Shaurya: What's that???

A Few Good Men is one of my favorite movies, so obviously a movie which a rip-off or an "inspired" movie would make me highly critical.

At the same time, I expected a lot from this movie. It had a great & intelligent cast, and I finally thought we would see a movie which would highlight one of our country's top national institutions -- the Indian Army. Needless to say, I was very very disappointed with the end result. I would not like to discuss the movie but would rather point out the two issues I felt strongly about.

The first and foremost issue I had was the inability of the movie to showcase the Indian Army and its internal workings properly. If one follows most of the Hollywood movies, one would realise that even with movies dealing with negatives implications concerning certain practices in the defence services, what emerges is that the institution is supreme, and it is the processes, rules and regulation of the institution which come out as supreme. Truth prevails, but not at the cost of an institution. These movies highlight not only their defense services, but all Institutions, like those of their President, Universities, and the likes as being supreme and as the bearers of the best ideals. Somehow this is what a lot of our movies have lacked in showing over the years.

Many would argue that artistic expression does reflect the reality around us. But can our creative expression also not express the ideals that could and in fact should exist within our society? Can we not have our movies reflecting not only the reality but also try to create an aspiration for the viewer, an aspiration to be a part of the best institutions, the best practices to look up to? Instead, we have slipped into this mentality of making fun of our institutions. Ridicule them, lampoon them, but never make them seem to be bearers of the right values. Fault, it is, which we must find everywhere. Reflection of modern times?? Or, a feeling of pessimism. Maybe, an Elsworth Toohey would be at his best here.

One could look upon my suggestions as too idealistic; But if we do not showcase these institutions to our people, never will they respect it; more so, never will people come forward and volunteer to be a part of our national institutions. Coming back to the movie, what infuriated me was that the subject of the film was dealt with such immaturity. The movie had the unique opportunity of showcasing our defence services to the young people, as an institution where you had varying responsibilities; just not shooting and killing the enemy, but also other career opportunities ,like law. But that fact was conveniently forgotten. Technically inefficient in handling of the main premise of the movie, which was the court case ( did I mention A Few Good Men anywhere!), we again lost an opportunity of showcasing how our Army was equipped to weed out the fanatics within the system. Instead, we are subjected to useless plots, and a court case which is won more by a "tamasha" rather an logical thinking.

The second issue with the movie is an issue which almost every post 9/11 movie likes dealing in. Delving once again into the perception of Muslims being terrorists, the feeling of innovative and creative thinking seems to have gone away from our "artistes". Give me a break guys, but has this issue not been done to death already. I mean, why do we need to keep reminding ourselves that we have to combat the above said perception? I think a lot of people have realised that the perception is false, so lets just move on with our lives. Why do we need to get religion into everything? Is it only religion which can make one so passionate that one borders on fanaticism? We,as a society, need to honestly evaluate this belief, which somehow gets perpetuated in every movie these days.

Hence, simply put, lets build the reputation of our national institutions, for at the end of the day that is our identity, and for god's sake, lets move out of the irrelevant posturing which we as a society have come to believe expresses our inner self.

And finally, let us have some original work, and not "inspired" work, which even manages a 3 star rating in The Times of India. HA HA HA!!!

Helping out

Ever since I have been back home, I have discovered a new trait in myself. I actually enjoy helping others out.

Today, I counselled a friend who is doing his Summer Internship, on the possibilities of defining the scope for his project. It gave me a high again to be talking about marketing. The jargon filled conversation, with the marketing lingo just coming out as if there was no tomorrow, was actually quite exhilarating. Discussing promotional mixes, price points, consumer profiles just transported me to another world. I put it down to a return to marketing jargon and the feeling of security initially, but it later turned out to be just the act of being able to help, counsel, guide someone which was the real high!

What made me realise this was the fact that I have been helping my father in a task with which he had been struggling for quite a few days. Why I had not done so before is beyond me, and now that I have spent the last 3 hours helping him out actually gives me a lot of satisfaction. But again, the common thread between these two events is that I applied myself again in a capacity to help or guide a task to completion.

The satisfaction which I derived from these tasks, has made me wonder, why during the last 2 years, I was not doing this on a regular basis. The most simple and straightforward reason which I can come up with right now is that, during the past two years, competition blinded me to a huge extent. I felt I had a point to prove to everyone. Maybe that led to a rebellious streak which could have resulted in bouts of selfishness. It led me to certain acts, which in hindsight I find intolerable. But I rest easy in the belief that at least I did realise the folly, and am now in the process of correcting myself and my behaviour.

In retrospect, I have always enjoyed myself when I have been in a position to guide others, help with my limited knowledge, and help them achieve their dreams, or achieve their targets. Doing it humbly for others, without expecting anything in return is actually a wonderful feeling. I suggest everyone tries it. For me, maybe, it is something which I can explore further.

Why

• Why does India not have a popular War memorial post Independence?
• Why do people get worked up when it comes keeping their words?
• Why does my blog never have the fluidity or the flow in its writing?
• Why do I not possess the will to write about things which keep cropping in my mind time and again?
• Why am I willing to go through other people's blogs and leave sane, intelligent and apt remarks there?
• Why do people maintain blogs?
• Why do we need structure and objectives in everything?
• Why are Indian traditions related to marriage so dependant on exchange of gifts?
• Why can i not put down my inactivity on my blog down to writer's block?
• Why am I writing this post?
• Why does each line Begin with why?

ANSWER:

This is called BHASAD...the biggest lesson I have learnt through Engineering and MBA.

(Added 21/4/08: BHASAD has been explained in the comments section mentioned below, courtesy Jaya S!!!)