The real pandemic staring India in the face is not hunger or poverty, ill-health or illiteracy but political correctness. Flaming, raging, self-righteous political correctness intent on draining the last dregs of joy and happiness from our miserable lives.
The chief characteristic of these pashas of PC is a near-complete absence of a sense of humour—and an exaggerated sense of self-importance. And woe upon those who manage something as sacrilegious as a smile under their watch.
Vodafone has released a set of slick television commercials touting their customer service, featuring their famed pug, Rocky. And guess who has started barking like a cracked canine: the Animal Welfare Board of India.
In one scene, Rocky is shown chasing a school bus carrying the apple of his eye, because she has left behind her school tie. As commercials go, it is nice, warm and effective in communicating the message that we are ready to serve. But the papad-thin egos of the animal welfare board have issued a notice to the film’s makers, Nirvana.
“The pet dog was made to run, gallop and chase the school van for a long time on a public road. Thereby, the dog was made to undergo severe pain and suffering due to the exhaustion caused by chasing (the bus).”
Nirvana contends that the film was shot in South Africa and that a post-shoot fitness certificate was obtained duly signed by the veterinary doctor, but the welfare board wants the “objectionable” clip to be deleted.
Cruelty to animals during shooting is one thing. Lashing animals to perform certain acts, beating it and starving it to toe the line, causing injury, disfigurement and death during shooting are all very objectionable, and should be objected to.
But making a dog “run, gallop and chase”?
What is it supposed to do otherwise, knit sweaters, sing bhajans, and solve The Hindu crossword?
postscript: But what kind of perverted pug is this Rocky son-of-a-bitch? Most dogs steal and hide your shoes, and create a scene to prevent you from leaving them alone at home. But this fellow traces the girl’s lost socks. It’s almost as if he wants her to get out of the house. What’s his scene?
Tags: Animal Welfare Board of India, Churumuri, Nirvana Films, Rocky, Vodafone
2 May 2008 at 11:52 am
Thats a cute ad. Period.
2 May 2008 at 12:45 pm
All the new vodafone ads are cute. It is enough if they bring a smile to our faces, even if we dont go and vodafone connections. Meantime, has anybody bothered about the 50% of the population,women being shown in ads? Hundred of women running after a man who sports the AXA effect or something, especially a very devoted looking bengali woman on the way to the temple dropping her pooja plate smelling this man. Then there is the one where a man wearing some special underwear is mobbed by women and they leave him with lipstick marks all over. And then the perennial farness creams. Wonder why no women activists are up against these?
2 May 2008 at 6:12 pm
The Animal Welfare Board of India is barking up the wrong tree. There are other issues that need its attention. For example, elephants in Kerala are treated very cruelly by their owners and mahouts. The people at the helm of affairs on the board should take up the cause of pachyderms in the southern state at the earliest The endurance level of the animals is stretched to the maximum so much so that, at times, the elephants go on the rampage, destroying all and sundry.
I think board officials now raise the trivial pug issue just to show that they exist and are working hard(ly).
2 May 2008 at 6:29 pm
First, this issue is not about animal rights. It is about animal welfare.
Second, principled positions are invariably “extreme.” They give room for negotiation to enable the argument to veer toward a universally acceptable mean. In a democratic society there is always room for negotiation.
If the AWB were to say “No more than 15 seconds of running!” then the producer might negotiate saying, “Please please, how about one minute?” When the AWB say “No running! Period” the producer might negotiate for 10 seconds of running. Which is what seems to be happening in this instance.
I love the commercial — it creates love and empathy for the pug. But I commend the AWB on doing its job (which in this instance is an unpopular job.)
2 May 2008 at 11:31 pm
Why not these so called “animal welfare” people better spend their time fighting for let’s say, tigers and other endangered species? Why don’t I see even one news report saying they led a protest or at least did something for the cause of endangered animals? Is it because these animals don’t have any rights to live or they don’t create much publicity? Why are they always involved in futile acts like snatching the parrot from astrologer for who, parrot is the only way to lead his life and for parrot, has developed kind of kinship with the astrologer?
2 May 2008 at 11:56 pm
i want to argue the case of the child in the ad. she has been made to do lots of ‘work’ including getting up, look for her shoes and socks and paste stamps making the puppy lick the stamp and even take her bag and go out and travel a ‘great’ distance!! how cruel!! How can they do it to a small girl? this is a case for both child rights abuse and gender bias. would they use a boy instead of the girl? was the girl ready to act? or did her parents make her do it for the money? did not get scared of the puppy? also traveling a great distance by bus? was she not scared? was she given good and other facilities? did she have to shoot in extreme conditions? was she insured? why was her hair not combed? was she neglected during shooting?…………………… god!