Crime and Punishment.
I got into an argument at dinner today. Kanika was really excited because she spotted Shantaram at Basilico; she went up and asked him for his autograph. Anam, who is inordinately obsessed with the man, was obviously jealous, and the two got into an animated conversation about him. I stayed quiet for a little while, but eventually I had to voice my cynicism - it's ridiculous how popular this man has become. I know of people who hang out at Leo's all the time in hopes of catching a glimpse of him.
For those who aren't familiar with him, Shantaram or Gregory Roberts Something is a man who led an admittedly thrilling life, and documented his hijinks in a super-bestselling novel called Shantaram. To make a very long story - literally, the book is 950 pages long - short, the author is an Australian heroin addict who takes to robbing banks, forging passports, escapes prison in New Zealand, comes to India where he lives in the slums of Bombay, works for the underworld, eventually fights against the Russians for the Mujahideen in Afghanistan ... and after committing several similar crimes, ends up imprisoned in Bombay where he wrote the memoir. Not unsurprisingly, the rights for the film have already been sold to Johnny Depp's production company where JD himself will play the protagonist.
Now being the snob that I am, I am generally averse to books that create such a furor; I'd just rather spend the little time I DO get to read on something better (which of course, is a highly subjective term). That said, I've heard splendid things about the book from people whose taste I trust. I fully accept that I have no right to rant about this without even having read the book, but ever since the Shantaram mania has started, it has left a bad taste in my mouth. Maybe I'm being excessively judgemental, but it makes me as uncomfortable as seeing Charles Manson t-shirts or hearing about people paying Charles Sobhraj to pose with them for photographs in Paris.
When Anam was talking about what an "amazing man" he is, I couldn't help but saying, "I don't get it. I don't get this fascination with him." Kanika fairly pointed out that I hadn't even read the book, but I, with equal fairness, pointed out that Anam hadn't either. She argued saying that she'd seen an interview with him on NDTV where he seemed like a "really well-spoken, intelligent guy." I argued back saying that some of the most notorious criminals are not only scarily intelligent, but also impossibly charismatic - Ted Bundy and Charles Sobhraj came to mind immediately. I brought up the implications of glorifying a life of sordid crime a la the Hollywoodisation of Bonnie and Clyde, but Anam said we had to look past that; we have to applaud him for being a "reformed" man.I changed the topic after that because there was too much swimming in my head for me to be really coherent.
The one thing that has really struck me about this frenzied adulation is that people think that his fighting in the Mujahideen is "so cool!" I have to wonder, given the hugely problematic anti-Muslim sentiment in the country, how people would feel about that if he weren't - at the risk of sounding racist - white. What if it were suddenly revealed that Abu Salem had fought with the Taliban? I can just imagine the outrage...
And yes, Anam did have a point - It is commendable that is he is working for the upliftment of slum dwellers especially in the much-neglected, but incredibly vital field of healthcare. And yes, I don't believe in people being absolutely "good" or "bad"; it is true that "good" people can do "bad" things and vice-versa. On that note, I will open an ethical can of worms: Do someone's present good deeds nullify the crimes committed, the money stolen, the people murdered in the past? If it is imperative to forgive, to give people second, third, fourth chances, is it really fair to not only exonerate, but also reward the life of crime by paying millions in the form of publishing and movie rights? Is his celebrity status not garnered from his romanticised lawlessness, because - let's face it - his philanthropic deeds would not make a very exciting book?
I'm not sure why I feel so strongly about this, but it disturbs me. I understand that it's an entertaining story; I understand that people like to read stories about redemption. There is still something wholly unnerving about the level of attention his story has created. Maybe I'll be one of those crazed stalkers on Colaba Causeway after I actually read the book, but until then, this seems like an uncanny reflection of Natural Born Killers.
For those who aren't familiar with him, Shantaram or Gregory Roberts Something is a man who led an admittedly thrilling life, and documented his hijinks in a super-bestselling novel called Shantaram. To make a very long story - literally, the book is 950 pages long - short, the author is an Australian heroin addict who takes to robbing banks, forging passports, escapes prison in New Zealand, comes to India where he lives in the slums of Bombay, works for the underworld, eventually fights against the Russians for the Mujahideen in Afghanistan ... and after committing several similar crimes, ends up imprisoned in Bombay where he wrote the memoir. Not unsurprisingly, the rights for the film have already been sold to Johnny Depp's production company where JD himself will play the protagonist.
Now being the snob that I am, I am generally averse to books that create such a furor; I'd just rather spend the little time I DO get to read on something better (which of course, is a highly subjective term). That said, I've heard splendid things about the book from people whose taste I trust. I fully accept that I have no right to rant about this without even having read the book, but ever since the Shantaram mania has started, it has left a bad taste in my mouth. Maybe I'm being excessively judgemental, but it makes me as uncomfortable as seeing Charles Manson t-shirts or hearing about people paying Charles Sobhraj to pose with them for photographs in Paris.
When Anam was talking about what an "amazing man" he is, I couldn't help but saying, "I don't get it. I don't get this fascination with him." Kanika fairly pointed out that I hadn't even read the book, but I, with equal fairness, pointed out that Anam hadn't either. She argued saying that she'd seen an interview with him on NDTV where he seemed like a "really well-spoken, intelligent guy." I argued back saying that some of the most notorious criminals are not only scarily intelligent, but also impossibly charismatic - Ted Bundy and Charles Sobhraj came to mind immediately. I brought up the implications of glorifying a life of sordid crime a la the Hollywoodisation of Bonnie and Clyde, but Anam said we had to look past that; we have to applaud him for being a "reformed" man.I changed the topic after that because there was too much swimming in my head for me to be really coherent.
The one thing that has really struck me about this frenzied adulation is that people think that his fighting in the Mujahideen is "so cool!" I have to wonder, given the hugely problematic anti-Muslim sentiment in the country, how people would feel about that if he weren't - at the risk of sounding racist - white. What if it were suddenly revealed that Abu Salem had fought with the Taliban? I can just imagine the outrage...
And yes, Anam did have a point - It is commendable that is he is working for the upliftment of slum dwellers especially in the much-neglected, but incredibly vital field of healthcare. And yes, I don't believe in people being absolutely "good" or "bad"; it is true that "good" people can do "bad" things and vice-versa. On that note, I will open an ethical can of worms: Do someone's present good deeds nullify the crimes committed, the money stolen, the people murdered in the past? If it is imperative to forgive, to give people second, third, fourth chances, is it really fair to not only exonerate, but also reward the life of crime by paying millions in the form of publishing and movie rights? Is his celebrity status not garnered from his romanticised lawlessness, because - let's face it - his philanthropic deeds would not make a very exciting book?
I'm not sure why I feel so strongly about this, but it disturbs me. I understand that it's an entertaining story; I understand that people like to read stories about redemption. There is still something wholly unnerving about the level of attention his story has created. Maybe I'll be one of those crazed stalkers on Colaba Causeway after I actually read the book, but until then, this seems like an uncanny reflection of Natural Born Killers.
posted by Auri @ 11:03 PM
2 Comments:
At 7:03 AM,
almazpdf said…
the darkside has a way with people...i guess you always want to know more about a lifestyle that you don't know about and that is terrifying...'The Godfather', The Sopranos biggest hits in world cinema and american TV. I can't argue that Shantaram has had an interesting life...and indeed has story to tell...but worshipping him and going crazy abt it...don't think so.
At 3:58 PM,
Auri said…
I totally get people's fascination with the underbelly of society; apart from the vicarious thrill of it, people are just incredibly morbid. Or at least I seem to be. I don't understand the adulation and romanticization and celebritification (it's a word cause I say so) that goes along with it though.
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