I f I put to you the name Poonam Pandey a week ago, you’d have had, for few moments, deliberated over which “Poonam Pandey” I am talking about; she could have been just anyone—the classmate, the neighbourhood crush, the next-door girl, the college-mate, the friend, the family member, or any other random figure in your life.Today, if I put forth the same exercise, you know exactly who I mean. For, even if The Poonam Pandey doesn’t know why they refer to Sachin Tendulkar as “God”, cricket has helped her assure herself of one thing—a promising future. For, a bright future costs just a publicity stunt, lack of shame, and a Twitter account in the current era.
Two days ago, Miss Pandey, a model by profession, evidently a-publicity-seeker-at-the-slightest-opportunity by attitude, promised a billion-strong cricket-crazy nation that if the World Cup comes to India, she would strip down to exactly, and just—nothing more and nothing less thereof—what she was sent to earth with, nineteen years ago.
On Saturday, if India loses, she walks out a braveheart, whose “unbelieveably appreciable” guts were just let down by her Men in Blue. On Saturday, if India wins, and if she walks out naked as promised, she walks out a winner. On Saturday, if India wins, and if she suddenly garners enough modesty to break her promise to the nation, she, still, walks out a winner. (It’s a different matter, though, that saving one form of modesty, she loses another form of respect, in this case—that of not keeping a promise.)
Yes, today, Google doesn’t allow you more keystrokes than two (“PO…”) before it suggests her name in the most-searched keyword suggestions. Success, in the twenty-first century comes easy, if you have an idea. An idea to change your life. Morality and success broke up with each other long back, you see. Ask Rakhi Sawant. Ask Dolly Bindra. Ask Rahul Mahajan. Among the more sophisticated, ask Rajat Sharma of India TV, once a respected journalist, and now the killer of sane journalism for the sake of easy everything.
When modelling agencies all over the world make a long queue outside Poonam Pandey’s residence in few months’ time, when Poonam Pandey becomes the hot target of the cover of the Playboy and Maxim magazines in few weeks’ time, and when Poonam Pandey becomes a-95-year-old Hugh Hefner’s nth wife a decade later, ask Poonam Pandey. A masterstroke needs a minute of your time and imagination, and you reap the benefits for a whole life. She will be remembered by the modelling world for some time to come. A declaration to go naked can soon make a TV or Bollywood actress out of a girl who can’t act. Yes, acting these days is the easiest of show-business professions that you can get into, without deserving it. An actress who can’t act—a singer who can’t sing—an international celebrity—most sought after by fashion designers all over—en route to becoming a legendary figure. And that route, no doubt, began with that one idea. The idea to make a promise of going naked if India wins the World Cup.
The next time you feel you are down in life and nothing is going good around you, take up the courage, and declare something as ridiculous. No, more ridiculous. If you look ugly, no one cares even if you actually go nude or not (they’d rather prefer you don’t—imagine Dolly Bindra making the promise that Poonam Pandey made). But it will indeed bring you the attention of the world. If you look good, they’ll wait in anticipation for the naked mile. Try a better promise in that case, if you doubt whether you’ll fulfill it or not. For, in this age of publicity stunts, an out-of-favour actor’s promise to dance naked even in her closed bedroom can make her a superstar once again!
By Tanay Sukumar
On Poonam Pandey, and How an Idea Can Change Your Life
– March 31, 2011Posted in: Editor's Picks: Classics, Opinion, Showbiz
i think it is a April fool’s joke … wait for tomorow
oops just read the article on the link in this post.. she says if indian cricket board allows her …
so this is 100% publicity stunt ..:|
Give her a benefit of doubt guys! She might have had a bout of temporary insanity!
And really, one more nude girl – who cares? Except that she said it, and that makes mouths drop open. We’re a bunch of good folks who can watch nude images, but ‘talking’ about it makes us feel awkward.
Do also blame the no-gooders who surfed her name.
Nobody who’s anybody would confess to liking Rakhi Sawant, so how come her show gathers TRPs? Somebody’s lying…
In response to the line “We’re a bunch of good folks who can watch nude images, but ‘talking’ about it makes us feel awkward.”:
There is a difference between baring it for a profession (howsoever inappropriate and immoral), and for publicity.
Mmm.. but in her case, you’d say she’s doing this to boost her career, right? (I think there’s only a very thin line between)In any case, I’m surprised that she’s getting so much publicity. What she said is illegal under Indian Law (Section 292) and hence should have been rubbished immediately with, “Sorry, try something else”. It’s sad that people can get famous for talking nonsense.
Being a copy cat was never a passe.
That’s what has transformed her from Who Poonam to Ohhhh Poonam!!
You mean, “Who Poo” to “Shoo Poo”! (I don’t think anyone went “Oooh Poo”, since everyone caught up to the stunt!)
WTH…she says there is nothing special about nudity..then why make that ‘offering’ as she puts it??…and the players get inspired thinking that a woman will undress if they win??…come on…the players actually needed the blood in the head above their shoulders…and not anywhere else!!!