गले के अभिनय सम्राट

सुनने में अजीब लग सकता है - गले का अभिनय सम्राट क्या होता है? जवाब जानने के लिए ज़रुरत है एक नए नज़रिए से सुनने की उस मुहम्मद रफ़ी को जिसकी पुण्यतिथि आज सारे मनोरंजन से जुड़े रेडियो एवं टीवी चैनल मना रहे हैं। यद्यपि यह कहना पद रहा है कि रफ़ी को समर्पित कार्यक्रमों ने निराश ही किया है। किसी ने उनकी विशेषता को, उस पीढ़ी के सामने जो सिर्फ उनके नाम से ही वाकिफ है, सामने लाने की गंभीर कोशिश नहीं की है। "गाके से अभिनय" करना क्या होता है, यह अगर किसी को समझना है तो उसे सबसे पहले "कागज़ के फूल" का गीत "बिछड़े सभी बारी-बारी" दुबारा सुनना चाहिए। संबंधों की क्षणभंगुरता से हताश हुए मन की व्यथा को खूबसूरती से बयां करने वाले इस गाने के साथ रफ़ी ही न्याय कर सकते हैं। उनकी आवाज़ में इस गीत का मूड जीवंत हो उठता है। दर्द भरे गीत आज भी बनने रहे हैं, मगर सपाट गायकी और भरी-भरकम ओर्केस्ट्रा के बीच वे कितने निष्प्राण लगते हैं! गले की अदाकारी का एक और नायाब नमूना है "चित्रलेखा" का गीत "मन रे तू काहे न धीर धरे"। दार्शनिकता से ओत-प्रोत साहिर लुधियानवी की इस अमर रचना में रफ़ी ने अपने मधुर गाम्भीर्य से चार चाँद लगा दिए हैं। और बेफिक्री के सदाबहार प्रतीक "हम दोनों" के "हर फ़िक्र को धुंए में उड़ाता चला गया" को कोई कैसे भूल सकता है"? विषम परिस्थितियों पर जिंदादिली के सहारे विजय प्राप्त करने की आकांक्षा जो इस गीत में हैं, रफ़ी की आवाज़ में और भी जीवंत हो उठती है।

बच्चों के लिए लोरी माँ गाती है इसलिए इसकी परिकल्पना भी अधिकतर स्त्री स्वर में होती है। मगर रफ़ी इस सीमा को भी लांघ गए "ब्रह्मचारी" में "मैं गाऊँ तुम सो जाओ" के द्वारा! कहाँ मिलेगी अब ऐसी प्रतिभा? क्या कभी पूरी हो सकती है यह कमी?

इक्कीसवीं सदी के मर्यादा पुरुषोत्तम

इंफोसिस के संस्थापक और पद्मविभूषण से सम्मानित श्री नारायण मूर्ति से मिलकर एक पुरानी कहावत बरबस याद आ जाती है कि जो शाख जितनी फलदार होती है उतनी ही झुकी हुई होती है। इनकी सादगी और मूल्यों के प्रति गहरी आस्था के विषय में काफी कुछ सुन रखा था। जब रूबरू होने का मौका मिला तो लगा बहुत कुछ है फर्श से अर्श तक पहुंचे इस शख्स के जीवन में सीखने को। पैसे वाला होने को सब कुछ मानने वाले ज़माने में ऐसे लोग बिरले मिलेंगे जो अरबों की जायदाद पैदा करके भी अपने इस्तेमाल के लिए थोड़ा सा धन रखते हैं, एक आम मध्यवर्गीय हिन्दुस्तानी जैसा जीवन जीते हैं और यह स्वीकार करने की भी उदारता रखते हैं कि एक गरीब देश में कारपोरेट जगत के कर्णधारों को इस बात का ध्यान रखना चाहिए कि उनके अनावश्यक उपभोक्तावाद से समाज पर ग़लत असर पड़ रहा है। ऐसे दौर में, जब जनता के वोटों से बने नेता भी कोई मिसाल कायम करने की ज़रूरत नहीं समझते, मूर्ति इस बात पर बल देते हैं कि कारपोरेट जगत के मूर्धन्य व्यक्तियों को अपने सार्वजनिक जीवन में ईमानदारी का उदाहरण प्रस्तुत करना चाहिए। बदले हुए आर्थिक परिवेश में कारपोरेट जगत की और युवाओं का रुझान तेजी से बढ़ा है। ऐसे में मूर्ति जैसे विभूतियों की मौजूदगी इस बात का आश्वासन देती है कि मूल्य समय के साथ बदल भले ही जाएँ उनका क्षरण नहीं होगा। उदारमना मूर्ति गरीबों के लिए बेहतर शैक्षणिक सुविधाओं के हिमायती हैं लेकिन उनका स्वयं का जीवन इस बात की मिसाल है कि प्रतिभा और दृढ़ संकल्प के द्बारा व्यक्ति संसाधनों की कमी पर विजय प्राप्त कर सकता है। आज हमारे पास ऐसे राजनेता तो रह नहीं गए हैं जिनसे कोई प्रेरणा ली जा सके। ऐसे में जो लोग किसी प्रेरणास्रोत की तलाश में हैं उनको इस अद्भुत व्यक्ति के जीवन में ज्ञान और अनुभव का अथाह भण्डार मिलेगा। हम कामना करते हैं कि उनकी उम्र लम्बी हो और वे डगमगाती आस्थाओं के इस दौर में प्रेरणा के अजस्र स्रोत बने रहेंगे।

फिल्मी चैनलों से एक अपील

देखता हूँ एक बार फिर से "अब तक बच्चन" नाम से मेक्स चैनल पर अमिताभ बच्चन की फिल्मों की श्रृंखला परोसी जा रही है। ऐसा पहली बार नहीं हुआ है जब किसी चैनल ने इस मेगास्टार के सम्मान में ऐसा प्रयास किया हो। लेकिन बार बार उसी घिसी पिटी लिस्ट को दोहराना चैनलों को लकीर का फ़कीर साबित करता है। ऐसा भी नहीं है कि फिल्मों का चयन उनकी बॉक्स ऑफिस सफलता के आधार पर किया जाता हो। मि नटवरलाल, इन्कलाब, शहंशाह, अग्निपथ अपने ज़माने की सुपर हिट फिल्मों में नहीं गिनी जाती। सूर्यवंषम जैसी फिल्मों का प्रदर्शन तो हास्यास्पद है। किसी को याद भी नहीं होगा कि यह फ़िल्म कब रिलीज़ हुई थी। डेढ़ सौ के लगभग फिल्मों में काम कर चुके बच्चन ने बहुत कुछ ऐसा किया है जो मूल्यवान था लेकिन उसे न तो दर्शकों ने खास तवज्जो दी न ही सफलता के लिए पागलपन की हद तक बेकरार इस spoilt genius ने याद रखा। चैनलों से गुजारिश है कि आज जब बॉलीवुड में प्रयोगधर्मिता का सिक्का चल निकला है तो वे दर्शकों को बच्चन की कुच्छ ऐसी फिल्में दिखलायें जो निस्संदेह श्रेष्ठ थीं, लेकिन दुर्भाग्य से जिनको कभी महत्व नहीं दिया गया। एक संक्षिप्त लिस्ट यहाँ प्रस्तुत है:
आलाप - ज़्यादातर लोगों ने शायद इस फ़िल्म का नाम ही न सुना हो, खास तौर से वैसे दर्शकों ने जो सत्तर के दशक में या उसके बाद पैदा हुए हैं। कहना ग़लत न होगा कि हृषिकेश मुख़र्जी ने अपनी इस फ़िल्म में अमिताभ बच्चन को जितनी शानदार भूमिका दी थी शायद ही किसी और ने दी हो। अनूठा चरित्र है इस फ़िल्म के नायक का, अद्भुत है इसका कथानक और दिव्या है इसका संगीत, जो कि दुर्भाग्य से अब सुनने को नहीं मिलता।
मंजिल - इस फ़िल्म का एक गीत आज भी लोग पसंद करते हैं - रिम झिम गिरे सावन सुलग सुलग जाए मन। फ़िल्म भी बेहद दिलचस्प है। बच्चन ने इसमें वैज्ञानिक प्रतिभा से संपन्न एक युवक की भूमिका की है जो जल्दी सफलता पाने के चक्कर में ठगी करने लग जाता है।
मिली - यह फ़िल्म अक्सर जया भादुडी द्वारा निभायी गयी शीर्षक भूमिका के लिए याद की जाती है लेकिन बच्चन की भूमिका कम चुनौतीपूर्ण नहीं है। उन्होंने एक ऐसे किरदार को साकार किया है जो अपनी माता पर लगे झूठे लांछनों से व्यथित हो कर स्वयं को शराब में डुबो देता है। उसकी ज़िन्दगी तब पटरी पर आती है जब मिली उसकी स्वर्गीय माँ के प्रति उदार दृष्टिकोण रखती है।
बेमिसाल- फ़िल्म भले ही फ्लॉप रही हो बच्चन की भूमिका निस्संदेह बेमिसाल है। चिकित्सा के पेशे में फैले भ्रष्टाचार के सन्दर्भ में दोस्ती के रिश्ते को उसके महानतम रूप में पेश किया गया है।

An appeal to the "Lauh Purush"

My dear Iron Man Part II,



Hope you are doing fine and enjoying your characteristic health and vitality by virtue of which, even as an octogenarian, you can give a person in the prime of youth a run for his or her money. Having set the tone with a few good words about your virtues, I would now like to inform you that my heart bleeds at the sight of whatever is happening to you these days. The very people, who once claimed that you were made of steel and bestowed upon you the sobriquet of "Lauh Purush", have now started generating heat around you with the hope that you will melt like wax. Your sycophants may tell you that you are better off than the retired soldier who has been summarily booted out while you had to simply "step down". But I am sure you see the irony of two incomparable men being talked about in the same breath. The man singularly responsible for the organisation's single-digit to three-digit journey, can in no way be compared with the second-rung para-trooper who, whether in or out of office, has done little more than cool his heels at the hill station he has now chosen over his original desert home! Moreover, your personal integrity and good nature has endeared you to many people who do not even agree with you on anything and hence often your misadventures like the infamous chariot ride are viewed with a bit of sympathy. We all understand the anguish of a person who had been rendered homeless by the numerous agreements reached around round tables which ultimately drove away the Empire in which the sun did never set. On the other hand, our latest rabble-rouser is, at the most, realising the inconsequentiality of his life, dabbling in polemics. Every illustrious career has to come to an end but it is painful to see the end coming with so much of disgrace. This disgrace, indeed, is much more unfortunate than the fact that you had to spend your hey days under the shadow of your less industrious but more ingenious senior partner. But please allow me to say that you have invited this disgrace, simply by ignoring a cardinal principle of the very faith your ideologues proclaim to follow. You forgot the virtue of Silence extolled in the tradition you claim to follow. On the other hand, you continued to put your foot in your mouth both through your tongue as well as your pen. What was the need for making incredible claims of ignorance about the bunch of people who were flown, against their wishes, from the Himalayas to the Hindukush? Did your naive explanations convince anybody? They only provoked your detractors and continue to do so. (Just look at the latest ramblings from the retired soldier, who is being joined by the retired bureaucrat). You could have taken a cue from the inhabitants of your native place, who have not tried to explain away their hour of national shame more than three decades ago. This has given your counterparts on the other side of the boundary the opportunity to kick sand in the eyes of their own people who continue to see people on this side as aggressors while remaining mostly oblivious to the threats they face from their own lords. Only recently, you annoyed many admirers of your sobriety by your vitriolic attacks on the turbaned gentleman and his perceived weaknesses. We know you are reticent by nature and this, perhaps, explains why your attempts at loquaciousness are always disasters. Now, that you may be facing the last major challenge of your life, it may not be a bad idea to heed the suggestion by an old comrade of yours who was shown the door for calling a spade a spade (to be precise, a mask a mask). You must now do yourself and your admirers a service by refraining from soiling your hands in the humdrums. People may now benefit more by your advices than your active involvement in the affairs of the power game. Hope you will take this in the right spirit.


With best wishes,


Well-wisher.

An invite for the Commonwealth Games, 2010

Dear All,
We, the forever emerging Asian giant, who do not believe in complete emergence, are all set to welcome our guests from abroad for next year’s gala sporting event. We will be glad to have the company of our colonial cousins, all of whom had once joined us in bowing down before the Empire whose sun has now set. The nation of over a billion souls welcomes you all with open arms, wide open manholes and potholes, shut eyes and ears and clogged drains and sewer lines.
We promise our would-be visitors that they would be stunned with our resolve to destroy their obsession with our glorious and exotic past, as soon as they set their feet on the ground of Delhi, our proud capital and the venue of the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Hence, we have rendered unrecognizable all our monuments of the Mughal era and the legacies of the Raj, simply by taking up construction works that will continue for eternity and renovations that may end up removing every trace of their very sites.
If there is anything that our visitors shall be looking forward to, it is the obvious signs of our growing economy that refuses to grow up. We therefore advise our visitors not to look for any exotic marble structures which senile bards may describe as tear drops on the cheeks of Time. They shall rather be prepared to be greeted by gigantic flyovers and structures of concrete that are likely to remain “under-construction” unless and until these inert beings vow to manifest the Hindu concept of all-pervading Consciousness and start yearning for “Nirvana”.
We would also like to mention our proud national trait which prefers rehearsals to performance. Therefore, only recently, on August 21 to be precise, we tested our preparedness for the upcoming mega-event in which we were assisted by Mother Nature whom we have been worshipping ever since the Universe came into being. True to our genius for invention, we are confident of dazzling you all with the unique training and practice facilities that we will be providing to your respective sporting icons.
Whilst in our colourful land, your athletes need not waste their time on boring regimes at bland gymnasia and stadia. Just look at the three pictures except the one at the top, which shows the most VIP street in the town dotted with embassies of various countries on either sides. We have converted it into a pool! So, your swimmers and canoeists can just cruise along while enjoying the sight of their respective High Commissions for their preparations! Now just have a look at the endless queue of vehicles at a jam-packed street in the photograph at the top. What better practice opportunity can you imagine for those interested in high jump and long jump? And this is not all. Sprinters have the entire city at their service as crossing any of the roads at a busy hour will definitely make them capable of breaking any amount of world records. Gymnasts, Judokas and wrestlers too can avail of an excellent training facility which involves getting in and out of the city buses and the tube rail.
For those who are not impressed, we wish to point out that this is not all. We appreciate the growing worldwide emphasis on the “mental” aspect of sports training and our uncouth citizens, ranging from the hand-to-mouth to the well-heeled, will not be found wanting in offering a nerve-wracking challenge. Make no mistake. Your handsomely-paid and foul-mouthed coaches can never instill the mental toughness into your sportspersons which our ordinary folks can do without charging a penny, with their unprovoked glares, blaring horns on streets busy as well as deserted and squabbles which effortlessly transform into full-blown street-fights.
We sincerely hope to win you over with our unconventional hospitality and quench your thirst for adventure.
With best wishes,
India That Is Bharat

हमारे फिल्मी चैनल दर्शकों को न जाने किस बीमारी से ग्रस्त समझते हैं जिसका इलाज वे घिसी-पिटी और तथाकथित रूप से देशभक्ति पर आधारित फिल्मों की कुनैन से करना चाहते हैं। यह भी अजीब है की उनको इस बीमारी की याद २६ जनवरी, १५ अगस्त और २ अक्टूबर जैसे दिन ही याद आती है। शायद किसी ज्योतिषी ने उनको सिखा दिया है कि इन खास दिनों में कोई देशद्रोही नक्षत्र प्रबल हो जाता है इसीलिए उसका शमन करने के लिए सबका मगज चाट डालो। कुछ फिल्में तो ऐसी हो गयी हैं जिनके निर्माताओं ने मानो इन तारीखों के लिए कोई कांट्रेक्ट साइन कर रखा हो - तिरंगा, बॉर्डर, क्रांति और भगत सिंह पर आधारित वे तमाम फिल्में जिनमें मनोज कुमार से लेकर अजय देवगन और बोब्री देओल तक अपने आपको अजमा चुके हैं। इधर इस लिस्ट में कुछ नए नाम भी जुड़ गए हैं जैसे मैं हूँ न, स्वदेस, रंग दे बसंती और चक दे इंडिया। इसमें तिरंगा जैसी फिल्मों का चयन तो बिल्कुल समझ से परे है। फ़िल्म के नाम में ही तिरंगा है। बाकी तो सब केवल राज कुमार और नाना पाटेकर को आमने सामने देखने का रोमांच भर है। इसी तरह से मैं हूँ ना का भी देशभक्ति कनेक्शन आज तक समझ में नहीं आया। यदि यह मान लिया जाए की नायक शाहरुख़ खान देश के लिए लड़ने वाला एक फौजी है तो फिर क्यों न देव आनंद की प्रेम पुजारी देखी जाए? फ़िल्म का गाना भी है - ताकत वतन की हमसे है इज्ज़त वतन की हमसे है - जैसे बाकी लोग तो केवल देश का बेडागर्क ही कर रहे हों। वैसे गाने से यह भी याद आया कि इन खास दिनों कुछ खास गीतों की भी धूम रहती है -

दिल दिया है जान भी देंगे ऐ वतन तेरे लिए, सुनो गौर से दुनिया वालों सबसे आगे होंगे हिन्दुस्तानी। भई सबसे आगे होने का इतना यकीन है तो गला फाड़ने की क्या ज़रूरत है, मस्त रहो! कल एक चैनल ने तो कमाल कर दिया। उसने देश के स्वतंत्रता दिवस के लिए चुना स्लमडोग करोड़पति। जी हाँ उसी फ़िल्म का हिन्दी रूपांतर जिसने ऑस्कर में कामयाबी के झंडे फहराये थे। लेकिन भइया इसमें अगर किसी को देशभक्ति नज़र आ रही हो तो वो कृपया हमारी समझ पर पड़ा परदा भी हटाने की कृपा करे। हम इस फ़िल्म को लेकर अमिताभ बच्चन की राय से सहमत नहीं है लेकिन इसका १५ अगस्त से क्या खास कनेक्शन है। आख़िर प्रचार तो ऐसे ही हुआ था की स्वतंत्रता दिवस के खास मौके पर देखिये स्लमडोग करोड़पति! इससे भी ग़ज़ब तो यह हुआ कि फ़िल्म ख़त्म होने के बाद इस चैनल की अगली पसंद बनी मल्लिका शेरावत कि मर्डर। न जाने क्यों कबीर दास का वह दोहा याद आ रहा है - दिन भर रोजा रहत है, रात हनत है गाय! न, न, इसको भगवा जुमला न समझें कबीर दस का सेकुलरिस्म विवादों से परे है। मगर हाँ, फिल्मों के चयन में हुए प्रमाद से मैं अवसाद ग्रस्त अवश्य हो गया हूँ। मजबूरन देशभक्ति के इन पर्वों पर मेरा दिल गुनगुनाने लगता है - रहने को घर नहीं है, सारा जहाँ हमारा, चीन ओ अरब हमारा, हिंदुस्तान हमारा। या फिर जिन्हें नाज़ है हिंद पर वो कहाँ है। फिल्मों के नाम पर श्याम बेनेगल वगैरह याद आने लगते हैं। स्वस्थ व्यक्ति को ज़बरदस्ती कुनैन दीजियेगा तो पगला ही न जाएगा!

ब्रेकिंग न्यूज़: भगवान कृष्ण का जन्म हो चुका है !!!!!

न्यूज़ चैनलों पर एक जुमला अक्सर निगाहों पर हमला करता रहता है - ब्रेकिंग न्यूज़! दर्शक बेचारा यह सोचता रह जाता है कि इसमें न्यूज़ क्या है और ब्रेकिंग क्या है। लेकिन कल जो हुआ वह उसने यह सोचने पर मजबूर कर दिया कि यह ब्रेकिंग न्यूज़ हार्ट ब्रेकिंग है या माइंडब्रेकिंग (अंग्रेज़ी दान जुमला गढ़ने की मेरी धृष्टता को क्षमा करें)। अपने निठल्लेपन से उकता कर हम रात के बारह बजे एक क्षेत्रीय चैनल लगाए हुए थे और आशा के अनुरूप जन्माष्टमी की धूम मची हुई थी। तभी एकाएक फ्लैश चमका - ब्रेकिंग न्यूज़ -देश भर में जन्माष्टमी की धूम! क्यों भैया इसमें क्या ब्रेकिंग न्यूज़ हो गया? पत्रकार बनने की तैयारी में न्यूज़ की जितनी परिभाषाएं सीखी थीं सब याद आने लगीं। कोई परिभाषा फिट नहीं बैठ रही थी। ज़्यादा से ज़्यादा दिमाग यही सोच पाया की अगर "धूम" के बजाय "शोक की लहर" या ऐसा कुछ अटपटा होता तो शायद न्यूज़ की किसी विकृत कसौटी पर खरा उतरा। थोडी देर बाद एंकर महोदय का क्रंदन सुनाई दिया - भगवान् कृष्ण का जन्म हो चुका। लहजा ऐसा था गोया किसी अवतार का नहीं किसी हाड मांस के इंसान के जन्म की बात हो रही हो जिसमें सुनने वाला यह पूछ बैठे - माँ बच्चा दोनों स्वस्थ हैं न और लड़का है या लड़की? मगर एंकर महोदय इतने में थोड़े मानने वाले थे। उन्होंने अगली घोषणा कर डाली - मन्दिर के अलावा मथुरा के सैकडों घरों में भी कृष्ण भगवन का जन्म होने वाला है। अब तुम्हे कैसे मालूम भाई कहाँ कौन पैदा होने वाला है? इतने बड़े अंतर्यामी हो? और कृष्ण ही हर जगह पैदा होंगे इसका मतलब क्या है। सर कहीं पैदा होगा, धड कहीं और। हाथ पैर कहीं और ही। और अगर इतने सारे कृष्ण पैदा होने हैं तो उतनी संख्या में देवकी, वसुदेव, नन्द और यशोदा का प्रबंध हुआ है या नहीं। जाने इन सब मौकों पर हमारा भगवा ब्रिगेड और उसका सांस्कृतिक राष्ट्रवाद कहाँ चला जाता है? खैर वे तो पुराने प्रमादग्रस्त हैं। सुप्रीम कोर्ट में अनाप शनाप मुक़दमे दर्ज करके अनर्गल चीज़ों को प्रचार दे देंगे लेकिन उनके हिंदुत्व का तमाशा बनने गया है यह नहीं देखेंगे। और चैनल वालों को क्या कहें? कौन समझाए उन्हें? Infotainment (मनोरंजन के साथ सूचना) प्रदान करने की बात करते हैं और भक्ति की अभिव्यक्ति में जो स्वाभाविक माधुर्य होता है, चाहे वह किसी मत के अनुयायियों के द्वारा हो, उसे ही नहीं समझ पाते। अपना गला भी ख़राब करते हैं और हमारे कान भी। कृष्ण जी, यदि आप सुन रहे हैं तो कृपया इस ब्रेकिंग न्यूज़ पर भी अपना सुदर्शन चक्र चलायें!

An open letter

My revered leader of yore,

Congratulations for your maiden entry into the Exalted House which you had only recently denounced as being unworthy of someone who followed your ideology. As I congratulate you for your latest accomplishment, I cannot help mourning the fact that the integrity and the intelligence that defined you and made you capable of vanquishing giants that earned you your famous sobriquet, have finally taken leave of you. That you have been a man of shaky convictions was never a secret. You blatantly displayed this oxymoronic trait of yours when, at least three decades ago, you first aligned with people whom you would have termed as reactionary and then pulled the rug from under your collective feet by insisting that the reactionaries part ways with their own alma mater. Your shaky convictions once again came into play when nearly a decade ago you proudly chose to convene an alliance headed by the reactionaries, who had by now acquired a new moniker, albeit keeping the umbilical cord which tied them to their alma mater, intact. However, your latest antics are baffling to us even by your own impetuous standards. I have never been able to understand your problem with your apprentice who may not have been your most loyal but, even enemies of yours and him agree, has been by far the most scrupulous. Your first brush with infamy was when you brought to a grinding halt that bustling place which took pride (in fact it still does so) in the fact that it never slept. However, you fought for a cause and many like me, who had not even come into being then, admire you for your feat. Then, during your second tryst with the reactionaries you invited censure from all corners by putting your foot in your mouth. Though I think you were right to some extent as smaller enemies often make our people lose sight of the biggest foe you were referring to. Even during the period when some over-zealous scribes came out with their contrived investigation into a sphere of life hitherto considered sacrosanct, it left you largely unblemished. This last episode exposed the corruptibility of many high and mighty and saw numerous heads rolling. But when it came to you, even the over-enthusiastice detectives too had to concede that "this man is untainted". At the same period came out your first spat with your apprentice when you insisted upon super-imposing that aged femme fatale on the very structure you and your apprentice had raised. I am no fan of your apprentice but I still fail to see merit in your choice. The aged femme fatale scarcely had the ammunition for taking on the mighty rival whom your army had been battling for long and succeeded in defeating only recently. Your unhappiness with your apprentice has, however, since been inexplicably consistent. This is despite the fact that for a brief time when your pocket borough had got caught in a wave of identity-based sentiments, wherein an outsider like you had no chance, your apprentice offered gave up his own stronghold for the sake of your honour and battled out from not-so friendly lands. Even that did not assuage you and you kept complaining that he has been sidelining and even insulting you. You gladly allowed lumpens to use your name for encumbering your apprentice at the time he needed your blessings the most. Your latest disgruntlement was even more baffling. Did your apprentice not request you to choose the Exalted House instead of the more glamorous yet grimier option then itself? At that time you felt the Exalted House was incompatible with whatever remains with you of ideology. It is altogether a different matter that you took no time in changing your opinion. Yet another display of your legendary shaky convictions. I know you have been an impatient man and must be wondering what this scribbler is driving at. I simply want one thing from you - moderation. You owe your achievements to your revolt against the path your ancestors had chosen for you. That path which you abandoned was certainly not an evil one. But your revolt will be counted on the correct side of history simply because that path was and has been fraught with obscurantism and excesses. Please do remember that excesses are possible in all walks of life. Taking extreme positions at all points of life you have time and again dissipated and floundered and embarrassed admirers like us. It is not a bad idea to learn from one's own disciples. Taking a leaf out of the book of your apprentice who has won many hearts, in a place which has for long been cynicism personified, you may learn the trick of behaving gracefully so that those who admire you may not feel ashamed of having done so. You shall not disagree with me when I say that you owe at least this much to posterity.
Regards,
Admirer

Do not forget the creator while enjoying the creation

I shall begin with apologies to those who might have got miffed over the didactic tone of the title of this post. Let me clarify that by "creation" I do not imply an abstract concept. I am specifically referring to "Slumdog Millionaire". Yes, the rags-to-riches story, whose celluloid adoptation recently achieved monumental success, both commerical as well as critical. Before you start wondering whether I am referring to Danny Boyle, the British Director of the film, as the "Creator", let me clarify that this pride of place goes to the book "Q and A", the debut novel of career diplomat-cum-author Vikas Swarup, which the makers of the movie have acknowledged as their inspiration. One of those rare books which blur the line between serious fiction and pulp, I wager no reader can put it down before finishing it (I myself completed it in six hours flat). It is a pity that bookstores are now lined with editions the novel wherein the original title is subdued by the more celebrated filmy name. What does "Slumdog" mean? If we translate it into Hindi, it would sound something like गली का कुत्ता or गंदी नाली का कीडा। May be, by attaching "millionaire" to this pejorative, the makers of the film have tried to emphasize the triumph of the underdog. I have no issues with that though I am of the firm opinion that the spirit of the underdog is portrayed much more cogently in the book. The protagonist has been very ingeniously named Ram Mohammad Thomas. This is not some sort of phoney secularism but an apt depiction of the mongrelness of the character. Moreover, the guy, struggling his way through a series of depravities (not his own) retains a piety which further justifies his name drawn from sacred traditions of three of the greatest religious traditions of the world. Barely into his teens, Thomas has been locked up by police for winning a quiz show by answering questions which, the society presumes, only learned people may be able to solve. He is rescued by a young female lawyer who listens to his story (unlike the movie where this part is played by a cop) to prepare herself for the case. The life-drama of the guy, which is too loaded with experiences of all hues for his age, has characters ranging from the mundane to the incredible. A British priest who is serving at a church in Delhi, concealing his marital status. An unsuccessful academician whose frustrations drive him to alcohol and ultimately push him to the horrific act of molesting his own daughter. A yesteryears' film star unable to come to terms with the fall in her career graph. A rich lady who keeps her illegitimate child in her estate but refuses to own him and treats him, until his death, as a mere orphan. A diplomat obsessed with keeping a hawk's eye over his surroundings, yet unable to manage his family. Even the young woman who fights the legal battle for Thomas, shares her past with the protagonist in a very touching way. All through these fantastic tales, Thomas emerges as an extra-ordinarily perceptive lad. who is able to draw lessons not only from his own life but also from the experiences of those he encounters. And this is what enables him to achieve the nearly-impossible. Manmohan Desai used to be known for weaving excellent "lost-found-tales". This novel takes this craft a few notches higher. Brilliantly entertaining, it is written in a language that is racy yet not flippant. So, even when you call it a thriller you can not overlook its stark realism. Hats off to Swarup for so convincingly demonstrating that "luck comes from within", to borrow from the very last line of the book. A few words about style. The plot unfolds in a form that is unique. The novel comprises thirteen chapters, each of them telling a story that is complete in itself. Yet, a common thread runs through the entire book lending it a coherence that is so essential to the art of storytelling. The only other book written in a similar style that comes to mind is "Safed Ghoda Kaala Sawaar" by Hindi novelist Hridayesh. Of course, both of them vary vastly in their storylines. Those who have not read it must do so. An enjoyable experience is guaranteed. And yes, the book contains no disgusting scenes of people jumping into a pit of human excreta!

In defence of the "White Tiger"

One of the most popular definitions of journalism is that it is “literature in a hurry”. This essentiality of haste gives this form of writing its much-needed vigour, though, often at the cost of the insight that discerning readers might expect. Of late, there have been numerous examples of professional journalists making attempts, often commendable, to write fiction. Aravind Adiga, who went on to bag the Booker Prize for his debut novel “White Tiger”, is a case in point. The book has had its own share of controversies as many thought the recognition was because of the West’s fondness for “poverty porn”.
Leaving controversies aside, Adiga deserves to be congratulated for weaving a fabulous tale around a plot which could have easily degenerated into an average crime thriller. It is the story of a man who starts off as a driver in a rich household, murders his employer, runs away with his money and settles down in Bangalore where he starts a transport agency with a fleet of cabs and does brisk business in the city dotted with innumerable call centres with odd working hours. The novel has as its backdrop an impending visit of Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, to whom the protagonist writes “letters”, perhaps never delivered, wherein he narrates his own odd “success story”.
The speciality of the book lies in the fact that it does not make one paranoid about the dangers, real or imaginary, that any relatively well-off person faces from his poor servants, drivers and other such people who deserve much credit for making our lives liveable. At the most, it calls upon the reader to look within and introspect how his or her life and conduct does influence the character and behaviour of those by whom he or she is being served and who are likely to emulate, if not idolize, them. In an odd way, the novel reminds one of stories (unable to recollect their names) by Urdu writers Manto and Ashk wherein they had depicted servants driven to delinquency by the wanton lives of their masters. While the aforesaid stories dealt with adolescent domestic helps and took up the singular dimension of sexuality as its theme, “White Tiger” is a novel very much in line with the beautiful definition given by French writer Stendhal - “a mirror which passes over a highway. Sometimes it reflects to your eyes the blue of the skies at others the churned-up mud of the road”.
Political flux, illegal coal trade, absentee landlordism surviving with the help of an oppressive feudal order, the tricks played by the high and the mighty to carry out their illegal businesses and also save their skins from punishment for crimes committed in moments of inadvertence, all these things are presented in this riveting novel. For its racy narrative and a fantastic - though firmly rooted in reality - storyline, the novel is certainly worth the time, money and energy one spends devouring it.

फिराक: एक महत्त्वपूर्ण फ़िल्म/Firaaq: a telling commentary on communal strife

विवादास्पद फिल्मों में काम करने के लिए चर्चित रही नंदिता दास ने "फिराक" के द्वारा बतौर निर्देशक ज़ोरदार दस्तक दी है। ऐसा लगता है कि इस फ़िल्म को उतनी ख्याति नहीं मिली जितनी मिलनी चाहिए थी। इसे सांप्रदायिक दंगों पर बनी अन्य फिल्मों की श्रेणी में रखना एक भूल होगी क्योंकि इस फ़िल्म के कथानक में हम एक बुनियादी फर्क पाते हैं जो इसे एक विशिष्ट स्थान देता है। यह स्पष्ट करना आवश्यक होगा कि यह फ़िल्म दंगों पर आधारित नहीं है। अपितु, यह फ़िल्म दंगों के बाद की "सामान्य स्थिति" की सामान्यता की पड़ताल करती है और यह प्रतिपादित करती है कि कौमी फसाद किसी भी समाज के दिल पर एक न भरने वाला घाव कर जाते हैं। इंसान का इंसान पर से विश्वास जब उठ जाता है तो फिर प्रशासनिक मशीनरी लाख चुस्ती दिखलाये समाज में फैले हुए ज़हर को दूर नहीं कर सकता। फ़िल्म के कई प्रसंग बेहद मार्मिक बनने पड़े हैं। मसलन अपने घर को लुटी पिटी हालत में देखने के बाद एक ऑटो ड्राईवर की बीवी का अपनी एक पुरानी मगर दूसरे मज़हब की सहेली पर ही बेबुनियाद शक करने लगना, बुजुर्ग संगीतकार का अपनी पसंदीदा दरगाह को जला दिए जाने का समाचार टीवी पर देखकर हताश हो जाना, एक युवा जोड़े का इस बात पर स्तब्ध रह जाना कि जिस राहगीर को उन्होंने एक मामूली सड़क दुर्घटना पर शराफत के साथ मुआवजा दिया उसी ने उनकी दूकान लूटी थी। प्रत्येक जागरूक देशवासी को एक बार यह फ़िल्म अवश्य देखनी चाहिए।

For the convenience of all my friends who are not very conversant with Hindi, I hereby wish to draw their attention towards "Firaaq", a gem of a movie which also marks the directorial debut of Nandita Das, who has until now earned a lot of acclaim as an actress besides courting controversy for choosing to do films which have challenged the conventional Indian morality. Here, she is not at her polemical best, as the movie does not try to harangue the viewers on the virtues of secularism.But the absence of shrillness makes the voice even more impactful as it makes one ponder over the very important but little acknowledged fact - "normalcy" in the aftermath of a communal strife can not be quite normal. Through a number of believable characters, drawn from diverse social strata, the movie drives home the point that even when a pogrom ends, the mistrust that has cropped up between the people does not allow them to be at peace with themselves. A must-watch for every aware and sensitive citizen. Those fond of good cinema must also watch it for the stellar performances of Naseeruddin Shah and Deepti Naval who is in "full form", to use cricket analogy. Her compassion towards a tiny tot displaced by riots, her inability to provide him succour despite best intentions due to an overbearing and crookedly dogmatised husband (played brilliantly by Paresh Rawal), convulsions following memories of a woman crying for help at her doorsteps and finally her revolt, wherein she leaves the confines of her stifling home are brilliantly portrayed. Even other parts of the film are interspersed with brilliant scenes like the one in which Mohit Surie discloses his religious identity before a thuggish police man and thereby musters the courage to withdraw his decision to flee the country along with his wife who belongs to a different religion. The climactic scene, where an autorickshaw driver, who is going astray following his own travails in the riots, moves forward to pick up the child who has been abandoned by society, but is killed by a heavy block of stone dropped by a local resident, whose predatory instincts seem to have been awakened by the all-pervading, is very powerful though justifiably disturbing. Kudos to Das for her brilliant directorial debut.

Verdict 2009: An important signal

The Lok Sabha elections of 2009 have thrown up many surprises though one outcome that really makes one sit up and take note is the stupendous victory of Congress nominee from Unnao, Mrs Annu Tandon. The victory appears undeniably remarkable if we take into consideration all the following facts:

• That the lady has won the elections with a thumping margin of more than 3 lakh votes. Only Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi do surpass her victory margin (as far as Uttar Pradesh is concerned).


• That her main rival happened to be Anna Shukla, one of the “bahubalis” adorning the state’s politics, who incidentally was fielded by the ruling party in the state – the BSP.


• That the lady, who of course hails from a reputed family of the district, hardly has any political background to speak of. In fact, after she settled down in Mumbai following her marriage, her only connection with her native place is a social outfit that she runs there, which seems to have done some commendable work.

The victory may not actually be a reflection upon the general public mood across the country, but it certainly must not be dismissed as a flash in the pan thereby giving our netas yet another excuse to keep hob-nobbing with shady characters in the name of political compulsions.
In fact, in view of Ms Tandon’s victory, the Congress owes the country an answer as to why it chose to make friends with Sadhu Yadav and Pappu Yadav who in any case could not help the party improve its tally. While Sadhu, the infamous brother-in-law of Lalu Prasad, lost his deposit, Pappu’s wife and mother failed to win their seats despite the so-called following enjoyed by the self-styled Robinhood.
Unnao is no metro city where the victory of the urbane Ms Tandon could have been seen as “natural”. She had neither the caste arithmetic in her favour (her surname denotes that she is a Punjabi Khatri), does not happen to be the wife, daughter, mother or sister of a high-profile politician. Still, she managed to comprehensively defeat a man known mainly for his fire power and belonging to a caste group which has traditionally held sway over the state and which has found favour with the current ruling dispensation in the state. Moreover, Mrs Tandon, who is in her 50s, is also not a filmstar hence the possibility of “glamour quotient” is also ruled out.
One wonders why the Grand Old Party could not opt for experimenting with a different brand of candidates in Supaul, Purnea (where Pappu’s wife and mother respectively lost) and Pashchim Champaran (where Sadhu forefeited his deposit). The result in Unnao is indeed a strong signal to not only the Congress but all other parties which unabashedly proclaim that gun-toting thugs have become indispensable to the political scene in the Hindi heartland. One hopes that the netas do take note of the fact that decency continues to be rewarded in public life. The courts of law have already started doing their bit by having denied permission to many a tainted politician to fight elections. Now, the khadi brigade must prove that its belief in virtues is not a sham.

न्योता

यह न्योता है सभी दोस्तों, शुभचिंतकों और दुश्मनों (यदि वे हैं) को इस नए सफ़र में हमसफ़र बनने का. जैसा कि नाम से स्पष्ट है इस यात्रा का पड़ाव हमारा "काल" और गंतव्य उसका "चिंतन" है. कहने की ज़रुरत नहीं कि इस सफ़र में पड़ाव ही नहीं मंजिलें भी बार बार आयेंगी. दोस्तों से बस इतनी गुजारिश है कि भटकाव की स्थिति में रास्ता दिखलायें. और सफ़र में जो मंज़र हम न देख पाएं उनकी तरफ हमारा ध्यान ले जाएँ.