hockey which
is supposed to be our national game- in
naught but name. There were many hockey
legends who had thought that a revival helped
by a movie is actually possible. But look
at yesterday’s newspapers and you
will know, films however good or path breaking
never change anything for a period long
enough to bring a permanent change. The
best a film can do is provide the spark,
initiate the change. But the rest has to
be done by us- the people, we have to fan
the fire, fuel the change and drive it forward.
But most of us are blissfully complacent
to notice the beautifully initiated process
of change dying away.
What was in yesterday’s newspaper?
Well, an Indian hockey player looking defeated
as jubilant England players romped after
scoring the second goal in an Olympic qualifier.
The Indian hockey team will not fly to Beijing
this year for the Olympics- for the first
time in 8 decades India will not be part
of Olympic hockey- films don’t change
anything. The song Chak De India- which
was released as a hockey anthem is now heard
more or only when the Indian Men in Blue
take the field (cricket). Well cricket is
having a great time and so we can leave
it alone. The point is that the change that
many hoped Chak De India would bring is
almost gone and that is wishful thinking,
practically it is fully lost.
The change that Taare Zameen Par has suggested
is another such instance. The chance is
still there to give life to what Aamir Khan
and Co. have so beautifully told us ‘every
child is special’, every child has
talents and has to be nurtured not forced
or coerced. Yes, there has been a lot of
talk about the movie and its relevance and
dyslexia is not an unfamiliar word now but
if care is not taken this chance too could
slip. Taare Zameen Par too could become
another lost effort in changing the society
for the better.
When Rang De Basanti and Yuva released they
carried a strong message- of youth activism.
For a while there were voices, flutters
and lots of groups and communities that
were inspired but very sadly that phase
too faded away. One such organization is
Lok Paritran- surely you all have heard
the name. The political party formed by
young IIT alumni to wipe out corruption
and provide a transparent democracy. It
was there in 2006, but now we do not hear
enough about it. Is it still out there,
do we need another Rang De Basanti or Yuva
to give the spark. This time, if and when
the spark comes don’t let it die -
fan, fuel it and protect it till it is ablaze.
High hopes, you might be thinking.
Yes, movies will be movies- life goes on.
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