One of the often-cited logic to counter a negative review of mine is, ‘Mark my words, it is going to be a super hit’…or its variants.
Now, let us deconstruct that logic.
Film makers often use a tactic in the first week to promote their films – they advertise that their film is a super hit and is raking in the collections damn well.
What kind of buttons does that press in the mind of a viewer? ‘If the world is liking it and seeing it, I might too’?
Does that logic apply for soundtracks too? ‘It is going to be a huge hit, so I will like it too’?
I have a small problem with that. That logic is more about you wanting to like something (a soundtrack, in this case) than actually liking it. And of course, it says more about others liking it (possibly) and not your own independent take on it.
Let me give you an example. I have immense respect for people like A R Rahman and Maniratnam, based on what I read about them (in interviews in the media) and their collective body of work. Much of my respect is also to do with their personalities – personally non-flashy and letting their work do the PR for them. I like and appreciate that approach.
But, I don’t think I have any reason to let that respect come into the way of my liking or not liking any of their new piece of work. But I’m human and many times, I really want to like a piece of work by them – honestly! But, I try and stay off that course and treat it as if my ‘wanting to like it’ does not exist – it doesn’t get me to the other extreme, if you’re worried about it!
So, if I liked Raavan, I genuinely did – regardless of what I think about Maniratnam. If I liked Enthiran’s music partially, it has nothing to do with what I think about Rahman.
I wonder, why do people need others’ opinions to convince themselves that they like something? Does that comfort them that they indeed made a wise choice – ‘so many people are liking the soundtrack, so I may be right too’…is that the real meaning of it?
Have we (I’m generalizing of course, but I mean those who hold on to that logic) become so devoid of personal opinions?
In fact, I’d say read these reviews and forget them – they are just an introduction to the soundtrack and perhaps help in selecting what to listen amidst so many titles these days. And, listen to the soundtrack with a fresh, clear and most importantly, personal perspective! I do that and it works fabulously for me!
That said, I have a few people online that I trust and follow. Baradwaj Rangan’s recommendations and Rajeev Masand’s reviews, for instance. But then, there is a limit to what I take from them – Rangan loved Kalavani, while Masand didn’t like Tere Bin Laden much. I didn’t like Kalavani much but loved Tere Bin Laden.
And no, this is not my reaction to all those comments to some of my recent reviews – I have seen worse. I’m just wondering aloud…would love to know what you think.
