His name is Khan, Maverick Khan

While, one Khan proclaimed that he is not a ‘terrorist’ and other was roaring like a ‘Tiger’ at the box office, this Khan, claimed his place on the pedestal by quietly telling the world ‘Satyamev Jayate’. Yes folks, Aamir proved once again to one and all that he is indeed a maverick and he is cut above all other stars.

The accolades for this show and this great effort are still pouring in. While, ‘Times’ has featured Aamir on front page, Tom Hanks is singing paeans about Aamir’s show.

When most of the other actors are busy minting money by promoting some game shows, quiz shows, reality shows or even promoting hair oils, innerwares on small screens, this ‘star’ chose to enter the tele-world with a show dedicated to a social cause. With issues like female foeticide, child sexual abuse, dowry, inequalities in caste system, Generic drugs, he connected with the peoples of India. Very few stars would have gone this difficult way to connect with people!!

With this show, Aamir proved once again why moniker ‘Marketing Guru of Bollywood’ rests with him. Right from timeslot to air the show to creating post episode ‘Impact’ every aspect was well thought of and well executed.  With one masterstroke of slotting the show on Sunday 11.00 am, he killed the competition. He also managed to pull off a coup of sorts by ensuring the ‘simulcast’ of the show on various channels (Star Group channels, ETV channels in south and Doordarshan). The production team also ensured that each episode was translated in regional languages to enhance the reach. The master strategist, did not stop at just this, he also used Vividh Bharati i.e. Radio to air the show, covering areas which television could not!!!!.

In my opinion, the real reason why people were so inquisitive and anxious to watch this show was Brand Aamir, which was carefully managed, nurtured and grown since long. Aamir was always a hermit and kept himself away from media glamour, thus every project that he was associated with, be it his movies or this show, generated enough curiosity among his fans and competitors alike.  In order to make this show a hit, perfectionist and master strategist Aamir went to the extent of ensuring that while promos of his shows were ‘on-air’, all other advertisements featuring Aamir were pulled off air so as to ensure that there is no overdose of Aamir on television and help maintain the curiosity and focus on the upcoming show rather than the creator (Case in contrast could be Ra.One promotions or should I say Shah Rukh Khan promotion!!!). With the use of technology this team also attempted an arduous task of analyzing messages generated from social media. The marketing strategy of the show was absolutely bang-on. I will not be surprised if the great marketing and brand positioning connoisseurs like Jack Trout, Al Ries, Philip Kotler take cognizance of this marketing strategy and mention this case in their books, for it is comparatively easy to sell a product than to sell such a show with social responsibility.

I am sure such a show would not have been possible without Aamir, as he lent honesty and dignity to this show and because of the man associated with such program, each episode created positive impact on the society. Phone lines of Alcoholic Anonymous crashed within few minutes after the helpline number was flashed during the episode, website of Satyamev Jayate also crashed with comments pouring in from all corners for the world. Forget that few state governments (!!!) agreed to distribute generic drugs in state government run hospitals!!! What many a movements could not have achieved was achieved by this one show!!

Haven’t we heard Thomas Grey’s ‘An Elegy Written In A Country Churchyard’

“Full many a gem of purest ray serene
The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear:
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air.”

  

If not for this show and the extensive research and surveys conducted by the research team, the sufferings of many people; the path breakers who were doing their bit to improve the situation or fighting against a particular issue would never have been known to us and would really have been the perfect examples of flowers wasting their fragrance in desert land.

This is a perfect example of how stardom can be utilized to make an impact on the society. The other major examples that I can think of, as far as Indian context is concerned, are Anti-Polio campaign supported by Amitabh Bachhan with a catchy tagline of ‘Do Boond Jindagi Ki (2 drops of Life)’ and Aishwarya Rai’s campaign for eye donation. 

Just the way we have Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for businesses, in my opinion, we should also have Stardom Social Responsibility (SSR) drilled into Bollywood/ Sports, which would help spread awareness about many such social issues, stigmas.

Critics would say that Aamir did not host this show for free and has made tons of money through this show. While nobody can deny that fact that he has made money, but what we can say that he has at least, helped many institutes to garner money (through SMSs from viewers and philanthropic efforts of Reliance Foundation), who otherwise were working tirelessly in oblivion and with very less resources at their disposal.

When applause dies, achievements are forgotten, the real task for Aamir and Satyamev Jayate begins. As a reaction to this show, many initiatives have been taken, be it at a Government Level or in individual capacity, but if the makers of the show are really serious to bring about the change in the society, they would have to adopt corporate style and take a stock of these initiatives and check the progress of these initiatives one year from now. Such a step would really separate initiatives taken as a knee jerk reaction to the public uproar, from those started in all earnestness.

Mahatma Gandhi proclaimed, ‘Be the change you want to see’ and Aamir followed that sincerely. He really showed that he wants the society to change and he made all the efforts in his capacity to kick start such a change. Aamir Maverick Khan, take a bow sir, for starting such a campaign.

P.S.

As I rightly said, the real test of the show as pathbreaking initiative begins now. The recent news of 3 month old baby with battered skull being admitted to KEM Hospital is an indication of how callous we are (Hospital authorities are suspecting that it could be a case of child-battering, since the parents have failed to give an alibi for such grave injuries). 

The tagline of promos was “Jab dil ko lagegi, tabhi baat banegi”, but seems that we all are a severe case of cardiomyopathy and it would take some effort for our ‘dils’  to be hurt…