Laloo Yadav is perhaps the only politician, who remains in the limelight for all sorts of reasons, be it his jail yatra, his daughter's marriage or his rustic remarks on different international issues. All sorts of media persons for last one decade are amused by his quick remarks on anything you ask for.
Recently, when a reporter asked him for his comments on recent petrol pump scam, he was quick to call NDA leaders Telchatta (cockroach). The star news in his interview clipping shows him answering a question that law and order means complete disorder. His rustic epithets are always getting prominence in sorts of media.

Now, this media savvy politician became highly perturbed after the telecast of first episode of Ramkhilavan CM and his family on SABeTV channel. One of his supporters and batchmate of her first daughter Misa Bharti filed a case in Patna court against the proprietor, Adhikari brothers, director and actors of the serial. Subhash Yadav, his youngest brother in-law and RJD legislator accused serial makers of defaming his family, that too in a deliberate fashion.

The serial is a political spoof and characters are very much similar to RJD supremo and former chief minister of Bihar and his family. Even Laloo acknowledged that an old man in the serial is wearing a wig similar to his hairstyle. Similarly another character Imarti devi (Sushmita Mukherjee) was shown wearing saree in a style similar to Rabri Devi. She took special care of her street chhap politician brother who takes every advantage of being close to power. There is a contrast in the character of his secretary who always gives proper advice to CM but contrary to this Laloo never had such a good advisor. Decisions related to fodder scam and complete lack of vision for development of state clearly indicates that his surrounding was full of sycophants. At least six IAS officers are in jail on the charges of corruption. Some of them are also punished by Election commission for electoral malpractice.

It is very much clear that SABe TV has tried to encash the image of Laloo as mass leader.
The parody of such a leader will definitely attract a lot of eyeballs to the serial, says Navin Upadhyay, a Patna based senior journalist and special correspondent.. Why Laloo and his supporters are so upset when Ramkhelavan and his brother in law Puttan Yadav who collects money for him as well as does all sorts of crimes right from election rigging to rape on his behest is the moot point. If the negative character of Puttan Yadav and Ramkhelavan did not have any resemblance with Laloo and his brother in law, then why this hue and cry? Upadhyay further said.

The initial few episodes of this serial make it very clear that there is hardly any serious home work done to make it an interesting political satire. Their presentation is very sub standard and cheap. We can not compare it with some serious satire like 'Kaka jee kahin', opined Srikant, another Patna based Hindi journalist.

"If the serial is denigrating the image of Bihar, why everybody is glued to their TV sets during its telecast," said Vikas Singh, a political activist. The demand to ban it is coming only from a political party whereas all characters of this serial are fictitious. Another leading TV star of Bihar, Shekhar Suman has made caricatures of all important politicians including Laloo and Rabri. Everybody enjoyed it including Laloo who even asked Suman to pay royalty to him because he was making a lot of money using his name, Singh added further.

The leader of opposition Shushil Kumar Modi asked minister for information and broadcasting to air this serial on national channel for larger audience. He also refuted the allegation of portrayal of negative image of Bihar. The people of Bihar are more ashamed of the current ruling clan. If this serial shows that the brother- in law- of the chief minister collects fifty lacs as ransom for releasing a kidnapped person, then why should Laloo take it so seriously if his hands are clean? Bihar is perhaps the only state where 11 ministers, 3 Vice chancellors, Chairman of public service commission and more than a dozen IAS officers were sent to jail on the various charges of corruption, he added.

Another seasoned politician and senior RJD leader Shivanand Tiwary is of unambiguous view that the serial is a clear cut reflection of elite mind set which felt to recognise the forces behind Laloo and want to create a negative image of this mass leader. Even Laloo Yadav in an interview to English daily blamed anti mandal forces in media and feudal mentality of upper caste people who created a product like Ramkhilawan. 'The serial tried to redicule my family and me', said Laloo.

Lampooning of politicians in different media is not a new thing. Almost all important dailies carry cartoons of important political personalities. Rarely we hear any news of threatening or issuance of legal notice to any cartoonist. It makes us difficult to understand why Laloo felt so offended on this serial which says that the character may have some resemblance but it is a satire on Indian politician as a whole. Any one, who keeps a tab on the newspapers of Bihar, will not take much time to draw a parallel between this serial and current political establishment in the state.

For the last couple of years, electronic media and even bollywood explored villains in the form of politician and the character of politician quite often matches with Laloo Yadav. Though it is a fact that Laloo is a very interesting character for media yet what about other politicians whose shoddy deals are no better than Laloo. Perhaps Laloo is more saleable in the market. He is no less entertainer than many of the film stars. How any media entrepreneur can afford to ignore this fact and Ramkhelavan CM and his family is part of this chain. Our politicians have reached a stage where media image and satire hardly affects their political career and that is why after every elections we get same set of politicians- charged in all sorts of crime, be it murder, rape or collection of ransom. Definitely media has a more powerful and larger role than-Ramkhilawan.

*The article has also been published in thehoot.org

Comment...

Comments...

If you are allowing the serials to be made on the lives of Rama and Krishna and Budhha, they why not a serial on the life of Laloo. Recently, there has been five movies at the same time on the life of Bhagat Singh. No body cried for it, no filed a lawsuit against it, no one challanged it any where. Then why is that Laloo and company is making such a big deal about nothing.

If some director has made some serial, remotely related to his life, why is he shouting? Everybody has liberty of speech. Let those directors and actors express themselves. After all the serial doesn't say "Laloo is chor" or "Laloo fodder kha gaya". The serial is all about Raamkhilavan. They are saying good or bad things about Raamkhilavan. From where the hell does now Laloo comes into the picture?

Why is that mediapersons are seeing Laloo in this serial? Aren't they to cash something from the issue?
Isn't it that the out of proportion growth of this episode has been made possible by the generous blessings of newspapers and radio, and TV. Issues as stupid as this should better be not spoken at all, what to talk of wrting an article on them.

Suggestion to everybody: Do watch this serial. It is a must see.

Enjoy the Ramkhilavan,

Pradeep

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This has reference to your article in thehoot.org on the protest to the serial. I
have not personally seen the serial. But from what I hear, it seems to be a
satire on Indian Politicians.

But to lampoon only Lalloo seems to suggest an elitist mindset. I have had
this opinion for quite some time. The media, especially the English ones, do
not sufficiently highlight the reason for the success of Mr.Lalloo Yadav. I don't
think it is fair to ascribe all his success to corruption and muscle power. If
these are sufficient to win an election, any of the umpteen factions of the
erstwhile JD which were equally notorious should have been successful.
There is something more to the man.

In my opinion, the English media respects only politicians who are more like
themselves. It is not able to digest Mr.Lalloo Yadav's rustic image.Mr.Yadav
is only dressing and speaking like HIS people which is what even the
Mahatma did( I don't intend to equate the Mahatma with Lallooji). That is the
only explanation that I can think for serials like Ramkilavaan CM. Otherwise
why can't they lampoon other politicians - Georgeji, Atalji, Advaniji,
Jayalalitha, Sonia, Mamata.. the list is endless.

To be certain, Bihar's image may not be diminished by portraying Lallooji in a
poor light. But the media should learn to take people as they are and not how
they want them to be.

Thanks for your patience in readin my mail.


Regards
D.Venkata Raghavan
Chennai