If "Rock On!" was about how stretching yourself away from your real self, stretching the most important relationships in life almost to the breaking point can destroy the soul of life, then "A Wednesday" was a fictional, but undeniable portrayal of what a common man can resort to when stretched for his patience. "Shoot On Sight" - built on the backdrop of 7/7 London blasts - is again a fictional, but undeniable portrayal of a senior muslim cop who is faced with two sets of people who have stretched their beliefs to two opposite poles. He is faced with a choice between them, but the problem is he can't choose either. You can identify with him - irrespective of whether you are a muslim or not - the same way you can identify with the Mumbaikar in "A Wednesday" (Incidently, both characters get itched in the memory because of Naseeruddin Shah's performance - a coincidence?), irrespective of whether you live in Mumbai or not.
I remember from the science lessons learnt in highschool that as deficiency of essential nutrients like vitamins can hurt the body, so can excessive intake of them. You have to always look for a balance in the diet. If this is is true for the physical health of a human being then same holds true for her mental, emotional, intellectual health also. She needs a balance diet of moral and religious values, faiths, beliefs, emotions and intellect. But an excess of any of these can do equal harm as can the deficiency, and that is the thing to be guarded against, particularly in these trying times.
We live in a world today which is being pulled to various extremes by all kinds of extremists. To me, an extremist is any person who stretches things beyond the healthy limit - in any aspect of life, be it relationships, beliefs, values, behaviors - where it hurts the people around him. The only faith, religion and belief that an extremist follows is that of extremism. We need religions, but religious beliefs can't overide humanity; we need communities, but communal beliefs should not override humanity; we need brilliant individuals to lead people, but no individual can be allowed to overpower humanity.
We say that the world is becoming small every day, getting integrated so closely in this phase of globalization; and yet it seems to be disintegrating at its seam, every day. Do we lack a balance somewhere? Today we have a situation on our hands where there are certain extremist activist groups who are keen on destruction to make an impact, and then there are equally extremist governments who have waged a war aginst these groups and have vowed to destroy them. Amidst all the destruction, the people who have lost the most are those who do not want to identify with either. The situation back home is no different, where the race for power is getting uglier day-by-day. The key issues are swept under the carpet, and the issues which get attention are all manufactured by various players in the game of power. Through all this, the common man has the seemingly impossible job of strikning a balance in his life and he will have to suceed for that is the only hope for survival of humanity.
At the end, a question that keeps popping up in my mind is probably asked in the most profound way in these lines penned by Javedsaab.
Ishwar Allah Tere Jahan Mein, Nafrat Kyon Hai Jung Hai Kyon
Tera Dil To Itna Bada Hai, Insaan Ka Dil Tang Hai Kyon
Kadam Kadam Par Sarhad Kyon Hai, Saari Zameen Jo Teri Hai
Sooraj Ke Phere Karati Hai, Phir Kyon Itni Andheri Hai
Is Duniya Ke Daaman Par, Insaan Ke Lahoo Ka Rang Hai Kyon
Goonj Rahi Kitni Cheekhein, Pyaar Ki Baatein Kaun Sunein
Toot Rahe Hain Kitne Sapne, Inke Tukde Kaun Chunien
Dil Ke Darwaazon Par Taaley, Taalon Par Ye Jang Hai Kyon
1 comment:
great poem! and a good post as well!
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