TOO OLD FOR THE JUSTIN CONCERT?

Teen sensation Justin Bieber’s concerts are meant for the fans of popular music — the likes of young adults and teens. However, the gig saw a host of celebrities, who were way above his typical demographic. In fact, a host of celebs like Bipasha Basu, Jacqueline Fernandez and Poonam Dhillon too attended the show, and made their excitement to attend the show rather vocal. In a run-up to the event, Bipasha wrote on Twitter, “Incredibly kicked 2see @justinbieber at d #purposetourindia.His concerts r known 4 hving great production values,excited to catch him live.” (sic).

However, stand-up comic Sorabh Pant isn’t surprised with the turnup of Bollywood personalities at the concert. “Bollywood shows up anywhere!” he jokes, adding, “I even doubt if they have heard any of his songs. I am sure the younger ones like Alia Bhatt know who he is. But the rest, I think they are more excited about the photographers who would turn up at the event to click their photos! Celebs turning up could possibly be a photo-opportunity.”

Stand-up comedienne Neeti Palta explains that celebs being seen at such events come with the need to look cool. She says, “Social media puts pressure on people to have something to post and especially celebrities, who want to have something to make them relatable to their fans.” Neeti understands their predicament, as she reveals that she too joined Instagram a few months ago to promote her shows. While grey hair and wrinkles had the connotation of wisdom, it seems in the hyper-connected world of social media, the quest to remain young has caught up. Sorabh has a theory about we Indians, often purposefully try to stay oblivious of growing old. “It’s in our culture! A lot be it songs, or ads, tell us to part of this hedonistic culture, and that life is a party,” he sighs.

Stand-up writer Sumukhi Suresh, on the other hand, believes that music doesn’t come with boundaries, and anyone who appreciates the music could want to be a part of it, regardless of their age. “I think the concert is meant for anyone who likes his music. If the older generation happens to like something the younger generation likes then what’s the harm?”