Patriotism the Bollywood way...

Patriotism and Hindi motion pictures have always gone hand in hand. We all heard of the days when the national anthem was played at the end of every movie. Every year there is at least one movie that keeps the patriotic spirit in us alive. From the black n white chronicles of the freedom struggle to the hep ultra modern youth transforming into freedom struggle revolutionaries… the movies have always kept up with the changing times and have pricked the patriotic conscience in us – if only for the 3 hrs that we are utterly alone in a dark hall full of people, who are experiencing the same. I wonder why the spirit dies down once the curtains are drawn and the lights are switched on, and we find ourselves once again a part of a crowd.

The legend of Bhagat Singh (one of the half a dozen similar chronicles to hit the silver screen at once) made Bhagat the unsung hero of the freedom struggle. Bhagat dreams of an India where “har dharam, har mazhab, har zyaat ke log ek hi aasmaan ke neechein suraksha ki neend so sakein. Aur wahi hoga sahi maine mein azaad Bharat. Sunehara Bharat… Hamara Bharat.” Rang De Basanti - a better box office hit, also a favourite among all the youth of today is more about caring for the country. It reinvented the spirit of the freedom struggle and made us feel that there was a Bhagat Singh hidden inside each of us. Lage raho Munna Bhai – another re-invention… this time the father of our nation went live on the FM. Taking up his principles and blending them with the mood of the our times - “Gandhigiri” became the new age mantra for non-violence. Chak de India – also patriotic in its own way… captured the spirit of patriotism that sports are always associated with them; reviving India’s interest in its national game. Lagaan – cricket and patriotism… the perfect mix! In Swades Mohan Bhargava gives up a dream job in the dream land, to work for the betterment of the home land… Swades deals with the new age patriotism. It gives a kind of solution to what can be done now. Halla Bol – another patriotic movie, which talks about integrity and standing up for what’s right; about taking responsibility to change the system that has gone wrong. Yuva another movie of the same kind, but the solution is different – urging the intelligentia to become a part of the political system.

Cinema is a very powerful medium in our country. It evokes passion in our country like nothing else (except cricket) does. But my question is why do we wait for a movie to come and tell us what is right and what ought to be done? And why is the effect so short lived? Every national holiday we sit and spend a short while wondering about patriotism – again thanks to the media which keeps flashing it up at our conscience. Shouldn’t patriotism be something more deep routed and permanent? Something that we should be proud of wearing up our sleeve? and not something that opens our eyes in dark theatres…There are a million ways to show our love for the nation. The simplest thing is to feel that it is yours. It is your very own wonderful beautiful nation… MY India, YOUR India, OUR India. It is your home. Take care of it as you would your own dwelling. Keep it clean, keep things in order, follow the law – they are just a small courtesy towards your neighbours sharing the same dwelling; help one another; raise your voice against injustice; take responsibility for changing what’s wrong. Take responsibility – ‘coz if you won’t do it who will? It is up to each and every one of us to keep our India shining. If it doesn’t – the fault lies within each one of us…

Take responsibility. “koi desh perfect nahi hota. Use perfect banana padta hai” n “… zimmedaari uthao use badal ne ki”. You can make a difference – for a better tomorrow – for you and for every one else on this beautiful piece of earth we call home – India.