Image copyrights and the dancers' identity

ushaani · Post by **ushaani** » 15 Sep 2009, 13:41

I came across an interesting "Interview with Bharata Natyam performer Minakshi Ajay" ( http://www.hinduvoice.co.uk/issues/19/Interview.htm ).
2 images in the Bharata Natyam costume are actually not of Minakshi Ajay but of Medha Hari, although there is no mention of it in the interview.
If you enlarge them a bit, you can see how clumsily the copyright watermark was erased.

Why do people publish this?

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 15 Sep 2009, 16:07

There is a comments/discussion section below the text of the interview - why don't you pose the question there?

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 15 Sep 2009, 18:52

Why do people publish this?

They rode their bike, without helmet, to the office. They did not stop at red signals if they could avoid it, and they did not observe other road regulations and courtesies.

Frankly, on bad days, I wonder that any law gets respected in India. This is not a bad day, but the point still stands.

LATER...

once again, got it all wrong... see subsequent posts!

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 15 Sep 2009, 19:20

Nick - this particular infraction occured in the UK - the dancer being interviewed is UK-based, so, at least in this instance, you can't blame 'Indian-values', or can you?

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 15 Sep 2009, 20:10

Where's the BIG BLUSH smiley!!!!

I am embarrassed for myself and my countrymen --- and humbly apologise to India!

ardhanariswar · Post by **ardhanariswar** » 16 Sep 2009, 00:16

Have you read the comments section on that website? The majority of them are irrational and right-wing religious extremists. Apparently Bollywood and the West lack morals, but somehow their Hindu values allow them to steal copy righted media. :rolleyes:

I dislike when people, in an effort to celebrate classical arts, take jabs at Bollywood or fusion because it lacks Hindu values. They are the same people who have some preconceived misguided notion of what "authentic Bharatanatyam" actually is. Have they even seen a Padam? Javali? Varnam? There isn't much difference between that and Bollywood. Instead of the heroine pining away for Shahrukh Khan, the hero is Krishna. I think it's important to see these universal emotions of love, hope, anguish in any art form, and learn to appreciate it.

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 16 Sep 2009, 00:35

ardhanariswar wrote:Have you read the comments section on that website?

I usually do not bother, for I am sure it is likely to be a waste of time!! But I completely agree with the point(s) you make - a type of hypocrisy that is very distressing to take.

ushaani · Post by **ushaani** » 16 Sep 2009, 10:23

It is not the people who have commented but the publisher and the dancer who are responsible.

As the publisher moderates the comments, so no comments about the photos/copyrights are allowed.

At the bottom we see "Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â© 2006-2009 Hindu Voice UK. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED."

ushaani · Post by **ushaani** » 16 Sep 2009, 10:30

nick H wrote:I am embarrassed for myself and my countrymen --- and humbly apologise to India!

I thought you would say, "NRIs must be exempted from the British laws"

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 16 Sep 2009, 15:15

Due to following comments, I think it is a good thing I didn't read the article. Always having an interest in how how Indian culture is doing in my mother country, I probably would have done, so thanks to everyone for warning me off!

Rajesh_Patel · Post by **Rajesh_Patel** » 17 Sep 2009, 00:22

Hi guys, Namaskar.

I am one of the people who runs the Hindu Voice UK website. I linked back to this thread on Rasikas.org through our webstat program.

I just want to say - we received the pictures in good faith. Now that we have been made aware that the images were not off Minakshi, they have been been taken of our site, and are in the process of finding out why and how this happened.

Sincere regards to you all.

Rajesh Patel, www.hinduvoice.co.uk

Jai Durga.

Rajesh_Patel · Post by **Rajesh_Patel** » 17 Sep 2009, 00:48

ushaani wrote:It is not the people who have commented but the publisher and the dancer who are responsible.

As the publisher moderates the comments, so no comments about the photos/copyrights are allowed.

At the bottom we see "Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â© 2006-2009 Hindu Voice UK. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED."

Hi again.

Just wanted to say - that's a bit harsh Ushaani. Only one comment has been made about the photos/copyright issue and that comment has been allowed through unedited (you can check).

We do not believe in censorship, that is why all the commenters have been allowed to say what they wanna say. We allow a variety of people with different views to publish material and opinions, as long as there are no treats of violence or libellous comments.

As a website, we are not necessarily against Bollywood (I personally enjoy the films although, Like Amitabh Bachchan, do not like the word itself), e.g. we have carried reviews of Bollywood movies and the reviews have not been ideological in nature, e.g:

http://www.hinduvoice.co.uk/Issues/26/saasbahu.htm
http://www.hinduvoice.co.uk/Issues/24/u.htm
http://www.hinduvoice.co.uk/Issues/18/Cheeni.htm

Anywayz, peace out.

Rajesh

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 17 Sep 2009, 01:15

Hats off to Rajesh for the response and action.

VK RAMAN · Post by **VK RAMAN** » 17 Sep 2009, 01:39

Rajesh, you are man enough to admit and move on with grace. Thanks.

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 17 Sep 2009, 02:08

Rajesh - great move! Wonderful job of responding to the comments.