In Day 36 of his blog, Amitabh Bachchan acknowledged a poem written by the grandfather (Shri Krishna Mittra) of one of the 494 commentators on his previous day entry (where Amitabh had described the person his father, the well-known poet, Mr Harivanshrai Bachchan was).

The poem by Shree Krishna Mitra is indeed beautiful. I believe it brings forth the purpose of our lives and can serve as an inspiration, as it was to his granddaughter Vibhuti.

श्रीकृष्ण मित्रा द्वारा लिखी गई कविता
(उनकी पोती ‘vibhuti love’ ने अमिताभ बच्चन के Day 35  ब्लॉग के comments में post किया)

आँख जिनकी नहीं उनकी आंखें बनो aankh jinki nahin unki aankhein bano (those who don’t have eyes, become their eyes)
पंख बिन कुछ परिंदों की पंखें बनो pankh bin kuch parindo ki pankh bano (become wings of those birds who are without wings)
जिनको चलने में होती हैं कठिनाईयाँ  jinko chalne mein hoti hai kathinaayeian  (those who have difficulty walking)
बन सको तो बनो उनकी परछाईयाँ ban sako to bano unki parchaiyaan (if you can, become their shadows)
जिनके बाजू को थोड़ा सा बल चाहिए jinke bazoo ko thoda sa bal chahiye (those whose arm requires a little strength)
या जिन्हें ज़िंदगी में पहल चाहिए ya jinhein zindagi mein pehal chahiye (or those who need to get ahead in life)
उनके हर काम में तुम सहारे बनो unke har kaam mein tum sahaare bano (become their support in whatever they do)
रौशनी के लिए चाँद तारे बनो roushni ke liye chaand taare bano (to spread the light, become the moon and the stars)

In the same vein, I’m reminded of the lines of the song of a Hindi movie I watched years ago on Doordarshan as a kid…(which incidentally I listened today after all these years. I remember Ashok Kumar singing to a group of kids. Somewhere, I’ve been affected by the beautiful lines. Looks like its from the movie ‘Anurodh’ and sung by Manna Dey (the 89-year old legend lives in Bengaluru) and chorus. The lyrics (by Anand Bakshi) speak for themselves:

तुम बेसहारा हो तो किसी का सहारा बनो (२) tum besahaara ho to kisi ka sahaara bano (2) (if you are helpless, become somebody’s support)
तुमको अपने आप ही सहारा मिल जायेगा tumko apne aap hi sahaara mil jaayega (you will automatically get help and support)
कश्ती कोई डूबती पहुँचा दो किनारे पे kashti koi doobti pahunch do kinaare pe (take a drowning boat to the shore)
तुमको अपने आप ही किनारा मिल जायेगा tumko apne aap hi kinaara mil jaayega (you will automatically find the shore)
तुम बेसहारा हो तो किसी का सहारा बनो tum besahaara ho to kisi ka sahaara bano (if you are helpless, become somebody’s support)
तुम बेसहारा हो तो tum besahaara ho to (if you are helpless…)

हंस कर ज़िंदा रहना पड़ता है hans kar zinda rehna padta hai (we have to smile and live/survive)
अपना दुःख ख़ुद सहना पड़ता है apna dukh khud sehna padta hai (we have to bear our pain/difficulties ourselves)
रस्ता चाहे कितना लंबा हो rastaa chahe kinta lamba ho (howsoever long the path might be)
दरिया को तो बहना पड़ता है dariya ko to behna padta hai (the stream has to keep flowing)

हो ho
तुम हो एक अकेले तो tum ho ek akele to (if you are all alone)
रुक मत जाओ चल निकलो ruk mat jaao chal niklo (don’t stop, come on, get up)
रस्ते में कोई साथी तुम्हारा मिल जायेगा raste mein koi saathi tumhara mil jaayega (along the way, you’ll meet some friend/companion)
तुम बेसहारा हो तो किसी का सहारा बनो tum besahaara ho to kisi ka sahaara bano (if you are helpless, become somebody’s support)
तुम बेसहारा हो तो tum besahaara ho to (if you are helpless…)

ला ल ल ल ला (२) laa la la la laa (2)
ल ल ला (२) ला  la la laa (2) laa
ल ला (३) la laa (3)

जीवन तो एक जैसा होता है jeewan to ek jaisa hota hai (life is the same)
कोई हँसता कोई रोता है koi hansta koi rota hai (someone laughs/smiles someone cries)
सब्र से जीना आसान होता है sabra se jeena aasaan hota hai (to live with patience/perseverence is easier)
फिक्र से जीना मुश्किल होता है fikra se jeena mushkil hota hai (to live with worry is difficult)

हो ho
थोड़े फूल और कांटे हैं thode phool aur kaante hain (there are a few flowers and a few thorns)
जो तकदीर ने बांटे हैं jo takdeer ne baante hain (that destiny has distrubuted)
हमको इनमें से हिस्सा हमारा मिल जायेगा humko inmein se hissa hamaara mil jaayega (we will get our share from these)
तुम बेसहारा हो तो किसी का सहारा बनो tum besahaara ho to kisi ka sahaara bano (if you are helpless, become somebody’s support)
तुम बेसहारा हो तो tum besaaraa ho to (if you are helpless…)

The sad version has an additional paragraph:

ना बस्ती में ना वीरानों में na basti mein na veeranon mein (not in the village, not in the wilderness)
ना खेतों में न खलियानों में na kheton mein na khaliyaanon mein (not in the fields)
ना मिलता है प्यार बजारों में na milta hai pyar bazaaron mein (neither can you find love in the markets)
न बिकता हैं चैन दुकानों में na bikta hai chain dukanon mein (nor is peace of mind sold in shops)
ढूँढ रहे हो तुम जिसको dhoond rahe ho tum jisko (the one you’re looking for)
उसको बाहर मत ढूंढो usko baahar mat dhoondo (don’t search outside)
मन के अन्दर ढूंढो प्रीतम प्यारा मिल जायेगा man ke andar dhoondo preetam pyara mil jaayega (search within your mind, you’ll find your dearmost lover)
तुम बेसहारा हो तो किसी का सहारा बनो tum besahaara ho to kisi ka sahaara bano (if you are helpless, become somebody’s support)
तुम बेसहारा हो तो tum besahaara ho to (if you are helpless…)

My poem ‘A passage to dreams‘ has similar sentiment.

Sometime more than a week ago, Amitabh Bachchan decided to utilize a new medium for making his stand clear on things - where his words are not filtered through the press. He started his personal blog.

Recent media reports targeting him for his supposed lack of contribution to Maharashtra had disturbed me to an extent…not so much for him in particular, but for the state of affairs in our country where caste and regional identities are repeatedly made to come out stronger than our national identity or basic humanity.  I decided to write to him, voicing my thoughts on this issue, and about the ways in which I had known him. I was glad to see his response to me the next day. Was happy to note that of the 578 comments he received on that single day, my name was on top in his response. I had managed to convey my thoughts to Amitabh the person and not the star.

Given below are his response and my entry. In the following days, I responded to him on two other occassions as well (but that will make for another entry some day..or they may lie buried in the sea of comments that have started flooding his blog, which, as per a Rediff piece, "may still take a while before".."reach[ing] the huge number Aamir Khan gets for his blog").

Amitabh’s response to my comments on the night of April 19, 2008,

"Naresh Agarwal from Singapore did a huge page and description of his links with my films and my issues and i thank him for his views and his strong support."

Copied below is what I had written:

Naresh Kumar Agarwal Says:
April 19th, 2008 at 9:42 pm

Singapore 19 April 2008

Dear Mr Bachchan / Amit ji / Amit Uncle,

Haven’t ever thought of addressing you in any particular way, but this is an opportunity. Perhaps I’d go for Amit ji. It is not too professional in a western sense, preserves your individuality with no reference to age, is worthy of my Indian and family values, and is respectful of your stature.

A BRIEF BACKGROUND: I’m a 31-year old Indian, based in Singapore for the past 13 years. Hailing from my beautiful Sikkim, I’ve studied and excelled in the most prestigious school in Sikkim, Tashi Namgyal Academy. In 1995, I won a 100% scholarship for undergraduate education in Singapore. Got my Computer Engineering degree and worked for a few years in the IT industry. Am currently pursuing a PhD in Information Systems at the National University of Singapore. Will move to US for an Academic career once I finish. Hope to make a lot of difference to India and the world during my lifetime. More details here.

Growing up in Sikkim in the 1980s, you were ‘Amitabachan’ in my mind as a child. I remember watching ‘Coolie’ (the song..saari duniya ka bojh hum uthaate hain..), flashes of barbed wire on your forehead in Desh Premee (and I turned my head away to avoid seeing your pain), how I wanted to watch Mahaan because you had a triple role..and Kaalia (still haven’t watched both the movies). Everyone used to say Sholay is superhit. When I watched it as a child, I didn’t like the violence and didn’t understand why it was so great. Didn’t like to see the sadness in Jaya Bhaduri in the white saree of a widow.

As I grew up and understood the meaning of life and people, I stopped being in awe of filmstars. Understood that they’re just doing their job the way I am. No point putting them on a pedestal or pulling them down. The only personality I’m still in awe of is Lata Mangeshkar. That’s because she has especially been blessed by God to heal millions with the divinity in her voice. My ideal in life is Mahatma Gandhi..again, not because he was so great or extraordinary, but precisely because he was as ordinary as I am or you are (don’t mean to pull you down by putting ‘you’ here, but am talking on a human level). It was his staunch belief in Truth and in himself that made him extraordinary. That we do a disservice to him by putting him on a pedestal. My motto in life is ‘Let your inner spark ‘glow’..you and I could be the next Gandhi.’ You can read more on my thougts about life here.

One of my hobbies has been painting (oil/watercolor) and sketching. In 2001, I made a pencil sketch of yours as a gift to a friend who was a die-hard fan of yours. You can see the sketch here.

 

For some time, I worked as a software engineer with a digital cinema company which was setting up digital cinema servers in theatres in India in partnership with Mr Manmohan Shetty/Adlabs. Hrithik Roshan had invited you and other film personalities for a premiere at Adlabs. I was in that theatre, watching you all from a balcony right above your heads, along with another friend (at one point, Hrithik Roshan looked up, and must have wondered who this guy is or what is he doing here). The friend with me was saying, ‘Ab dekhna. Aise gale milenge jaise bachpan se langotia yaar ho. Peeth peeche burai karenge.’ Not sure about that, but what I noticed was the way you all met was just what happens in any of the parties I’ve attended or any youngster attends today…normal Hi’s and hugs. Yes, majority are social acquaintances, some close friends perhaps. Something which struck me about you was your sense of punctuality. You came in and sat on a chair towards the back when the theatre was empty - the first person to come in. If I remember correctly, you were wearing long kurta-pyjamas. You stood up and greeted graciously, the people who came to meet you. Bipasha Basu came and introduced her mother to you. She mentioned how she’s a big fan of yours. There was Rani, Perizad Zorabien, Aamir Khan with a big moustache for Mangal Pandey, and various others.

In recent years, I have felt that celebrities don’t do enough to make a difference to the society around them, given the amount of adulation and reach you people have. Yes, there are the charity functions and endorsement to campaigns. But it usually ends there (Lata Mangeshkar’s hospital, your starting a school in UP, Sanjay Dutt’s work for charities, Sushmita Sen’s adopting a child and Shabana Azmi’s unrelenting fights, among others, are welcome exceptions). Celebrities are too busy doing their jobs (getting films and acting in them, struggling with the press for the quotes and the misquotes, zealously guarding your family from prying eyes, and, at the end of the day, just trying to lead a normal life). It takes courage for a Bhaichung Bhutia to stand up and say that he won’t run with the Olympic torch in support of the Tibetans, or for an Aamir Khan to take a stand against attending Award Functions. Your biggest act of courage, I feel, has been the way you quietly fought back and resurrected yourself after everyone was raving to pull you down since your first stint as superstar. You’re open to learning new methods and from youngsters. This openness is what keeps you in the news and the public memory - that you were willing to still compete and not just bask in your past glory. Your presence in this blog today is testimony to that.

Coming to the politics over your contribution to Maharashtra, here are my thoughts. We all know the whole issue is political and nothing else. Politicians are ready to trade the essential values of our country and constitution just to establish their hold on power. Our anthemma is that our regional and caste identities are stronger than our national identiy. That said, immigration is always a major issue with countries. In our case, with Mumbai and Delhi, its happening within the same country and cannot be termed immigration. Our constitution provides every Indian a right to move, work and settle anywhere in the country. What Mumbaikars need to understand is that however difficult it may seem, the countries that have done exceedingly well in the long run are those that have welcomed immigration - case in point Singapore and the United States. Singapore has done so well, and was able to move from the third world to the first world, was because it welcomed foreign talent from all over - from India, China, and other countries (even though it meant more competition for jobs for the local population). In the long run, it helped in creating more jobs for the local population, and helped increased their skill levels. Mumbai is what it is today because of its assimilation of people from all over and of all kinds. This is the idea of India, of Hinduism, and of democracy. Anybody who doesn’t understand is living in a fool’s world, and is a person who doesn’t believe in his or her own abilities and in God. S/he is just seeking an easy way out and doesn’t want to earn his/her bread.

The big question! Has Amitabh Bachchan done enough for Maharashtra? Has Amitabh Bachchan done enough for any other parts of India..for India as a whole..or for humanity? In his own way, Yes! By being himself, Yes! Did it have a big impact - Yes! Has he done enough in the way other people would have liked - Perhaps No. But 1) why should he? As he himself says, he’s a public figure, not a public official. 2) Why should he be singled out..if he’s not done enough..celebrities as a whole perhaps have not done enough..perhaps a Sachin Tendulkar, a Shah Rukh Khan, perhaps even a Lata Mangeshkar..How much has Madhuri Dikshit, a Marathi/Maharashtrian done for Maharashtra? Should she be doing more? May be/May be not. 3) And why single out celebrities? What about the politicians? How much has Raj Thackrey done for Maharashtra? What about people from other professions? The so called ‘aam-aadmi’ or the ‘common’ man.

Before anybody in Maharashtra gets the right to demand, ‘How much has Amitabh Bachchan done for Maharashtra?’ a question every Maharashtran must be asking is, ‘How much have ‘I’ done for Maharashtra?’ ‘How much have ‘I’ done for India?’ If the aam-aadmi is struggling in his day to day life, so is Amitabh Bachchan, in his own way. That’s because it is the way life is, difficult by its very nature. It doesn’t differentiate between an Amitabh Bachchan, a Raj Thakarey, a Mahatma Gandhi, a Lata Mangeshkar, a Mayawati, or an aam-aadmi in giving his/her share of difficulties. While we don’t have choice over our circumstances or conditions, we do have the choice over how we react to our circumstances. And this is what makes all the difference. This is what made Mohandas into Mahatma Gandhi - not because he was any more privileged than the rest or life was any easier for him.

Regarding the construction of your school in UP…If Maharashtrians feel that that uneducated people from Uttar Pradesh flocking into Maharashtra are doing harm to the State, then the biggest service anyone can do to Maharashtra is by creating conditions in Uttar Pradesh whereby poor people don’t need to leave the state in the first place. A prerequisite is education. Amitabh Bachchan, by starting a school in Uttar Pradesh, has thus, done the biggest service to Maharashtra. If more and more good quality schools are constructed in UP and Bihar, it will do Mumbai and Maharashtra good in the long run. If this doesn’t make sense to a reader, he should try and think why our Central Government, despite our difficult relations with Pakistan, says that a happy and prosperous Pakistan is in the best interests of India.

I’m sure you didn’t really need to know all my thoughts..they may or may not have any importance..I may not appear to be an adulating fan (though I respect your body of work and enjoy a lot of your movies; you’re the best of what we have in any case)..but now that you’ve decided to reach out directly to people, I thought it was time for me to reach out directly to you.

I’d be glad if you let me know your thoughts on what I’ve said. You may reply either through this blog or directly to me on my email.

Warm regards,

A fellow Indian,
Naresh Agarwal

Wesbite: http://www.comp.nus.edu.sg/~naresh
Blog: http://naresh.blogsome.com

Today, a reader Pissu Perera mailed me asking for the English translations of 2 Hindi songs from one of my favourite movies - Rang de Basanti.

"hi, nice blog. i’ve been looking for the english translations of khoon chala and roobaroo with no luck so far.. is there anyway you can help me out? thanks"

"The DVD I got doesn’t have subtitles for the songs and while I can more or less understand dialogues the meanings of songs are above me. The film struck a chord in me so I was just wondering what they meant. I managed to find the translation of Luka Chupi and it is heart breaking."

 

"PS - your post on RDB and the critiquing contest gave me goosebumps just like the film did. Great post."

As the translations were not be found anywhere, I decided to translate the two songs and to post them here for others as well.

Thanks Pissu, I enjoyed listening to the songs with an understanding of the meaning of the lines - they’re beautiful! 

So, here are the lyrics and their translations:

Song: Roobaroo Roshani (face-to-face with light)
Film: Rang de Basanti (Paint me Yellow)
Singers: A. R. Rehman, Naresh Iyer

Watch the song video here  

Translated on Oct 26, 2007 1:14 – 1:49am, Singapore

Song: Khoon chala Khoon chala (Blood travels blood travels)
Film: Rang de Basanti (Paint me Yellow)
Singer: Mohil Chauhan

Watch the song video here

Translated on Oct 26, 2007 1:55 – 2:11am, Singapore

On Sep 22, the Society for South Asian Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore organized a movie screening of "Rang De Basanti" at LT29. I was one of the participants who had to provide a critique based on the theme, "Do you support the actions taken by the lead actors?". The theme was given out before the movie started. The audio quality in the LT (Lecture Theatre) was excellent. Apart from the obvious young Indian crowd, a couple of local Chinese and Caucasian faces were also to be seen. Though watching it for the second time, I loved every moment of the movie, as I made my notes on what to speak. It was an excellent audience too, with a palpable vibrancy in the air that suggested each person watching was really proud of the movie (as if having a personal stake) and was enjoying every moment of it - something one rarely gets to see in a movie theatre. There were bits of verbal interaction as well. When a dejected DJ (with a stress on D..DDDDJ..Aamir Khan) says he doesn’t know what to do, I heard a voice behind me say "NUS mein aa kar research kar le" (come to NUS and pursue research). I laughed and cried with the movie. When DJ lights the funeral pyre of his pilot friend, I imagined my cousin Sanjay doing the same in Jalpaiguri that day, who lost his father (my mousaji - Bidya mousi’s husband) a day before. When the movie ended, it witnessed a standing ovation from all present. The organizers announced that refreshments would be served outside, but only after the critique competition was over. The students (mostly) sat back and watched. Each speaker was to be given 3 minutes to present the critique, followed by 2 minutes of Q&A. Two out of the first three speakers presented arguments saying they did not support the actions taken by the lead actors. One girl said when DJ and his friends reach the radio station, they should not have pointed guns against innocent people. On being questioned if they’d have been allowed to go and disrupt a large radio station without using guns, she said, perhaps they could have pointed guns to the security guard but not to the people inside. The response from the audience was lukewarm. One speaker said he was confused as to whether they did the right thing or not. Then came a fourth speaker, who went forth and declared, "I totally support the actions taken by the lead actors. I am no Gandhi fan…and this is the only way which actually works". He went on to say how non-violence didn’t work in the recent protests by medical students against reservations at premier Indian educational institutions. The audience clapped and cheered. I was the last speaker. Following is a gist of what I said:

My name is Naresh Kumar Agarwal and I am a Research Assistant and a 2nd year PhD Candidate at the Dept. of Information Systems, School of Computing. To answer whether I support the actions taken by the lead actors, I’d say that I totally support the actions taken by the lead actors in the movie, but to say whether you or I should do the same, I’d say "No". When I first watched the movie, and having been inspired by Mahatma Gandhi all along, I went through a dilemma whether the method advocated in the movie was correct. Mahatma Gandhi has said, "Be the change you want to see in the world". After much thought, I concluded that Rang de Basanti does not advocate the method, but rather, the courage to take on the responsibility for bringing about change, to take responsibility for the state of things in your country rather than simply blaming the other, to question and resist injustice, to follow the truth. Mahatma Gandhi has said that there are three possible responses to oppression and injustice: First is the coward’s way - to accept the wrong or to run away from it. Second possible response is to stand and fight by force of arms. Gandhi said this was better than acceptance or running away. So in the movie, given the option of not doing anything against injustice versus seeking redemption through the violent way, I’d say the violent way is preferable. But the third and the best method of all, and one which requires the most courage, is to stand and fight solely by non-violent means. In this non-violent method, violence is present, but it is not directed against the other person, only to yourself. The actors in RDB also went on a candle-light vigil to India Gate in a non-violent manner. Only when it didn’t work did they adopt violence. The lesson to imbibe from the movie is not voilence, but rather the responsibility to bring about change (instead of cowardly accepting or running away from the state of things). The following is inscribed on a tomb in Westminister Abbey "When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamt of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser, I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country. But it, too, seemed immovable. As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing my family, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it. And now, as I lie on my deathbed, I suddenly realize: If I had only changed myself first, then by example I would have changed my family. From their inspiration and encouragement, I would then have been able to better my country, and who knows, I may have even changed the world." The biggest message of RDB is to be able to change youself. And for this, you don’t really require violence, but rather, compassion for those around you. HH the Dalai Lama has said, "To experience genuine compassion is to develop a feeling of closeness to others combined with a sense of responsibility for their welfare. This develops when we accept that other people are just like ourselves in wanting happiness and not wanting suffering." (I didn’t say the Dalai Lama quote in the actual speech). A previous speaker mentioned that the actors used a personal loss as pretext to rise up against injustice, which she said is not correct. I disagree. One spark is enough to bring about change in a person - "Aag hai mujhmein kahin". That spark could be anything, if a personal loss helps you bring out the fire in you, so be it. If watching this movie helps spark the fire within, why not! So while we go out and do what we do - pursue research, strive to rise in our jobs, whether we are in our country or outside it, when we spend lifetimes wanting to go and buy the next car, that condo out there, and worrying about me, myself, my spouse and my children, let us strive to do something worthwhile for our country. "Ab bhi jiska khoon na khoula, wo khoon nahin hai paani hai. Jo bhi desh ke kaam na aaye, wo bekar jawaani hai"! (Translation, not mentioned in speech: even now if someone’s blood does not boil, that is not blood but water. Anybody who does nothing for his/her country, that is a wasted youth).

During the Q&A session, somebody asked me, "So do you believe in Mahatma Gandhi or in Rang de Basanti". I replied,

"I believe in Mahatma Gandhi and I believe in Rang de Basanti. And I see no contradiction."

The first four consolation prizes announced didn’t include my name. I was declared the Winner.

After hearing and reading great reviews about it, Archana and I decided to steal time to watch ‘Rang De Basanti’ yesterday. The movie is unlike any other movie I’ve seen so far - I’m sure it will be counted among the landmark movies. The performances, one-liners, characters, the artistic feel were all excellent. The lines were real and funny: "yaar mera haath dekh kar bata na..love line kaisi hai"…"teri love line hai hi nahin…lagta hai bachpan mein chooran ke saath chat ke khaa gaya" "Ik pair future mein te ik pair past mein rakh ke aaj par moot rahe" (With one leg in the past and the other in the future we are peeing on the present) Reminded me of the funny lines in the 1997 Jack Nicholson movie, "As Good as it Gets". But above all, its the message of the movie which has perhaps made the most impact in the minds of those who have watched it. Felt my eyes swell up with tears as Atul Kulkarni recited Ram Prasad Bismil’s lines:

Sar faroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai, Dekhna hai zor kitna baazoo-e-qaatil main hai! Rahrav-e-raah-e-mohabbat reh na jaana raah mein, Lazzat-e-sahraa nawardi doori-e-manzil mein hai. Yoon khada maqtal mein qaatil keh raha hai baar baar, Kya tamanna-e-shahaadat bhi kisi ke dil mein hai Waqt aane par bataa dengey tujhe ai aasmaan, Hum abhi se kya bataayein kya hamaarey dil mein hai. Ae shaheed-e-mulk-o-millat terey jazbon par nissar, Teri qurbaani ka charcha ghair ki mehfil mein hai. Kheench kar laai hai sabko qatla hone ki ummeed, Aashiqon ka aaj jamghat kooncha-e-qaatil mein hai. Ek se karta nahin koi doosra koi bhi baat, Dekhta hoon main jise woh chup teri mehfil mein hai. [We are now raring to die for our country’s sake Let’s see how much of strength the assassin can display! O traveller on the path of love, do not drop mid-way, It is the distance of the goal that glorifies the chase. Standing by the gallows the hangman makes a call, Come, if there be any, by the martyr’s zeal enthralled. We’ll tell you all, O sky, wait till the time arrives, How can we at this stage, our secret plans unveil? O martyrs in the nation’s cause, kudos to your sacrifice. Even in the enemy camp they talk of you with praise. Fired by patriotic fervour, many a maddened youth Has gathered at the crossing, itching for the cross. Why are they mute and silent? no whisper, no talk, Everyone that I see has got his lips locked.]

I loved the movie throughout - there wasn’t a moment of time to think while watching the movie…but the after effect left me with a strange feeling. While ‘Dil Chahta hai’ and ‘Swades’ wowed me and filled me with joy, the feeling after ‘Rang de Basanti’ was strange. Yet it was as great a movie, if not greater. I was reminded of the line in Rajkumar Santoshi’s ‘The Legend of Bhagat Singh’ when there was an attempt at mocking Gandhi for not doing enough to save Bhagat Singh, when Naseeruddin Shah (portrayed as Gandhi) says, "Par mein hinsa ka saath nahin de sakta" (I can’t support violence). I felt myself repeating the same words at the end of the movie. The movie certainly got me thinking. And as you think, it sinks deeper into you. At the end of it, I concluded that the message of Swades (Gandhi) and Rang De Basanti (Bhagat Singh) was one and the most important to take home: "You must be the change you want to see in the world" (as said by Mahatma Gandhi). Rang De Basanti, in reality, does not advocate the method, but rather the courage to take on the responsibility for bringing about change. Read these lines by Michael Angier in Top Ten Things to Think About If You Want to Change the World: "The following is inscribed on the tomb of an Anglican Bishop in Westminster Abby (1100 A.D.):

When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser, I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country. But it, too, seemed immovable. As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it. And now, as I lie on my deathbed, I suddenly realize: If I had only changed myself first, then by example I would have changed my family. From their inspiration and encouragement, I would then have been able to better my country, and who knows, I may have even changed the world."

I’ve written about the one spark needed to light your inner fire. Go watch ‘Rang de Basanti’. Who knows, it might just be the spark for you!

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