Sridevi’s untimely death at 54 had many reeling. It wasn’t her time – and no one was quite prepared with words of bereavement for a contemporary. Usually, these deaths come with enough intimation to insulate people from the shock they bring with them.
The actor’s death came like a rude, uncomfortable reminder of how we haven’t tamed death with the finesse we think we have mastered. It was possibly a combination of this shock and relative, perceived proximity that lead to the vicious dissections of the superstar’s death.
It started with a viral Facebook post that started doing the rounds on WhatsApp as soon as Sridevi’s death by cardiac arrest was announced. Piyali Ganguly’s paternalistic, contemptuous declaration of Sridevi’s inability to deal with the pressures of staying relevant in the industry spread like wildfire.
The only answer to these #Sridevi hideous hashtags on news tv tonight is one of our own : #NewsKiMaut. Forget a bathtub; a drain pipe will do for this gutter level rubbish. Ashamed to be affiliated with this. Relieved to not be on air in this present environment
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) February 26, 2018
The Media(electronic/print)behaved badly with me during these three days after Sridevi ji passed away. I accept I worked with her in two Iconic films but that doesn’t mean I be hawked for a quote or reaction. My prerogative to speak or not. Mobile rang incessantly whilst at work
— Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) February 27, 2018
One of the local Bengali television channels had six “experts” conjecturing about the circumstances of Sridevi’s death. That included a well-known Tollywood actress who informed us confidently about what appetite suppressant drug Sridevi was taking and its side-effects.
The anchor reported breathlessly that “traces of alcohol” had been found in her bloodstream, stressed that the amount was unknown, and yet seamlessly talked about “otirikto modyopaan” or “excessive alcohol consumption” as being a possible cause of death.
They showed a bathtub and said without batting an eye that “this was that bathtub” as if the television channel had entered the sealed hotel room. They gave us details about the height of the bathtub and the Sridevi’s own height to bolster their theory about excessive drinking.
Barkha Dutt, dubbing this as #NewsKiMaut writes in Washington Post that “news anchors usually far too supine to interrogate the powerful contorted their bulletins by discussing, in all seriousness, whether a trained dancer could lose her balance in the bathtub.”
I spoke to @BDUTT in Delhi about the way Indian media have covered the death of #Bollywood superstar #Sridevi pic.twitter.com/xlQ2zOas3s
— Yalda Hakim (@BBCYaldaHakim) February 27, 2018
Now that Dubai Police has officially closed the #sridevideath case I hope our TV tamasha ends & networks own up to their shameful coverage. My WaPo column on why we need to talk about #NewsKiMaut https://t.co/76lKHOmctL
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) February 27, 2018
One account said she was found unconscious in the bathtub. Another said she was found on the bathroom floor fueling further conspiracy. Meanwhile all channels showed the forensic report of death by “accidental drawning” alongside her passport details, revealed for the whole world to see, her privacy rendered completely meaningless.
In the accompanying report was a clip of Sridevi dancing at the wedding she attended days before her death with the line ‘Sridevi ka Aakhri Dance’ with the anchor saying ‘sharab ke nashe main chali gayi duniya se Chandni’.
This was followed by Amar Singh clarifying, ‘She never drank whiskey, tequila or brandy’ followed by his expert opinion that it’s normal to drink a little at weddings.
Tv channels debating on the tragic death of sridevi shld stop their blabber and let the family grieve the loss of their loved one. She is no more but leaves behind her young daughters and husband who deserve their privacy to grieve. Let them be please..
— Priya Dutt (@PriyaDutt_INC) February 27, 2018
RIP #Sridevi 🙇♀️
“Oh what a circus oh what a show” apt lines from ‘Evita’.. news reporting has become a total Tamasha not just in India but all over the world https://t.co/skuuhtvchT
— Jaaved Jaaferi (@jaavedjaaferi) February 27, 2018
It gets worse. If you were anywhere near a TV screen last night, you can’t be blamed for having nightmares of a murderous bathtub coming to suck the life out of you.
ABP News also had an anchor standing in front of a bathtub with a large goblet of red wine on the side. With ominous music playing in the background, the host asked, “If Sridevi was a teetotaler, then why did she drink that day? Did she drink because of family problems? Was she stressed about the end of her career? Was she depressed?”
R.I.P Sridevi | Emotional Komal Natha (Film Critic) appeals to all to let her go in peace pic.twitter.com/SJstu5Qp0R
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) February 27, 2018
Every day the Indian media sinks to new lows getting the most desperate publicity hound Amar Singh to comment on #sridevi drinking is sick. Stop tarnishing a dead woman. Let some official statement come
— Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) February 26, 2018
For the last 48 hours, Nirav Modi is off the headlines courtesy Sridevi's tragic death! It's almost as if today's news is tomorrow's history! Gnight, shubhratri..
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) February 26, 2018
"I don’t know about #Sridevi drowning in the bathtub, but we definitely saw journalism drowning and then floating on the surface of the water much like faeces does."@Rajyasree on last night's primetime circus.https://t.co/hitUKWrNFK
— newslaundry (@newslaundry) February 27, 2018
Another report on the same channel wondered if “Boney Kapoor was with his wife at the time of her death”, “why he flew back to Dubai to take her out for a meal” and, if so, “was he trying to make up for a fight”?
Just in case you missed the fact that there was alcohol involved, they played these questions on a loop over movie clips that had Sridevi drinking or even standing next to alcohol bottles. All very subtle indeed.
TV9 had a rendered image of Boney Kapoor standing over a bathtub where Sridevi, dressed in all white, lay. On Republic Tv, it didn’t take long for Arnab Goswami to draw parallels with Sunanda Pushkar’s death. Their reporter in Dubai went to the extent of wondering if Boney Kapoor tried to resuscitate his wife when he found her in the bathroom!
Both @TimesNow & @republic - pieces of shit are now rationalising their #Sridevi coverage - saying that public needed to know how she died and that's why they were probing. They were doing it for us!
— Atul Khatri (@one_by_two) February 27, 2018
can we please stop dissecting the dead soul?pls understand there are two young girls who have lost their doting mother..a man who lost his loving wife..a family that lost their lovable daughter..it is beyond to what #Sridevi was to millions..do not hurt the family more..please.
— khushbusundar (@khushsundar) February 27, 2018
Sridevi's mysterious death is indeed very sad & a great loss to our film industry.Who gave the false story of cardiac arrest&why? If media gave 10% of time they devote to Sridevi, on Judge Loya's murky death, the case would be cracked. Why was the false Heart attack story cooked?
— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) February 26, 2018
In another Prime Time panel discussion, Times Now Editor-in-Chief Rahul Shivsankar wondered whether the actress drank vodka, some cocktail or wine!
As we mourn Sridevi's death, RIP Indian media for throwing away all ethics of journalism and failing to do its professional duty with accurancy and integrity.
While other channels were mindlessly speculating over #SrideviDeathMystery & standing in grotesque bathroom chroma sets #WhySoSerious decided to upstage them all and get you a live report on #Sridevi (and the state of Indian media) from the bathtub itself.
— Akash Banerjee (@akashbanerjee) February 26, 2018
LIVE and UNADULTERATED. pic.twitter.com/sZnR0X0CFi
In an unprecedented turn of events - its an English news channel that's taken the cake from their more brazen Hindi counterparts!
— Akash Banerjee (@akashbanerjee) February 26, 2018
While channels like @aajtak made anchors host a show from inside a bathroom - @CNNnews18 went ahead put #Sridevi inside a tub....#WellPlayedChaps pic.twitter.com/F8ConFTnUX
OK, final analysis, who played the TRP game better?@abpnewstv - Sridevi in the bathroom@aajtak - News anchor in the bathroom@CNNnews18 - Sridevi in the bathtub@TV9Telugu - Boney Kapoor in the bathroom
— Akash Banerjee (@akashbanerjee) February 26, 2018
No need to RT - just keep keep Sridevi and future of media in your prayers. pic.twitter.com/3zwSb449XT
There is something called #LetHerRestInPeace that's trending at Number 1 😱😱😱😱😱
— Akash Banerjee (@akashbanerjee) February 27, 2018
Nation wants to know!!!! what sort of TRP killer channel has made such a hashtag!!! 😠😠😠😠😠#Sridevi
