“Not my monkey, not my circus” is often the best way to deal with the noise on social media and pretty much everywhere. From whether Aishwarya Rai is getting along with her in-laws to Urfi Javed going from cringe to mainstream in what felt like seconds, it’s a world that doesn’t make sense. It’s like all the neighbourhood aunties and wannabes are collectively running the narrative. Whether in the real world or online, it just gets plain boring.
But there comes Orry or Orhan Awatramani and I’m hooked. Simply because it’s so silly and so much fun. His rise (or fall) to fame is made special by the fact that he isn’t trying too hard. It’s the world chasing him. The internet is bursting at the seams trying to figure out what he does for a living as he lives his best life. Unless that’s the plan of the “marketing genius” as he once called himself. It could well be, as when quizzed on Koffee With Karan, his actor friend Ananya Pandey replied that he’s “loved but misunderstood”, which she was instructed to say by Orry himself.
It could be a well-crafted ploy by the said genius to take over the narrative in the ultimate aim to…what? Reveal an entrepreneurial venture? Launch a fashion line? Launch an app? Maybe he’s a new age guru here to teach us how to live? Well, right now, he is reportedly entering the Bigg Boss house as a wild card entry. I haven’t watched the show in years, but I’m going to tune in now. I did watch a few snippets when Cyrus Broacha was inside in the OTT version. Although I’m a bit sad, too, because it may just take away the mystery; he’ll probably be revealed as just another toxic wannabe or worse, completely dull.
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As he unleashes his “authentic self” in front of cameras, all we know is that we’re all watching. It may all seem very shallow, but it also raises some deep questions. Firstly, are we defined by our jobs? Do we have to be doing something? Some months ago, I asked my preteen nephew if he would still work if he had a lot of money. His answer, which I found hilarious then, was “Obviously not!” So, maybe the question we can ask ourselves is that if Orry calls himself a liver (as defined by someone who “lives”), what can we call ourselves, outside of what we do to make a living? Whiner? Observer? What are we deep inside, truly?
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The second question is, what exactly is making him famous? It’s a comment on the times we live in that “success” is measured by how much money you have (or seem to have), rich and influential connections and, of course, can ace the selfie game. So, if you’re rich and surrounded by attractive people, you’re a social media star. Look at the headlines these days and it’s all about who made how many millions in how little time; it’s rarely about achievements.
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Coming back to the Orry phenomenon, it’s tons of fun as everyone on the internet and beyond wonders, “Who’s that guy? Where did he come from?” I even catch myself even feeling somewhat protective about him, when I read the derogatory comments on social media. He has all the innocence of a two-year-old as the paparazzi tell him, “Orry, pappi do” and he sportingly puckers up or blows kisses at them. At this point, whether you look at him as a pure soul or a wannabe socialite, it says more about you than him. Because he’s pretty much saying nothing. In a world of multi-hyphenates flaunting their qualifications and vocations, he’s just living. It may all change with Bigg Boss, but here’s hoping not!
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Orry makes me smile and that’s enough reason to like him!
(The writer is a journalist and Mindset Coach. She hosts the podcast Swishing Mindsets and tweets @anuvee.)
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Orry: Who's that guy and why does it matter? – The Indian Express
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