Recently, actor Amitabh Bachchan tested positive for Covid-19 and was admitted to Nanavati Hospital. Soon after, it was announced that his son and daughter-in-law, actors Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and his granddaughter, also tested positive.
Naturally, the information was reported in the news. However, pretty soon, Twitterati commented on the apparent ‘Covid updates’ on Amitabh Bachchan that media organizations were providing.
Also, many news channels apparently played on his film titles to further sensationalize headlines, and covered hawans, etc. conducted for the star’s health as news.
Though certain reports have suggested that some of these stories could be fake, it still begs the question, did we really need minute-by-minute updates on his health? No.
At a time when Assam has been wrecked by devastating floods, Covid-19 cases are on a rise, Dalit farmers are being brutally beaten, and the economy is in a slump, should updates of Amitabh Bachchan’s health be the most important news item?
It’s one thing to report on a superstar’s health, but quite another to turn it into the ONLY news worth covering.