Blurring Boundaries: Mixing Business With Pleasure

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Who is your favourite star? What is it that attracts you to this particular star, among all others? Looks, talent, character, dressing sense or what? For me, all of these count. But I’ve noticed that, no matter what great heights celebrities have attained, somehow, my opinion of them hinges on their love life to a large extent! 

For example, take Kamal Hassan. There can be no doubt in anyone’s mind, that he is a strong and versatile actor, who has proven time and again that he is one of the best in his field. And yet, everybody also knows that he used to lead quite a colourful personal life. Or consider Siddharth; he too has everything – looks, talent and charm. But he too has had a very lively personal life. Now while I might appreciate these actors, they would never make it to my favourites list, because every time I watch them on screen, my mind makes a sub-conscious association with their personal life. Of course, I accept that I know of all such news only through magazines and other related media. I haven’t sat next to them and observed everything they do, so I have no idea about the nitty- gritty of their personal lives. Plus I also know that whether I like or don’t like Kamal, it is hardly going to matter to him. But still it is a free world and one is entitled to one’s opinion, right?

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So, getting back on track, the same goes for other celebrities too. Sourav Ganguly might be a wonderful cricketer but to me, his tainted reputation overshadows his remarkable achievements. Or even Tiger Woods for that matter. Strangely I am not so prejudiced with people who break up with their boyfriends/girlfriends and move onto new relationships. In today’s fast paced world when priorities can change overnight, I agree a zillion things can go awry in a relationship; and more importantly I myself am no saint to take a ‘holier than thou’ attitude. But getting married is taking that relationship to a whole new commitment level. I don't mean to say that no one should ever get divorced but somehow I can’t seem to get over people who flit from one partner to the next so brashly and treat relationships so flippantly.

My husband says, that it is none of my business what stars do in their personal lives, to which I do agree. I know that when I see an actor I should judge his acting skills and not his Casanova ones, when I see a sports star, I should weigh his sporting abilities and not his lover boy image. Plus I know that stars are also human and to err is human. But I just can’t seem to help it! Afterall what one is supposed to do and what one actually does, are two different things, right? To me every professional achievement of such people, is always tinged with the shadows of their murky personal lives. I cannot seem to say, “He is my favourite star because he acts/plays/sings/whatever remarkably (or) looks simply fantabulous, so what if he is a playboy in real life? Why should that bother me?” 

What about you? Can you compartmentalize and differentiate an individual’s personal and professional lives and view them separately? Or do the lines blur for you too?