Scribbling Board - 1

It was 11.45 when we went in. 15 more minutes and half day would be gone. It was very dark but the light from a big source was sufficient enough to identify our row. Where was I? What was the source that I was talking about? Few minutes later, the screen read “Rang De Basanti”! Yes, I was in a theatre called MELODY to watch a film - Rang De Basanti, which had some very well known faces with the names Aamir Khan, Madhavan, Sidharth, Atul Kulkarni and of course, the magic man A.R. Rahman! This was a film that I longed to see right from the day it was screened. But as bad luck would have it, I couldn’t. Came Sunday; I got charged and somehow wanted to see the film. It was like now or never. The former won. I went to the movie hall with four of my cousins. The delay of one of them caused me the initial seconds/minutes (very less) of the film. What I missed was history. What I missed on the screen was also HISTORY – the hanging of three unforgettable heroes – Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru. I wish I were one of them! The title with its music followed, showing the names of artistes and technicians. My knowledge of hindi was well enough to understand the course of the film, but not that good enough to understand each and every dialogue.

“A british girl trying to make a film on Indian heroes” – that’s how started the film. It doesn’t happen always. She goes in search of finding apt people who would suit the historical heroes and ends up in Aamir and co. The filming begins and you have history happening before your eyes and the background music is simply scintillating in those scenes. Rahman is Rahman! Sudden death of maddy kindles the fire in these fellows and they start to live the life of the revolutionaries. First thing was the killing of the defence minister who flays Madhavan for carelessness and secondly the man involved in the MIG planes’ deal, Anupam Kher who’s also the father of Sidharth. Son kills dad. The climax is set with the modern-day revolutionaries admitting their guilt to the people through the radio and paying the price of their life in doing so.”

Rang De Basanti, the film ends here and the lights are on. The film is declared a super-hit. People coming out of the movie houses, simply would shower rich encomiums on each and every aspect of the film. So did I. Some would raise questions. Is terrorism or revolution the right way to end certain issues? How many would be killed? How many would turn into revolutionists? Rather, how many should turn into revolutionists? Take an example. How many Indians have passports and how many of them were obtained without bribing? I should include my name in this list too. I got mine by giving 165 rs to that policeman who asked me for 300 rupees without feeling any sort of shyness. What was his reply – I have many people to pay at a higher level. What does the government pay them? In fact, it is we who pay the government. It goes like, they are doubly paid. If at all a person should be killed, I would want that ______ man to be the victim, who started this concept of bribery.

Is that possible? I would bet against that. Nobody knows who started it and who coined the term “corruption”. As long as the word remains, so would the action. Sometimes, actions speak louder than words.

I thought of writing a review for the film and even started to do only that. But then, this has ended up differently. After all, this is my blog. I can do whatever I want.

Jai Hind! (A cosmetic finish)