My Thoughts on Freedom on 'A Wednesday'

At first go, it seemed like – Man, I should have watched it when Saagar’s (a good friend of mine from college) mom recommended me this movie way back in 2008. Since that day, I never really bothered to watch or think too much about the movie. I was on my way to higher studies and this movie never crossed my mind until few days ago when I saw a status on my wife’s Facebook wall. The status read this way - “I was watching A Wednesday some days back and loved it for the sheer cheek of Nassiruddin Shah as a common stupid man! I think now we need more and more of them!!”

I didn’t look at the reviews and neither I knew what the plot was.  All I knew; it had Nassiruddin Shah and his role was really good as told by Saagar’s mom. After reading the status last week, I got interested and I decided to watch this movie. Sheer coincidence I chose a Wednesday to watch this movie.

The screenplay was quite impressive and I liked the flow with which the movie moves ahead and concludes. No songs and that’s a plus in such movies and there wasn’t any violence in the story. It was artistic and movies are all about communicating one’s stories and this definitely did.

To add my personal view, somehow I always got a feeling while watching the movie, the stupid common man played by Mr. Shah isn’t a terrorist nor does he have grand plans to upset the normal public life. It was his way to deal with the justice. “We are resilient by force and not by choice” and frankly this line quite sums it up the voice of a common man. We live in a country where a common man is suppressed to make his choice, by and large forced to make a living. The patriotism in us isn’t just talking about injustice; it is about making a difference and showing the way.

I read a quote yesterday – “An activist is not a person who complains about the surroundings being dirty, an activist goes about cleaning them”. This very act of his seems foolish to most of us when he could have led a less stressful life by not getting into it at all. This quote summed up as to why the protagonist, the unknown caller calls himself as a ‘stupid common man’.

  

I have been asking this question since my college days to myself – “What it takes to lead a better life?”  Over a period of time, I have come to understand that, the answer lies within us. Only I can define the better life I want to have and for that, I need to get to know my inner self and where it wants to be. This I believe is an on-going process and will only get better with time. If I am not happy with the surroundings I am in, all I can do is, change it and hope for a better tomorrow.

We fought for our freedom and finally a date was chosen, 15^th August to celebrate our freedom. But deep down we all agree with ourselves we are far away from freedom. And what is the meaning of having freedom? It is to live by choice and not by force.

To be free isn’t just having a corrupt free government, it goes beyond it. Although it isn’t easy for me to accept this wholeheartedly at times, but the truth is, each individual gives his/her best act based on his/her set of beliefs at any instant of time. In an ideal world, everyone can do anything and yet no single individual will suffer. This is the definition of freedom according to the ideal life. In practical terms, what (freedom) seems like a panacea may actually be a potion that would stop our evolution as a human.

I am attached to a lot of people, things etc unless I get rid of each and every one, I may never be able to attain freedom. Or is it a restriction I am putting on myself? Well it is all about my choice. I just have to accept the fact that, I just have a place in this world and I have a role to play. And at the same time, acknowledge the fact there will be others with their own set of ideologies living around me. There will be a clash in some way or the other from time to time. That’s the very essence of work in progress.  On the other hand, there will be some wonderful moments. Important is to strike a balance according to one’s idiosyncrasies. Understanding oneself seems the most effective solution according to me. It is by far the best homework to understand others.

With respect to freedom, all I can say from my experience is that; there will be brief moments in life where our mind will think, our heart will feel things without any notion of fear. Such a condition to me is freedom especially in the world we live. How long it lasts? I do not know but I can safely accept the fact that I look forward to such moments more and more.

‘A Wednesday’ is a 2008 thriller movie made in Hindi. Directed by Neeraj Pandey, this movie was well received by the audience due to its brilliant story and a well twisted ending. The cast apart from Nassiruddin Shah includes Anupam Kher, Jimmy Shergill, Deepal Shaw and Aamir Bashir in supporting roles. 

Countdown to the D-Day - Part III

I was quite superstitious about my hair. I just had too many things running on my head from mid 2007. It turned out to be a nice fodder for my hair. I just liked it, long hair; I took a good care of it. It didn’t matter, I was working, because never I had doubts I would cut my hair, owing to some pressure at work or family. And people who mattered at work and at home, never pressurised me either. They knew I wouldn’t budge. Actually, in a way, it turned out better. I was able to do a lot of work which I enjoyed, meeting clients across Bangalore and Chennai. Ok, it was a coincidence that Dhoni too had long hair at that time. But who cares, he was successful and often few people referred me as Dhoni. Coming back, March first week 2008, I flew to Mumbai for the zonal qualifying. We had four zones of qualifying Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. Top two teams are selected for the semi finals in Mumbai followed by finals very same day. After a nice lunch at Pradeep’s place, we go the auditorium. We didn’t qualify, it wasn’t about Formula 1 alone, it was about the entire Motorsports and that was something. We both were shocked, but to be honest, weren’t disappointed. There was a lot of quality in the teams. We felt out of place at some times when we watched the finals.
We asked if we could take part in the Chennai round with the quiz master Avinash Mudaliar. Since we had not qualified, we were allowed to take part.
Boy, the next two weeks was to determine our capabilities. Pradeep just called at odd hours and this time he was asking me to put fundas. Once, he even asked his girlfriend to speak to me about focussing on the task ahead and not waste time with girls and other stuff. He was funny, and I admire his unique ways of pushing his partner to achieve a common goal. He knew I had it in me.
We went to Chennai two weeks later, and guess what; it turned to be one of the toughest motorsports prelims we had ever encountered. We topped the prelims again. It was the final round of qualifying, so in a way, we weren’t dished out Formula1 etc, it was hardcore motorsports. All forms of Motorsports. We were introduced as one of the best Sports Quizzers by Avinash Mudaliar, quite sarcastic though. We had a point to prove. Till the last round, Man, we had lost it. There was no way unless for the miracles in the buzzer round, we could make it. We had to answer 3 questions correct and hope others answered it incorrect or not answer at all. This was to take the second spot.
First Question, we answer. Second Question, 5th Team (team which is in second answers), Third Question, the leading team answers. We still had a chance if we answered two correctly and hope the last one went unanswered.
4th Question, a toughie, we press the buzzer and answer. Hi-fi’s exchanged, c’mon we can do it. 5th Question, no clue, we press the buzzer, we worked out in short time and Pradeep answered Bughatti. Perfect. We were 2nd. The last question went unanswered, as we didn’t have to take a chance.
We got a round of appreciation for our late effort. In fact it was the final two rounds, we went overboard.
Ok, we made it. At least, the sarcasm we proved we were good enough for the finals. Now, we were among the Top 8 teams in India. After a month round of qualifying,

We felt Barcelona a bit closer. Yes, the winning team won an all expense trip to Spanish Grand Prix 2008. Pradeep from the beginning had one aim, Barcelona.
And in the end, it turned out; we did this quiz, travelling crazily one place after the other in search of this. This was what one calls, chasing one’s dreams.
That night, at Chennai Airport, I was reflecting on few things. I wondered, did my hair play any role, I know, I was being superstitious about it. But, I had a feeling, I had all the luck and I got everything I wanted, because I had long hair. I somehow didn’t like to be under this assumption. I saw Dhoni winning in Australia ODI series with his short hair. Sometimes, we need to break out of this shell to understand who we are. It’s good to be getting things done, not because of the hair, because of the capabilities. Next few days, I went about pondering, to have a hair cut or not. Fine, let me have it. And I felt a change, I was not the same guy, who went about being ruthless in his work, I felt, I was reborn and I knew I was transformed emotionally and now I was ready to look at life from a different perspective.

Just a week before the finals, I had my hair cut. I feel, one of the bold moves I ever made considering the stake of the finals. I didn’t want this hair, I wanted to get out of this, it was sort of force that was holding me. I wanted to be liberated. Liberated I was after the haircut.
The finals were to be held at ITC Shearton, Mumbai. All expense paid by Times of India and BP (Bharat Petroleum). Flights, hotel stay, commuting etc