Last week's release of Naga, the feature film starrring the controversial bureaucrat K. Shivaramu, has reopened the old question: Should IAS officers be allowed to act in movies?
Those in favour say they should be as long as the requisite permissions have been taken and the acting doesn't interfere with their official duties. They say that if reviewing books or acting in plays and TV serials is considered all right, then so should acting in movies. They say that allowing officers to pursue their hobbies will help them discharge their official duties better. Etcetera.
Those opposed say that an IAS officer is a figure of authority; to have him running around trees with skimpily-clad girls and bashing up the bad guys doesn't cut a good picture. They say that acting in meaningful cinema without a fee is one thing, acting in commercial cinema almost amounts to a second career. They say it is reprehensible that an IAS officer should have a fans' association because his films. Etcetera.
What do you think? Should K. Shivaramu, who is already under a Lok Ayukta cloud, be excused? Or should the government crack down on him for violating the service rules? Will Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, a film producer, take a lenient view? Would a lady IAS officer have been shown the same leeway?
Join the churumuri debate. Leave a comment. Be heard.
I didn’t enjoy a particularly warm relationship with K. Shivaramu during his stint as MCC commissioner. He apparently did not like a cuople stories I wrote. Once, a colleague who knew him very well wanted me to accompany him to MCC. The man, known as the first successful candidate to write the UPSC exams in Kannada for his IAS, led us into the ante room. He started proudly narrating to my colleague his filmy career – how his hands were full shooting for three movies, etc. – occasionally casting a rather condescending glance at me. I am no movie buff and I don’t remember the name of the movie he mentioned, but “In that movie, I play the role of an innocent youth,” he said.
“Didn’t you find the role difficult,” I uttered my only sentence at that meeting.
As far as I remember, the State Government had clearly banned its officials from acting. That’s why B.C. Patil, the police inspector, quit the force. Shivaram has argued that these rules do not apply to IAS officers.
To do away with “Mai Baap” concept of bureaucracy especially related to DM (District Magistrate) in semi-rural areas and to melt away fear of authority from the heart of masses, showing IAS officers in good humour sounds a promising idea to me. Beezo!! They are over worked personnel. Whole day they deal with gory realities of life. If at the end of a hard day they wish to practice their hobby then what’s so criminal about it. A state, whose Chief Minister himself is a former film producer and whose neighboring sate is worshiping a yesteryear film actress (Jayalalitha) should not waste its emotions on such issues. After all acting can be just another hobby like snooker, swimming etc. I must admit my ignorence about Mr.K. Shivaramu’s integrity, but IAS may act in movies.
Shivram, Does he have any idea what do people think bout him?, does he have idea about wht chit chats will b goin on in college campuses?, and most importantly, Who wants to waste spending 30Rs. and getting headache? First of all this guy is on hunt for lokayuktha and the question also arrives that whr did he get all the money? Guru Indiadalli enenaguttho aa shivane balla!!!!1
Yenriiiiiiii KP
namma dheera nata, veera nata, meru nata, theru nata, nata nata bhoumana bagge heegella mathadtheeri.
IAS andre I Act Simply. acting is his birth right ashte. neevu delhi nalli iddira adakke sari hoyitu. otherwise abhimaani devarugalu nimage tondre kodtha iddaru gotta?
No. They shouldnt – unless they’re on a unpaid sabbatical. I dont want to find out that my tax money is on footing an IAS officers petrol & other bills while he’s swinging(after a drink or two, maybe?) around the trees.
Nimmage sosita vargadavru act maadodo nodakke agalla alva!
sosaNE!!
Naanu da.sam.sa ge dooru needutini!
MADOO KELASA SAREGE MADADE , ACT MADIDARE ENU PRAYOJANA
EVARANA MODALU KELASADINDA KITHAKABEKU…..
……WAST FELLOW OFF OUR COUNTRY
I was near Gandhinagar the other day and suddenly saw this poster of movie NAGA. The thing captured me is the obscene poster of the heroine looked more obscene than Helen in her peak days. And ALAS………what is this. Hero is look like some villiage idiot who has only ambition in life to become a hero in his own produced movie( no one will make movie with such awful face!!!). Then i realised it’s our KAS officer Mr. Shivram is the hero of the movie. I just don’t know who produce these kinds of movies? Or Mr. hero him self uses his black money though some one else’s name to become Hero. God save Kannada film Industry and Kannada movie watching people. Jai Kannada Mathe!
Krishna,
In a land like ours which reeks of poverty, penitence and pestilence, where a huge majority wallow in the mire of hopelessness, social and otherwise, these guys who pass the IAS, a most prestigious, honourable and most importanly RESPONSIBLE service, should bloody well understand the seriousness of their jobs and the attendant expectations.
And not waste precious time hanging around with starlets. We have the Puneet Rajkumars of this world for that anyway!
To say that they don’t take any remuneration for their ‘acting’ or whatever else they do is too hollow and tenous an explanation.
And how come, all these guys begin to star in movies after they have sat down in chairs of pelf?
But for their clout, do you think any film producer would have even given them a cursory glance?
At the end of it all, it only shows a man’s true priorities in life!
Acting is a natural interest…and one must be given liberty to do something of his interest.It becomes very important in case of higher rank officials bcoz they r 2day more pressurised with their duties dan ever before.Any particular job creats monotony and a break to regular job gives extra energy and increasing efficiency of the person.More over, if an individual utilises his skills in odar productive works,it is benifitial for the nation…as d skill would odrwise go waste.No one should be restricted from doing part time job weidr monetary or non monetary.Becoz, i think, earning from part time job is better dan raising money through bribe.We know that mostly cream quality students r IAS,IFS,IPS…ets,who has certainly greater efficiency,enthusiasm,expectations…dan a general human being.Even an IAS may become a role model for d new generation through a work odr dan his formal track.And last but not least -we shoudn’t always follow what is trend in western and odr developed countries,as dere is always chance for a better way.Becoz under utilisation of human resourse is one of the major reason for backwardness of india.Time demands for more and more creativity and initiative from everyone. So. an individual mustn’t be restricted from participating in any genuine productive activities.