Celebs too deserve space & privacy
As a grieving Meena stepped out of her home to attend her husband’s funeral, cameramen surrounded the actress and jostled to get as close as possible to catch her tears! Not fair
With an increasing number of social media channels, YouTube media and television networks trying to cash in on every news event, celebrity funerals have become worthy of live coverage, with bytes, tears and sorrow spilling into every frame. No amount of regulation can solve the problem without our conscience kicking in and networks operating with more humanness.
Khushbu, actor-turned-politician and a dear friend of Meena’s, who flew in from Hyderabad for the funeral, says, “Being celebrities, we are used to media interest in our work and personal lives. But there are some like Meena who’ve always been private, and focussed only on work. Especially at a time of grief, the media wanting to enter the home and get visuals of the family mourning was very disturbing. And when we visit a family that’s grieving, even as celebs we don’t need mics shoved at us for our opinions. What can we say during such a tragic incident?”
she asks.
Shibi Ravi-chandran, Lawyer and Women’s Rights Advocate, says, “Celebrities thrive on media exposure to stay relevant and to profit monetarily. We see retired actors courting the media at the airport, reality TV stars dancing to reels on Instagram... so in a sense being famous is a doubleedged sword. But we have to draw the line somewhere. And that somewhere is at a funeral. Free speech and free press are the cornerstones of our Constitution, but we really need to reflect
on the need to be sensitive at times of grief.”
Dr CK Gariyali, IAS, a decorated officer who has worked with former Governors and Chief Ministers including the late Jayalalithaa, says, “There has to be some sensitivity. In Meena’s case she is dealing with a circumstance beyond her control and in that moment of trauma and anxiety, the last thing one wants is prying media zooming in on one’s face.”
Uma Vangal, a film professor and US Fulbright Scholar, says, “If every channel takes the proactive decision to include in their style books the policy of affording dignity to death and respect to grief and mourning, and editors refuse to telecast pictures or videos that violate a person’s personal space or intrude into their grief, this will stop.” She adds, “Rights always coexist with responsibility. The right to free speech and the freedom of the press do not give the media the right to intrude on people's emotions and violate their right to privacy.”
Advocate and senior leader of the DMK, Sanjay
R a m a s w a m i fumes, “It’s really terrible to see the manner in which the the last journey of Meena’s husband was covered. No regard whatsoever for Meena’s or her family’s right to privacy; nor do they care that the bereaved family feels harassed by their actions. Reporters must exercise caution and have a humane approach. They must be considerate enough to let the family have its privacy. This can only be done if the media barons educate their staff on how reporting must be done. Regulations on their own will not work for sure.” Dr Aishwarya Selvaraj, a social media sensation and founder of Skin Envy, says, “A celebrity is entitled to personal space and dignity. If cameras enter spaces of celebration, it is different. People are less vulnerable. But when there’s a death, there’s so much vulnerability. These visuals become file photos and can be used with future reports on the celebrity, which is very sad.”
“BEING CELEBRITIES, WE ARE USED TO MEDIA INTEREST IN OUR WORK AND PERSONAL LIVES. BUT THERE ARE SOME LIKE MEENA WHO’VE ALWAYS BEEN PRIVATE. ESPECIALLY AT A TIME OF GRIEF, THE MEDIA WANTING TO ENTER THE HOME AND GET VISUALS OF THE FAMILY MOURNING WAS VERY DISTURBING. AND WHEN WE VISIT A FAMILY THAT’S GRIEVING, EVEN AS CELEBS WE DON’T NEED MICS SHOVED AT US FOR OUR OPINIONS. WHAT CAN WE SAY DURING SUCH A TRAGIC INCIDENT?”
“THERE HAS TO BE SOME SENSITIVITY. IN MEENA’S CASE SHE IS DEALING WITH A CIRCUMSTANCE BEYOND HER CONTROL AND IN THAT MOMENT OF TRAUMA AND ANXIETY, THE LAST THING ONE WANTS IS PRYING MEDIA ZOOMING IN ON ONE’S FACE.”
— KHUSHBU, actor-turned-politician
— DR CK GARIYALI,