Some high profile individuals are busy getting lessons in weaving carpets, making candles, paper bags and even gardening. Actors and politicians like Sanjay Dutt, Lalu Prasad Yadav and many more like them have been doing chores behind the four walls of their prison. The intriguing aspect here is that, while they are serving time, a lot of their fans believe that though they are getting what they deserve, their daily tasks are also making them more real.
The latest to do the ‘everyday’ tasks is none other than RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav who is serving time in Bihar Jail for the infamous fodder scam worth crores. The politician has been getting his hands dirty by gardening and earning Rs 14 a day, while, former CM of Jharkhand, Madhu Koda, is earning Rs 27 a day as head cook in the same jail. Then, on the other hand, there is Sanjay Dutt who is serving sentence for his involvement in the 1993 Mumbai blasts. He is trying his best to make paper bags in Yerawada Central Jail for Rs 25 a day. DMK MP Kanimozhi who was locked up due to her connections with the 2G spectrum scam is another example. She used to make scented candles in her spare time.
Does reading about these public figures bring them closer to their followers or take them further away from them?
Bengaluru-based psychologist Dr Shyam Bhat states that when a celeb does tasks that the common man also does, he or she gets elevated in the eyes of their fans. “A celeb will rarely enter the kitchen or make paper bags in his or her free time. However, when they do such work, it adds a humane element to their celebrity status,” says the psychologist. Mumbai-based model Kabir Singh expresses, “I respect the fact they are being treated like everyone else and that there is no special treatment rendered to them.” Former actress Pooja Bedi also adds, “It is no joke being locked up in a confined environment when you have been used to a very different lifestyle. The fact that they have wronged and are being punished makes them human.”
Sandalwood actor Chetan feels that the equality in treatment is a reassuring factor for the masses. “It restores the faith in the system. You know that at the end of the day no one is above the law, neither an actor nor a politician.” One wonders how these people deal with their imprisonment? “According to the jail manual, every inmate must do certain tasks daily. The fact that no exceptions are made is a great learning experience for these personalities. If they take it in the right spirit they will learn to respect dignity of labour. But in case the individual is fragile, he or she could get demoralised,” explains
Dr Shyam.
