The battle continues
I've been waging a constant battle with myself ever since I move to the U.S. Where does my future lie, where will I establish my career, family, life, etc. I came here with the intention of going back at some time - get a Business degree, work for a bit - pay off the loans, maybe get a cushy job back in the homeland, live the good life - sundays at the club, and all that jazz. And then the bubble burst. Alot of things happened at once in the Fall of 2001. Confused and disoriented, the future began to look a little fuzzy - geographically, and professionally. The Comm school wasn't doin' it for me, and the MSA (and its crew) opened up avenues that I never thought I would choose to go down.
Why does this matter? Well, I watched this movie - Rang de Basanti - last night. Its about a British film maker that goes to India to make a documentary about four freedom Indian freedom fighters that her grandfather, an officer in the British Army, had written about in his diary. She comes in with some very romanticized views of India and Indians, and is rather disappointed when her search for the perfect actors comes up with nothing. She finds that most Indian youth greatly lack the patriotism of their forefathers and have allowed government bureaucrats to run the country in any way they please, watching in disbelief as corruption reigns supreme. A dramatic event changes her cast from a complacent bunch of losers into modern day versions of their historical characters.
Overall it was a well made movie, but what I realized something - and this is related to George Clooney's acceptance speech at the Oscars two weeks ago.
Similarly, I think Bollywood is going down the same road. Taking on the challenge of addressing issues that are not normally addressed in India. Especially in the last 10 years, I've noticed that there are a lot of films coming out that talk about the British Raj and Independence. For a coutry that collectively took a leap in time over that short period that was partition - and for the most part ignored the violence, and the reasons why that violence occurred ... in short, as a nation, India ignored its history.
Most of my education took place in India - and I'll tell you - my high school history text books went like this - first there the Aryans came, next the Rajputs, followed by the Moghuls [my timeline maybe off] --- a rather detailed and monotonous account of all the successes and failures of the various empires. And then the British entered ... and a century or so later - India was independent. What happened in between the entry of the Raj to their exit? I never knew. All I knew was that partition occurred, never knowing what the deal was. You'd think that the future citizens of a nation should know where they came from? The result was a generation of mostly complacent and uneducated youth - and I am a part of that generation. Most people have a very warped view of what happened in 1947 - and how modern day India, Pakistan and Bangladesh were formed. I personally had little to no understanding - no clue why everyone was so hot and bothered about Kashmir, why Muslims and Hindus had such antagonism for one another (not so much where I grew up, but in the North). Oddly enough, it wasn't until I came to the US that I began to explore my heritage - as a Muslim and an Indian. Unfortunately, most people in India are not as fortunate - which is why films like Rang de Basanti are so important. While this particular film doesn't talk about partition, it does talk about making politicians accountable, and taking a stand.
Why does any of this matter -and why have I shared this with the virtual world? I guess I'm just sharing my entirely confused state of mind, and the fact that my battle continues ...
Why does this matter? Well, I watched this movie - Rang de Basanti - last night. Its about a British film maker that goes to India to make a documentary about four freedom Indian freedom fighters that her grandfather, an officer in the British Army, had written about in his diary. She comes in with some very romanticized views of India and Indians, and is rather disappointed when her search for the perfect actors comes up with nothing. She finds that most Indian youth greatly lack the patriotism of their forefathers and have allowed government bureaucrats to run the country in any way they please, watching in disbelief as corruption reigns supreme. A dramatic event changes her cast from a complacent bunch of losers into modern day versions of their historical characters.
Overall it was a well made movie, but what I realized something - and this is related to George Clooney's acceptance speech at the Oscars two weeks ago.
"... we are a little bit out of touch in Hollywood every once in a while. I think it's probably a good thing. We're the ones who talk about AIDS when it was just being whispered, and we talked about civil rights when it wasn't really popular. And we, you know, we bring up subjects. This Academy, this group of people ! gave Hattie McDaniel an Oscar in 1939 when blacks were still sitting in the backs of theaters. I'm proud to be a part of this Academy, proud to be part of this community, and proud to be out of touch."
Similarly, I think Bollywood is going down the same road. Taking on the challenge of addressing issues that are not normally addressed in India. Especially in the last 10 years, I've noticed that there are a lot of films coming out that talk about the British Raj and Independence. For a coutry that collectively took a leap in time over that short period that was partition - and for the most part ignored the violence, and the reasons why that violence occurred ... in short, as a nation, India ignored its history.
Most of my education took place in India - and I'll tell you - my high school history text books went like this - first there the Aryans came, next the Rajputs, followed by the Moghuls [my timeline maybe off] --- a rather detailed and monotonous account of all the successes and failures of the various empires. And then the British entered ... and a century or so later - India was independent. What happened in between the entry of the Raj to their exit? I never knew. All I knew was that partition occurred, never knowing what the deal was. You'd think that the future citizens of a nation should know where they came from? The result was a generation of mostly complacent and uneducated youth - and I am a part of that generation. Most people have a very warped view of what happened in 1947 - and how modern day India, Pakistan and Bangladesh were formed. I personally had little to no understanding - no clue why everyone was so hot and bothered about Kashmir, why Muslims and Hindus had such antagonism for one another (not so much where I grew up, but in the North). Oddly enough, it wasn't until I came to the US that I began to explore my heritage - as a Muslim and an Indian. Unfortunately, most people in India are not as fortunate - which is why films like Rang de Basanti are so important. While this particular film doesn't talk about partition, it does talk about making politicians accountable, and taking a stand.
Why does any of this matter -and why have I shared this with the virtual world? I guess I'm just sharing my entirely confused state of mind, and the fact that my battle continues ...
posted by zai5h at Sunday, March 19, 2006
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