Thursday, October 7, 2010

They say we can inspire..but we are Indians..

This happened a long time ago, so you might find it old. I thought it is worth a post. Do leave comments after you read this.


Some years ago, i was in a theater watching some movie. It is a trend in Indian Cinema Halls to promote upcoming films during the interval. We all didn't get up to get drinks or finger food during the interval as it was month end and we were low on cash. That's when we saw a promo of a movie in which our very own "King Khan" SRK aka Shahrukh Khan was pushing a scooter, had a french beard and was introduced as Kabir Khan. No points for guessing it was Chak de India (CDI).

We saw the entire trailer, which had intros of all the hockey players in a song and towards the end of the song SRK raised his hands in his classic style only this time he has a hockey stick in hand with the women hockey player around him.We discussed that how we were able to tell whether a movie is a hit or a flop just by seeing its trailer. We were convinced that even in our wildest dreams this movie would never be a hit, of-course, for an exception who was and still is an SRK fan

Few months later, CDI was released. A week later I saw it both in the news and in (Times of India) TOI that Indian Men's hockey team has overpowered the opposition by 7-10 goals. I was like WT Fhockey. How did this happen? For a moment I thought it must have been against some weak opposition or that they had found some sort of DHOOP (the funny blue alien from Koi Mil..gaya who had a bulb on his head. I still wonder, what colour is his pee and his S**T). But then I read in TOI that it was against a very good opposition i don't remember who exactly. Then on the news i saw (its a rear sight me reading the TOI and watching the news but miracles do happen) i.e. on India TV it was the CDI impact. "Damn", i said. These India TV guys will make news out of anything. The last breaking news I saw was "Billi bani chaat (roof) ki rani" meaning, a cat became the queen of the roof. I changed the channel and my reaction was Meow you.

Some days later, I overheard a group of people talking about CDI in the place where anything and everything that happens around the world is discussed, dissected and advised upon - Mumbai Local Trains. All they did was to praise the film and how it simply made their weekend awesome and how it had really had a positive impact on Indian Hockey. When I entered my second home not my college but a gaming zone outside my college, I was shocked to hear people discussing about CDI. I thought has Yash Raj paid everyone to talk about CDI around me.

The very next day I got a call from a college friend to come near a theater and that we all were bunking college. Yes, in India we have all sets of friends, college friends, school friends, gym friends etc. When I reached the theater, they had already taken tickets for me and of all the movies and as filmy as it sounds the tickets were for CDI. Even if I were to die that day and had million dollars to spend I wouldn't have watched that movie. You can imagine my frustration because the last YRF film that tortured me was " Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai". I kid you not, you will literally shoot you own eyes and go blind.

On insistence of my friends I went for the movie (my friends are my world to me so, anything for them). Finally, the movie began I told myself the only time, thus, so far I had enjoyed was The National Anthem and I thought that it was the only enjoyable time I would be having. The movie went on and I could have used a sleep, but as strange as it may sound i was as attracted to the movie as Superman is to Lois Lane. YRF had done it this time and I had for the first time appreciated SRK's acting because this was the first time he had actually acted. I watched the entire film and cursed the interval as I wanted to see the movie. We came out and all were very happy and motivated. Motivated to take up a professional sport mostly hockey. No wonder Dhanraj Pillai & Co. managed to pull of such an upset.

In the movie, some of the most memorable and motivating dialogues were "har team mein ek gunda hota he aur iss team ka gunda mein hoo" meaning - every team has a villain and I am the only villain in this team and "Pehli baar ek firang ko Bharat ka Jhanda lehrate hue dekh raha hoo" which means, this is the first time I have seen a foreigner hoisting and Indian flag. These two words still send chills down my spine as they are cold and are as well true. The second line especially makes you feel proud of your country.

Well, if a three hour movie could have this impact on Hockey and us, I cant tell you what real life stories similar to this would. All Pillai and Co. needed was an inspiration, a motivator and CDI was it. They made the country proud for some months and were very happy to see the movie. But I guess as typical as an Indian the enthusiasm died and they were back to where they were. I couldn't understand why CDI was more inspiring for them then playing for your mother land INDIA in the first place. I mean if i were to do anything for my country and couldn't do it with my 100% why do it at all. Similar is the story with all Indians today, some days back i corrected a friend for a grammatical error and his reply was "Its OK. I am Indian". His reply had made me very angry, you could have made omelet on my back. All I wanted to do was beat the hell out of him.

This is one of the many situation i have come across in my life till date. If you really want to improve and inspire the remainder, well the only inspiration should be doing it for your country and making it proud. All i want is for the tendency of letting go things only by saying "WE ARE INDIAN SO IT'S OK IF WE DON'T DO TI" to fade off completely.

Chak de India..

6 comments:

  1. Good one mate !!!!i Bow down and say Vande matram!!!!!!!vande matram!!!

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  2. i think it'll take a while to fade away..... nice post though!! :)

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  3. really good...inspiring....end kuch jyada hi patriotic hai..but its gud..!

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  4. thanx all..well i know..but i was trying to get the message through..

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  5. yes... we do tend to take things lightly many a times...bt kya kare... har cheez last moment pe karne ki aadat lag gaye hai ! eg : commonwealth games !
    n ya u wer rite.... u shud hv beat the hell out of him...

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