Relationship Index and Media

RELATIONSHIP INDEX AND MEDIA

In an ironical twist of fate, a successful PYT (Pretty Young Thing) has preferred to be worldly wise and hence dumped a lesser mortal boy friend-turned-fiancé. It is true that the conventional wisdom would suggest that the Slumdog Millionaire damsel, Freida Pinto broke off the relation as her world had changed overnight and poor chap did not belong to the new league. After all, a star actress has parted ways with a non-entity whose only claim to fame has been a result of the media probe into the personal life of the actress.

The media obsession with this relationship gone sour actually forced me to discuss the subject with journalist friends, most of them specialists on relationship and gender-specific issues. There is a general consensus that what Freida Pinto did was a logical conclusion after her sudden stardom. Even Deepika Padukone did the same once she realized that her star status and nouveau riche lifestyle is no match to her erstwhile boyfriend with whom she had spent cozy moments thus far and must have repeated promise of dying for each other.

Some of the columnists went to the extent of reminding as to how many successful women, some of them basking with sudden and unexpected glory, did the mistake of marrying a lesser successful men, only to repent and divorce later. Well, I can quote hundreds, if not thousands of couples where one of the partner, women included, suddenly became a superstar in their own given field, but still honoured the commitment to their respective soul mates. But this is not precisely the reason why I wish to challenge the so-called conventional wisdom.

Those who believe a relationship with more successful women can not run smooth are subconsciously advocating a feudal social structure which suggests that “man is for the sword and women for the needle.” Come on guys, why should a relationship be a battle of sexes all the time. It is true that equal rights for women must be ensured in the relationship and beyond. But Ms Pinto’s behaviour reflects a women chauvinism which many of the columnists are justifying in media, all in the name of a fancy notion called feminism. However, it will always remain debatable as to whether this extreme women liberation mindset has actually done any good to the women.

Moreover, it is not that I have taken an exception to Freida Pinto’s worldly wisdom, only to counter the argument that relationship is primarily the battle of sexes. Why I call it an ironical twist of fate is because a relationship which involves a great dose of time, effort and emotion, suddenly becomes a game of mud slinging and dirty linen in public. And for this not only the PYT but her boyfriend is equally, if not more, to be blamed for entertaining the Page 3 sleuths. Equally to be blamed are the bunch of friends for whom a slice of media glare had more value than their own decency and star couple’s personal dignity.

The idea is not to suggest that one should stay in a relationship even when they turn out to be strangers, both socially and emotionally, for any given reason. But then there is always a dignified way of parting ways than using media for character assassination of the person who had been till recently soulmates, at least claimed to be madly in love. A word of advice for all the journalist and columnist friends: it is true that our profession thrives on being unconventional, but what is unconventional can not always be justified too. At least, I have strong objection to let the media and public transgress over an issue that involves time, effort and emotion of two concerned individuals.