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Cause celebre
Photo: SHANKER CHAKRAVARTY
NEWFOUND CONSCIENCE Aamir Khan has sympathised with the sufferings of the survivors of the Bhopal gas leak and those displaced by the Sardar Sarovar Project
Like it or not, Aamir Khan has done it. He has put a face to the Narmada Bachao Andolan's (NBA) struggle. Khan — yes, he of the Coke ads — has managed to get the column inches when it mattered the most. Ask any dude on the street today and he will know that there is something happening with the Narmada.
The list of celebrities who have endorsed or participated in social campaigns is quite long. Aishwarya Rai did it for eye donation, Shah Rukh Khan and Big B for polio, Vivek Oberoi batted for the tsunami victims and Abhishek Bachchan for dyslexia. While critics might argue that the celebrities just do it for publicity, the charitable organisations that benefit from star intervention definitely don't mind as it helps convince donors.
But the trend is a cause for concern. Do we really need a celebrity to convince us about the seriousness of an issue? ANAND SANKAR asks.
Photos: V. Sreenivasa Murthy
Celebrities definitely grab more attention than normal people do. It is not just because of their fan following but also because they are seen so often. They are able to give an issue a fresh impetus to the cause.
Nikita
Student
This is the way society works. Medha Patkar has worked for so many years but it takes Aamir Khan to bring about more awareness. I think the media is to blame for this as they have their priorities wrong.
Rohit
Law student
It depends on which celebrity is talking. Why on earth would I want to listen to Mallika Sherawat? The media has to be definitely blamed for this trend as they are the ones who promote celebrities.
Manmeet
Project manager
It's not like we will listen to every celebrity. It depends on which type of celebrity is speaking out. People take notice more if it is a celebrity because it gives more emphasis to an issue.
Aftab
Chemical engineer
Aamir Khan is a very influential person. If you look at the recent movies that he has done, it has given him a certain `good' image and society goes for it. So if he says something people listen.
Varsha
Law student
As long as good things come out of it, it is okay if anyone speaks out. Nobody listens to people who work hard nowadays, us or even the farmers. So if someone does good for them it is fine.
Patil
Software engineer
Who cares about the ordinary person anymore? If I talk will any newspaper carry it. This obsession with celebrities means hat they definitely get more attention. This trend is very wrong.
Vinod
Software engineer
I guess people relate to things more easily when a celebrity speaks out. A celebrity is a known quantity so if he/she has a good image then people think they make sense. But the trend is wrong.
Varnit
Student
If you are a celebrity, you reach out to more people and thus an issue gets more awareness. It also has to do with the media, Aamir Khan definitely gets more space than Medha Patkar.
Jyoti
Businesswoman
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