'A Wednesday' - Comeback of common man
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Two (non-profane) words that an average Indian adult would have heard the most about would be 'Comman man'. The elected ministers talk how they are helping the common man, while the opposition holds rallies and press conference to tell how the common man is getting neglected. The economists roll out the schemes for this very 'common man', while critics oppose very same schemes saying they are against a common man. Yesterday I ran off from my hectic professional life to see the last show of the newly released movie - 'Wednesday' and yes, the theme revolved around 'The common man'.
Bollywood has been rolling out the movies on a common man since big bang, where the image and issues faced by a common man has changed as portrayed in 60s by Balraj Sahni, 70's by Raj Kapoor, 80's by Amitabh Bachhan, 90's by contemporary cinema and theaters, 2000's by likes of Pankaj Kapoor, Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Anupam Kher - essentially the artists who have come from theaters. (I may have not counted some prominent names, but essentially this kind of gives a picture to grasp what am referring to). But till date when a character associates him/herself with a common man, the public still clap, they still find that connect emotionally overwhelming. 'Wednesday' is no different.The much so common day to day life setup of the movie without gloss, glamor, villains flying and rolling in air on hitting one jab has resulted in better connect. Leaving a few sound effects, the direction has been commendable, but what steals the show is the dialogue delivery and acting by the two protagonists - Anupam and Naseeruddin. Terrorism is one big topic these days thanks to the bomb blasts series that has started in India. And the aggression that is egressing in an average Indian against 'cockroaches' (as movie calls them) results in a gripping experience. One may wonder how an average 'common man' who looks like a clerk you may find in any public office, or a guy wiping his face on an average day in Mumbai's local trains may decide one day to go against the very crowd he has been walking around with since childhood. A terrorist is no different than any other person, and so is a person who may be following any different religion- where people change is in belief.
We humans have a gift unlike other animals, we can think and when we think we have beliefs and point of views. Some people accept the fact that others can have different point of view while some cant. Then some of the latter want rest to go by what they themselves believe, which when not done makes them turn toxic to the very society they have been part of. We may be social animals, but the animal and social nature are contradictory. They need to be in balance as Yin and Yang of Chinese FengShui, whenever this balance internal to a human changes, we become either too social (whom many will find irritating personalities) or too animal.
You would have been through the people who ask for charity, for money towards social cause or even for some flood relief etc. Its your wish to give, you may not give as you may not feel like giving or you may question if the money will go in right hands. But then there are people who will stop you and pester you to pay. Reason is not that its for social cause, reason is the organizers firmly believe that they are doing a social cause; in plain English I would call it imposition. Similar is the case with religion, its like a kind of a philosophy kept there in open, who so ever wants it will subscribe to it.
But then that's us, humans. We aren't limited to ourselves, we long for what the web of social linkages gives us; so the drama shall go on; and so shall the lives even if that is of a common man whose life goes on to achieve the balance between the Yin (dark/negative) and Yang (bright/positive).
Labels: Experiences, Movie Critics
posted by Jas @ 12:51 PM,
3 Comments:
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At September 29, 2008 10:56 AM,
Girish said...
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Hey Jas
Good to see that your blog is still active here...how do you manage time to get to this i wont ask here...but great going man! Hows life otherwise?
Girish -
At October 03, 2008 4:34 PM,
Jas said...
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Well the frequency hasnt been very good, but yes this blog gives me time to talk to self and wonder...
Will catch on life front at ur gmail! -
At October 11, 2008 8:39 AM,
Pilot-Pooja said...
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I strongly agree with the second half of your post which talks about human mind.
I too believe that where there is imposition, it starts creating room for disbelief which may further lead to frustration!
