(Shobhaa De is an established writer, columnist, opinion shaper and social commentator, who is considered an authority on popular culture.)
"Genius of the Year" is clever, clever, clever. But clever is not always enough. The reason why 'Genius..." has worked brilliantly and gone viral, is because it uses its own cleverness to explore a universal anxiety about appearing stupid in public.
Every single person watching this video will instantly connect to his / her own stupidity and ignorance. It is designed to make you squirm at the recollection of something dumb you've said or done at some point in your life. And most of all ,it taps into every person's 'Alia Moment'. Who hasn't had one? Or several?
The best thing about the video, of course, is Alia Bhatt herself, as she goes along with the running gags and sends herself up. Now that may just turn out to be the smartest thing she has ever done in her young life. In one stroke, Alia has managed to change her image from being the dumbest doll in Bollywood to that of a spunky, spirited, sporting girl who can laugh at herself and come out on top of her game. Now it's the turn of her critics and detractors to look totally stupid. Well done!
The video also makes viewers review their attitude to GK and IQ. The two can be mutually exclusive and often are. Alia's talent on screen has been unambiguously established, and there's a good chance she'll walk away with the Best Actress award this year. Talent of this caliber generally goes with a high IQ. About her abysmal GK - come on, she exposed that during her
Koffee interview and ended up becoming the butt end of some pretty nasty jokes . She took them on the chin.
So, let's hand it to her for two reasons:
- Alia had the guts to agree to the spoof that is entirely based on her low GK quotient
- She had the brains to figure out such a risky decision would work in her favour.
The subtext of the video is equally compelling. Take Karan Johar's line: "Of course we have hot and clever heroines in Bollywood - they are called HEROES." Meeoow! Truer words were never spoken, and one wonders how many heroes ducked for cover after that dig! It's Karan again who, when talking about the Black Hole theory, adds a naughty, self-revelatory aside when he mumbles, " Black Hole... something I have not entered recently." Ooooops! Confession time on YouTube, Karan?
These swipes, demonstrating throwaway panache by one of Bollywood's most successful producer-directors, also show an admirable coming of age all around. To be able to mock yourself... to indulge in self-parody... to make fun of the humourless geeks out there who relentlessly tormented Alia for months, is an inspired move... one that has paid rich dividends to everyone involved in the project.
Eventually, it is Alia Bhatt's triumph and redemption. Particularly, the last staged joke when Alia states her ambition to become "India's First woman Prime Minister", till she is reminded India already had one - Indira Gandhi. Alia squints, looks bewildered, goes blank and asks, "Who? Who? Who?" What a masterstroke!
Thank you, guys for coming up with this genius idea. And if Alia does not bag a well-deserved award for 'Highway', let's give her one for this superb performance!
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