Gandhigiri V.S. Phatshala

The war has been on for sometime know, who will go to the Oscars as India's entry. Ultimately it was Rang De Basanti which will represent India, but Lage Raho Munna Bhai will contest the Oscars Independantly.

But the question is not who goes to the Oscars or who wins. The questions should be much broader.

Firstly, why such a hype over the Oscars, it is hollywood's way of recognizing it's finest and not Indian film industry's (or for the initiated Bollowood or Kollywood or Lollywood etc.. what ever you want to call it). Our film industry is so diverse that and so regional that it is very unlikely that an American is going to appreciate the subtleties of such movies. For him, Rang de basanti my be like any other action movie and Lage Raho may not make any sense to him at all. So I don't think it should really matter to us who goes to the Oscars. What we should bother about is our National awards and our award shows which although they are full of glitz and glamour they still represent the best we have to offer.

Secondly and more important, whose legacy is true. The one who got us independence through Ahimsa or those who split their blood and split others blood for the freedom of their motherland. Who's legacy is true. When we think about it, the honest answar is both. Let's not say, one was better than the other, because both were vital to where we are today. But, whose path is best followed today......

At once we will all say Gandhi's non violence no doubt, but let's look at reality again, look at the world around us. We don't follow his ways, we are in an eye for and eye world and that's how most of us live. But there are things in his ways that we could follow, maybe, just maybe we all could put down our weapons and be civilized, but will the terrorists pay heed to such action. They will call it inaction and terrorize us all the more. We are not in that era anymore, but even in that era, the battles were not won by non violence alone. In every struggle there is always a good dose of violence mixed in with the nonviolence. So maybe there is no clear winner. We all know we should all stand up for the truth and justice, but the way we do it is up to the individual.

Then again, maybe instead of looking at such issues on such a large scale, maybe we should look at it at our level, that is inside each and everyone of us. Tomorrow when you go to the office and you find the colleague whom you hate standing in front of you, what to you do, frown and walk away, or give him a sweet smile and say Good Morning from the bottom of your heart. Maybe that would be the first step to reconciliation. Out smiles are the best weapons we have in todays corporate world. I have always believed and still believe that one genuine smile will always evoke another and this is the best way to live.

I know this article is quite broken and does not reach a result. But that is because, there is no answer. How must one react, with flowers and truth(or love) or with guns and truth(or insults).
It's the decision of the individual.

Rahul........