It was so exciting to watch Bajrangi Bhaijaan in Oman. The theater was packed with a majority of the local population, safe to say, all hardcore Salman Khan fans. It was an extremely reactive and emotional audience that was laughing, crying and cheering with passion. It was like the single screen Mumbai experience only with some Middle East swag.
The movie was beautiful. I haven't been a Salman fan for the longest time and I am someone who does not like the typical, commercial Bollywood films. But this one was well made. I had planned to watch it only for Nawazuddin Siddiqui (one of my favourite Indian actors), but I have to admit that the movie was good even in parts he wasn't in. I don't cry while watching films but this one had me almost cry, and I was proud that India has such a beautifully shot and executed film in its filmography now.
However, this post is not a film review. This is about a broader issue that faces the people of India - our inability to translate what we see on screen to our real lives. India is a country with a blind fan following culture. We have people who would do anything for the reigning Khans, get violent in the name of their favourite actors, have fan wars online and offline, and who would die to meet their favourite actors or go to any length to get a picture with them. It is hero-worship at the highest level. When a Salman film is around the corner you can hear his fans say - Arrey Bhai ka film aa raha hai. (Our brother's film is releasing soon). They automatically become happier people and seem to have no problems in their lives anymore. Their love for their idols is so much that it almost has a healing effect in their lives.
It is okay to be a fan. We all are fans of someone or the other but it is time to start being responsible fans. We need to be able to implement what our favourite actors portray through their characters on screen, in our lives as well. The average Indian watches a film, says he loves it, helps it collect 300 crores at the box office, but the moment he gets back to living his life, forgets what he learnt at the film that he apparently loved. He forgets what his 'bhai' who he hero-worships taught him about humanity.
The average Indian parent watches a film like PK or Bajrangi Bhaijaan and says it was amazing. However if their own children were to bring partners of another religion, community or country the next day to marry, the same parent feels betrayed. We need to stop having double standards. What is the point of appreciating and accepting a film like Bajrangi Bhaijaan, if after watching the film, you still breed hatred towards other religions, communities or nationalities? Please understand the larger issue that faces us - we have wars in our country, one that prides itself on Unity in Diversity, over religion, caste and communities. If not a war, people face basic survival and administrative issues on a daily basis because of their religion, gender, caste or community.
So every once in while a film comes, that reflects our lives and gives a solution for peace and love, why can't we actually learn a lesson from it and change the way we live our lives? It is not enough that we love Salman, or Deepika or Shahrukh or Priyanka or Aamir. We need to show the same passionate, daredevil attitude when it comes to implementing what they portray also. This is how we can be responsible fans. This is how we can help a society and thereby a country to progress. This is how we can help change a life or two and actually be a happy and peaceful country.
Gone are the days of blind fan following, brave it up and become a responsible fan. Our country really needs more of them.
The movie was beautiful. I haven't been a Salman fan for the longest time and I am someone who does not like the typical, commercial Bollywood films. But this one was well made. I had planned to watch it only for Nawazuddin Siddiqui (one of my favourite Indian actors), but I have to admit that the movie was good even in parts he wasn't in. I don't cry while watching films but this one had me almost cry, and I was proud that India has such a beautifully shot and executed film in its filmography now.
However, this post is not a film review. This is about a broader issue that faces the people of India - our inability to translate what we see on screen to our real lives. India is a country with a blind fan following culture. We have people who would do anything for the reigning Khans, get violent in the name of their favourite actors, have fan wars online and offline, and who would die to meet their favourite actors or go to any length to get a picture with them. It is hero-worship at the highest level. When a Salman film is around the corner you can hear his fans say - Arrey Bhai ka film aa raha hai. (Our brother's film is releasing soon). They automatically become happier people and seem to have no problems in their lives anymore. Their love for their idols is so much that it almost has a healing effect in their lives.
It is okay to be a fan. We all are fans of someone or the other but it is time to start being responsible fans. We need to be able to implement what our favourite actors portray through their characters on screen, in our lives as well. The average Indian watches a film, says he loves it, helps it collect 300 crores at the box office, but the moment he gets back to living his life, forgets what he learnt at the film that he apparently loved. He forgets what his 'bhai' who he hero-worships taught him about humanity.
The average Indian parent watches a film like PK or Bajrangi Bhaijaan and says it was amazing. However if their own children were to bring partners of another religion, community or country the next day to marry, the same parent feels betrayed. We need to stop having double standards. What is the point of appreciating and accepting a film like Bajrangi Bhaijaan, if after watching the film, you still breed hatred towards other religions, communities or nationalities? Please understand the larger issue that faces us - we have wars in our country, one that prides itself on Unity in Diversity, over religion, caste and communities. If not a war, people face basic survival and administrative issues on a daily basis because of their religion, gender, caste or community.
So every once in while a film comes, that reflects our lives and gives a solution for peace and love, why can't we actually learn a lesson from it and change the way we live our lives? It is not enough that we love Salman, or Deepika or Shahrukh or Priyanka or Aamir. We need to show the same passionate, daredevil attitude when it comes to implementing what they portray also. This is how we can be responsible fans. This is how we can help a society and thereby a country to progress. This is how we can help change a life or two and actually be a happy and peaceful country.
Gone are the days of blind fan following, brave it up and become a responsible fan. Our country really needs more of them.
