Jai Ho!!!! ?????

Everywhere today is the talk about Slumdog Millionaire. It is being said that it’s the triumph of Indian Film Industry (I personally do not believe in the word ‘Bollywood’ which looks like a copy of Hollywood). I fail to comprehend the hype and glitter given to it. Why is it that even after more than six decades of our ‘Swaraj’ or independence, we still look towards the west for our own accreditation? Why this west hysteria, the imported the better, “Angrezia” still not over? Didn’t we know even before as to how wonderful musician A R Rahman is? Will we love his music more now just because he is a foreign award winner??? I find his music compositions in Dilli 6 more beautiful than in Slumdog Millionaire. How many of us agree with me on this?? Were not songs from Bombay soulful enough?? I am sympathetic with western audience who miss on such wonderful and soulful music which blossoms from India. Why is that to be proven good we still crave for western stamp??? Where is our self consciousness??

Moreover, this film depicts India in a dark shade. And trust me it is not unique to India. Even the so called ‘developed’ nations have economically weaker sections of the society. Yes we have poverty in India, but then which nation does not. We knew this fact even before Slumdog Millionaire was released. Let’s not forget it’s a western movie meant for western audience. And why are we celebrating our shame??? How can we celebrate our naked run in front of the world’s eyes???? It is our problem and we shall come over it. Also as a matter of fact the book from which the movie’s script is adapted was originally written in a European set up. Yes, technically the movie is great but why don’t we understand that in its backdrop it ridicules our nation.

‘Smile Pinki’ which purely is an Indian film (short documentary) has also won Oscars. Why no hype for that??? It’s a story about a girl with Cleft lip. In my view India has bagged 4 Oscars, two for A R Rahman and one each for Mr PooKutty the sound technician in the movie and ‘Smile Pinki’ the short documentary. We should be glad for these Oscars that too purely because appreciation is always welcome. But in not even tiniest way it should be considered as a western approval to India’s fine art. I am not an anti-western philosopher. I appreciate and sometimes even admire few colors of the western world. Personally, I have nothing against the movie Slumdog Millionaire. It is indeed a remarkable piece of art. But I am also an India conscious patriot, a one amongst all of us. Tell me if any American would celebrate a filmfare award for a movie that depicts the less honorable lives of its citizens residing in ‘ghettos’ even after 200 years of its independence, that too after a reasonably short foreign rule???

When will we be confident enough, aware enough to be proud of what India consist of??? Yoga is now fashionable because Madonna and America are following it. Ayurveda is cool as Americans are now fascinated by it. McDonald is great since whole of America eats it!!! Where is our self evaluation and esteem??? Are we so poor in our enlightenment that we cannot even judge our own culture, art, music, our people, ourselves!!!!???? How is it possible that this land which has given humanity most enlightened men and women has to now look over to others to judge??

As I put it, four Indian Oscars should be welcomed as a mark of appreciation and not accreditation. It’s the western world which is re-discovering the essence of India. It’s their gain. They are now waking up to this fascinating land of art, culture and love. Let them have the celebrations. It’s like when Vasco Da Gama discovered India the world celebrated for they found a land which for thousand years to come enlightened the world with its eternal and interminable knowledge, science, spirituality, wisdom, light, love and principles of co-existence in harmony with nature and in sync with other human beings.
Jai Ho Bharat!!! Jai ho!!
Pranjal.