Why is there a sudden sense of urgency amongst the Bollywood community to connect with the masses and make a success of their ventures?

WHAT DO SALMAN Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Bipasha Basu and Shahrukh  have in common? They’re well-known Indian film stars of course. But few know that these celebrities also share a common passion — blogging! Salman finds the mint-fresh medium cathartic, Bachchan makes a valiant attempt to connect with his young cyber constituency, Bipasha is characteristically bindaas while Aamir effervescently shares his myriad cinematic experiences online.

Often enough, the stars also reveal a lesser-known facet of their personality on their blogs. Who’d associate the brash and shirtless Salman with philosophy? But sample his take on life in his blog (Dus Ka Dum, dated August 25) — “My father Salim Khan had once remarked that loneliness nurtures talent, creativity. Art is created in loneliness and exhibited in public… Such time off gives an artist ample scope for introspection and brutal self-analysis. We movie stars are almost always surrounded by people and usually have a very hectic schedule… Loneliness is a luxury...precious to us. We have to steal moments of loneliness or should I say being alone…to look within. This inward journey is highly rewarding.”

Profound words these. But apart from unfiltered self-expression, there are other reasons that Indian film stars have taken to blogging with such gusto. Brand building, for one. Says Mumbai-based film trade analyst Vikas Mehta, “The competition is so intense nowadays in the movie world that film stars are keen to engage with the masses through any widely accepted medium that presents itself. Grabbing eyeballs and keeping the fans hooked are urgent needs of the hour.”

What has also triggered the blogging craze is the fact that Indian film stars are currently  multi-tasking with a vengeance. They own production houses (Shahrukh Khan), do world tours (Bachchan & Co), produce and direct films (Aamir Khan) and handle ancillary businesses (too many to recount). With exponential growth in their businesses, there’s a growing need as well to market themselves better to newer and newer niches. “Films are no longer just a creative outlet,” says Prakash Bhambri, a filmmaker, “they are a stupendous business with very high stakes.”

That they are. In fact most Indian movies are multi-crore extravaganzas with top film stars charging in the realm of Rs10 -15 crores per film. Ergo, there’s a sense of urgency amongst the Bollywood community to connect with the masses and make a success of their ventures.

In fact a big reason for stars to turn bloggers is that about 70 per cent of India’s 1.1 billion population consists of youth, a prime target audience for their films. For this below-35 demographic, the Internet, blogs, social networking sites like Orkut, Facebook etc. constitute a major source of entertainment and information. So to tap into this huge groundswell, film stars have morphed into avid bloggers.   

In other words, just like TV, newspapers and magazines, the Internet is also fast emerging as an important medium to enhance a star’s visibility. It’s no surprise then that the stars’ blogging activity happens more around the time when a new film is being released or TV show being launched. In fact, you’ll rarely find any star blogger ignoring writing online at the time of new launches.

“In this increasingly audio-visual world, cluttered with so many products and events,  blogs are fast emerging as another channel to engage with one’s devoted constituency,” says TV anchor Rakshananda Khan.

Also, there’s no denying that Bollywood — as the Indian film industry is popularly known as — stokes tremendous curiosity amongst fans to seek more information about their favourite stars. This thirst is seemingly unquenchable. So blogging satisfies that urge pretty well. Interestingly, Aamir Khan even uses this form of engagement to solicit advice from his fans while simultaneously regaling them with the production or research aspects of his latest venture. Ditto for Shahrukh and Karan Johar.

Amitabh Bachchan who blogs in both Hindi and English, has even played a strong advocate of his mother tongue. Writes Bachchan “….I have never put any pressure ever on anyone to visit my blog. All of you came on voluntarily. I have enjoyed your presence, your accolades, your abuse and your criticism in a fair democratic manner. If your desire is to leave this facility, I really am no one to stop you.

“I will say this though. If I have an opportunity to express some of my sentiments in my Mother tongue, I shall not hesitate to do so, whether there is someone to read it or not. I have always maintained a balance in my life and in my conduct. I shall continue with that. If there is thought in English that needs to be put in Hindi I shall endeavor to do that and vice versa. The English language too is a great absorber of other tongues within its European ambience. We must never disrespect the Mother tongue of another, nor its belief  or its importance.”

Unlike Bachchan’s sermonising, director/producer Karan Johar’s blogs are known for their immediacy and candor. In his blog (My name is Karan, dated October 3), for instance, he mentions being down with flu, but blogs nevertheless:

“To give you an insight into what’s happening behind Dharma doors; “Wake Up Sid!” (with Ranbir Kapoor and Konkona Sen Sharma) is about to start filming in a day or two (post the industry strike) and Ayan the director is heading towards a nervous breakdown….Also, the Dostana music released today. Again I would love to hear what you think of the soundtrack once you give it a listen.

So that’s all for now. My steam inhalation awaits me. Love and kough syrup, Karan. 

Blogs are occasionally used as a tool for self-promotion or image change as well. Sample a recent Salman Khan blog:

“…I don’t care much about money and ratings I have far less fear and insecurities… I have many hobbies and I prefer to indulge in them rather than mud slinging. I have never manipulated the media or relationships. I am not afraid of loneliness. I can handle it more efficiently than crowds. Stardom gives me lot of fringe benefits but it also brings a lot of pressures. My self-belief helps me handle pressures and sail through it despite it all.

Such is the popularity of blogging, that one of the first things that starlet Payal Rohatgi, who had participated in the popular reality show Big Boss, did when she got evicted from the show, was – you guessed it – blog! So what if her English is a tad shaky? And syntax all askew. At least she made a brave attempt to connect with her viewers.

Sample her blog (my experience in big boss) dated October 19: 

“Hi everyone, Am very glad that am out from big boss at this stage as I had stayed enough in the house.. Their were people from different backgrounds and sensibilities and it was difficult for me to continue living their (sic) personally anymore. But on a positive professional note am very thankful to Bigg Boss for giving me that kind of visibility and popularity which none of my film has (sic) given me till now.”

But there’s no denying that a section of Bollywood also sees this new medium as a preferred one over good, old-fashioned interviews to the Press.

In fact many industry veterans feel that blogging works better to reach out directly to viewers. Director and producer Ram Gopal Verma has been characteristically caustic in saying that with the Press, there’s always a possibility of being misquoted; of a statement being tweaked to suit an editor’s requirements.

“A certain portion of your conversation will be highlighted out of context and the meaning that you intended will not come through,” Verma said recently.

However, with a blog, he feels, this possibility is eliminated as one can communicate directly with fans without the journos!

In other words, to each his own! And more power to blogging!

Neeta Lal is a freelance journalist based in New Delhi.