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A Generation Awakens!!
But did it? Being a part of the generation that we are, we have been witness to events that refused to happen in the space of a generation before. And I am saying this keeping the Indian context in mind.
Ten years ago, and I say ago because it does seem a long time back, hardly had anyone in the country heard of a personal computer. And today you find one everywhere. Even farmers have access to computers and internet thanks to the e-choupal project by ITC. The speed at which this country has developed is something that has not been witnessed by citizens of other generations and neither by those of other countries.
It’s a great time to be an Indian! Well when was it not anyways. Maybe we will talk more on that some other day. For now we go back to the topic in my mind. Rang De Munnabhai!!
With an assumption that everyone has seen both of the movies that I am referring to, I will dive into the topic. There was a time when movies were regarded to be hopeless stories about a man and a woman in love, with the ethereal running around the trees phenomena, with one bad guy and lots of his bald mates. At the end, the good prevails over evil. These were movies that a person with an IQ of a nincompoop could watch and come out none the wiser. They didn’t make anyone think, not surprising that the people who actually MADE that movie didn’t do this exercise either. Nevertheless, time moved on and through evolution, Mr. Darwin smiles again, we got better moviemakers, and more importantly who did the mentioned exercise.
We then saw a breed of movies with messages in it. Not that these kinds of movies were non existent, but they never served the purpose of making money for the producers. The new breed though, hit bull’s eye. People could make a movie with a message in it and people ACTUALLY liked it. These are high budget multi-starrer movies which were just a brilliantly made three hour public service message. But there was an essential difference. People listened. And they liked it.
Now, another question is, do we need such movies? Hell yes we do. If these movies are working then of course it means we need it. Now, another question, keeping both of the movies in mind, which is the one we need more? Let’s see. Munnabhai was a movie which preached old-school values. It told you to go back to your roots as an Indian, and just act, more of a human being. Rang De on the other hand was a movie promising to awaken a generation from its slumber. And it DID do that to an extent. Remember the protests after the reservation proposals? Jog your mind and think, would it have drawn the same reaction had there been no Rang De? I think not. It told you to become a NEW India. An India which party’s, drinks, eats, dances and still wants to stand up for itself. Both were movies that will be eternal.
And do we need more of these movies? YOU have the answer.
A Generation Has Awakened!!
But did it? Being a part of the generation that we are, we have been witness to events that refused to happen in the space of a generation before. And I am saying this keeping the Indian context in mind.
Ten years ago, and I say ago because it does seem a long time back, hardly had anyone in the country heard of a personal computer. And today you find one everywhere. Even farmers have access to computers and internet thanks to the e-choupal project by ITC. The speed at which this country has developed is something that has not been witnessed by citizens of other generations and neither by those of other countries.
It’s a great time to be an Indian! Well when was it not anyways. Maybe we will talk more on that some other day. For now we go back to the topic in my mind. Rang De Munnabhai!!
With an assumption that everyone has seen both of the movies that I am referring to, I will dive into the topic. There was a time when movies were regarded to be hopeless stories about a man and a woman in love, with the ethereal running around the trees phenomena, with one bad guy and lots of his bald mates. At the end, the good prevails over evil. These were movies that a person with an IQ of a nincompoop could watch and come out none the wiser. They didn’t make anyone think, not surprising that the people who actually MADE that movie didn’t do this exercise either. Nevertheless, time moved on and through evolution, Mr. Darwin smiles again, we got better moviemakers, and more importantly who did the mentioned exercise.
We then saw a breed of movies with messages in it. Not that these kinds of movies were non existent, but they never served the purpose of making money for the producers. The new breed though, hit bull’s eye. People could make a movie with a message in it and people ACTUALLY liked it. These are high budget multi-starrer movies which were just a brilliantly made three hour public service message. But there was an essential difference. People listened. And they liked it.
Now, another question is, do we need such movies? Hell yes we do. If these movies are working then of course it means we need it. Now, another question, keeping both of the movies in mind, which is the one we need more? Let’s see. Munnabhai was a movie which preached old-school values. It told you to go back to your roots as an Indian, and just act, more of a human being. Rang De on the other hand was a movie promising to awaken a generation from its slumber. And it DID do that to an extent. Remember the protests after the reservation proposals? Jog your mind and think, would it have drawn the same reaction had there been no Rang De? I think not. It told you to become a NEW India. An India which party’s, drinks, eats, dances and still wants to stand up for itself. Both were movies that will be eternal.
And do we need more of these movies? YOU have the answer.
A Generation Has Awakened!!
1 comment:
I so agree... these movies have worked with the masses but its momentary. The sales of books on gandhi actually rose after munnabhai. but howlong will this last. The media will report it as long as they find a way to connect these incidents to the movies. These stories genrate eye balls aftr all. Id like to be optimistic n believ the genration awakenin bit, bt i knw the hype will die down. --raddy!
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