It was truly sad to see Huma Qureshi insulting press photographers who had gathered at her residence for her Eid party, apparently on invitation from her brother.
Eid, I don’t need to remind Ms Qureshi, is a time when even strangers are welcomed home warmly with a hug. But then the paparazzi has been accorded the status of unwanted intruders in most star homes. The incident at the Qureshi’s residence only highlights this lowly status of the press, an incident that the Wasseypur womaniya denies ever happened.When at an event last week she was asked to comment on her behaviour with the paparazzi during her Eid party , Huma without blinking said to a hapless correspondent, “No such incident happened,M’aam.”
Perhaps that was the lady’s twin spewing in hospitable venom on those poor photographers?
Perhaps Huma M’aam was justified in treating the press with unsheathed contempt. If they thrust unwanted cameras in stars’ faces they are bound to get snubbed.
But of course when we refer to stars and their faces we do mean big stars like Huma Qureshi whose last Hindi release , in case the world has forgotten, was the horror show Dobaara (which everyone in India saw twice just out of respect for the title) and whose international debut in Gurinder Chadha’s Viceroy’s House was sure to give Priyanka Chopra nightmares.
Huma is not alone in her disdain for the media.
The one trait that Ranbir Kapoor has inherited from his short-tempered father Rishi Kapoor is a barely-concealed contempt for the press. Once not too long ago Ranbir ran off with a photographer’s camera when the poor unsuspecting chap clicked without his Highness’ permission.
There is the other breed of stars who treat the media most cordially, no matter how irksome its presence.Recently when the flashbulbs in Shah Rukh’s daughter Suhana and Shahid’s baby girl Misha’s eyes were too bright the concerned parents gently suggested that perhaps the paparazzi should be sparing in their attention towards the kids.
I remember there was a party going on at SanjayDutt’s house which was being covered by the paparazzi outside. Sanjay Dutt come from the house, spoke sweetly to them offered them water ….Such small gestures go a long way in making a celebrity seem human.
But then the ogre is always lurking in the shadows.
You will never find the legends losing their cool with the press. Have you ever seen Mr Bachchan getting hot and bothered about any media attention, no matter how dumb the line of questioning?
And the biggest legend of all Lata Mangeshkar once told me this story. She had once gone to a foreign country for a concert where the local media came to interview her. One of the unprepared journalist asked her if she sings for a hobby.
Rather than breathe fire for being insulted Lataji smiled and said, “Haan, kabhi-kabhi gaa leti hoon shauq se(yes I sing sometimes, for enjoyment).”
This ability to be patient tolerant and humble under any circumstance is what separates the real stars from the wannabes.
Right, Huma?
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