A Birthday is Priceless

But when it is Amitabh Bachchan’s birthday, there is a definite value to it

In April 2008, news appeared in the tabloid Mumbai Mirror that Arbaaz Khan and Malaika Arora, a poster couple for lasting marriages in Bollywood, were splitting up. Quoting sources, it spoke of the entire industry being shocked and had details like Arbaaz moving back to his parents’ home and possibly remarrying. A day later, the very same couple announced they were getting remarried… to each other. The gimmick had been part of a marketing campaign to tie in with the relaunch of Ponds, a brand they were endorsing. Mumbai Mirror was incensed at having been conned. It ran a front-pager admitting their story had been false, but blaming the stars for leaking it. If a divorce was being used to sell a product then, this week, it was the turn of a birthday to hit the auction block.

On Monday, Kaun Banega Crorepati got off the air precisely on the 68th year after Amitabh Bachchan was born. It could, of course, have been a coincidence that the two events happened simultaneously. But the shoot obviously had happened some days ago and there were still all those birthday wishes floating around on set. It was a little odd watching special guest Sanjay Dutt wishing Amitabh happy birthday when both clearly would have known this was not that happy occasion.

There is, of course, nothing wrong in it. Everyone has the right to milk whatever he or she can, so long as it is legal and does not harm anyone. Women have auctioned their virginity on eBay and enlightened countries (not India, you just wait till it happens here) have found nothing wrong with it.

It would still be interesting to imagine how much of oneself it is possible to sell. The next time Amitabh’s Juhu bungalow gets flooded during the monsoon, would it be a lucrative opportunity to endorse hand-pumps? Or when Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter wins a taekwondo contest, wouldn’t some words on the soothing effects of Iodex be apt for the occasion? Or when Sanjay Dutt makes an application for inability to attend court, can he not courier the papers by Blue Dart?

Incidentally, KBC notched up higher ratings than Bigg Boss in its first episode. Some attribute this to the birthday. It looks like we are in for many more happy occasions in the drawing room.

Amitabh