A personal touch

Narendra Modi may have positioned himself as an information technology maven but at least one prominent personality is unimpressed. That's noted film-maker Kamal Hassan who recently addressed a gathering of senior technology executives under the aegis of Nasscom. Asked if digital media and the growing popularity of sites such as YouTube posed a threat to his industry, Hassan was quick to retort that no matter how much technology advances, the personal touch will never lose its charm. He went on to draw a parallel with the Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi who had addressed the forum earlier in the day through a video conferencing facility. "I could have chosen to talk to you through video conference, but instead I decided to come here and meet you in person. Maybe, I am not as busy a man as Mr Modi," he smirked. The politically incorrect statement certainly delighted the corporate honchos, who seldom dare to say anything controversial against powerful politicians.