We don’t abandon people then, but to know in advance, even before birth, puts the matter in a different light.
Then again, I am not able to reconcile with the idea, at a humanitarian level, that abortion is okay till 20 weeks, and not after. It’s a legitimate life being taken away, even if it is before 20 weeks, how does a few days here and there make a difference? (Maybe a doctor can shed some light on the logic behind 20 weeks?) And if both acts are equally criminal, and yet one of them is legal, why not make an exception in a special case? One hopes that it’s a well thought out and responsible decision on the part of the parents or mother, as the case may be, in either scenario. It’s a decision that may well have life altering consequences for people. Certainly it’s difficult to imagine that it would rest easy on anybody’s conscience. Of course I also concede that the world is full of all kinds of people, making it essential to have all kinds of laws, but then such people have little regard for the law in the first place. Must be have laws that are designed to bring genuine offenders to book, while ignoring how simple law abiding folk can get affected by it? It’s tricky for sure, for after all, the people writing the laws, defending them and passing judgments based on them, are not always in the clean… have I gone completely off track here??
Anyway, this made me think of another case that had surfaced some years ago, and which was equally controversial, if not more. It was the death sentence for Md Afzal Guru, one of the prime accused behind the attack on Parliament in 2001. This isn’t about Guru, it is about the right to take a life, however heinous the crime committed by a person. In my personal opinion, I am against the death sentence, though of course he deserves the worst punishment possible. I realize that I am probably in a minority, but my argument is not in his favour in anyway, it’s just against playing ‘God’.

Attaboy Mr Ramadoss!

One of the front page news items in the TOI today took me completely by surprise. I had all but formed an unfavourable opinion of our Union Minister for Health, Mr Ambumani Ramadoss. In the last few years he has caught on my attention several times, but most notably for his stand on two matters.
The first concerns the depiction of smoking in films, which he wanted to remove altogether irrespective of content and suitability to the story, a rather bizarre take on the matter. Needless to say the film community was united in its protest to the idea. (I also remember him publicly advising Shahrukh Khan to give up smoking and to be a more responsible actor, like Aamir, referring apparently to Om Shanti Om as opposed to Taare Zameen Par. Now I am no fan of Shahrukh the actor, but what he does in his personal life is his business. And why make any such comparisons? Aamir has his place in the industry as does Shahrukh as does Govinda as does the last extra dancing behind these leading men. Maybe he should launch a tirade against Govinda’s pelvis thrusts as well? There I might even support him!)
The second was a public spat with the Director of the AIIMS, Dr. P Venugopal. I don’t remember it too well, and in any case it was difficult to react to. Enough details about such cases are often not available in the media, to really form an informed and unbiased opinion, and even if they were, is it really possible to do as much reading and research about every story one reads in the papers? But given the negative light I already saw the honourable Minister in, courtesy his earlier stand, I remember sympathizing with the good doctor who was Mr Ramadoss’ target, and being more than a little pleased when he was reinstated in his position in spite of Mr Ramadoss’ efforts at dislodging him.
But his latest comments about legalizing homosexuality come as a pleasant surprise. Is this the same man talking? It was while addressing a gathering during the International AIDS Conference in Mexico City that Mr Ramadoss spoke about Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code which criminalizes homosexuality, and said that it must be repealed. Such a statement, welcome as it is, is sure to invite public ire, and have long term political consequences.
I hope he sticks to his stand in the face of all that he will surely have to face. For now all I can say is, attaboy!

Lead India: bad billboards, great TVC

I had written earlier about TOI's Lead India campaign, criticising them for the hoardings they had put up all over Mumbai. In hindsight I don't blame them, in this country right now, everything from cars to paints and chocolates to sanitary pads are being sold by cricketers or Bollywood stars, or occasionally, both. So why not an initiative such as Lead India. On the plus side, their TVC is a delight to watch. Here's the link.

Monsoon clouds over Kerala

Here are some pictures taken while driving through Kerala, just before the monsoons hit. I was there on an assignment and we were travelling from Calicut to Ezhimala. There was no time to stop, so all of these have been shot from the car, while on the move.

Oh so un-fair!

There is this strange obsession Indians have with fair skin. I should know, I spent most of my growing up years thinking that I was ugly, and feeling somehow inferior to cousins and friends who were fairer. Even now the feeling hasn’t completely left me, I still take compliments with a pinch of salt, but atleast it no longer has anything to do with the colour of my skin.
I don’t know where I picked it up from, for we had no such discrimination in the family. I guess it was, as it still is, the larger perception in society that had fed my insecurities. Sadly this continues to be the case, now more than ever before, and taken to new heights by the aggressive advertising by rival cosmetic companies.
Cosmetic products, like any other consumer products, need to constantly redefine themselves, with better packaging and catchier by lines, even if the basic message remains the same. The most widely selling face product in India are ‘fairness’ creams, products that promise to make you fairer over a period of time. So while this ‘get fair skin’ theme has remained a constant over the years, the advertising for such products has had to come up with new and innovative ideas to emphasise its importance. The latest in this series, currently on air, is the Pond’s White beauty ads (here are links to episode 1 and episode 2).
Now this is not a simple ad. It’s a series of ads, that apparently has a name, the ‘novella’, and a definite storyline. It is episodic, with one episode released every fortnight. The first time I saw it, I thought it was a promo for a film, given its cast, (popular Bollywood actors Saif Ali Khan, Priyanka Chopra and Neha Dhupia) and production value (its very slick, shot like a Karan Johar film) and Pond’s was just riding along. It took me a while to realize it was a short film showing on TV, in small capsules, specifically to advertise a product by Pond’s. Talk about big budget advertising!
The product is a fairness cream that claims it can transform your skin to a ‘pinkish white’ (or a ‘pale white, you choose’.) I am stumped by this claim. Though I must admit I admire the audacity. Can you imagine pinkish white Indians?!
What makes me write this post however, is neither of those two sentiments. It is instead a sense of alarm. The ads are really well done, and the stars are current favourites. Even a skeptic like me can see how well it will be received by the general public. (I would not be surprised if this series is a big hit, and leads to a number of such ‘novellas’ in future.) The implications of such a success are, to my mind, frightening.
Such reckless and irresponsible advertising is nothing new. But irresponsible advertising that is also effective and successful is certainly something to guard against. Question is, how?

Walking around in fading light...

... on the roads of south Mumbai, rushing from an exhibition to a screening, I couldn't help but stop a few times...

The Mumbai local

My friends keep asking me why there are no pictures on my blog. A cinematographer, and only writing? I my defense I say, well, I am more than just a cinematographer. But they do have a point, so here goes… a few pictures on one of my favourite things about Mumbai, the local train.