Exclusive: Vikrant Massey Talks About Hindi Journalism's Lack Of Recognition Due To "Elitist Mindset"

Vikrant Massey's latest project, The Sabarmati Report, has finally hit the big screens today (November 15). In the film, which is based on the Godhra train burning incident of February 2002, Vikrant plays the role of a journalist, Samar Kumar. The actor sat down for a conversation with NDTV, where he discussed how Hindi journalism does not receive as much recognition as English journalism. Vikrant Massey said, “It is pure classism and kahi na kahi unfortunately aaj bhi sach hai ki angrezi ko leke, aur humne patrakarita ke madhyam se yeh kehne ki koshish ki hai, but it is a far larger conversation. It is not just about journalism. Maine jo cheez 12th Fail me bhi kahi thi ki language is just a medium. Aap yogya hai ya nahi hai, vo aap ki bhaasha ki vajah se aap yeh tayeh nahi kar sakte.  [This is pure classism, and unfortunately, it is still true even today. We are trying to express this through journalism, but it is a much larger conversation. It is not just about journalism. What I said in 12th Fail is that language is just a medium. Whether you are capable or not, you cannot decide that based on your language skills.]”

Vikrant Massey continued, “Kahi na kahi aaj hamare desh me itni sari bhashayen hone ke baad, itne cultures, itne subcultures hone ke baad, itni local languages, regional languages hone ke bawjud, kahi na kahi, ek hamara elitist mindset hai ki jo angrezi bolta hai, vo hi yogya hai, ya knowledgeable hai. Agar usko seedhi baat me kahe ki jo angrezi kehta hai vo buddhimaan hai.  [Somewhere, even after having so many languages, cultures, subcultures and regional languages in our country, there exists an elitist mindset. We tend to believe that the person who speaks English is the one who is capable or knowledgeable. If we say it in simple terms, there is a belief that whoever speaks English is considered wise.]”

Calling the situation “ridiculous”, Vikrant Massey added, “Aaj jitni bhi knowledge mujhe hai patrakarita ki aur agar hum (The) Sabarmati Report ki baat karein jo 2002 ka vakt tha, vaha pe bhi ek English news channel tha, do-teen naye channels they. Tabhi social media nahi tha. Ek yeh elitist mindset tha ki jo angrezi wale keh rahe hai, vahi sach hai. Delhi se, abhi to Noida ho gya hai, lekin tab Delhi se outsource hoti thi cheeze. Aur aaj bhi agar aap dekhe Noida se hi outsource ho rahi hai. Jo chote-chote ziley hai, chotey-chotey kasbe hai, vaha pe bade-bade news channel outsource karte hai local channels ko – data collection ke liye, ground reporting ke liye. Bahut mehnat karte hai vo. Bahut hi laborious job hai. [The knowledge I have today in journalism, and if we talk about The Sabarmati Report, which was from the time of 2002, there was an English news channel back then, along with two or three new channels. At that time, social media did not exist. There was this elitist mindset that whatever the English media said, that was the truth. Back then, things were outsourced from Delhi, and now, they're outsourced from Noida. Even today, if you look, outsourcing is still happening from Noida. Smaller districts and towns outsource work to bigger news channels for data collection and ground reporting. They work extremely hard and it is a very laborious job.]”

The actor also spoke about how, even in the country's most esteemed examination, the UPSC, more than 80 percent of the candidates who get selected are from English medium. Vikrant Massey said, “Aaj bhi agar hum UPSC ki baat karein – adhiktar bache jo hai, I am talking about more than 80 percent, English medium walo ka hi selection hota hai. Bahut kam Hindi medium wale jo hai unka selection hota hai. Jab ki unko kaam galiyon me, kasbon me, un kshetron me karna hai, jahan pe log yeh bhasha bolte hi nahi hai. [Even today, if we talk about the UPSC exams, more than 80% of the students who get selected are from English-medium backgrounds. Very few Hindi-medium students get selected. Yet, their work is in the streets, towns and regions where people do not even speak that language.]”

The actor added, “Vo grassroot level pe jaake kaam karte hai. To central government ke aapke jo examination hai vo aap aisi bhaasha me kar rahe hai jo aadhe se zaada desh bolta hi nahi hai. To in cheezo ke baare me charcha honi chahiye kyuki cinema has always been reflective of the times that we live in. Cinema and society go hand in hand, yeh bahut purani kahaavat hai. [They work at the grassroots level. So, the central government's examinations are conducted in a language that more than half of the country does not even speak. These are the things that need to be discussed because cinema has always been a reflection of the times we live in. Cinema and society go hand in hand – this is a very old saying.]”

Directed by Dheeraj Sarna, The Sabarmati Report also features Raashii Khanna, Riddhi Dogra, Nazneen Patni, Hella Stichlmair and Aryan Ardent. The project has been bankrolled by Ektaa Kapoor, Shobha Kapoor, Amul V Mohan and Anshul Mohan under the banners of Balaji Motion Pictures, Vikir Films Production and Vipin Agnihotri Films.