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Cinema
Aarti Agarwal - Alone
in a Crowd
by MH Ahsan
 Close
on the heels of Television actor Kuljeet Randhawa ending her life by hanging
herself with her dupatta tied to a ceiling, comes the shocking news of
21-year-old Telugu superstar Aarti Agarwal suffering a near fatal
accident when she fell off the staircase of her home in Hyderabad.
There is something intensely macabre about the episode. It's
unacceptable that any adult, even when in the most inebriated state, can
actually roll over a staircase without intervention from family members who
admit to being on the spot when the accident occurred. The police are not
ruling out the possibility that she could have been pushed down the
staircase. Insiders reveal that Aarti had a serious argument with her father
just before the fall.
What is further mysterious is that the family preferred to treat her at home
rather than admit her to the hospital even though she was seriously injured
and semi-conscious. The doctors were outraged at her condition and had to
carry out an immediate surgery to extract a severe blood clot from her
brain.
At the moment recuperating in the city's Apollo Hospital, nobody from the
film fraternity has visited the actress despite television channels
describing her condition critical.
Clearly there is more to the story than meets the eye. It's obvious that the
family is hushing up a bitter scandal to save their reputation. The Telugu
film industry is full of horror stories about the violent behavior of
Aarti's father. His clinging obsession to his daughter and his drunken
brawls on her sets. Some even say that Aarti was repeatedly abused at home
and her sudden unnatural gain in weight is a result of her acute depression.
It may be recalled that earlier too Aarti had attempted suicide by drinking
toilet detergent. This was in the wake of her alleged romance with actor
Tarun.
Aarti's devastation is yet another reflection of the grime and sorrow behind
the sparkle of show business. It's the story of yet another celebrity
perceived as powerful by the world outside but oppressed and exploited by
her dear ones. A story of turbulence and rejection from the very system that
created her identity, the box-office.
A dwindling career has caused anguish to many actors of all generations.
Some, better equipped to cope with the aching silence after the deafening
applause than the others. But the desolation in some degree persists in all.
The lowly phase further becomes insurmountable when combined with a personal
calamity. But a few years and a few heartburns later they learn to adapt to
a revised lifestyle. Their insecurities are understandable for the ways of
show business are peculiar. They enjoy a shorter span of career compared to
most other professions. The female actor even lesser years of limelight than
her male counterpart.
Of course all this is rapidly changing now that Indian cinema is evolving.
Today, Hindi cinema is negotiating a new space for the older woman but down
South, mainstream cinema is still chauvinistic. Even though Tamil and
Malayalam films are perceived as more challenging than Kannada and Telugu
films, their heroines are equally insecure. The leading ladies live in
constant fear of losing their position on top. It's because Telugu cinema
particularly has a tradition of rotating new faces every few years.
Consequently, the biggest and the best are considered redundant once they
have been paired with the current superstars. This usually happens to an
actress by the time she turns 22 since most of them make their debut in
their teens.
Perhaps, that is what is happening to Aarti Agarwal as well. Her career in
doldrums and no love life to escape, Aarti sought the easy way out. And her
family is doing nothing to provide her solace. Instead, in the true feudal
tradition, they have demoted her to signing B-grade films opposite
lesser-known heroes to now concentrate on their younger daughter, Aditi
Agarwal's budding career.
Three years down the line, there will be another story of devastation. But
does anybody care?
March 12, 2006
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Cinema
The Week of March 12, 2006
Global
Democracy: India, not America, Should Take Lead by Rajinder Puri
Not Again! Mr. Advani by Usha Kakkar
The 'Great Indian Middle Class" Needs to
... by Dr. Subhash Kapila
US History - Lesser Known
Facts, Analogies & Surmises Part 5 by Gaurang Bhatt, MD
Zahira Sheikh vs Jessica Lal by Usha
Kakkar
Respect All, Shun Casteism by Naira
Yaqoob
Flex and Stretch Yourself to Good
Health by Rajgopal Nidamboor
Homeopathy
and Toxic Exposure by Dr. Muneeb Faraaz
A Dialogue with Victoria Valentine
by Dr. Amitabh Mitra
Is Human Life Complete Without
Poetry? by TA Ramesh
Urvashi: The Poetry of Love's Victory
by Suniti Chandra Mishra
Concepts Immaculate by J. Ajith Kumar
A Tribute to Geeta and Guru Dutt by MH Ahsan
Aarti Agarwal – Alone in a Crowd by MH Ahsan
How to Celebrate
Holi with Kids by Garima Gupta
Tugging Ear Infections by Dr. Muneeb
Faraaz
A Moment Called Death by PGR Nair
Far Horizon by Dhiraj Bhimji Raniga
Fathers and Princesses by Monisha Sen
Helping with the Basics by Susan Philip
What Women Want by Stephanie Hiller
When Scarf and Jacket Talk by Naunidhi
Kaur
Opening Windows of Learning: A feature
on Nasreen Awan from Pakistan
Vastu Purush Mandala: Home Design and
Happiness by Niranjan Babu Bangalore
Methodology and Effects of Mercury in
Various Houses by Dr. Shanker Adawal
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