First he went to Iraq to cover the war and now he is in Iran to cover the elections. Hollywood actor Sean Penn dons the avtaar of the journalist once again, even as Brad Pitt speaks up for the hungry kids of Africa, Angelina Jolie takes her role as UN Goodwill Ambassador seriously and Bono almost becomes the head of the World Bank. Are our celebs turning real life crusaders?

The celebrity cult is getting itself a new identity. That of the Generous Crusader where the aggressive I-me-myself attitude is being replaced by the desire to make a difference. Even as Sean Penn’s reportage of Iran’s presidential elections for the San Francisco Chronicle has created a stir, Angelina Jolie writes after her travels to Ecuador, Sierra Leone, Namibia: “I was touched by the extreme imbalance of wealth and resources in the world. You go to these places and you realise what life’s really about. People here are my heroes.” Hollywood has a line of actors lending their face to a cause. Richard Gere always comes to India to promote a cause. Does his presence make a diference? Says Richard Gere: “I have always found it meaningful to be in India. When I campaign for a cause, people always pay attention. As an actor, I listen to the voice of emotion and communicate my passions evocatively. I owe this to the world.”

And now, the Indian celeb is waking up to this new reality too. From Amitabh Bachchan, who campaigns for Polio eradication to the Aishwarya Rai Foundation and Sushmita Sen’s Kashmir declaration – “I want to do something for children”– celebs are suddenly turning serious. The message is clear. The celebrity is the new cataylst for change. Ask Vivek Oberoi about his new passion – no-tobacco and anti-tuberculosis campaigns – and he says: “It’s personal. I don’t do it as a celebrity. It gives me a sense of purpose to help people.” But is this new-found compassion, only cosmetic? “It’s hard to tell who is really serious. What attracts the celebrity to these causes is interesting. At one level, we’re all human beings and emotional, we want to help. But, there’s another reason too: it’s about promoting a cause and being in the limelight too,” says actress Konkona Sen. The impact of celeb promotions is immense. Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai’s polio eradication campaign on TV had maximum impact. Shabana Azmi and Nafisa Ali are dedicated to HIV awareness. Says activist Nafisa Ali: “If a celebrity campaigns for a cause, he not only highlights the problem but also becomes more human and sensitive. Sadly, everyone wants to give their face to a cause, but not one star will give his money. Sometimes, it seems like a superficial effort.”

<B>Nona WALIA

Source: Times of India</B>