Reporter's Diary: Of Star Wars and lungi dance in corporate India

At one such press meeting, where a company from Tamil Nadu, was being honoured by an international body, the attendees witnessed a dramatic interlude. At the exact moment when the presenter handed over the memento to the awardee, the speakers turned up the volume to the sounds of John Williams’ Theme from George Lucas’ epic space opera Star Wars (1977). 

For fans, like yours truly, who regard this cinematic spectacle among the Holy Grails of sci-fi, the usage of the theme song came as a rude awakening to the ways in which pop culture is being used and abused in the context of corporate India. 

A few months back, an aviation major had invited dignitaries to Chennai to be part of a landmark achievement. During the celebrations, the event managers chipped in with a dance troupe that went on to belt out lungi dance, from Chennai Express, as they believed being associated with anything to do with Rajinikanth, even by proxy, would be a guaranteed hit. Maybe it’s time someone refreshed their playlists.