Reality/talent hunt shows are a rage these days. I am a big fan of 'SaReGaMaPa challenge', follow it pretty closely though not a voter. During its last 'Viswayudhh' season, Aneek Dhar and Raja Hasan were the top two. They got this grand show to perform for the final episode - and with the show having a rating of 1 that time, I am sure crores of people watched them win, and can relate/identify them now.
Now starts the issue, looking at the number of such contestants winning reality shows every week almost, what happens to them afterwards ? Most of them become strugglers - they have tasted the name and fame, can't leave the dream now, but then, it is not easy to pursue it either. This is a country where there are so many such strugglers, even a singer of Sonu Nigam cadre had to wait for a decade to get his due. We hear lot of news about strugglers, their problems (remember the miss india world - her name was Lakshmi I gues - who won the contest and then had to give up the crown later because she was found to be leagally married - for the purpose of getting a rented house! hah! what a waste of efforts!).
I really feel very sad for these budding talents - we salaried people just can't take that much of uncertainity I guess - they have to work so hard, compromise at every step - they are just so vulnerable ! Name and fame comes with a heavy price I think, except for a lucky few, and of course except for those who are born with it - Abhishek Bachhan? I remember reading in some news from an interview with Jaya Bachhan - she said, "it is good that Abhishek's movies are flopping, he will learn what is failure and what it takes to be successful and recognized. How else will Amitabh Bachhan's son know what it takes to be a star'.
When I think about strugglers, I think about those budding cricketers, models, singers etc. But then there are strugglers struggling for salaried jobs also. They have got everything - degree, background, but somehow can't make to a job. I see lot of computer science trained and engineers-aspiring-to-be-in-software folks struggling to the verge of depression for a job.
For somebody who is coming from a very modest background whose parents have already utilized their provident fund money in getting him an engineering degree in some private college - it is really a struggle. To stay in a city like Bangalore or Pune, and then hunt for a job, slowly time will be running away to get another batch into the competition. It is a pain especially for those who come from small towns, not trained so well in english conversation, have to count each rupee spent and have to manage getting a job by mostly fair means. In earlier days, when there were no jobs, nobody would have expected them to get a job soon. But now when the parents and relatives also see so many job holders in the IT industry and earning in lakhs of rupees - the pressure on these strugglers is immense, they have to prove their worth once again.
A struggler's moto - be it the glamour industry or the IT industry - is similar, get to a city where there is scope for work, get together with couple of close friends who are also strugglers, somehow manage meagre amount of money to keep you going in a shared-room-shared-flat, and wait for your that day when you will get your employement.
With Raja Hasan's 'Maari Teethri' song playing in radio stations so frequently now, it feels good to see at least one struggler moving ahead a bit - hopefully he will make it to those elite list of regular playback singers. But then, he is just one winner of one season in one year of one reality show. What about the rest?
What about the folks passing from those newly setup private colleges offering computer science degree - and especially those who pass with average grades?
My heart goes out to all those strugglers, we should encourage them to keep the hope alive, after all, even if some of us managed to get campus placements, we know what it means to be without a job with all the qualification and a rocking job market out there. So, be considerate, give everybody a chance if you are sitting in an interview panel :)
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
The Strugglers
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Bijaya,
Very good article!
It reminded me my earlier struggling days when I had come to Pune for employment.
In one of my earlier organization when I used to take interview, I always tried to give support for the people who came from town places with poor family background and have good or average knowledge. One day one of my managers realized this thing and he deliberately asked me why IT Company hired us? Because they want to run the business, they want to make money so when you take interview you should not be biased with any emotional factor. You should judge candidates depending on the requirements and skill set that we need and make sure that we get the best candidate.
Now I take professional interview irrespective of considering emotional factors which sometimes hurt me. But I really do not have right solution to maintain the balance of doing well for company or doing well for struggling candidates.
Yes, I agree with your professional stand completely. Only those should be hired who have the knowledge. But sometimes I see interview panels lose patience with candidates who are not fluent in english for example. With a little more patience, I guess their knowledge can be tested better, and they will at least feel that somebody saw beyond their speaking capabilities. Many times these folks can be groomed later to be more polished, and a lot of back office jobs don't require that much fluency to start with.
There is no easy solution to this problem I guess. The candidates need to remember that they need to preserve some energy, morale and money for their struggling period.
Unfortunately one's ability to play with english words is given more importance than due be it in job interview, gd or beauty pageant. Ability to think and generate ideas is no monopoly of someone who can express it in exact english. I have checked with many co-interviewers who say we go for comm skill only rest can be taught. I beg to differ comm skill can be improved (atleast to the extent required for office work) but basic IQ and thot process difficult to improve. Its like sur, tal vs performance or x factor (whatever they mean in the talent shows)...
If you followed the program Jojeeta wohi superstar most of the reality winners have become arrogant, rude and lost fair bit of their singing talent. Amit sana was pathetic, vinit, avijeet are not as good as their prime days. Teenagers coming to show without real struggle may not be able to handle the fame/exposure with real humility and effort. For every tendulkar u have Kambli, for Kumble u have sivaramkrishna.
Post a Comment