Blog: Fight against girl child killings can’t be limited to sending SMSes

By Bollywood Hungama News Network -

May 9, 2012 - 2:31 PM IST

I wish Satyamev Jayate was a social movement backed by TV every week. As opposed to a TV show backed by some social. Yesterday, it had 5 or 7 of the top 10 trends on Twitter - and over 6 lakh people joined the Facebook group. Today? Not even one trend on Twitter. And barely 1% or 1.5% engagement per post on Facebook.

Blog: Fight against girl child killings can’t be limited to sending SMSes

Are we just going to see some spurts of action before the show each Sunday? Is that all the social change we deserve?

It's an amazing idea, this show, Aamir Khan. But could you make it real, and more social? I know that TV makes you the big bucks, and this doesn't. Yet.

But this is where the real change can come alive and make a real difference. Don't get me wrong - I think it's great that you shone a light on female infanticide - like no one did before, with any such sort of impact.

But the action we all can be part of against killing the girl child can't be limited to sending SMSes to the Rajasthan government to institute fast track courts for cases that happened 8 years ago. What about the others states and union territories in India, and the crimes that happen there - and the ones that are happening today all over? How can you offer knowledge, choices, options that are relevant today - especially after you raise the issues with such conviction on TV?

Sure you can't cover all this on TV - but certainly you can be more informative here, on your Fb page. But you aren't. And your site https://satyamevjayate.in/ can do more. But it doesn't. Your Facebook page is just an ad for the show, as is your website. Surely that can't be the big picture - just using digital to increase ratings and ad revenues for the TV show? That's somehow getting it the wrong way around, isn't it?

Look, Sir. You've made your money here. Completely deserved it, in fact. Now - and this won't take any large amount of money - could you use this medium right here to tell people about real action they can take? The real change they can instigate and accomplish? Make THIS place the fulcrum - and then let TV be a summary of work every Sunday?

Else all of this outrage on female infanticide will be forgotten in a week.

Because next week you'll bring us some other evil. And then another. And so on.

And we'll just continue to be benumbed spectators, like we were, before the show, doing nothing.

The only difference being that we sit in front of the channel and help Star TV sell more ads against our eyeballs.

Surely the girl child - and the causes to come - deserve more.

(Mahesh Murthy is a marketer and investor, the founder of digital brand management firm Pinstorm and leading venture capitalist firm Seedfund)

If you have an interesting Bollywood blog to share, do email us

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed herein or statements made in the above column are solely those of the blogger, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Bollywood Hungama. Bollywood Hungama accepts no legal liability or responsibility for any claims made or opinions expressed herein.

Watch the video: Satyamev Jayate (Episode 1)