Snapshots

Snapshots

Perfect Relationships
Not content with having the Union Government's best public relations' face, Rangarajan Kumaramangalam, batting on their side, the Uttar Pradesh Government has decided to rope in a professional agency, Perfect Relations, to dole out matter to the press on why the trifurcation of the UP State Electricity Board (UPSEB) was a good idea, why the powermen were wrong to oppose it, and so on. The Delhi-based Perfect Relations, which boasts of being extremely plugged into Delhi's media world, apparently has now become the last stop for embattled state governments. Some months ago, the Gujarat Government hired former journalist Dilip Cherian's outfit, to help counter the adverse publicity it was getting on the Narmada dam from celebrities such as Arundhati Roy and Medha Patkar.

How effective Perfect Relations has been is difficult to say, but this paper had a curious experience in the Gujarat case. Economist Surjit S. Bhalla volunteered an article in favour of big dams, pokingholes in Arundhati's arguments against them. Arundhati, in turn, poked holes in Bhalla's piece, and this paper then asked Bhalla to fire another round, agreed on the length of his piece, and so on. Guess what? A few days later, Perfect Relations called up this paper, on behalf of their client, to ask if Bhalla could be allowed to reply to Arundhati's piece! Anything for a Perfect Relationship.

Schooled In Acting
``Acting is the only profession that people walk into without thinking it necessary to have professional training. We think it necessary for a doctor to have medical training, but why don't we think it necessary for an actor to be trained in acting?'' observed veteran stage and film actor Dr Shreeram Lagoo at a function held in Pune recently. Citing his own experience he recounted how professional training would have been of immense help to him.

``I would spend months thinking about concepts of stagecraft which would have become apparent sooner had I undergone professional training.While training does not guarantee good acting, it does help in preparing the ground,''said Lagoo. In a candid moment he divulged the personal dilemma that he faced when opting for a career in acting. ``Till the age of 42, I faced a personal tussle between acting and medicine. Then finally I decided in favour of acting and now I'm having a ball,'' he said.

Dark Interlude
Winter is the season for foreign trade teams and diplomats to visit Gujarat, exploring possibilities of investment, often at the invitation of the State Government, industrial houses, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, or CII. Invariably, the visitors are subjected to long discourses on industrial peace in Gujarat, the business acumen of Gujaratis, the advantages of the Kandla port, the works. Invariably, the visitors look suitably impressed.

Invariably, they also make it a point to drop suggestions that the State could do with better infrastructure. A small incident during the visit of Finland ambassador Benjamin Bassin lastweek served to underscore the point. Bassin was delivering his talk on `Doing business with the European Union' at the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry when, all of sudden, the hall was plunged into darkness and the ambassador's voice tapered off.

The diplomat took the minor mishap in his stride and continued. But the hosts turned red in face and the proceedings were rushed through. No way to do business, indeed.