Books Written By Neeya Naana Gopinathl
Jemima Torguson
There was a steady flow of participants till 10.30 AM. There were chairs for participants outside the studio. Breakfast was also served at the Studio. Most of the participants were busy discussing and debating points. A few were calling up friends and relatives to inform of their participation in Neeya Naana. 3 ladies had already participated in Neeya Naana before. We waited outside the Studio till 11.30 AM.
After 30 minutes of talking to the carefree side, Mr.Gopinath appeared stressed out. He said he was frustrated because participants were not giving answers as he expected. For the next one hour, Mr.Gopinath picked out participants one by one, and threw questions at them on a host of men related issues. Those who could not give a satisfactory answer got harsh rebukes. At the end of an hour, most of the participants on that side were hushed up.
Only a few were encouraged by Mr.Gopinath to tell their views. These views were countered by a few ladies seated in the first row of the opposite side. Participants in the other rows kept voicing their views from the opposite side. Their views went unnoticed. Ladies in the first row appeared keen to keep the mike with them. Those who dared to shout out their views from the other rows were silenced by Mr.Gopinath. He said that participants in the first row have answered his question and further replies were not needed.
By then, other participants had been waiting for long. They loudly demanded for a chance to tell out their views. Mr. Gopinath used the same approach again. His question was about health problems faced by men. He pointed to a lady aged around 45 years to answer this. She said men were responsible towards family commitments and that she wanted to talk about family related issues faced by men. Mr.Gopinath replied in a stern and harsh tone that she had raised her voice asking for a chance to talk, but when he gave her that chance she is not talking sensibly. The poor lady had tears in their eyes.
A participant in the first row of Men supporters side said that her husband was coming home late due to work, and their sexual life was miserable. This was countered by a young girl in the other side who said that in the fast life today, sexual happiness should be compromised, and it was not really a problem for men!
Another lady who had impressed Mr.Gopinath earlier on was given a chance to speak. She said that if both the husband and wife were working, they never had any interest in sexual happiness. The next half an hour was spent listening to this discussion. Mr.Gopinath and Mr.Anotny appeared quite pleased with the discussion between the 3 ladies. They sat in silence listening with a contentment written on their faces.
After half an hour, Mr.Gopinath was prompted by the director to applaud this discussion. He promptly claimed that he was proud of this discussion. He also proudly announced with this discussion proved how intelligent Tamil women were!
The show was nearing its final stage. Mr. Ram, Tamil film director, was the special guest invited for this episode. Not sure why no psychologist, or thinker or writer was invited to preside over this.. instead, it was a film director. By then, I had a splitting head ache and could not take any more of this. So, I decided to leave during the next break. It was 4 PM when I left.
Tamil Media and Film industry has a section of people who project themselves as intellectuals. They acquire knowledge about social issues through books or movies. After this, they showcase the same issues in their films and shows. Then they become intellectuals overnight.
In addition, if this issue is related to Eelam Tamilians, or about Fishermen problems in Tamil Nadu, or about Marxist ideologies, etc.., the person is sure to be branded as an intellect in Tamil Film Industry. These intellectuals treat others who are not focusing on these issues as inferior common men.
I understand that the Neeya Naana team has the right to decide whose views to edit and whose views to broadcast. But do they have the right to invite participants and finally do not let them speak a word. Do they understand that participants travel at their own cost (many participants were not from Chennai), spend their time (it was a working day and women professionals were participating).. and finally get insulted by Mr.Gopinath?
Mr.Gopinath and the director appeared angry and tense throughout the show. At one point, Mr.Gopinath yelled out to the crew members, loudly shouting at them to lower the ear piece volume. It took him a minute to recover his pose and talk in a normal tone. Similar incidents kept happening through out.
My participation in Neeya Naana turned to be a very bitter experience. I took almost a week to forget the bitter memories. Why invite 50 professionals from across Tamil Nadu, shout at them and insult them, encourage senseless discussions for the sake of TRP, falsely propagate a sense of Tamil pride, include comments that degrade women and alienate migrants in Tamil Nadu, etc?
Am a disciple of Paramahamsa Nithyananda. Earlier there was a debate on our Swamiji and we saw that neeya naana went to the extreme of bringing in people with cooked up stories. A lady with foul mouth was made to sit in supporters side as ex ashrams ashramite. She was made to put self goals on supporters side itself. We all came then itself this is what the inauthenticity of Gopinath and Antony. One thing became very clear after many episodes that this crew is simply anti Hindu. They bring all sorts of beliefs in Hinduism like astrology, festivals, woman empowerment just to malign Hinduism. Happy that atleast now people are realizing their true face.
I have always had mixed opinions, felt it might be fabricated and mainly the show revolves around the anchors perception of the topic . Thanks for sharing this and it does make a lot of sense to me now !
Dear sir
My name sharmila . Na goverment la oru normal category la work panra. Public problem vantha govt kita thappu irukum. Govt staff ku ethachu problem vantha yaar kita pooi solrathu.. avanga bad words use panrathu ku naanga konjam sound rise panna kuda media press nu poranga. Govt solra thu enna use. Neenga govt with public nu oru topic vainga sir. Naangalum manushanga tha engalukum mariyathai ellam iruku. Plz sir. Neenga antha topic vainga
This post does not expect goodness from media. It is a expression against the meets mainstream, for wasting my time,money and for twisting the public opinion that they broadcast. There is a difference between not being good, and misrepresenting facts.
Even i had considered to participate in NEEYA NAANA, however after reading this, I personally feel its of no use when it is full edited, trimmed n tailored talk show which actually happens for 6hrs and cut short to damn 1hr.
@Raghav: Maybe the mail is an exaggeration, but one thing that is true is, they don't allow you to speak whatever u want... U r not free to express whatever u like there.. He'll take it up according to his wish only... Also in some cases, they give away the lines and the person should speak only what is specified for him to speak...
I think this is what must have happened ! The guy who sent this mail must have been one of the dissapointed participants whose speech was edited out of the show's telecast ! He should have asked all his friends n family to watch him speak - but must have felt let down when his speech was edited out and never telecasted !! :p
But if what he said has been true - then i think only those speakers who speak controversially that makes the viewers drop their jaws and increses the TRP ratings - must have been paid for and brought to the studios ! :)
Anyway great blog machi ! Keep it up ! :)
The email is obviously a fake.. If u have watched the show u will realize that Gopi never decides a "winning team" as stated in the email. He just lets both sides to speak and encourages fair comments from both sides. The show is just one hour and it is understandable that everyone cannot be given a chance. This is a genuine program.
Hi Guys ,
I am the person who had actually composed the above email. All my experiences mentioned in it is 100% true and is no exaggeration.
I had seen one comment stating that i had written this email out of frustration as my scenes were edited. But the reality is that i had sent out this email on 16th of Sept 2007, the very next day after the shooting and this was telecast only 3 weeks later.
So just beware of such faulty shows claiming a wrong image in the society.
i was always impressed by gopinaths moderation in the programme. but the one on teachers and students made me reconsider the same.
the show seemed to be completely one sided and the aim being degrading the teachers completely. one general question need not decide their depth in their core subjects. if they were teachers sitting there without selfrespect..... its a sorry state
I think we should not be on sided and support a host because of their charisma or their way of moderating the show. Shows are not always the way it looks like. There is always a bitter truth behind the nice stuff. I can believe this e-mail. It could be true.
mallika sunder
Hey man what's wrong with you.
Gopinath has been hosting the show
for more than 2 years if his behviour
was irksome and irritating as you
said, definitely his Neeya Naana show
would have collapsed, pple who are participating in this shows are not fools, to keep mum if Mr.Gopinath's
behaviour is bad, so for heaven sake do not talk rubbish about a good human being i have been watching from the day he entered Vijay.tv its not just when he started neeya naana show so plz. do not talk
ill abt Gopi anymore, my humble
request, any grievances settle across tables do not talk like this
mallika
Hi ..everybody..
The guy who scrapped initially is 100% true in 2006-2007....may be now 2009-2010...it might not be of fake.i am saying this from my own experience.i participated in 2006 ..i also felt like him.BUT...i had AC,good hospitality,good chance to roll over mike and even my talk was also telecasted for few mins and they used to put one of my phrases for add also.So basicaly at the starting time they might have done like that..just for the case of PUBLICITY..At that time of my show the stage was 50% public and 50% their ppl and the public came to know at the end of the show only.Also if one is having really good knowledge and real exposure to practical society they can easily identify the ppl who are fake in that program.i am also regularly watching that show..and the one who exceeds the practical guessing in the speech is fake one...But anyhow this is good show of conveying some good concepts with 50% involvement of public..(lets think if he handed over 100% speech rights to participants.....and he is simply sitting...then the show cant be manageble and sucessful..)
So we cannot say that this rubbish programme......or WE MUST NOT BELIVE WHAT WE SEE is amazing.....if you want to have real feel of the show....Go and sit in the show and then scrap.
Thamilan.