itimes | BlogPost - Mumbai Mirror Journalist Should Be Suspended!
*I am mad. very, very mad right now. It’s ridiculous how media sits and writes anything they feel like without even the decency and the journalistic norm of contacting all parties - well in advance - for their side of the story. Well, it’s almost as if, everytime I’m out of the country, a new story is being cooked up about me. And each time I return, new allegations fly in my face.
I simply can’t understand, that when someone publishes some stupid story about me, why is the onus on me to waste my time and energy denying all such allegations? It’s so completely wasteful and stupid.
Right now, the offending party is the daily newspaper called ‘Mumbai Mirror’. Their story about my ‘imagined’ break-up and a brand new ‘link-up’ is a pure stetch of imagination and desktop journalism. My reaction to that would obviously be to ask, why such reputed media publications work with such journalists? Who will only create an embarrassment for them? Till today, whenever there is any unsubstantiated news about me, any journalist can approach me or my publicist Rohini Iyer and discover that there will always a reply. We’re always ready to state the facts bluntly, whether the story is true or not. I’ve been in the industry for ten-years now; and everyone knows that I don’t lie. Whatever is happening in my life I always come out and admit to it. So what is the point in writing such stories? I don’t understand what people get in spoiling someone’s reputation?
At .12.00 o’ clock, midnight (08th april 2009), I got a text message from this journo, saying ‘There’s a story about your new link-up’, and we need your comment on this.’ But when I called him back, I was told that the story was already printed and that they couldn’t do anything at that point. I was livid. So then, what was that call? And exercise in futility? What was the point in doing so? Secondly, every human being has more than ten-thousand friends; and every one of those has more friends. Does that mean you should stop talking to them or stop clicking pictures with them because of the fear that some journalist might misconstrue something and end up writing something salacious? What about the credibility of the victims? People have been watching me for over ten-years now, and they’ve seen how I react when some journalist or the other writes something untrue or stupid story about me. How many times do I have to say that ‘I AM NOT LIKE THIS! THIS IS RIDICULOUS’
Apparently, now they’re saying that this story came about because I was cheering for Vikram Chatwal at the Fashion Week. How ridiculous is that? When I cheered for Shah Rukh Khan, then no one questioned me as to why I cheered him the most? At the LFW there were also Arjun and Mehr Rampal, Rahul Bose, Ujjwala Raut - all famous celebrities and my friends; and I cheered all of them. I cheered for all of them because the show was for Mumbai. The show was to see if Mumbai had the spirit or not. The message being, ‘Come to Mumbai, do your business. We don’t get scared. We will live our lives the way we want to!’ That’s why I was supporting people at that show. Not for any other reason. And even if I wanted to go out anywhere with anyone, I certainly wouldn’t do it during a fashion week. I’m pretty honest about my life. If I want to live with someone or something, I’ll come out myself and say it aloud. I don’t need any journalist to publish a stupid article that is not true, to endorse my life.
Then, there was a story about Ness and me not being together in the same edition. That was also written by ‘Mumbai Mirror’; stating that ‘We asked Preity for a comment’; but the truth being, no one bothered to ask me. This story was written and apparently made up by the journalist himself. I haven’t received a single call from anyone. So the article started from this lie itself. Today they wrote an article on me and then another one; and then say that its true? After which, I waste a year of my life trying to prove that what they’re writing is wrong? I normally don’t comment on such stupid stories only. But I feel bad when some journalist writes anything. What is the credibility of that journalist? Why doubt my credibility? I’m asking here, what is the credibility of that journalist? My credibility is seen all over the world for 10 years now. But on what basis is that journalist writing such unsubstantiated things and being allowed to get away?
To be honest, this is not just a story about me and Ness. On which people will probably make six more stories. This is the story about me and a friend of mine called Vikram Chatwal, who was sitting next to me during the fashion show. This is the story. What is the need to drag in my personal relationships? I would just like to know what the credibility of this Kunal journalist is? Why does he write such stories? And why do reputed publications even support things like this? I have a problem with that. I would want this journalist to be questioned, because if there’s one journalist like this then there are 15, 20, 100 good journalists out there getting a bad name. All my life I’ve met journalists. I’ve never had a problem with them. What is the truth, you can write that, I have no problems. But concocting your own stories, then those getting put on television without my version puts my reputation at stake, I have a problem with that. Be it now or ten-years down the line if some one makes up some story about me, I will definitely have a problem still. What is the truth you can write There is a lot of material to be written. But making up one stupid story and just dragging it on, forgetting about repercussions is completely hated by me. If that happens, I’ll take action. I want to know why these journalists are allowed to write such things? Because if there is a problem tomorrow, then because of that one journalist the entire publication is held responsible. The Editor, Group Editors and those six or seven top people in the rest of the Group, their name gets spoilt. So then, why are some journalists allowed to write anything they feel?
I don’t like discussing this so publicly, but the point here is, I want to clarify what is right and wrong. People cannot write anything wrong about someone and get away with it. Especially about me, because I will take strong action against any false rumours or stories. I will fight against what is wrong. I have worked very hard in my life and where I am today is all by my own hard work. So no one has the right to point a finger at me, and if he/she does baselessly, then they will have to face the consequences. But I have no issues with the truth.
The other article in Mumbai Mirror has been written by some Parag, and is also completely wrong since it damages my credibility and reputation, I want to know what his credibility is? On what basis has he written the article? I’ve spoken in an entire interview to ZOOM and I’d like to re-state two names here - Parag and Kunal, I wanted to clarify this. Also why would such reputed publications entertain journalists like Parag, when they write what ever they feel like. I would like such journalists to be suspended and they shouldn’t be given the opportunity to write in newspapers and reputed publications. If they want to make up such stories then they should write some B-grade film stories. This always happens when I’m out of the country. When I come back I see all of this. And before writing this article he never even asked for my comment on this story, whether it was true or false. Once again I got a message post 12.00 midnight when the story was already printed. This article is about me and this is my reaction because people are pointing a finger at me. It’s got nothing to do with anyone else. It’s not fair.
True, the paparazzi culture of Hollywood is catching up here in Bollywood. In fact, in Hollywood the paparazzi system is really strong, but whenever there is false news, the Courts abroad are fast and quick to punish the offenders. Any false news is severely and immediately dealt with by the Courts.
"I have never commented about my personal life and I never will. This doesn’t mean that you take away my self-respect from me and print anything? I always state the truth. I’ve come out and said it. I don’t need to hide. A small little thing like this, goes on the Internet, all the other newspapers catch it and we, as celebrities go our whole life denying that it was ever true. But the lie is told so often by so many different media, that eventually it’s taken as the gospel truth. Which is why I’m clarifying all this so vehemently. Let all this also go on the Internet, on the airwaves - at least there’ll be a record. I’m not going to let it go that easily. So God help me!