India shines on Shilpa’s tear drops
MIL/Agencies, Jan 20, 2007. Sudeshna Sen
London, January 20, 2007 - The things one has to do in the course of duty. But to investigate a popular cultural phenomenon and an international row, I decide to grit my teeth and just do it; that is, watch Shilpa Shetty in Celebrity Big Brother. Again.
First the quick update: at the time of writing, Shilpa and her chief opponent Jade Goody are both up for eviction Friday night by public poll. Ms Goody is odds-on-favourite to go, and that will probably have Shilpa and the rest heaving a sigh of relief, but even if Shilpa goes, we think she’ll just be glad to get out of that house. Meanwhile, a slew of sponsors have pulled out of the race issue, and the bully gang’s celebrity careers are taking a big hit - Ms Goody’s perfume line has been recalled from stores, Danielle has been dropped from a six-figure modelling contest.
Now. For all those of you back home who don’t get to see the show but only hear the noise about it, we’re doing our own reality take on CBB. My Indigo-brunching friends will cringe in horror, just like poor Gordon Brown and P Chidambaram, that Shilpa Shetty has today become the face of India for vast swathes of middle and working class England. In the mad, weird world of reality TV, she’s as much an ambassador for our country as any India Shining campaign. This show has done for India’s image what a thousand reforms could not. It’s showing up a clash of civilisations - and yes, we’re walking away with all the awards.
So what’s really going on? Before I collapse into hysterical giggles, or get either intellectual or snooty, here goes. The fun is that nobody here has the foggiest idea of what Shilpa’s up to. She’s doing a phenomenal job of decimating the competition. Till last week, Shilpa wasn’t grabbing any media space locally. Clearly, in this one, Shilpa’s interpreted her role as the second brother’s rich wife. Not the eldest bahu who’s doing all the self-sacrificing - after all, this show is supposed to promote the nasty ones, and she doesn’t know she’s getting all the sympathy - but the rich majhli bahu who’s doing her best to adjust to the provincial and conservative household she finds herself in. Our Shilpa of the item numbers, in a houseful of white and mixed-race celebrities is the sophisticated, polite, aloof and yes, upper class little princess. As far as one can make out, she’s leaving her options open to turn into a sophisticated Balaji bad bahu if that’s the way the game goes.
Full Story: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/India_shines_on_Shilpas_tear_drops/articleshow/1324830.cms
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