Superstar India Excerpts - 3

Sometimes, when I reluctantly participate in those meaningless TV debates on the New India or Sexy India, I feel like an imposter. Most of the other panellists arrive with personal agendas. They are there to push away …plug their latest product, be it a movie, ad, spiritual mantraor political goal. And me? I’m there to add two vital elements:
1) the token female perspective and
2) a dash of colour/glamour.

All of us bleat away on how fantastic it feels to be an Indian today. How amazing it is that the worldis finally recognizing our real worth and giving us ‘respect’. I feel depressed at the end of all the chest-thumping. And ask myself how much of this new strut is self-delusionary. Whom are we kidding? And, by trotting them out often enough, will we really start believing our own illusions about ourselves?