Bollywood PR at its best

Public Relations on a roll

From what a PR gets, he might make a living. But from what a PR gives, he might make a life.

PRs have been media kings from quite some time. Almost from the time I gave this interview.

A file photo of the Bollywood PR scene in the nineties.

After being a journalist for eleven years (since my school days), I entered PR way back in 1997. I shifted from journalism to PR simply because PR is a better-paying job.

Also read: Does the Bollywood journalist need a makeover after Sushant Singh Rajput chaos?

Journalism v/s PR

This is because journalism is a profession, while PR is a business. But mind you, not all PRs are able to make good monies. Many who are not able to adjust and adapt to changing times fade away. There are also many journalists and editors who have entered PR from time to time, but haven’t been able to sustain.

A file photo of the Bollywood PR scene in the nineties.

This is simply because the profession is extremely demanding. It takes a lot of passion to stay put. Some think PR is a lot of stress and builds anxiety like no one’s business. True to an extent.

But a great PR also learns how to handle that and treat his work with media like a game. Once that feeling sets in, PR is cakewalk and the passion for delivering impacting service, peaks. And then, the PR plays.

What it takes to be a great PR

To be a successful PR, one has to have a combination of at least the following — intelligence, knowledge of market, intellect, street-smartness, contacts, connections, shrewdness, media manipulating abilities, writing abilities, scheming techniques and tact and flamboyance to spin. And these are only the basics.

Dale Bhagwagar addressing a Press Conference in Mumbai

There’s lot more to PR including spokesmanship, legal knowledge and mass perception management, psychology and even basic knowledge of psychiatry. Yes, you read it right! There are times, a PR has to double up almost like a psychiatrist; advising and guiding some clients who could be jittery about controversies and scandals that crop up in our gossip-hungry media.

So basically, a great PR is like a magician; building, promoting and protecting celebrities.

Also read: Controversy sells

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