Rajkummar Rao, Shahid Movie and India!
I haven't published a blog in years. I have always thought of
writing one thing or the other but never got my act together in writing
and publishing a blog in almost four years!
But today, after watching the spectacular performance of Rajkummar Rao in the film 'Shahid', I couldn't help myself, but to give words to my thoughts in the middle of the night. This is my second time watching this film (I have watched this film back in 2014 when it received national awards).
Rajkummar Rao - I don't even know how to start marveling this gem of an actor who completely transforms into something else in that screen! I have watched him in Kai Po Che and Shahid back in India, but I don't remember being particularly hit hard like it did this time.
What I saw on screen during some of the court sequences in the movie, is not an actor! Its not Rajkummar Rao! Its an angry young man! Filled with flesh and blood! Like you and me, who is just simple as you live your life, but yet determined to fight for something that he believes in. He believes that innocents should not be broadly painted as something else, just because of some common factors (In this movie, obviously being painted as terrorist, because one is a Muslim). He fights amidst all the death threats! He FIGHTS! And he FIGHTS!
To give a context of what the character is about, Shahid is a man who appears as defense lawyer for people who are put behind bars for "allegedly" having aided terrorist attacks. There is one particular scene in which he really blew my mind where the public prosecutor sorta insinuates words in a sense, that Shahid is making some defense arguments because he knows the ways of the terrorists! WHAT!
And all hell broke loose! Its the anger that you and I get when someone accuses you of something that you are not! I have felt such anger when I'm wrongly accused! And you the reader, of course would have felt that anger at some point in your life! But boy, how do you transform that into screen with that so much ease! Literally, one of the finest acting I have ever seen!
At this point, I cannot stress enough for you, the reader, to go watch the movie before you read the rest of my blog! Its on Netflix! Or well, never mind! Go on!
Yes, the core of Shahid's arguments in the movie is "Justice Delayed is Justice Denied." This movie is based on the real life of Shahid Azmi, and SIR RAJKUMMAR RAO, you have done justice for such a powerful message from the life of that man!
Alright! Now enough of movie review! This movie tells nothing more than the reality in India!
India, my country! The country we all love so dearly! Is she perfect ? NO.
One of the things, that we always dislike about our country is our institutions. From Police to Politicians to every other government agency, there is zero to very little public credibility on any of our institutions! Corruption and lack of transparency are definitely where the major part of blame lies!
One of the things that always saddens me is the lack of accountability for the crimes committed by those in power! Its not just the lack of accountability, but its the absolute IMMUNITY that makes it worse! Police brutality and wrongful accusations/convictions are not so odd in our systems. It has ruined the life of many innocents, by denying their rights, by breaking their bone and teeth, and what not!
As late as January 2017, we saw the police brutality on the last day of Jallikattu protests in Chennai's Marina beach, and even we saw visuals of men in Khaki uniforms setting bikes and houses ablaze. Where's the accountability ? Not so long before that in September 2016, there was an alleged suicide in Chennai's puzhal jail. Right before the 'accused' Ramkumar was eligible for bail in two-three days(After being in jail for 87 days)! Now here, no one among the public knows definitively, that he was the murderer! May be he is! But what if he wasn't! It was painful for me to see on Facebook posts, where even educated youth posting stuff in the tone "Good Riddance." Ok lets imagine, he was the murderer! But do you really think, he would have ended with the same fate, if he was a filthy rich guy! Ofcourse not! These are just mere two instances in our recent memory, and happened in broad day light! How many such incidents are happening in the dark! God knows!
I think its high time we talk about these issues, because these are something that affect the most vulnerable ones in the society! The Poor and The Defenseless Innocents! Going back to square one, this is exactly what this bold movie 'SHAHID' talks!
This blog is not about finger pointing, but I just want we as Indians to retrospect on where we are repeatedly failing not just as a society, but also as compassionate human beings, by choosing not to take sides, by turning the other way!
Yes we want our systems to be better! Yes we want our police to be friendly! Yes we want our institutions to be transparent! And of all, we want accountability for those who cross their lines! But how ? We cannot achieve any of this overnight! We can at least choose not to ignore the painful ordeals that innocent men and women go through and start constructive dialogs that not only would make tomorrow a better day, but also you a better human being! Yes, we should question! Yes, we should fight! Yes, we should stand up for the poor and the defenseless innocents! Like Shahid did!
And thanks Rajkummar Rao, your acting inspired me to write this blog! Thank YOU reader for reading this! Long Live India!
But today, after watching the spectacular performance of Rajkummar Rao in the film 'Shahid', I couldn't help myself, but to give words to my thoughts in the middle of the night. This is my second time watching this film (I have watched this film back in 2014 when it received national awards).
Rajkummar Rao - I don't even know how to start marveling this gem of an actor who completely transforms into something else in that screen! I have watched him in Kai Po Che and Shahid back in India, but I don't remember being particularly hit hard like it did this time.
What I saw on screen during some of the court sequences in the movie, is not an actor! Its not Rajkummar Rao! Its an angry young man! Filled with flesh and blood! Like you and me, who is just simple as you live your life, but yet determined to fight for something that he believes in. He believes that innocents should not be broadly painted as something else, just because of some common factors (In this movie, obviously being painted as terrorist, because one is a Muslim). He fights amidst all the death threats! He FIGHTS! And he FIGHTS!
To give a context of what the character is about, Shahid is a man who appears as defense lawyer for people who are put behind bars for "allegedly" having aided terrorist attacks. There is one particular scene in which he really blew my mind where the public prosecutor sorta insinuates words in a sense, that Shahid is making some defense arguments because he knows the ways of the terrorists! WHAT!
And all hell broke loose! Its the anger that you and I get when someone accuses you of something that you are not! I have felt such anger when I'm wrongly accused! And you the reader, of course would have felt that anger at some point in your life! But boy, how do you transform that into screen with that so much ease! Literally, one of the finest acting I have ever seen!
At this point, I cannot stress enough for you, the reader, to go watch the movie before you read the rest of my blog! Its on Netflix! Or well, never mind! Go on!
Yes, the core of Shahid's arguments in the movie is "Justice Delayed is Justice Denied." This movie is based on the real life of Shahid Azmi, and SIR RAJKUMMAR RAO, you have done justice for such a powerful message from the life of that man!
Alright! Now enough of movie review! This movie tells nothing more than the reality in India!
India, my country! The country we all love so dearly! Is she perfect ? NO.
One of the things, that we always dislike about our country is our institutions. From Police to Politicians to every other government agency, there is zero to very little public credibility on any of our institutions! Corruption and lack of transparency are definitely where the major part of blame lies!
One of the things that always saddens me is the lack of accountability for the crimes committed by those in power! Its not just the lack of accountability, but its the absolute IMMUNITY that makes it worse! Police brutality and wrongful accusations/convictions are not so odd in our systems. It has ruined the life of many innocents, by denying their rights, by breaking their bone and teeth, and what not!
As late as January 2017, we saw the police brutality on the last day of Jallikattu protests in Chennai's Marina beach, and even we saw visuals of men in Khaki uniforms setting bikes and houses ablaze. Where's the accountability ? Not so long before that in September 2016, there was an alleged suicide in Chennai's puzhal jail. Right before the 'accused' Ramkumar was eligible for bail in two-three days(After being in jail for 87 days)! Now here, no one among the public knows definitively, that he was the murderer! May be he is! But what if he wasn't! It was painful for me to see on Facebook posts, where even educated youth posting stuff in the tone "Good Riddance." Ok lets imagine, he was the murderer! But do you really think, he would have ended with the same fate, if he was a filthy rich guy! Ofcourse not! These are just mere two instances in our recent memory, and happened in broad day light! How many such incidents are happening in the dark! God knows!
I think its high time we talk about these issues, because these are something that affect the most vulnerable ones in the society! The Poor and The Defenseless Innocents! Going back to square one, this is exactly what this bold movie 'SHAHID' talks!
This blog is not about finger pointing, but I just want we as Indians to retrospect on where we are repeatedly failing not just as a society, but also as compassionate human beings, by choosing not to take sides, by turning the other way!
Yes we want our systems to be better! Yes we want our police to be friendly! Yes we want our institutions to be transparent! And of all, we want accountability for those who cross their lines! But how ? We cannot achieve any of this overnight! We can at least choose not to ignore the painful ordeals that innocent men and women go through and start constructive dialogs that not only would make tomorrow a better day, but also you a better human being! Yes, we should question! Yes, we should fight! Yes, we should stand up for the poor and the defenseless innocents! Like Shahid did!
And thanks Rajkummar Rao, your acting inspired me to write this blog! Thank YOU reader for reading this! Long Live India!
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