Confessions of a Film Journalist

“Magazines can’t afford to piss off stars as they need them for their award shows. They also don’t want to portray them as evil or dirty as that will distance fans”

In India, no matter how intellectual you are , you are star hungry. Even the stars are obsessed with themselves. It’s in our cultural DNA. When I tell people I’m a film journalist with a popular magazine, I get a little more respect. The immediate response is a variety of ‘ohs’, followed by enquiries like ‘did Priyanka and Shahid Kapoor fake an affair for publicity?’

We don’t have serious film journals in India, only fanzines and gossip rags. Back in the 80s and early 90s, film magazines were really powerful as they were the only access fans had with stars. Now, thanks to cable TV and supplements, stars are no more a rarity. So most film magazines have awards associated with them. And they can’t afford to piss off the stars as they need them for their award shows. They also don’t want to portray the stars as evil or dirty as that will distance the fans.

Some journalists are in awe of celebrities and get a kick out of interviewing them. Many celebrities also throw their weight around. Some of them are boring while others can be genuinely charming to talk to.
Ten to 15 years ago, the film industry worked in a haphazard fashion. Now things have changed at a huge scale with everything going corporate and the entry of companies like UTV, Fox, even Warner Brothers. Film stars are now brands in their own right. This has affected the film journalist’s equation with a star. They treat them as brands in their writing, and the inter-personal equation of yesteryears is lacking. They must now deal with their secretaries, PR people and managers. Acting is a business.  When stars respect journalists, they do so because they know these are the guys who will present them to the public. And the vice versa is also true because film journalists need stars as much.

Most people you meet have either a script or desire to act. And most film journalists are also in-the-closet directors, script writers, producers etc, who hope this profession will open doors for them. If Madhur Bhandarkar were to make a movie called Cineblitz or Stardust or Filmfare, it would be a pack of glamorous lies. Film journalism is a lot of fun with premieres, press conferences, parties and award ceremonies but not as scandalously interesting as a Madhur Bhandarkar film.

(The interviewee works as a film journalist at a popular magazine) 

As told to Shubhangi Swarup

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