reply to Anita

Posted by Jaya (210.211.187.96) on January 24, 2006 at 12:13:12:

In Reply to: Dear Thillai posted by anita ratnam on January 24, 2006 at 07:54:55:

Re: "I have refused to produce DVDs since the cameraman, editor,producer, distribution network is not to my satisfaction"

Except for "the voracious NRI network", Anita may have no clue as to the modern distribution network outside India, but she is correct that the challenges of producing a "perfect" DVD are nearly insurmountable. And she is absolutely right that DVDs for a group work are totally unsuitable medium.

The problem is that
1) no serious production company is interested in investing in these dance DVDs as the market for them is too limited
2)the cheaper Indian crews are lazy (they want to do everything at one take!) and produce rubbish that is only good for serials

Besides, what is "perfect" production? Remember, the films that get Oscars are rarely the most popular and long-remembered ones.

The funniest thing is that what is perfect from the dancer's or a critic's point of view is OFTEN far from perfect from what the "ordinary spectators" point of view. So, are the dancers supposed to produce the DVDs just to please themselves??? Sounds kind of mental masturbation.

Regarding worshipping Padma or Michael Jackson as an icon, I think this kind of icon-worshipping is a pretty useless habit. Padma, or Rukmini Devi, or even Bala are not goddesses or avatars to be worshipped but quite ordinary human beings with their limitations. We can respect certain people for the good they have done, but this good is relative, and there are also its shadows.