Nagathihalli Chandrashekhar and misunderstood globalization

I have watched quite a few Nagathihalli Chandrashekhar movies. In fact, I still remember watching “Udbhava” on a black and white televison when I was too young. Blame it on my memory, i remember quite a few things. I also remember reading a short story written by Nagathihalli in the 80s in a magazine called “Karmaveera”. “Undoo Hoda Kondoo Hoda” was very good. 

Give me entertainment- mindless/mindful comedy, dance and action- anytime, anyday; I don’t crib and cry. Give me gyaan; convince me. I don’t understand why you need to blame globalization for your problems and naxalism. Naxal or violent extreme left group activities start or have started, mainly because of the widening economic gap and marginalization of people, among other things. Globalization is not the ‘only’ reason for this. You cannot blame everything on globalization and paint red (ok, the red- part was an attempted humour). No, before you label me ‘free-market-champion-who-has-just-read-JagdishBhagwati’s-“in defence of globalization”-and-friendman’s( not Milton)-“world is flat”, let me assure you that this is not the case. I’ve had a decent dose of Joseph Stiglitz too. I think I can fairly understand the globalization or rather anti-globalization issues. But as in Nagathihalli’s recent movie-Maatad Maatad Mallige- blaming large corporations won’t help. Neither does Gandhi-type satyagraha shown in the movie. The problems are different and the solutions are not that simple. I understand that it is a movie but I strongly feel that when you are reaching a large audience you also have the responsibility of not saying “hear, hear. Look it’s all simple– globalization is the root of all evil”. No, sir. I don’t buy it.

I think people still haven’t come out of the socialist hangover. They constantly refuse to see the brighter side of globalization. The reason people like you and I watch the movie in multiplexes in because of globalization. I know that Nagathihalli won’t deny that but he knows that multiplexes will not account to his movie’s collection. I am not saying globalization is perfect and free-market is the panacea. There are real problems with implementing policies and achieving a true globalized world. But attributing all the problems to globalization does not make any sense. One- It is misleading the general public and making them spend their energy for useless purposes; two- you are not helping to solve the problem; you are just giving a punching bag. Sad.