Recently I had the unfortunate chance to have come across the 2010 South Cine Scope Awards that were held at Hyderabad. I did not particularly enjoy the award show as I found nothing interesting in particular, but I have to mention that there was one part that will probably remain forever in my memory.

First of all, Prabhu Deva and Nayantara, the ‘hottest’ couple in the tinsel town of late, made what is their first (according to my knowledge) public appearance as a couple for the award show. And when the show drew to a close, the orgznizers came up with the novel idea of introducing a new award category that was called ‘Best Jodi’ (Best Couple).

It was little surprise to me that Prabhu and Nayan won the award, but I was still baffled, worried and above all disgusted. Disgusted is a big word to use, I know, but in this situation I was disgusted with the whole of Tamil cinema fraternity for having let this happen.

Don’t get me wrong, I am from Malaysia, and I live in an urban center where I have seen everything- extra marital affairs to homosexual affairs. I am not a vindictive person who is judging the two of them just because they are having an extra marital affair by any means. It’s their personal choice. Go ahead, live your life. But there is a difference between personal freedom and something small called ethics.

It is a known fact that Prabhu Deva is still married to a lady called Latha and that is proving to be a stumbling block for Prabhu and Nayan’s relationship to be taken to the next level.

We Indians in general pride ourselves in our so-called culture. To be honest, I am not one of those who staunchly believe in our cultural foundations or anything such. I adjust with my environments; I am an Indian, but not a fierce one. I am open-minded, very accepting of things that many Indians struggle to cope or accept with through their close-mindedness and lack of acceptance, but I have my ethics. I use my personal freedom well, as long as I do not hurt or influence another person’s life in a bad way.

I have heard many Indians spew and brag that we have cultural foundations that westerners will never have. Someone told me once that Americans don’t have a culture. But let me ask you one question, what is the point of history and culture if we don’t have the sense to build a good future?

My anger is purely because the organizers and all those involved in the show seemed to have been ignorant to the extent that they could include such an award and later present it to the couple. Are they really ignorant or they are purely uneducated?

Even the so-called cultural-less American would know the consequences of such actions. This is ethically wrong for all the media organizations involved to have presented this award to them. Prabhu Deva is still entitled to a wedlock and they are NOT a legitimate couple until, at least, he is declared single by the court of law.

Being an professional editor, we have faced situations where two individuals moot the possibility of suing an organization just for ‘assuming’ that they are couples. Prabhu Deva and Nayan are, technically, not a couple- that is a fact.

He is a married man, and by awarding both of them, the media has publicly ‘assumed’ that they are a couple, and this is a gaping void of ethical practice here.

Latha is still married to him, and thus, how would she be affected by watching the public flaunt an infidel as a couple. My word may be scathing- but Prabhu Deva, at the moment of speaking, is infidel, and they are committing infidelity. And the media had just harped on it further.

Why was the award given? Just because they are the only couple who made an appearance at the mundane award show? An advertising gimmick?

Here is a fact for you to peruse- not only the organizers, but even SUN TV and ALL the other stakeholders in the award show have happily left themselves open to a lawsuit from Latha by committing this uncalled-for quandary.

My advice- Latha, sue them. Sue them all. All the media organizations who were involved, let them realize what responsibility means.

I am an Indian cinema aspirant; I would like to believe that through my steps, the days when I will part of the film industry in India are not far away. But irresponsible attitudes of media organizations will always make me think twice. I know bias and favoritism already exists there, and now this is another black mark.

These kind of incidents make me think- will Indian cinema give the recognition that is worth my salt?

Because incidents such as these make me think twice.

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