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Tears that amuse
Mannika Chopra

In the capricious world of television, there also exists a host of protocols, conventions, rituals and ceremonies which sometimes enthral but often exasperate. Take the issue of tears. In the aftermath of any natural calamity, personal grief or associated trauma, TV cameras will follow all saline trails in the non-fiction category with a vengeance. It is as if it has been written in the hiring contracts of all camerapersons. Under the company rules, such and such, you will pursue anyone who is crying, is about to cry or has the ability to turn on the taps automatically whenever they see a camera. Do the decent thing (turn way) and ignore tears, only at your peril.

This week’s offering in the tear department came to us via Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, who shed a few drops as he begged forgiveness on Kannada channel Suvarna and Times Now. In the history of tear-shedding blubbering, politicians hold a very special place. Just a few random samples of TV tear history will suffice. Renuka Chowdhury, as she begged and pleaded for Sonia Gandhi to take over as India’s Prime Minister ("Only you can lead India," she wailed to any one who would care to listen). Then there was LK Advani in his interview with NDTV’s Barkha Dutt as his daughter looked on indulgently. In this watery arena, iron man Advani is a known felon. One of his more well-documented sniffles was when he saw Tare Zameen Par, the film that dealt with autism.

Renuka Chowdhury wailed as she pleaded with Sonia Gandhi to take over as India’s PM

I can’t recall Dr Manmohan Singh breaking down openly but he has been on the verge many times. The only people who have a higher status than mawkish politicians on TV are sports stars. Correction, make that cricketers. Who can forget Kapil Dev’s pain as he broke down and cried without restraint as a bemused Karan Thapar interviewed him on charges of match fixing?

And last week, we saw and felt the pain of a really, really downcast, but technically not teary, Sachin as he collected his Man of the Match Award for his record-breaking 175 runs scored in a match in which India lost to the Aussies by a narrow margin. But when last month ace athlete PT Usha whimpered on TV when not given proper accommodation by the Sports Authority of India in Bhopal, we switched channels. The award-wining sprint queen didn’t really get the same level of sympathy or attention as Dev did a few years ago.

Which brings me to another related point. Crying women don’t have the same TV effect. Actually, the feeling I have is that women in positions of power break down less often than their male counterparts. I could be wrong or biased or maybe it is a combination of both. I just seem to remember the female sniffles on the small screen. Perhaps women do not want to be seen crying because it simply reinforces stereotypes.

Last week, didn’t you think that shots of Mrs Indira Gandhi wearing oversized sunglasses at her son Sanjay’s cremation somehow underscored her stiff upper lip image rather that her vulnerability? It is like the comment made by Charlotte, one of the Fab Four, in Sex in the City, on how she had, by mistake, cried once in the 10 years she worked in an art gallery, but as a result everybody expected her to burst into tears if any crisis came her way.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the emotional spectrum was the giggling goddess, also known in some quarters as Aishwarya Rai as she celebrated her birthday with Rajeev Masand on CNN-IBN. Masand was positively salivating even though GG had nothing really to say that was smart and sassy. When the time came to cut the birthday cake, it was ‘how sweet,’ and then a giggle. Asked if she was asked not to giggle even if the world’s funniest joke was told to her, she giggled. The star said she loves to laugh and is actually just a happy person. Me thinks GG should spend her spare time, now that she is into semi-retirement, expanding her vocabulary.

As the first anniversary of the 26/11 attacks draws near, we expect all channels to go into overdrive. Already some news stories are dribbling in (Miloni’s Bhatt’s story on NDTV 24x7 on delayed compensation to victims) but the really detailed features are no doubt being packed in for the last week of November.