SINGH SAAB THE GREAT

The self styled. anointed and appointed are at it again and their latest victim is none other than Hindi film industry superstar Sunny Deol and his latest magnum opus currently titled "Singh Saab the great"........ One may recall that similar objections were also raised in the case of the Akshay Kumar blockbuster "Singh is King" and the Akshay Kumar production "Speedy Singhs"; where the Akal Takht as well as a few other Sikh fundamentalist groups had raised vehement objections to the usage of the term Singh in the title of the films as well as the portrayals of Sikhs in the same...... These raging storms in the proverbial teacup seem to be becoming the norm rather than the exception of late and the vociferous protest against the usage of the title "Singh Saab" really make one wonder whether these fundamentalist groups and organisations have nothing better to do or are then obsessed to the point of nihilism as long as it garners them their fifteen seconds of infamy and notoriety....... "Sahab or Saab" is more of a term of endearment in the northern part of the country and is commonly used to address a friend or person close to your heart; I am addressed as Chopra Saab by most of my neighbours and friends in both Delhi as well as the land of five rivers Punjab and for the hell of me cannot understand how addressing someone known intimately to you as Saab constitutes an insult to the Akal Takht or then the five Sikh jathedaars who exclusively enjoy the right and privilege of being addressed as "Singh Saab" if the mandarins inhabiting the Akal Takht are to be believed..... All and sundry are of the informed opinion that our nation is on a fast growth trajectory and that our conservative and prohibitive society is shedding it's dinosaur like behaviours at long last and slowly but reluctantly embracing the mores and practices of a rapidly growing nation and constantly evolving social stratum.......... The ground reality is however far different; self appointed and anointed groups or congregations of "super censors" dictate terms and conditions to the powers that be and more often than not get away with their unsavoury and tasteless shenanigans as they are perceived to sway public opinion in favour of one political party or the other and also control the purse strings to thousands of votes that can make the difference between victory and defeat in many a state as well as municipal election........ If that indeed is the case, then let the powers that be do away with the Central Board for Film Certification or Censor Board as it has come to be popularly called; one fails to understand the rationale and logic behind these extra constitutional bodies raising whimsical and arbitrary objections after the wise men and women who make up this august body have sat in judgement over the contents of a film and passed an unanimous judgement about it's suitability for public consumption or viewing......... Let's face facts and confront the ugly reality staring us in the face, the government of the day is going to do precious little apart from mouthing platitudes and singing hosannas as they are obsessed with vote bank politics and care a damn about the repeated suppression of the right to freedom of expression........... It is we the so called civil society and educated and enlightened folks who have to take up cudgels in order to guarantee the sanctity of the above mentioned constitutional right; will we do so or then will we continue to cower in fear before the diktats of self serving fundamentalists; well that is the million dollar or then should I say rupee question...........