Sunday, January 24, 2016

Be the Change!!

"When difficult times come, people change." - This is not something that you might have heard for the first time but it definitely is something that I heard today with a very different meaning.

I was watching the latest Bollywood movie Airlift, starring Akshay Kumar. The movie is about how the Indians escaped the adverse conditions in Kuwait post Iraq's attack. Now, like all Akshay movies, this is definitely a movie worth the watch. Bigger than that, however, the reason why I really saw the movie is because of 'Kuwait'. Kuwait forms a part of my childhood. And not just childhood, Kuwait has given me some really amazing memories that I am fond of. I would watch the movie even if there was nothing else except Kuwait. Though, on the same note, I am highly disappointed. There were very few stills of Kuwait in the movie.

Coming back on the topic; Akshay plays the role of Ranjith, who is successful businessman in Kuwait. He considers himself Kuwaiti until the unfortunate happens. An underage Iraqi soldier killing his driver in the middle of the road was the first wake-up call for Ranjith. Eventually, he not only becomes an Indian, but takes the responsibility of the near 2L Indians who was stuck in the situation.
When he faces some failures, the people around him get upset and bother him further. (To be honest, there is just one character shown - Mr. George, who is really stupid and nagging; though, I can't say much about the character in a public blog like this one... the character spoke Tamil and from the name belonged to Kerala.)
At this point, Ranjith's wife takes charge and says the same sentence. She telling Mr. George that Ranjith could have escaped with just his family and left them all behid. He didnt have to wait for the others, leave the bother part. She tells how people change in difficult times and so did Ranjith. If Ranjith had had been the same old self, he would have set the nagging people straight in a moment.

When she says that sentence, I can't help but think of how limited my thoughts are. If I had heard the sentence in a random situation, I would never interpret that the person changed for the better. Yet, here we see that people do. More importantly, everyone knows that people behave the bravest when they are least expected to.

Another beautiful thing that happened in the movie was - the picturization of the song 'Soch Na Sake'. There is a Kuwaiti women with her new-born baby in the Indian camp. While moving out the camp, people make noise about risking their safety for one lady (only George makes noise!!). Ranjith decides to take the lady all by himself in his car, with his family. He takes the decision and then introduces the lady to his wife. There is a moment there where the two of them look at each other and share a smile.
It is then later portion of the song starts playing -
"Aankhon ki hai yeh khwahishein
Ki chehre se teri na hatein
Neendon mein meri bas tere
Khwabon ne li hai karwatein

Ki teri ore mujhko leke chalein
Ye duniya bhar ke sab raaste
Main tujhko kitna chahta hoon
Ye tu kabhi soch na sake"
 This is a highly romantic song and I would never expect it to be played in a situation like this. Also, the understanding shown between Ranjith and his wife is commendable. In the start, it feels as if the things are not well between the pair but moments like this and many others, define what a real companionship means.
Honestly, truly, Hats Off!!!

Finally, we see where the Tricolor gets hoisted on the Airport in Amman (Jordan) - when all the people finally breath and air of relief. And it is the effort of the several Indian Government officials and the pilots at Air India, Indian Airlines and Indian Army, who make this entire thing possible.

Quite honestly, people keep asking what their country has done for them. But what we don't realize that the country does something for us each and every second.

Akshay and the entire team of the movie - an amazing effort! Thank You!!!

Thursday, January 14, 2016

I never thought that this would be the first post that I would make in this year. I never wish that I would have to write this at all.

There were always posts on facebook and other social networking sites that "One Day, a News Item should come that Jo passed away and my children wouldnt understand why I take out some old books named 'Harry Potter' and read them while crying." I am not ready for that. I am not ready for this either.

I come home from office.. and somewhere I was not feeling very nice today. But it was a good day at work. I had no idea why I had a bad feeling. I slept on my way back and just like that, it was all gone. I felt normal again.
When I reached home, I saw my phone and there were messages that "Snape passed away". I couldnt even make any sense of it. Snape was dead already, almost two decades earlier. Then why are people posting such messages. I couldn't even think, not for even a moment, that it was about Alan.
I just came home and like always, I switched on the television and connected my hard drive. I wanted to see a movie and decided to watch Death Hallows.

When I finally realized what had happened... all I could think of was the post... that when Alan
should be 80, he should read Harry Potter books.

Alan came to me as a person who believed in the goodness in Severus from the start (having been told by Jo himself)... this is something I shared with him. Other than that, he gave face to my passwords... Today when I tried logging in, for a moment I thought I wouldnt be able to, since Snape isnt there anymore. 

The final memory of Alan I treasure is realizing that he is 69. I never knew he was this old. Snape doesnt look that old. And as a joke, I realized that its just 10 years for Alan to read the Harry Potter series again.

Damn You destiny! I still cry everytime I see 'The Prince's Tale' chapter in the movies. How do you expect me to live this in real life ?

But you know something.. I know there is no bringing back from the dead but there certainly is not letting you go. I took out all my Harry Potter books and I am holding them and that is when I realize... you don't need to kill anyone to create a horcrux. Each and Every one associated with Harry Potter, even us - the fans, will never truly leave until even a single copy of these books exist.

You are not going anywhere Snape or Alan. It is a personal loss for your family... Other than that.. you are here... and even though I cry as I type this, I just cant help but this what a global impact would this have caused.

Today there would be millions other than myself who would be in the great sense of despair. Many with me, would wear black, to honor the man who wore the same robes. Many would be posting this and googling the same.

Snape.. (Jo)... look what you have done!! This is the magic of love and ink!!

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