On International television, at the premier Oscar Awards Ceremony:
Interviewer: “I will give you thirty seconds… What message do you have for the Indians? What do you have to say to the audience back home?”
Anil Kapoor: “We love you all, we love Mumbai, we love
My response: What the heck?!
Amidst the pride that Rahman and Pookutty have brought upon
Next question for a Million Dollars: Amongst all the categories of people who divide the Nation, who is the most dangerous?
- Politicians
- Ram Sena/Shiv Sena
- Forefathers, when they divided the States, in 1947
- Terrorists
Answer: None of the above! The most dangerous are the insensitive idiots vested with the power of changing minds of others, like Our Hero, Anil Kapoor, and the other is the Common Man err.. Not to antagonise any group.. Common Man/Woman.
Are we one hundred percent sure of the answer? Oh yes!
Here is why: I was standing there, watching television, all goose-bumpy having heard Rahman bagged two Oscars and Pookutty bagged one, when Our Hero, Anil Kapoor came up with that brilliant message for “Indians”!! Er… I wonder if that message was incomplete… It talked about Indians in Mumbai first, then mentioned Indians in
That was Our Hero. Now I will address the Common Man/Woman.
When the awards were announced, I was overwhelmed and immensely proud… Two Indians finally bagged the much coveted and perennially evasive Oscar Statuettes. It took a couple of minutes to register… Indians at the Oscar… not as audience, not just as Nominees, as the Winners! Wow, that is making History.
“Pookutty is a Mallu. He’s from Kerala! In fact, he is from Kollam!” Er… what?! So, he’s a Keralite, now what? Has Rahman ever been looked at as a Tamilian? He is the face of brilliant music. He is the Guru of Bollywood, Tollywood, you name it. He took
And here we are thinking that it is our politicians and the Government and miscreants and Shiv Sena and God knows who else who are creating the unseen divide in the Nation. It is disheartening to see that it is the highly respected, reputed and popular figures like Our Hero Anil Kapoor, and the well read, experienced, soon-to-be-Global Managers who create the dividing lines.
I really think it is time we stop cribbing. It is time we changed. Not as far as how
Jai Hind!
7 comments:
Are you copying my answers? I have the same answers.
Dear Cauvery, point well-made. :) However, let me say that Indians have been made proud irrespective of whether they are from Northern/Southern India. Globally, Indians know they have been represented by their kin with excellent talent. To the vast population of global Indians, malayalee and Assamese mean only one thing- desi!!
Let me gently also remind you that on a podium that big, it is difficult for even the most articulate to make a complete and pleasing answer. :) When someone does (like Ms.Rai often does)they are termed 'boringly politically correct'. :)
Take pride in the child actors in the movie... Pride in the Indian spirit that the movie brings across. That has won millions of hearts globally.
Forgive the smaller minds in also in the picture. :)
Hope all is well with you.
Cheers!
Nice work.A thought provoking post.But have you ever realised that even patriotism is a version of parochialism? Why does one feel proud when someone from his/her country achieves something, even if that person is nothing more than a name to you? The reason is that human beings identify themselves with groups, even if they are virtual ones. And these can be multiple identities as well. One can be an Indian,Mallu, from Calicut, the remotest village in the district etc etc. Can we say that only one (say Indian) is correct and others are wrong? If you extend the single identity argument, no one should feel proud about ones country as well, because we are citizens of this world,and to say that I am Indian is a reflection of ones "narrow mind". This hierarchy of identities is a pretty normal one. When it comes to a question of precedence, people tend to take a call based on how strong each of these identities are.
@Blaster: ??
@Rajeswari: Thank you :) And I think I will take your advice and forgive the smaller minds! :P
How are you doin? It's time actually for me to post a farewell msg now... I remember how you, poornima, KK etc were writing when u guys left.. and tell you what, I think I am missing the campus already! :)
@Mayan: Thanks! :)
Yes, you are right Mayan. Like Rabindranath Tagore sang and Amartya Sen wrote... from a global perspective, even Nationalism is Regionalism! Very true. But if you look at it in a practical sense, Indian is the first thing we should be associating with... when we use our currency, when we vote our leaders, when we celebrate independence day... we are always reminded that we are Indians. Why we even have a global peace day. But Indian independence day means more to us. Have you thought why?
Soldiers from across the nation die saving the rest of us not thinking he is saving a mallu or a gujrati or an assamese... everywhere you look, Nation seems to be the first link. Atleast, to me it does. In that sense, even though i agree with Tagore ji and Amartya Sen at one level, I still disagree with them in another level! :)
Yes CK, i can understand what your argument is, but when it boils down to the basic logic of the argument.... you are looking at the world as you think it should be, while my argument is that your view is the other face of the same coin. If your side is correct (or wrong) the other side is as well.National identity is as much a virtual one as a regional one, but for practical purposes we try to emphasise the (supposedly) greater one. What if all these states were separate countries (just imagine)? Then we would have been extolling the virtues of nationality in a much narrower geographical sense (probably while decrying sub- regional identities).I hope you understand my point.
:) I get your point, mayan. :) I think you missed my point. You urself ahve said.. "inagine if allt he states were different nations..." Exactly my point!! If each state were a nation, that state would probably be fighting with the other... cos of a feeling called "nationalism"!! I'm not talking abt how big india is.. My point is onloy to do with Nationalism. If each state was a nation, the spirit of that nation would be driven by that NATION's nationalism! :) Ultimately, it does boil down to nationalism! :) AM sorry if I'm stretching my arguement too long... :P
I guess we just ahve to agree to disagree... :)
Cheers!
well said Cauvery.
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