Bollywood in 2016: A year of separating the social from the media for celebrities
Before Ae Dil Hai Mushkil was released, its lead actors Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma were the subject of an unsavoury exchange with the entertainment portal Pinkvilla. The actors challenged the website to publish the unedited version of their message, in which Kapoor described the web publication as “Shitvilla” and claimed that at least 80% of the items on the site were fake.
Kapoor, who wears his contempt for the media on his middle finger, rarely courts journalists unless he has a new release. The website shot back by publishing the rather juvenile dare along with a reminder of how stars and the media are in a symbiotic relationship.
The Pinkvilla editorial ended with the declaration, “Like you appreciate space and want to do your job without any distractions, we would like the same freedom as well and not be treated as lesser mortals. Gone are the days when stars and superstars were put on pedestals, come down to Mother Earth brother.”
The incident was just another example of the volatile relationship stars have had with the media, which has been trying to make sense of its changing role after the rise of self-appointed commentators and hashtag activists. In 2016, this uneasy marriage marked all kinds of highs and lows, taking in its sweep everything from whistle-blowing tax frauds, very public breakups, unabashed self-promotions and breathlessly intrusive reportage.