Sanjay Dutt is the man in a white or blue shirt and jeans security-checked by guards as fans and media surround him. His sisters’ grief, his sad, sad eyes as he waves to well-wishers have us praying — God, please don’t let him be punished for his crimes. Emerging from jail, he hugs the police, waves to fans as TV flashes the image across the nation — a conquering hero rather than convicted felon.

In his white T-shirt, muscle bulges, dark glasses, Salman Khan on Saturday walked towards TV cameras straight out of one of his films. Channels (re)played poignant scenes at his home where Helen, his sister and mother stood forlorn when he left in a car. Live coverage of his progress from Mumbai to Jodhpur, Jodhpur airport to Jodhpur courts, then Jodhpur jail, had Salman playing hero and villain, both equally captivating. You forgot he had been found guilty of killing a defenceless animal.

Monica Bedi is our laadli, the butter and buttermilk damsel from the green, green fields of Punjab, a victim of Abu Salem’s charms. A willing companion to the don, she is picturised as the innocent girl who wants her old life back. Inexcusable telecasts of footage of her in the jail bathroom enhance her image as hounded starlet. Meanwhile, Abu Salem is a lovelorn suitor. Footage of his narco questioning, helpless and incoherent, touches you. His sins are momentarily forgotten — even forgiven?

This is magical sleight of hand. We see these people as the heroes from their films, even villains. Who could be more lovable than Khalnayak Sanjay Dutt? The media treats them as stars, not the accused or the convicted. They enjoy an iconoclastic status denied to mere mortals. The law says they are equal before the law but in the media and public perception, they are above it.

From here, it’s not far to suicide bombers whose daredevilry wins them fans, respect and an iconic stature in the eyes of their followers, justifying their heinous actions. The more we, the media, treat celebrity crimes as page 3 types, we make crime attractive. Very.

Another news channel in Kerala: Jai Hind, with allegiance to the Congress. That places it in direct opposition to Kairali that sees only red. TV news channels are lining up along political lines: in Tamil Nadu, you have Jaya TV versus Sun, and the upcoming Kalaignar channel. Sudarshan TV has the blessings of the RSS.

Imagine what the news will read/sound like:

Jai Hind: Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (in that order) say the nuclear deal is in the national interest.

Sudarshan TV: Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh are anti-national, so are the Communists but in this case, they are right with us.

Sun TV: Former Communications Minister Dayanidhi Maran did everything he could while at the Centre to promote Indo-American relations.

Jaya TV: Former chief minister and mother of Tamilians, Jayalalithaa, outright condemned the nuclear deal. She said it was not in the national interest of the Tamil people.

Kalaignar: Karunanidhi, Southern Star at the Centre, welcomed the nuclear deal. He said everything Sonia and Manmohan Singh did was in the national interest — and his. Sons Stalin and Azhagiri agreed — that proved it was in “our” interest, he added.

Kairali: CPM politburo, the party’s highest authority on all matters nuclear, in a 100-page statement released today described the deal as being against India’s sovereign right not to carry out nuclear tests.