Monday, November 28, 2011

A Disclaimer on the Feature

Now that the hoopla and hullabaloo of the feature in The Hindu is behind me, I must tell you all that I was quite mortified by the feature itself, and the size of the photographs in the actual newspaper.  Publicity is nice, but I wasn't really prepared for so much.

Besides, the article was riddled with factual errors. 

People who know me in and out said, "No way, Shruthi couldn't have said that!"

People who know me quite well said, "Shruthi said that?  Doesn't quite sound like her...."

And I am sure many others, for example those who read my blog, might have thought "Really?  But I thought...."

I could have let it go, but at least on my blog, I am compelled to set the record straight.

No, my name is not Shruti Rao, but Shruthi Rao.

No, it is not true that people don't interest me.  I love people, love to spend time with them.  I find them fascinating.  Too many people for too long tires me out, that's all, and I need to recuperate before meeting more people.   The article makes me sound like a misanthrope or an antisocial element, which I am not.  

No, the Story Lady is not my first story, nor my first children's story, nor is it my first story that has been published, or is going to be published.

No, I don't spend time only creating craftwork with Puttachi, and I don't think that it is the best way to interact with them.  It is just one of the thousands of ways to spend quality time with them.  And I spend time with Puttachi in millions of more satisfying ways.

No, I am not that into embroidery, not worth such a big mention, anyway.   That, and crochet, among other things, are things I experiment with off and on.

No, I am not a software engineer by profession.  I was, but not anymore. 

No, I am not just concentrating on writing my blog, while waiting for Puttachi to grow up.  I don't have any great projects on hand, but I am not sitting around waiting for anything. :)

That feels so much better.

Thank you all for the love and wishes you've sent me in all possible forms of communication. :)  I am overwhelmed!

14 comments:

Anamika said...

Gosh, how could they get so many things wrong? Makes you wonder why we read the newspapers at all. And how much we believe them!

rajk said...

Hey, it's good that you put things straight. Wow! Even small things, if gotten wrong, make one so uneasy, don't they?
P.S.: The 'not liking people' got me wondering too for a while...but then I don't know you that well, so...Good to know you are not like that - at all. :-)
RajK

sandhya said...

Ok, I WAS wondering if this was exactly the same person whose blog I read with so much interest!:)

"That couldn't be...(scratching head)...the Shruthi I think she is...?"

Great to have the disclaimer.

And congrats on all the good things, again.

Anil Jagalur said...

Good you did this ShrutHi! :-)

Actually after creating a little bit of hullabaloo myself, I did not read the article in full - why read about someone I don't know at all! :-)

Soumya said...

Glad you wrote this Shruth! The article gave a wrong impression of Shruthi and her work - and I have known her for over two decades.
Why can't journalists get even simple interviews right?

shyam said...

I did wonder at the "not liking people" because it didn't seem like the sort of thing you'd say, even given that I don't know you very well. It's more the kind of thing I'D say :D

austere said...

All fine except for the big project one. That is a must do.

Shruthi said...

Anamika, exactly! Now I feel really sorry for celebrities. And I'm going to take everything with a pinch of salt from now on.

RajK, exactly. That's why writing this post made e feel better!

Sandhya, ha ha, that's what I mean :)

Anil mama, ha ha!!

CC, ;)

Soumya, it felt weird reading about myself too ;)

Shyam, ROFL!!

Austere, :) Gotta see about that!

Suresh said...

Getting a name wrong irritates me a lot. Absolutely no excuses if it comes from a journalist.

Anyway, congratulations and best wishes to your Puttachi :)

PS. Finally, got to see your picture after a really long time. Can't find any of your pictures on facebook or your blog but, it is on The Hindu :)

nagraj said...

It would better if you can let us know which part of it was correct (if any);)

JayEnAar said...

That's newspapers and journalism for you. The unvarnished truth is never as entertaining as when it is embellished a little to fit it into a stereotype. Why let the facts spoil a good story? Besides, journalists work to deadlines and word counts and column inches to fill.

After all, it's convenient to work on the basis that ordinary people cannot have extra-ordinary talent.

Suchithra said...

What is weird is we always trust newspapers so much, even though we know they change the truth a great deal...
And ya I agree with Shyam- it is not the kind of thing I thought u'd say, but the kind of thing I would expect myself to say :D
Anyway keep going, I just reread all your posts from the beginning and they are really awesome! Don't mind the papers while ur fans are here. . :)

mumbai paused said...

You have become a celebrity. Even announcing corrections.

Now you know how to speak to the press. Weigh each word carefully.

An old timer who shut her blog said...

Ouch! Thats really something, given that its a paper I value more above others in its league. I'm disappointed by their poor work. And yes, that line about wanting to update blogs while puttachi grows up got me thinking, thats why I commented on the last post :P
Because its not what you are(to me) and kinda contrary to what's happening ;)
Anyhoo, now I know how to read a newspaper, even the one which I like. Thanks for the correction Shruthi.

- -