Wednesday, February 18, 2009

BOLLYWOOD’S DALE (E) MAIL

Hi...
Today, I am doing to talk about a special person. Someone who has made a name for himself. This man is hated by most of the media persons, but frankly speaking, I really wanted to mention about him for a long time in my blog. The moment you utter his name, journalists intended to poke fun at you. “Arre tu toh uska dost hai? Woh kisi ka dost nahin ho sakta hai...” they would cite a sardonic comment. I don’t blame those journalists, because most of them have had terrible experience with his man. He has rubbed most of the journalists the wrong way and he has no qualms about that. “Big deal, if they can act pricey, I can be priceless!” he jokes. He is someone who comes across as a publicity monger and he has no qualms in accepting that he ‘demands’ such favor from journos. I know for a fact that most of the editors and journalists hate him because of his ‘control freak’ attitude, but very few can actually ignore him. I am talking about the (in)famous, Dale Bhagwagar! The young PR person from Bollywood, who ‘control’ the PR of stars like Shilpa Shetty, Hrithik Roshan, Shiney Ahuja and others.
My association with Dale started two years ago, when I was working for a leading daily and he wanted to meet me after I published an article on Hrithik Roshan. “I was really surprised to see that you were the only reporter to get Hrithik’s quote on his birthday, where did you get his number? How did you manage? Other reporters are jealous of you… everyone has to go through me!” he blabbered non-stop for two hours! I was pretty sure, that this man is not like other ‘jee haan’ kind of PRs. He is a bit weirdo, in his own way, and big pain at times too. He bitches about half of the world and spoke how manipulative he is, and now wicked he can become if needed. He wouldn’t even wink for a moment before attacking any journalist. He doesn’t fear the media, because he knows his cards well and plays it even better! A smart bugger!
One thing which I hate in Dale, is something which Dale loves most in him. His ‘control freak’ attitude and his ‘over reacting’ to any incident. While other PROs would just make a phone call to the editor and seek for a corrigendum, if they feel that their clients have been attacked, Dale would send mass e-mail to media persons all across the nation. “My e-mailing list is stronger than circulation of any publication in India,” he boasts. So, don’t get bogged if you are bombarded with Dale (e) mails from Dale. He would scan the article and put an ‘untrue’ stamp on his and circulate it with his ‘true’ statement. But why does he play such cheap gimmicks? “That’s me! It might sound cheap to you, but it works for me. I don’t want a corrigendum in the same publication. I want people to read how journalists misreport and they get away with it,” he puts his point across.
I must admit, most of the reporters in entertainment world, live on the information that are parted by the PRs. None of them admit, because they pretend that it’s their hard work, but actually, it’s the PR industry that indirectly rules the entertainment section. They literally bargain like any pot-bellied Baniya would even on a MRP product. “Kya tu front page dilaiga… tu nahin kar sakta hai toh bol, main kisi aur ko deta hoon!” this is exactly the way, the talk to a journalist while dealing with a story. Nowadays, they insist on using the same photograph which they mail us.
I can tell you from my personal experience that Dale might come across as a freak when he asks the reporter to mention his name in the article or tries to keep everything under his control, but then I guess that’s how things function in Hollywood, while filmmakers and actors are aping Hollywood, why blame Dale for doing the same.
I remember a colleague of mine wanted to interview Shilpa Shetty (post Big Brother fame) and Dale agreed to fix that interview on one condition, that he will make it happen on a conference call. After the interview, the friend called me to say, “It was really ridiculous that Dale was listening to all my questions and I was not comfortable asking Shilpa question that I wanted to ask her.” Later when I confronted Dale, he casually said, “That’s exactly the point. I don’t want my clients to get into trouble. Most of the journalists would call my clients for gushy talks and finally when they reproduce it, they end up making controversies. My recording their conversations, I keep them under control and they can’t put words in my client’s mouth.” Huh!
Dale lives in his own world and the best thing is that, he believes that the rest of the world will finally follow him. “I know that most of the journalist hates me, but then it’s PR that’s ruling and the face of PR has changed over last five years. Earlier they were treated like agents to supply the synopsis and the photo stills of the films, but now, they decide everything,” he said.
Few months back, when Dale was giving interviews in galore to electronic channels and print media regarding Shilpa Shetty’s number being leaked out by some fan, I noticed that he was getting the maximum coverage at the cost of Shilpa. “I have asked most of my clients to change their number, so that I can keep a track of everything that’s happening in their professional life. I don’t like to intervene in any personal relationship which a star shares with a journalist. But there are exceptional cases like when some journalist pretends to be a friend and then writes negative (read harmful) stories about my client in pseudonyms, I make it a point in tracking down those journalists and de-link his/her connection with my client,” he explains.
Dale has been working hard on achieving what he wants. Some of the publications have banned him, some refused to mention his name, some even gives him undue preferences also… but no one can ignore him. Recently when I asked Dale to provide some photographs of Shilpa Shetty and Hrithik Roshan for a website, he agreed on one condition that we will have to give him the credit for the photographs. It was a technical error from our end that we couldn’t upload his name when the portal was launched. He immediately sent a stinker e-mail (read legal threat) to the editor and copied the same to me, stating that he would take action against us. I called him immediately and he laughed it off saying, “Ignore the mail… I just wanted you guys to upload my name.” Silly, right? But then, that’s Dale, at the drop of his hat he sends legal notice and seeks publicity from everything. The only ‘spokesperson’ who gets more mileage than his own clients! Clever move, I must say!

30 comments:

  1. Yeh kab likha bhai... mujhse approval kyon nahin liya ;-)
    Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha....
    Cheers,
    -Dale

    Education Blog: http://dalebhagwagareducates.blogspot.com/
    Private Life Blog: http://theprivatelifeofdalebhagwagar.blogspot.com/
    Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1099915545&ref=profile
    Google Web: http://www.google.co.in/search?num=100&hl=en&q=dale+bhagwagar&meta=
    Google Videos: http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=dale+bhagwagar&so=0&num=100#

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  2. i agree. word to word is correct.

    but he has a softer side to him too.he loves.he cares.but only about himself.lol

    a brilliant pr.and that bad as a person actually

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  3. ankita gaba seems to knw quite a lot about dale ;) but pavithra selvam knows everything. What say dale? :P

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  4. dale is rockstar! the first sms i received from him said that I was being banned forever from his list as he didn't want to associate 'unprofessional' journalists. He called my boss and made me apologise. x-( I had to interview him (he insisted on lying down on his red couch on camera) to appease him. He took me to dinner after the interview (though he had already finished dinner) and then we became friends :)

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  5. hey thanks for ur responses... dale is a nice human being. he understands friendship... we had a little tiff in between, but then we do fight with friends. i remember how we enjoyed fried fish with tartar sauce at Yokos... and then we would chat and bitch about the industry loosers and ofcourse his favourite topic... "teaching journos lesson!" He would do the talking and I would be the listner. :)

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  6. tum meri tareef kar rahe ho, ya buraai... :):) kuch samajh mein nahin aa raha.

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  7. I read this over twice but i dont know if you are upset or enamored by him???
    also, since he is a publicist i am sure he will be glad with all the publicity on this blog.... all said and done, each one is just doing their work....so chill yaar.... and now quickly call or come online and gimme some gossip.... :D also that promised gift ;)

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  8. Dale, I think you should ignore this. You know yourself better. Those few people who are your friends also know the type of person you are. So why give importance to something which can be ignored? You are efficient in your work and that's what matters.

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  9. This seems like one more of Dale's controlled articles which starts with bitching about him, and ends up praising it!

    Sampurn Anand

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  10. i am wondering if the writer is confused or overconfident!

    this is just silly to the core..

    I have know dale for a long time now.. and i can swear by the genuineness of the person..

    If if anyone of the people who have posted above know a rats ass worth of PR, Dale is a publicist who can do wonders.. anyways.. this might just be one of the most popular blogs by now because of dale's appearance on it.. i guess the writer needs publicity... quite a cheap way.. Hey Buddy, just pull up your socks and put on a raymond suit.. You need to be a complete man..

    Cheers!

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  11. well....everyone has to do their job.....and I guess Dale was just trying to do that only...being good at his work....but that can be opposite for a journalist....so no hard feelings should be there...but as far as I know Dale...he is a sweet person...and atleast I never encountered any problem with him abhi tak...

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  12. that was a long piece!
    and as far as i see... Dale should be loving it... ANY PUBLICITY IS GOOD PUBLICITY

    on personal front... i do believe he is one of the best strategists around... smart and reckless... and yet a brilliant PR

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  13. Correction...he is NOT that bad a person actually

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  14. Whatever is written on the blog, is nothing, just a personal hate feeling of a journalist.... entertainment industry is what??? everyone is hungry for publicity.... and this attitude is not wrong according to me. that's their requirement. i guess mr. mukharjee would be agree with me. even a common person also wants to be a famous. so whats wrong with dale..... even mr. mukharjee is doing what? why he is writing blogs. just for name sake??????. and who is becoming cheap, i can understand reading this article...... even every wise man can understand. backbiting is not good. everyone knows. but they do...it might be possible that dales attitude towards him is not in his favor, but for others who require support of dale must be happy with him(dale)..... i too happy..... what bout u??? readers?????

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  15. WOW! Thats a lot of dislike for one person! I think it may be a good idea to direct your energies in a more positive manner perhaps? I may not know Dale for too long but whenever he has definitely never behaved in a proud manner towards me EVER! And honestly, I doubt he will. He is definitely one smart PRO who knows how to publicize his clients to the T. This may be one of reasons why he has such a list of well known celebrities who swear by him. Any publicity is good publicity. I believe that Dale will take your opinion on him and work it to his advantage. Ironically, you have mentioned that he cannot be ignored...perhaps that is why you have chosen to make him one of your blog entries...right?

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  16. Is it not the job of a PR to be a "control freak" for his clients? He works everyday to make sure that the publicity for whomever he works for is what it is supposed to be. To make sure interviews are done well and correctly, to make sure a story is reported correctly and if not to let everyone know it is not, to make sure pictures that the client has trusted him with are used with permission as well. That is what a PR does as well as get new stuff out there. I admire Dale's dedication and how hard he works for his clients. He knows his job, does it superbly and makes sure it is done right by the media he deals with. I have had nothing but positive dealings with him as a journalist and appreciated how he professionally he deals with his clients and the media. He has gone out of his way several times to help me out and I am proud to be working with such a professional. -Stacey Yount

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  17. Jeez get a life dude... Dale's the best publicist India has to offer!

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  18. What's important is that Dale does his PR well and is straight and upfront - at least, that's my experience. There are PROs who think that they are the cat's whiskers and everything else. They sit on borrowed glory of their clients and even spin fibs to further their ends.
    I know Dale as someone self-assured enough to give opinions and advice and humble enough to ask for the same. He understands that PR and journalist have an equal standing, a 50-50 give-and-take which is a welcome change from inefficient names as well as those who treat journalists like a piece of s**t in their pitiably-bombastic arrogance.

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  19. I think blogs are just an platform to voice opinions...especially those opinions which one cant manage to squeeze through to get editors approval.An efficient use of new media to exhibit a personal opinion.I think a journalist and PR's undoubtedly share a love and hate relationship. This is just another exemplification.

    As far as Dale's love for himself is concerned , I think it's a brilliant way of self motivation. And the reason why he is such a star in the PR industry is because he believes in himself well enough to convince others to believe in him. And its truly incredible that he s playing such an instrumental role in shaping the PR's role from mere agents to decision makers....

    No offense meant , but journalists have done much to tarnish him and his image. But he's a good publicist and knows his job perfectly well.

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  20. I am Gandi Vijaykumar, (Ex office Assistant) For Mr.Dale Bhagwagar For Almost 3 years, I Know How Mr.Dale Completes His Task, His Work, His Art Of DOing The Right Publicity In The Correct Way. When He Writes Any Article About His clients, He Will Think 5 Times & Recheck 5 Times Before He Sends Any Article To The Press. He Is So Perfect About His Work, He Will Never Take Chance Or Any Risk.

    He Knows Very Well, How To Handle Press People In Any Situation. No Tv Channel Or Any News Paper Is Big For Him, He Treats Everyone Same.

    If Things Are Not Done Correct Way, He Can Make That Things Happen In Right Way In Seconds
    He Knows Each And Everything About Press, Media.

    No Matter, Whatever Any One Says About Him, He Is My Best Boss, My Guru, I Never Seen Such A Kind Person, Boss, Friend. In My 8 years of Work Experience.

    I Have Full Confidence, And I Can Challenge, He Is Alwayz Right, And Does The Right Thing,
    May Be Some People Are Jealous Of His Frequent Interviews In Media, He Is Alwayz In News, He Is An Icon Of PRO Industry.

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  21. I think ever1 has his own way of seeing thing n i dont c ny thing wrong about Dale.Its just the way he is...

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  22. Hey... thanks for your comments. I think Dale knows exactly why I wrote this blog... he is intelligent enough. And I am also glad to know that he is loved by so many people. And I also thank my detractors also... Dale is a very old freind of mine. Someone who has all good qualities of becoming a good friend, but also has qualities of becoming a staunch enemy. I like that...

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  23. guys dale is very smart. he knows exactly what he wants to do annd how he can promote his celebs... he can go to any extent to promote his client...which i think is a sign of true professionalism. Shalini Singh

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  24. great :) :)....I agree with the writer...actually, he is a smart person and ofcourse a brilliant 'PR'..I have just been associated with Dale,, he is intelligent enough...and professional, as well. I appreciate his professionalism and attitude...

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  25. Dale is a brilliant PRO who really knows how to get publicity for his clients. He takes his job as a PRO seriously and always strives for perfection. And, he’s always been helpful and thoughtful.

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  26. Dale is undoubtedly one of the best PR around and is always a pleasure to deal with. RMK's comments are unjust and unfounded. Dale, continue being you, you're simply the best..!

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  27. hey buddy........... a wonderfull encripted description of dale the bagwan ghar...lolz.. i hv known dale since monkey years (abut 9)... he has worked EXTREMLY hard to climb this laddered postion and to be here without much of push or recommendation from anyone.. sheer genuine hardwork... ad y not he be who he is as far as he calls the shots...lolz...one thing i knw for/about Dale the baghwan ghar..taht its better to be on his good/right side than opposite him.... did anyone of u get his TIENING THE KNOT INVITATION card???? man he made me so so much happily exitedly angry guy...lolz.. tahst him... dale... keep this winnery of thread moving... good for yr PR..... lolz..... ROOP is doing wonderfull as Tarot Reader.. come lets meet up for yr reading... cheers!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  28. Hey Guys.... anyone who wish to get direction and help in any areas of life tahn must conatct my "only" sexy wife Roop lakhani... she is Best in Tarot Reading and Runes.. contact 9821336195 or put a mail on advent62@gmail.com for appoinmnet. also check celebrity chat on chat.indiatimes.com under astrology. because of intro from a dear frnd of mine she does live shat once a week... chheerrss!!!!!!!

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  29. lolz.. yes sure i meant CHAT n not shat... my mind n thought are much faster than one finger typing on key board...lolz..cheers!!!!!!!!!!!

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