Weren’t you invited to Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal wedding on December 9 in Rajasthan?
I’m asking this because when a man and a woman decided to get married, the whole country people invited themselves to it.
Too quickly thereafter, rumours about the would be wedding of Bollywood stars Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif flooded our screens.
There were speculations about everything- from the possible date to the venue and the strict security measures for the event.
Once the date and venue were confirmed, everyone jumped on the bandwagon with #VicKat trending for days.
News channels went into a frenzy to get bits of information with reporters interviewing anyone and everyone involved in the preparation of the occasion.
The details about the guest list, food menu, photography, and SOPs issued for the guests were all over the internet.
The irony of taking extreme security measures was lost on news channels with pictures of the venue flashing on our screens labelling it a ‘shaahi shaadi’.
Does the notion of ‘shaadi’ being ‘shaahi’ give license to invade anyone’s privacy?
As the wedding day approached, the news reports got ridiculous with discussions on hotel room facilities and rates.
This absurd cacophony was reflected on social media as well.
Everyone had something to say about it, be it through memes, reels, or photographs, and even videos.
Many brands used this occasion for their marketing campaigns.
Delhi Police took this opportunity to remind people to keep their passwords as secure as the #VicKat wedding.
The wedding finally took place on November 9. One would expect the chatter to recede after it.
But the matter is only half-finished.
News channels are still following the newlywed couple with an unreal dedication to unveil information about their next steps.
Celebrity gossip over ‘real’ issues
The urge to invade the personal lives of celebrities has become more prominent in the digital world.
It is understood that they are answerable to people due to their celebrity status.
They are constantly followed by paparazzi and their personal details are made public, sometimes compromising their security.
While we question the government and businesses getting access to our personal information without our consent, such queries are pushed aside when it comes to celebrities.
This obsession with the personal life of celebrities does not only affect them but it has serious consequences on the political awareness of our society.
When celebrities occupy the spaces of public discussion, the real issues get sidelined.
The pressing socio-political issues are traded for juicy gossip about the personal lives of celebrities.
Media is considered to be a space where different discourses circulate to shape the socio-cultural dimension of society.
When one discourse takes precedence over the other, the whole ecosystem is disturbed resulting in the lack of awareness in the society.
The voyeuristic desires of modern society make us uninvited guests in the personal lives of public figures resulting in the curtailment of public awareness.
We should learn to temper our expectations from celebrities.
Haven’t we all heard, Live and let live!
