“Thousands of desires, each worth dying for... many of them I have realized...yet I yearn for more...” ~Mirza Ghalib Sudhir Mishra’s Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi is a rare gem of Indian cinema which has achieved a cult status in the so-called ‘Parallel wave’. It’s a story of doubts and failures, and also of love and triumph. The political and socio-economic turbulence of India of the Emergency period is wonderfully depicted in the story of three young college pupils torn apart by an ideological uprising. The film leaves you with a lot to contemplate upon and is worth a study. The era of 1970 was a chaotic time in Indian history. Saddened and frustrated by an authoritarian political system which was fundamentally based on nepotism and hypocrisy, the youth was mobilized by an ideological utopia motivated by the influence of Marxist culture and global political climate. The revolution in Cuba had inspired rebellions all over the world and India was not alien to it. In that atmosphere began the infamous Naxalbari movement which was basking in the dream of a classless society. The more intellectual rather than an armed wave of struggle started under the leadership of Jayaprakash Narayan in Bihar, threatening the very foundation of the so-called one-party establishment. Sinhasan khali karo ki janta aati hai! With this fear came the doom of the Emergency putting the whole nation into shock. In those turbulent times, the very nature of our democratic setup was put to severe scrutiny. How justified are we in idealizing the mother democracy when liberty and equality of its people is gravely endangered? Thus, began an age of cynicism which continues even today. But as it turns out in the plot, the protagonist of the film who led the communist revolt gives in and escapes the country altogether saying however that, the world has changed, but perhaps not in the ways we expected it to. Hazaaron Khwaishein.. is more of an introspection. In times such as the ones depicted in the film, and also in times like we are in, what matters is how far can we persist in our commitments. Radical measures demand radical sacrifices and the fact remains that change is a process which needs time and space. Revolutions too have a cost. Lives are lost, and innocence is crushed. It is for us to justify the price. As the song goes, Baanwra mann dekhne chala ek sapna!
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कविता घेराव में किसी बौखलाए हुए आदमी का संक्षिप्त एकालाप है Sudama Pandey ‘Dhoomil’ was one of those rare poets who chose to express their concern for the truth they saw around them rather than playing with words of old emotions and romance. His poetry shouted at the establishment, mocking the bourgeoisie that had long claimed an authority over expression and intellect. Like Muktibodh, Dhoomil was a poet of free verse whose grasp of the stark reality of the human condition transcended the rhythm of language. Sansad Se Sadak Tak chronicles his protest against the illusion of democracy in a world which was plagued with corruption and hatred and sadly enough, his words are still as relevant. रक्तपात – कहीं नहीं होगा सिर्फ़, एक पत्ती टूटेगी! एक कन्धा झुक जायेगा! Another revolutionary poet who spoke for the common and oppressed citizen got killed in a massacre. Pash is a name that still echoes from the heart of socialist ideologies but his sacrifice remains obscured in a land which idolizes populism and authority. However, as he wrote years ago, मैं घास हूँ मैं आपके हर किए-धरे पर उग आऊँगा The poetry of Muktibodh, Dhoomil, and Pash, and perhaps a few more still unnoticed, ask us to stop over and introspect. To see that the world is a beautiful place disfigured, however, by our own selfish propaganda and politics. At a time when Indian democracy is at crossroads, when right-wing extremism is threatening our secular heritage and when the poor man still dies on the streets of our metropolis, it’s fitting to ask again, Partner, tumhari politics kya hai? |
About Me
Rajit Roy
An existential romantic, an agnostic and a prospective biologist. Archives
September 2018
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