Tonight, some of us in the bunker are feeling a bit shell shocked by the news of Michael Jackson’s death. Rajni in particular is taking it quite hard. She was a huge fan and had spent years learning to moonwalk which is actually pretty hard for a monkey.
There was a lot of love for Michael Jackson across South Asia, leading to things like this (Kollywood Tollywood) restaging of one of MJ’s greatest music videos:
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And we’ve shared this Bhanga/Breakdancing mashup version of Thriller (set to Tigerstyle’s Nachna Onda Nei) before:
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MJ’s influence went far deeper than just desi copies of Thriller. There’s also this great video by Prabhu Deva, known as “India’s Michael Jackson,” whose choreography pays clear homage to Jackson without being literal about it:
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And lastly, here are some clips from Jackson’s 1996 trip to Bombay, organized by Raj Thackeray just a few years after Jackson weathered the first major child abuse scandal and became hooked on drugs:
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My favorite Michael Jackson songs are actually from back in the days of the Jackson Five, before he started hitting the fair and lovely, while he still had his proud African nose and a Sai Baba Fro.
Jackson was an amazing dancer and singer, a genius really, albeit a deeply troubled one. I make no excuses for the crimes I believe he committed, and I remain troubled by the kind of person he became. But in my mind and in my heart, there’s room for both. I can praise for his amazing talent and acknowledge the joy he brought while still acknowledging the rest of it. It’s just tonight, it’s the good stuff that I miss. RIP Michael. I hope you’ve found some peace at last.
The first clip is from a Telugu (Tollywood) movie, while the second clip is from a Tamil (Kodambakkam) movie.
I meant the third (Prabhu deva) clip is Tamil.
That second video answers Basim’s question why more sardars/sardarnis don’t “flock” to punk!
But we are excusing him for his crimes when we emphasize his celebrity and not equally recognize him for his sick, harmful behavior. No profession or amount of talent – or even genius – should excuse it. How is it celebrities are afforded this privilage like no else?
he spent his life entertaining us – thank you mj for that! i really hope you finally find some peace far away from the troubled life you led. im sure you are moonwalking in heaven..!
let’s try to not hate on this day…whatever you think about him, he was a part of most of our lives in some way….and really broke a lot of barriers – musically and culturally…be kind.
When I first heard the news, all I could utter were words from one of my favourite Michael’s song , Gone too soon…. Thank you for being the performer, the entertainer, the King you were. Thank you for those days of childhood I grew up listening to you. Can’t say how much I will miss you.
Isn’t “Tollywood” reserved for movies from the Tollygunge studios in Calcutta?
Yes, of course. Just as “bollywood” is reserved for movies that are made in a studio in “ballygunge” in calcutta.
And “kollywood” is reserved for movies made in “Kalighat”, also in Calcutta…
btw, I also wonder if “hollywood” is reserved for movies made in hooghly?
You can read more about the condition behind Michael Jackson’s death here:
http://bit.ly/E8ie7
Atyl (# 4) – “But we are excusing him for his crimes …” Crimes according to whom? He was acquitted by the court on the molestation trial.
Kalkatan (# 9) – When I was growing up in Calcutta, everyone called the Bengali film industry Tollywood. You will find a mention of it in Wikipedia too if you search under Tollygunge or Tollywood. Why don’t you watch some of the Tollywood comedies? It might improve your sense of humor.
Actually, I was surprised when I read Tollywood referred to as the Tamil or Telegu film industry. When I was in India I only saw it used in conjunction with Bengali films, because of Tolly Gunj where Bengali films are made. But, to be fair, I was in the North so that would’ve been a North-India-centric use of the term, I guess.
I saw the news of his demise on, CNN, CBS, NBC and Univision. Yes, Univision! Truly a global icon that will be missed.
Hey, I just wanted to point out that Tollywood is not the Telugu film industry, but the Bengali film industry. The studios are situated in a part of Kolkata called Tollygunge, and hence the name.
Oops. Wiki just told me that Tollywood is used to refer to both Telugu and Bengali film industry. I should have checked before commenting. My bad. Please ignore the previous comment.
MJ was so amazingly talented – it is truly sad that he leaves behind such a mixed legacy.
Not that this excuses his actions whatsoever – but he grew up really fast, exposed to fame and power, but without any really guidance. He was much like others who experienced immediate wealth, Tyson, Spears, Lohan, etc (not comparable talent wise of course), with yes-men, hangers on and in some cases sycophants who just wanted to get their own share and with no one to say, NO or get help when needed. Besides his own reported sexual abuse, he was also exposed to his brothers and Dad engaged in drugs and sex all while he was a minor – and this obviously left him stuck in time.
His fixation with kids seemed to stem from always wanting to BE a kid – regain the youth that he never had a chance to properly experience. Not that this at all makes anything he was accused of doing ok. But somehow this Peter Pan syndrome became a huge part of his psyche and possibly bled into his immature sexual development. But that’s just my amateur psycho babble. And it is interesting how many fans are willing to ignore or forget what he was accused of (like R.Kelly).
The man was a human mixing machine. Who knows what could have become of his life if he had proper counseling and support from his family. His reach and cultural influence is so immense.
Besides having Weird Al’ create multiple spoofs 🙂 you can’t go to any club anywhere and play Billie Jean without every girl running to the dance floor. How many people can say they have never attempted the moonwalk ? Hell, take a look at all of your friend’s twitters and FB updates – how many mention Michael ?
He left a huge mark on pop music and for the longest time was the face of US culture.
Very sad news; used to love his music as a kid and he was massively influential on my musical tastes for a long time. Didn’t like what he became later but without doubt one of the major figures to impact the direction of the music industry over the last century.
RIP.
Today, we lost an important part of the American dream: the inspiring idea that there is no crime too heinous or act too depraved that cannot be exculpated by fame, money, and Mark Geragos. Now, all we have to hold on to is OJ.
again, please! stop the hating…rahul, i always enjoy your comments, but as GurMando pointed out…no excuses, but this kid has been entertaining the world since he was 5…and with no stable family life, no real support, abuse…lots of mistakes…
maybe i’m old, but a part of my childhood died today….haven’t been a fan since the eighties (when he got all weird on us), but RESPECT for the musical legacy he left us…..from JT to Bollywood, he influenced everyone…..he taught the world how to dance for F**k’s sake.
and no idea why, but i can’t stop crying.
the most creative artists ever, were all messed up. that’s all i’m saying.
MJ – RIP!
Um why are people forgetting that he got acquitted? What incredible insight did you have into his private affairs to get to this decision? Through the media? Don’t make me laugh. There is overwhelming evidence in his music to suggest that he deserves the benefit of the doubt. I suggest we give it to him, or shut up about it because he has no way of defending himself. Rest in peace Michael, you were too good for us.
Pay your final respects to a great star who will be deeply missed!!!
http://www.michael-jackson-memorial.com
Ennis, I just read your post again and want to say I echo your feelings….I have a 15 yr old son and am in no way forgiving of the “smoke” surrounding the allegations….but there is room for both….props to his contributions and disdain for the rest…
Truly a troubled soul….let’s hope he finds the joy and peace in eternity, that he gave to multi-millions, across multiple generations around the world.
When I head the news, I admit that my thought was, “Was it going to end any other way?” As a musician and a performer, Jackson was past his prime by the early 90s. He went from being a pop musical talent with some odd habits, to becoming a professional weirdo. To keep his name in the public spotlight, he had to resort to more and more bizarre antics. Yes, he was robbed of his childhood, but millions of less famous people get robbed of their childhood and are forced to grow up (ht: South Park).
On a related note, his death and that of Farrah Fawcett also show how celebrity in the late 1970s and early 1980s is different from celebrity today in 2009. Back then, TV studios and record companies had to develop talent that would appeal to as many people as possible. Aspiring actors and musicians had only a few avenues to pursue, and often had to meet the demands of executives instead of doing what they wanted to do. I barely remember any of the plotlines from Charlie’s Angels – what I do remember is watching the show with my family on a regular basis. I did not own any Michael Jackson records, but I do remember the basement parties where Beat It seemed to be played all the time. It was probably the communal experience that was memorable more than anything else.
Now, celebrity is a much more expansive concept. There are many more avenues to get your name in the media – and while it is good that more voices can be heard, that also means a lot of junk makes it to the airwaves. I hate the fact that I know who Jon & Kate are, since I do not watch their show. But they and their co-horts are pushed into every damn channel. I have never heard a Lady Gaga song, but she is staring back at me from the cover of Rolling Stone. OTOH – a film like Slumdog Millionaire or a show like Mad Men would not have made it under the old notion that you must appeal to the broadest audience possible.
i feel bad for farrah…and the iranian protesters. perhaps we can delay her funeral and their revolution a week or so and then they can get the necessary attention.
I found this article by Huffington Post by Deepak Chopra on MJ: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deepak-chopra/a-tribute-to-my-friend-mi_b_221268.html
After reading it, I can’t tell if Chopra is really upset about his friends death, or just capitalizing on it as a way to get his articles read.
MJ was one of the earliest pop I heard back in India…and there were always people (boys and girls around me) trying to copy his moves and also people who were his ardent fans. His music knew no boundaries. I feel really sad at his passing away and his life towards the end. RIP Michael.
right, coz the reason the iranians are protesting is to grab news headlines
RIP Michael. hope his kids can lead a more normal life.
not to forget sanford. if the story of his disappearance hadn’t become such a thriller, maybe he could’ve returned a day later, the scandal would have gone unnoticed, and he might’ve beat it. but these things are not black or white, so his protestations now that she’s not my lover might’ve just made him look like a not so smooth criminal. maybe it was best that he came out and said “i’m bad, i’m bad” when he did.
Per TMZ, a desi doctor Dr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran is conducting autopsy on MJ
I think the man was strange…hope he didn’t harm children..but then it was never proved…still from a musical view…very sad..and very sad for his family…Yuri Geller in the Uk is saying it may have ben pressure of the obcoming ( not anymore) O2 London concerts, of which he was due to do 50..
it still amazes me that Jackson’s popularity survived all the child molestation charges. i don’t think its an exaggeration to say that crime is considered worse than murder, the lowest of the low. no other crime is met with such a level of disgust, shock, and social alienation. pedophiles are the ultimate creeps.
add to that the combustible ingredients of homophobia and anti-black racism, and its thus simply amazing society–american and global–never shunned jackson and indeed appears to still be in love with him. makes me almost feel sorry for OJ.
Never a Silent moment for MJ..
A mark of respect for a fellow human being is silence. Michael Jackson will never get it. There will be no silence for him as his body is laid to rest and hundreds huddle around remembering his warmth.
We have advanced much. With great pride, we continue to innovate new ways of creating commotion. Updates by the millisecond are at hand. Shared experiences are at the peak of their imagined potential. Michael Jackson has previously stopped the traffic in Times Square, but set another new precedent today by slowing down traffic and crashing many websites on the internet. The empirical potential of his absence is no doubt computed by interested experts. By dying, Michael Jackson has given rise to more money-making ventures for those in the business of not being silent. It will not be atypical if he is blamed for any fleecing of the grieved. The internet, the radio, the television and print media will be booming loud with new business. The air is already saturated by carrying the words announcing his death closely followed by reactions, expressions, speculations, opinions and of course the jokes.
I join the clamour now with my clattering keyboard because somewhere in the commotion, I read something which reminded me of a long-gone thought of mine.. “I hope they tell his story right”. He told his story enough but it never was given due attention. MJ’s Creator knows his story and that’s the comfort.
There’s something that surprises me, and something that does not surprise me.
What does not surprise me is all the different expert theories on the tragedy of his life. What still surprises me is that this man’s life is seen by so many as a tragedy. That, to me is poignant. The tragic failing of the human spirit in so many of this world – the inability to celebrate the gifted among us. Michael Jackson never disappointed me, but it seems from most reports, that he disappointed many others who, to forgive their own hasty conclusions of his character, shamefully acknowledge his “talent” or rather – acknowledge his 13 minutes of talent – since ‘Thriller’ is the only thing that is ever mentioned from the fifty years of his life.
Been an unfazed fan since the days when rumours about the skin-bleaching and hormone-altered voice ruled the news after the liberalization of the Indian economy. (fan moment)”go down the liss oprah, go down the liss” (/fan moment). Went through the 1993 allegations hooked on the soulful Will You Be There while catching up with the bunny in Speed Demon. Of course I was there 🙂 HIStory was my triumph and I loved how it started with a Scream to end with a Smile.
I tried fighting the usual suspects through the ‘Vince Era’ and it was clearly not about the music anymore as I could tell sadly, from listening to the album itself. Finally, as a result of the 2003 raid on Neverland and the – as MJ would say – ‘ignorant’ three million dollar bail amount, I produced an untitled 48 minute experimental documentary for my Master’s Project that earned me less credit, respect and understanding than any other piece I have ever created. Months later, I took the opportunity to personally thank his lawyer and give him a copy of ‘The Hindu’, India’s national newspaper with the acquittal news hogging the frontpage.
MJ got me listening to Gandhi, Beatles and Tchaikovsky. I learnt new words like ‘paraphernalia’ and ‘catatonic’ from hearing him talk. I celebrated his irreverant fashion sense and I really admired his way with the English language. He inspired me overnight to stop biting my nails. I learned his accent, ‘Jacksonese’- a severely underrated dialect of American and I discovered a new strength in my falsetto while singing endlessly along with his songs. Of course I can Moonwalk. All MJ represented to me was creativity, simple joy and good values that I was raised with. Yet, I have received both curious acceptance and sharp rejection within different cultures because of my open appreciation for him and his lifework. A fact I find surprising to this day. Its possible I made an early bad judgement in choosing him as a source of inspirtation, but I further chose to rather find inspiration in MJ than sweat justifying my decision to the inquisitive.
Before his 2005 trial, I saw MJ as someone who handled pain very well and shared that strength with many others. After his trial, actually since the day of the ‘not guilty’ verdict on all ten counts, I started to see him as someone who could not handle pain very well and needed strength. I never thought this was a tragic fact about him, I mistakenly believed this was part of the general human experience and wished him well in his endeavours to overcome his troubles since, which were definitely many and mostly related to his money. I didn’t realize that common human vulnerability looked like a tragic failing to some.
It is not the death of MJ that is disturbing, its the fact that he candidly shared the rawest emotions in public and yet died leaving an undying curiosity in most who care more for information on his private matters such as the mother of his children, his health, his finances, the shape of his nose, the texture of his hair and let’s not forget, the colour of his skin. There is no one recognized person whose story will be believed. The clamour now will be to claim that spot as the person closest to MJ with the most intimate details to share.
I am sad for the little boy from Gary, Indiana whose dreams about making movies were thwarted. I think about the children MJ leaves behind who will forever live in the shadow of their father’s presence as sadly many children in this world do. I am speechless for all the fans, who still look to MJ for needs ranging from a daily gossip fix to a remote parent to a messiah. I mostly grieve for the people who could never get themselves to see any beauty in his being here with us. How anyone could dismiss the good in Michael Jackson is and always has been a curiosity of mine.
I will not miss MJ, he is not a part of my life in that sense but I will remember him when I see any performance stage. As a student of art, I can continue to learn from a genius who, through shared thoughts or demonstrated action provided enough lessons on, and access to, the most ready and refined appreciation for life and art. I regret that there is no photograph of the First African American President shaking hands with the Permanent President of Showbiz. MJ is deeply revered in the African American community and has shaken hands with many political leaders, including the beloved Madiba, and four American Presidents: Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, George Bush Sr. and Bill Clinton.
MJ is always high-level. If his expressed level of compassion did not hit the mark, distinguished intellectuals could probably attest to this by reducing him to a Mathematical formula – taking into consideration the worth of the staggering statistics related to his various seminal works as artist and philanthropist. There is something to be explored for the sheer recurrence of majority numbers and disproved probabilities in any impact measurement study. This, despite his place in society representing that of one who was marginalized even within a perceived minority group.
Throughout his criminal trial, MJ was never put on the stand, he never had to speak a word in his own defense. I’m thankful to Mr.Mesereau for his efforts towards this. I don’t believe Truth abandoned MJ, not then, nor will it now. Through all the noise around his existence, MJ maintained a dignified silence for the dreaming, record-making, record-shattering force of nature that he IS.
If he was once called a one-man rescue team for showbiz it is no credit to the title-giver, for such is the sustaining power of sincerity in his art and charity. A stage is the worshipped ground of performers all over the world. Now, with the key light gone, no stage anywhere in the world will ever sparkle as much as it could with MJ being around. The corner of darkness will always be present despite advances in technology, the talents of performers and skills of lighting experts in the times to come. And all he needed was one spotlight.
There is no need for clamour around a man’s struggles. Yet there is no end to the ready discourses on the ‘tragic life’ of this man. MJ would have never had his say because what’s to be said can only be understood in silence. Michael Jackson will never have this undisputed moment of silence. Not from this world. Not in this lifetime. This much has been proved so far, only time can tell otherwise and I suspect he knew this very well .. “Lies run sprints. Truth runs marathons” – Michael Jackson.
Being a fan of MJ, I have very low tolerance for cynicism. Yet, my prayers in this world have been for strength not peace – it’s because I always thought MJ’s prayers for peace had already reached the ear of God.
Satyameva Jayathey (Truth alone Triumphs)
Om Shakthi:Shakthi:Shakthi:
In my childhood, long car trips with my parents at times became contentious because of my (or my siblings) requests for American music that my parents hadn’t heard of / didn’t approve of or their unrelenting desire to play old Indian music on loop. Michael Jackson was really the only thing we could agree to listen to for hours at a time. His music became a common dialogue between all of us– it’s really the only American music that my Dad liked as much as his old Hindi or Marathi tunes. Those memories will last a lifetime.
all the attention handicaps the regime, delegitimizing it in the eyes of the world and within iran too, as iraniens view footage of their comrades being shot down. if the regime could only control the flow of information they would just gun down all the protesters and be done with it. instead, they’re reduced to plucking them off with snipers, creating terror in the crowd and then blaming the CIA.
so the media attention helps. ergo, the censorship.
rahul beta, there is a time and place for sarcasm…when you’re older dude, and you lose something that touched your life (please, spare me the jokes), hopefully, you’ll understand….
please, don’t push it….lots of folks are hurting right now, so let it go for a day….it won’t make or break you. kada?
the regime needs to control the flow of information within iran…between the protesters, not to the rest of the world. so MJs death is not really affecting the iran protesters…unless all the iranian newspapers, twitters etc have shifted to reporting abt MJ
well, if the regime believed this they wouldn’t bother banning cnn and bbc or detaining reporters, etc…would they?
i c wot u did thar.
meh… i meant defs 2 and 3 on urban dictionary not the first one.
may be coz the local media is state controlled and cnn and bbc reporters would report accurately and these reports would be seen by most iranians themselves. the problem i have with accepting that the iranian leadership is really worried abt what the rest of the world thinks is that there really isnt too much prior proof of this mentality..infact the opposite. i think the major threat to the leadership is what its own people think and how they react.
damn this is supposed an MJ thread….there at least I mentioned his name.
Who gives an eff about Iran besides neocon a-holes and the idiots who drink neocon kool-aid? Eff the neocon kool-aid drinkers.
It’s interesting what a big difference in perception there is of this man between Asia and the US. As a desi who only arrived in the US a few years ago, I’m very glad that I missed all the media bashing of this true legend. Out here, MJ was not only ‘guilty till proven innocent’, but guilty even after his acquittal. It’s funny how everyone here just ‘knows’ of his guilt somehow, and are ready to hate on him even on blog posts that pay tribute to him on the day after his death.
For the rest of the world, he’ll remain an icon and a true genius, a master of both song and dance, and a legend who inspired millions. R.I.P. Michael Jackson. You will be dearly missed.
FYI, Jackson’s attorney during his 2005 trial was not Mark Geragos, it was Tom Meserau (sp.?).
Also, was Manju always a full-on conserva-troll? Or am I thinking of another Manju?
everyone? as much as i’d like to believe my (and my apprentice rahul’s) opinion are the only ones that count, i think the throngs of adoring fans in America demonstrate we are actully in the minority here. please stop robbing us of our victim status. we are the brave warriors representing the marginalized.
once again, obama has distinguished himself with restraint and nuance, not calling the family and refusing comment until he had his press secretary say a few complemaentary and seemingly generous words that serve the opposite purpose of chastising the wrongdoer, not unlike his brilliant Cairo speech. i will, however, reserve final judgement until Oprah chimes in.
no, thats me.
there was nothing sarcastic about my most recent comment. i was referring to mj’s prodigious output and the fact that mj’s massive popularity could potentially have drowned sanford’s shenanigans.
Well an Indian is doing the autopsy on MJ–Dr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran
Some of us grew up with MJ. Back in 1983 MTV was new. And they played the Thriller video all the time. i think I fell in love with America at some point around then. And I stayed on. I needed have. I was not one of the legions of economic refugees from the desh.
Rahul opined:
STFU already! Dont turn this into the usual annoying Rahul and Manju asinine sarcasm hour based on nothing but hearsay and projection. MJ may have been an eccentric who refused to grow up but the gentleness of his spirit and the goodness of his heart is undeniable. He was a victim of exploitation and extortion by greedy predators. Those who jump to judgement accusing him of heinous crimes against children are nothing but creeps and haters. Besides being the greatest talent in his field he was also a very kind, decent, good man who touched the lives of millions around the world with his singing, songwriting, dancing, showmanship, charity and compassion.
Rahul spewed:
Rahul, It must be soooooooo easy for you to write things like that when you’re hiding behind a computer screen. I dare you to say what you just wrote, word-for-word, at the water cooler.
On a lighter note, my dad told me that the Telugu actor Chiranjeevi used to model his dance sequences after MJ. Does anyone know if this is true?