mid day editorial: Stars, watch how you act off-camera too

Actor Dalip Tahil's arrest for drunken driving and a hit-and-run incident puts the spotlight on celebrities and the long arm of the law. Reports cite that the 65-year-old Bollywood actor was arrested on Tuesday by the Khar police after he rammed his SUV into an auto-rickshaw, injuring the passengers. The incident occurred at Khar on Sunday night. The victims stated in a report in this paper that Tahil had immediately sped away.

The passengers gave chase and caught up while Tahil's car was stuck in a Ganpati visarjan snarl. A brawl ensued, the police were called, and the cops claim a drunk Tahil was hauled to the police station.

While it is true that celebrities get disproportionately more attention when it comes to such incidents, thanks to their visibility and fame, that only makes it all the more important that they strive to be role models for society. While one does understand that even celebrities are mortal, drunk driving is an absolute no-no.

What is worse is that the veteran actor tried to flee the scene. Going by the police's version, the actor was so inebriated that he could not even stand properly. It was fortuitous that a bigger calamity did not take place. The driver's arrogance is compounded by the fact that it was Visarjan day, a time when there are hordes of people on the road. It is the kind of situation in which motorists should be doubly careful.

Celebrities must realise that more surveillance, and more judgement, too, comes with the package of fame. There is an added onus on them to conduct themselves within the framework of the law, with dignity, decorum and grace. This incident is absolutely unacceptable; the actor must seek treatment if this is a real problem, and keep off driving completely till he finds a solution.

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