Amita Malik
Encyclopedia
Amita Malik was described by Time magazine as India
's "most prominent film and television critic", dubbed the "first lady of Indian media" and "India's best known cinema commentator". She began her career at All India Radio
, Lucknow
in 1944 and later wrote for many print publications including The Statesman
, The Times of India
, the Indian Express and Pioneer. She died of leukemia at the age of 87 in Kailash Hospital near South Delhi on 20 February 2009.
was sitting. Gandhiji was greatly concerned that the little one was unhurt.
by Charlie Chaplin
screened by the nuns of Loreto Convent Shillong.
and Marlon Brando
.
Amita Malik was the first reporter to interview Indira Gandhi
when she unexpectedly first became Prime Minister of India after Lal Bahadur Shastri
's death in Tashkent.
at Lucknow at a salary of a hundred rupees a month to "present the weekly programme of lunch hour European music on Saturdays". In 1944 she formally applied for the advertised post of programme assistant and was posted to All India Radio's Delhi station.
in her interview with Canadian Prime Minister Diefenbaker
in 1960.
party to promote Rajiv Gandhi
.
. In an interview, Singh said that Amita Malik had once written he was the worst dressed man she had ever known. He confessed it was the only time he genuinely agreed with her.
2. B.D.Goenka Award in Journalism 1992
3. Hony. Fellowship of International Police Association
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
's "most prominent film and television critic", dubbed the "first lady of Indian media" and "India's best known cinema commentator". She began her career at All India Radio
All India Radio
All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
, Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
in 1944 and later wrote for many print publications including The Statesman
The Statesman
The Statesman is an Indian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper founded in 1875 and published simultaneously in Kolkata, New Delhi, Siliguri and Bhubaneswar. The Statesman is owned by The Statesman Ltd., its headquarters at Statesman House, Chowringhee Square, Calcutta and its national...
, The Times of India
The Times of India
The Times of India is an Indian English-language daily newspaper. TOI has the largest circulation among all English-language newspaper in the world, across all formats . It is owned and managed by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd...
, the Indian Express and Pioneer. She died of leukemia at the age of 87 in Kailash Hospital near South Delhi on 20 February 2009.
Childhood
When Amita was 21 days old, the car she was traveling in collided with another car in which Mahatma GandhiMahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
was sitting. Gandhiji was greatly concerned that the little one was unhurt.
First film
The very first film she saw in her life was The Gold RushThe Gold Rush
The Gold Rush is a 1925 silent film comedy written, produced, directed by, and starring Charlie Chaplin in his Little Tramp role. The film also stars Georgia Hale, Mack Swain, Tom Murray, Henry Bergman, Malcolm Waite....
by Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
screened by the nuns of Loreto Convent Shillong.
Career
She could boast of being the only Indian film critic to interview many important film celebrities and directors such as Ingmar BergmanIngmar Bergman
Ernst Ingmar Bergman was a Swedish director, writer and producer for film, stage and television. Described by Woody Allen as "probably the greatest film artist, all things considered, since the invention of the motion picture camera", he is recognized as one of the most accomplished and...
and Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando, Jr. was an American movie star and political activist. "Unchallenged as the most important actor in modern American Cinema" according to the St...
.
Amita Malik was the first reporter to interview Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
when she unexpectedly first became Prime Minister of India after Lal Bahadur Shastri
Lal Bahadur Shastri
Lal Bahadur Srivastava Shastri was the second Prime Minister of the Republic of India and a significant figure in the Indian independence movement.-Early life:...
's death in Tashkent.
First job
She joined All India RadioAll India Radio
All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
at Lucknow at a salary of a hundred rupees a month to "present the weekly programme of lunch hour European music on Saturdays". In 1944 she formally applied for the advertised post of programme assistant and was posted to All India Radio's Delhi station.
Fellowship to study in Canada
She was awarded the first fellowship of the Canadian Women's Press Club which arranged accommodation for her with their members for 10 months in 1960. She broke the story of Apartheid in the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in her interview with Canadian Prime Minister Diefenbaker
Diefenbaker
John Diefenbaker was the 13th Prime Minister of Canada.Diefenbaker may also refer to:* Diefenbaker , an animal character in Due South* Lake Diefenbaker, a Canadian lake-See also:...
in 1960.
Campaign against foreigners in saris
In 1960 Columnist Amita Malik launched a cutting campaign against foreigners in saris.- "If there is anything uglier than an Indian matron in bulging jeans," she snapped, "it is a white woman, tall, angular and with straw-colored hair, wearing a Dacca sari. Foreign wives fondly imagine that they look beautiful in saris, when they would look miles better in gingham."
Removal of restrictions on foreign press during Emergency
Amita Malik was responsible for getting the censorship curbs on foreign media during the Indian Emergency lifted.- "During emergency, Malik met Gandhi at her office in South Block. ``What do you think of the present state of the media in India, the Prime Minister asked.
- ``Do you want me to be frank or do you want me to be polite?``Of course, I want you to be frank, the Prime Minister told Malik.``I do not know what came over me but I immediately launched into a graphic description of the state of terror which was then prevailing in the media...
- ``I don't want to sound like a kingmaker, but it is a fact that the very next day the curbs on the foreign press were lifted, Malik claims."
Campaigns against misuse of media
In 1989 she launched an outspoken campaign against the misuse of India's state owned media which had been converted into the private organ of the Indian National CongressIndian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
party to promote Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Ratna Gandhi was the sixth Prime Minister of India . He took office after his mother's assassination on 31 October 1984; he himself was assassinated on 21 May 1991. He became the youngest Prime Minister of India when he took office at the age of 40.Rajiv Gandhi was the elder son of Indira...
.
Feud with Khushwant Singh
Amita enjoyed a healthy feud with Khushwant SinghKhushwant Singh
Khushwant Singh is a prominent Indian novelist and journalist. Singh's weekly column, "With Malice towards One and All", carried by several Indian newspapers, is among the most widely-read columns in the country....
. In an interview, Singh said that Amita Malik had once written he was the worst dressed man she had ever known. He confessed it was the only time he genuinely agreed with her.
Syndicated column (Sight and Sound)
Fed up with kow-towing to India's notoriously parsimonious press barons, Amita resolved never to keep her eggs in one basket. Her syndicated column "Sight and Sound" has been published in virtually every leading Indian newspaper at various times. Her column was religiously read by generations of Television news reader for Amita's biting sartorial observations on them. At the same time she strongly defended AIR and Doordarshan's underpaid staff who worked under political and bureaucratic pressure.Memorable quotes from Sight and Sound
- "One can certainly give credit to Doordarshan for one thing: It keeps whatever good programmes it has as secret as possible."
- "Much as I appreciate Barkha DuttBarkha DuttBarkha Dutt is an Indian TV journalist and columnist. She is currently the Group Editor, English News at New Delhi Television.Dutt gained prominence for her reportage of the Kargil War. She has won many national and international awards, including the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian...
’s energy and enthusiasm, sometimes I get disturbed by her popping up all too frequently here, there and everywhere." - "The programme called Cook Na Kaho was hosted by Upen PatelUpen PatelUpen Patel is a British Indian Super model and Bollywood film actor.- Early work :After winning Zee TV's supermodel hunt in 2002, Patel began modeled for Hugo Boss, Paul Smith and Zegna. He started his acting career with singer/song writer Romey Gill's "Sadeyan paran to sikhi udna."He received the...
and what Patel was doing revolted me. Like most Indians I believe in jootha, that is, not polluting food personally with fingers or spoon when it is meant for all. Not for any religious sentiments but because it is unhygienic and can spread infection. What Patel was doing was putting a fork into the ice-cream, licking it and putting it back into the ice-cream. Sorry Patel, but I would not eat your food after that."
Awards
1. Kamal Kumari National Award2. B.D.Goenka Award in Journalism 1992
3. Hony. Fellowship of International Police Association
Trivia
- Like Amita, another film critic Chidananda DasguptaChidananda DasguptaChidananda Das Gupta , , was a Bengali Indian filmmaker, a leading film critic, a film historian and one of the founders of Calcutta Film Society with Satyajit Ray in 1947...
was also born in 1921 to BrahmoBrahmoA Brahmo is either an adherent of Brahmoism to the exclusion of all other religions, or a person with at least one Brahmo parent or guardian and who has never denied his faith...
parents in ShillongShillong-Connectivity:Although well connected by road, Shillong has no rail connection and a proper air connection. Umroi Airport exists but has only limited flights.-Roadways:Shillong is well connected by roads with all major north eastern states...
, AssamAssamAssam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.