Sachin Vs Dhoni

By: Partha Sinha, Managing partner, BBH:


In his school days Dhoni was called Tendulkar. I suppose many people with proficiency in cricket would be called Tendulkar across many schools in India. But who will be called a ‘Dhoni’ in school these days? One who has long hair? Or the captain? Or one who smacks the bowler? Or will it have nothing to do with cricket?

This is precisely the difference between Dhoni’s and Tendulkar’s icon status. Tendulkar , like his batting, is a technically correct icon. He is best (arguably) at his craft - reflects our ambition of becoming globally competitive. He dominates the bowlers, catering to our sense of escapist aggression. The same reason we loved Amitabh Bachhan bashing up the villains. On top of that Tendulkar carefully wears his middle class values on his sleeves while managing media image.

And of course we idolise stories of middle class boys making it big. But if you try to deconstruct Dhoni in a similar manner it may not add up. Is he the world’s best wicketkeeper-batsman? Not by a long shot. He is no Gilchrist. Is the representative of the new-found obsession of India - the small town boy? Not really. He sports a Swapna Bhavnani designer hairstyle, he drives fast bikes - his body language is uber cool urban.

Dhoni has become big because he can make the miracle happen - he can script an Indian victory. And in this department he has delivered consistently. Tendulkar is an iconic individual - Dhoni is an iconic leader. Tendulkar renounced captaincy because he found it was stifling individual brilliance. Captaincy got Dhoni’s individual brilliance out. Tendulkar is an individual hero - the country celebrates his personal milestones
- 40th century, 12000 runs, breaking Bradman’s record. So much so that after every personal milestone Tendulkar has to say that personal milestones don’t matter - he plays for India’s victory. But Dhoni’s great moments are always intrinsically linked to India’s winning. His record of remaining unbeaten when India chased to win is now legendary.

In fact, he has many times curbed his individual aggressive style to make the victory possible. If Tendulkar represented our aspiration, Dhoni represents our confidence. A collective confidence, which has seen India at par with the rest of the world. Dhoni’s biggest contribution to our culture is the swagger. The swagger to comfortably face up to the aussies in their den, the swagger to carry himself off comfortably on the fashion ramp. And this swagger has a life beyond cricket. It represents our deepest desire to remain unphased and confident - ‘we are like that only’.

Tendulkar has given us enough chances to feel great about him. Dhoni has possibly given us more opportunities to feel great about ourselves.

By: Partha Sinha, Managing partner, BBH: The article featured in Economic Times


Envy --

The above article has been pasted here to have wider audience, and people unknown to its existence. I simply agree with what the writer has to say and pasting the entire article in my blog has no other interests. If the author ( Partha Sinha ) requires, the article will be removed from this blog.

Masterpiece

Honestly, I am not sure what to call him, but he should be the Steven Speilberg of Box Office India, not for the amount he cashes in for his movies because he doesn’t any, but simply for the master piece he creates.

Phenomena which we all call entertainment have myriads facets, each one charming to one of us, or the other.

For me entertainment could be an edge of the seat suspense thriller movie or a rib tickling tummy aching comedy. Perhaps a tearful touchy drama, or a musical.All that jazz, but in the end I want a movie which when “The Ends”, it starts to make a mark for your lifelong.

Anurag Kashyap is a man I bow for his artistry, imaginations, and over and over sheer brilliance of creating ideas from a life that we all leave aside knowing it exists, and still ignorant to.

I just finished his latest creation ( and creation is an apt word ) named Gulaal, though the tag could have been better, but I have been thoroughly impressed in every single brain cell I hide underneath long hair.

When you see the record of the person, you realize that his first movie was one of the best ever made in Indian Cinema and if there’s any one on this planet for whom you could hear, “The Oscar goes to………..”

Anurag Kashyap.

I am so overwhelmed and proud after watching his movie, its becoming hard to explain about. There is still a lot unpolished stuff, but the magnitude of creativity and spell binding script makes you stand up and clap, that lasts long.

Black Friday, Shool, Dev.D and now Gulaal. Few of the prominent artwork this director has produced but these names would hit anyone who has seen Indian Cinema over the last five decades hard and make him confess that these names signify master piece.

I haven’t seen much of Satyajit Ray, but whatever I saw I can say that this guy is just a negative shade of him. He is so brilliant that even comparison with Best Indian Cinema Directors is an embarrassment.

If you listen to the songs of the movie ( any of his ), you would get an idea of what the person is capable of. I have no doubts that Indians are geniuses, but if someone asks me an example, out of many I can give Anurag Kashyap as one.

Again, listen to the songs, mark the time they come in movie, mark the lyrics they are made of, mark the music, mark the authenticity of the concept and mark the execution which never gets out of way.

Observe the threading between scenes, observe the lighting, notice the muteness of words and sound of silence in his dialogues. The act his performers give and performance his actors do. The guy doesn’t leave any single scence untouched with sheer brilliance.

I have seen Piyush Mishra since the day of Firdaus, a brilliant TV serial and if you read his work, you will be astounded to see the talent. The songs that appear to be unbelievably simple, but only to realize later as great poetry are one of the many versatilities that Piyush has to offer.

He plays a muslim character with such a contention that for all my teens I thought, he was one.

Having Anurag and Piyush both in one movie is the best of what Box Office India can offer right now and years to come.

My advice, google his work, make a collection.