Shoaib-Sania story: Let’s get the quantum right
Everyone and his dogs seem to have an opinion on how the media are covering Sania’s wedding. So here are my two bits.
1. Should we give publicity to lunatics?
Of course not. The most distressing aspect of the controversy has been the time and space afforded to assorted Hindutva nutters who have declared that Sania is now a Pakistani, should be thrown out of our country, should only play for Pakistan etc.
2. Should we focus on Sania’s choice of Shoaib?
Yes. If we work for gossip magazines. Perhaps the readers of gossip magazines care why and when Sania broke up with Sohrab. Perhaps they care when she started going out with Shoiab. And perhaps they have a view on what she could possibly see in him.
For the rest of us however — and the mainstream media, certainly —-these are subjects of little consequence. Sania’s love life is her own business. And so it should remain.
3. Should the mainstream media focus on celebrity weddings?
In an ideal world, no. But, the truth is that the Indian media have been obsessed with celebrity weddings for a long time now. If mainstream news channels can suspend regular programming only to cover Abishekh Bachchan’s wedding then it is a little late in the day to get self-righteous about the coverage accorded to Sania’s wedding.
4. Was it always like this?
No, it was not. Celebrity journalism was not a big deal till about twenty years or so ago. The media (in those days there were only papers) were not so focused on people and their private lives.
But people journalism is a global trend and India is not an exception.
5. Is the Ayesha – Shoaib story a legitimate one?
Yes, it is. It is more legitimate than glamour coverage of the wedding. Once something becomes the subject of a police case and both parties are interrogated by the cops you can hardly blame the media for covering it.
6. Is Ayesha telling the truth?
Probably not. Her story is bizarre. But then I doubt very much if Shoaib is telling the whole truth either. Even his story strains credulity.
The only person who emerges from this sorry saga with any credibility is Sania herself.
7. Should the media have allowed Ayesha to make her allegations?
It is foolish to say that the whole matter should have been left to the courts. We are forever writing about charges before court verdicts are in. Do we not write about Kasab till he is convicted? Do we ignore every case of cheating tilll the verdict is in? That’s silly.
Ayesha produced video footage, photos and a document. Plus there was footage of Shoaib talking about Hyderabad being his wife’s city. Nobody could have ignored this story, with this level of supporting evidence.
8. So, on what grounds can we criticize the media?
There are two major areas.
One: the quantum of coverage. Is this really such an important story that it should be the lead item on the news? Does it deserve so much attention time and space? Is there nothing else happening?
Two: the tone of coverage. The tenor of the coverage has sometimes been breathless and sensationalistic. Too many channels have taken sides openly and have decided that Ayesha is right and that Shoaib is liar. This cannot be justified in any circumstance.
9. Why is the coverage problem? Well, our usual response has been: if you don’t like what you are seeing, then change the channel.
But what do viewers do when the same story is on every channel?
That’s the problem.
Hindustan Times



(56 votes, average: 3.46 out of 5)

Krishna Reply:
April 7th, 2010 at 7:33 am
I fully agree with Ishwar.
I thought Mr. Sanghvi is an educated man. Thought he can think and rationalize facts and figures. What a loss!
Mr. Sandhvi, there are lots of people who read HT and read your columns are lot more educated than you are. We can analyze the news, the politics behind people’s motives and in this case the Sania’s marriage drama. As a public figure she will be scrutinized when she is marrying from the enemy nation. Pakistan that is.
Why is that Pakis who couldn’t produce a Sania? Because it doesn’t have the environment that India has and India gave to Muslim girls like Sania. Democracy lives here. Girls have freedom here. Sania was nurtured by a nation of loving people. Naturally, there are many in India are disappointed, frustrated and saddened by her decision to marry a man from enemy nation. Pakistan is singlularly responsible for enhanced terrorism in this country. Not long ago the entire Mumbai, rather the entire nation was stand still for nearly three days because of Pakistan (state ) sponsored terrorism.
Are we lunatics if we are a bit upset if one of our girls, that too, a star that was nurtured by Indian nation decide to marry a man from the terror state?
You are that not smart and we are definitely not lunatics.
[Reply]
Salman Sheikh Reply:
April 7th, 2010 at 1:55 pm
So Mr. Krishna thinks Pakis could not produce a Sania? Well, then Indians could not produce a suitable match for Sania either which Pakis did.
The writer of the blog is spot on in denouncing the sanctimonious and mawkish outpouring of the fanatical Hindu extremists. And anyhow, another angle of looing at the whole affair is the sorry state of affairs in which although proclamations to freedom of Muslims in India are made, their choice of husband even is looked at with silly suspicion. It’s time to get over this narrow-minded ingoism and celebrate the happy occasions of someone so dear to the public.
[Reply]
joy Reply:
April 8th, 2010 at 10:56 am
Hey Salman,
Hindu fanatics don’t go around bombing innocent people. Getting a seedy cricket captain to marry Sania from India is your criminal nation’s only achievement since 1947. God help her. BTW, her ex fiance is so happy to be relieved of Ms Short Skirts that he has wished her best of luck.
vivek Reply:
April 10th, 2010 at 7:59 pm
yeah – they just kill – like in gujarat!
pooja Reply:
April 7th, 2010 at 2:11 pm
I would like to know, Mr Krishna, if your stand would have been the same had Sania decided to marry some Mohan Sharma from Pakistan and not Shoab Malik?
[Reply]
Krishna Reply:
April 7th, 2010 at 6:22 pm
Yes, my reaction would be the same. It does not matter whether she marries a Mohan Sharma or Krishna or Ram Gopal. A **** is a ****. Their citizenship is what is of focus here. It was the entire the State apparatus of Pakistan that is being used to terrorise India. Thus, I prefer our girls marry anyone other than Pakis. I have no problem whatsoever if she marries any other foreigner including an Arab or Bangladesh born man.
Here is another angle. As per Asian tradition, the girl generally accepts and moves in with in-laws. Not necessarily in this case. But it could happen. Sania also has the right to move her bank balance to Pakistan. This money was earned in India or India supported and sponsored. She earned that money as an Indian citizen. Now Pakistan based banks will have that money. Indirectly she is supporting Pakistan and in extension she is supporting Pakistan (state) sponsored terrorism.
So, it does not matter which man in Pakistan she marries. She and her family are indirectly supporting a terrorist nation.
swetha Reply:
April 9th, 2010 at 10:57 pm
some mohan krishna will not survive happily in pakisthan where as sania could and is having celebrity life in India