$11 Million Bonanza

Subject: $11 Million Bonanza

By PROMOD PURI

When the news finally reaches every nook and corner of India from Kashmir to Kanyakumari that the BC Government gives away $11 million to set up an event here in the province for 2014 Bollywood awards, a lot of Indian media outlets would line up for this generous bounty.

 

And why not!

 

Conceding the Provincial Liberals somehow come back to power, as they should not give up hope because much has been invested thru the "ethnicgate" in the growing and thriving ethnic market, that eleven million dollar affair would be repeated next year too.

 

The TOIFA will come back along with other media contenders like HTFA (Hindusthan Times Film Award), IEFA (Indian Express Film Award), or even the Chandigarh Tribune to apply for this no-question-asked liberal grant.

 

As the provincial government has not laid out strict terms and conditions for this massive dole, except that the event should promote BC for tourism or some business that any media outfit, big or small, can apply for the sponsor money.

 

So media folks in India, hurry up. Rope in the who's who in the glamorous world of Bollywood, have some Liberal connection, just write on top of the application "to promote BC", submit it and get your guaranteed $11 million bonanza from the considerate tax-payers’  representatives in the provincial government. 

 

And here in the province, in addition to the acclaimed boost to BC tourism and business, the 11-million-dollar kick-start would also help in providing some career opportunities for exiting politicians to dance along in the alluring world of Planet Bollywood. Sure, some of these politicians are well qualified for variety of roles in the Indian film industry, and one BC politician has publicly demonstrated his acting skills on stage and expressed his intended Bollywood foray at the award ceremony last week.

 

( Promod Puri is the former editor and publisher of South Asian publication, The Link ).