satinic verses

you can't have missed the posters all over the city shouting 'sati-satya ki shakti'

SATI???
NOT SITA, NOT SAVITRI..SATI.

in a country where the horror of burning wives alive with the dead husband is still a horrific reality, can't producers find a more appropriate name?
its just a name i hear you say, but consider this..

we develop positive associations in our minds towards certain words and names because of the baggage they carry for us.
so if the latest squeeze is called avinash, avinash-the name begins to wear a positive halo in your head.
you begin to like the name because you like the person.

and if you're sceptical, run a name in your head-any random name-and ask yourself if you like it. then ask yourself why you like/dislike it...



see?

sati = no like.
no confusion pls.
sati = no like fullstop.
lets be very clear.

and..here we have a television serial thats going to make millions subconsciously like the word sati.*
this is not good.
TV and films are very powerful medium.
shouldn't producers be extra-careful with how they use it?
i'm sure the producers of sati-satya ki shakti were not out to glorify the practice of sati in any way, but they end up obliquely doing just that; ironic for a program thats about a woman's fight for justice.

would somebody pls inform the channel and the producers that the glorification of sati in any manner whatsoever is punishable with imprisonment under the sati (prevention) act, 1986.


*for more on the mass media's startling subconscious effects google "marshal mcluhan"