Blood. Legacy & Family

Blood. It is about being in the blood.

Ok here is something that is miles, if not continents away from the usual stuff that I stand for. Those of you, who know me, know me as being tolerant and open minded about everything in life. That is why I am NOT fanatical about anything, not about religion, races, colours etc. However, people very close to me know that I am not just fanatical, but extremely weird about one thing, rather one person and that I will stand absolute NO negative comments about him. The man is Amitabh Bachchan, or as I simply refer to him as 'Dada'. He is not just the greatest superstar in India, he is NOT just the coolest man walking, he is NOT just the living definition of success, to me and in my own little and wishful (but yet very genuine) world - he is FAMILY. Family because even today, when I am in my 30s, I cannot watch him die on screen. From Deewar to Sholay to Agnepath, I have to close my eyes, or put the DVD on stop and If I do watch the end, then I have to immediately watch at least an hour of SIMPSONS just to forget that Bachchan had died in the film. Fanatic? Weirdness? Who cares? I don’t.

Anyway, last evening I went to watch a film called SARKAR. Now let me tell you that this article is NOT a review of the film. I am sure that you will find hundreds of those everywhere. If you want to know about the film, well then, in one line, I will say that it is brilliant. It is already up there in my top 5-bollywood films ever made. There you go, that my review of the flick. After the film was over, I could not talk to anyone for about an hour. I was dumb struck, I tried to distract myself, to come out of the shock but I just could not. What had amazed me about the flick was not just my 'dada', or realizing that this was one of Ram Gopal Varma's best, or that even Abhishek Bachchan walked over everyone in terms of performance. There was something more to all of this, and this is what this article is about.

I remember watching a film called REFUGEE, many years back. Abhishek was being launched. I noticed at that time, the very powerful family that he belonged to, didn’t go in for a typical film wherein they could show the audience that they could dance, sing, fight, ride a horse and romance on the hills for Switzerland/Australia all in one film. At that time itself, I sensed a complete sense of confidence in that family. It was a clear signal that they did not need to stoop to a level wherein they would have to depend on great locales, music, and every other thing that unfortunately goes into making a 'hit' movie in bollywood. Instead, here was their child, in a non-contemporary flick, and this is how he could perform - as an actor. What followed over the years was this actor doing his bit in films that did not have anything substantial in them. We, the Indian moviegoers just cannot seem to rise above at awe we have for larger than life, phony characters that we see portrayed again and again on celluloid and that too by the same actor doing the same damn thing over and over again. Moreover, every time we get a 'good' flick, with foreign locales, mechanical music, and often-cheap dialogues we praise the actor to the skies and the nation goes berserk. Note when I referred to the 'good' flick, I did not mention anything about good acting, but the actor gets all the credit, does another few films doing the same thing and then he fades away until another one makes it to the top. No wonder then, none of these clowns have been able to come even close to the success and charisma of the Big B. I must state here that the exception to this has always been Amir Khan, who I do consider to be a very talented and stylish celebrity.

So I always wondered who would ever carry the legacy of Mr. Bachchan forward. Now even though I do feel that ShahRukh Khan has achieved, in terms of fame and fortune, more than any other of his colleagues have, and that too not being from a 'filmy' background, I cannot still see him being the heir to 'Big B' legacy. He just doesn’t have it in his soul. Amir could have made it to that, but he has opted to be an actor rather than anything else. There will NEVER ever be another 'Big B' and that is final. I know people talk about there never being another Dilip Kumar or Dev Anand. I agree, but it is insignificant. With all due respect to these great men, but the 'Big B' is more than anything or anyone that has walked the soil of bollywood. Today, when most of his colleagues are long retired, he is R.O.C.K.I.N.G celluloid, ads and the media overall, giving the younger dependants-on-frolics a run for their money. I will say this again, there will never be another BIG B. So what happens to the future of this legacy? Who is worth being crowned the rightful heir to this throne? NOBODY can be his equal, but then again someone needs to carry forward the legacy that this great man has created. Someone needs to be the guardian of it all. Who? Who? Oh Lord, Who?

Now, to know the answer of this, go and watch SARKAR. The heir the throne has risen, and in SARKAR you will see the amazing Ram Gopal Varma, show you the legacy, the shy prince who then rises above all, and eventually is crowned the new king. Abhishek for most of the film makes you forget that thee Big B is part of the same frame too. He makes you forget that thee Ram Goal Varma is the master behind those frames. He makes you even forget most of the time, that he is the son of thee Big B. He stands there like A force to be reckoned with. His eyes, the sober expressions and that style, will make your jaw drop. You come out of the cinema dumb struck and your mind doesn’t seem to know a single word to say anymore. After much time has gone by, you realize what you just saw. You saw the blood of Mr. and Mrs. Bachchan become one and they called it Abhishek. In him, you see the anger of his father's character and tenderness of his mother's character. I mean character as in their common roles on celluloid. He has the talent from both his parents. Where can he even run from it? It is there, and it is seen here now. Abhishek has not depended on everything else around him, but his acting capabilities. He is the heir to what I keep referring to as the 'Bachchan' legacy. He is it's rightful king of the future. He is the blood of the Bachchans, and for decades to come, he will remind generations, as to whose son he is. As he rightfully said it himself 'I am my father’s son, and I will always be in his shadows'. The true making of a young king.

For my younger readers, who do not understand the depth ness of this blood, legacy & family, the let me tell you it's like Simba taking over and continuing his father - Mufasa's legacy. This is what this is about. Dada and Jaya-ji you must be proud again today, for your little lion has finally roared, and the jungle called cinema has awakened taking notice of him. Only a good son can be aware of the blood in him and do the right thing, and Abhishek has done that. It's about family honour, it's about the blood that flows thru, and that is passed on from generation to generation, along with discipline, style, charisma etc.

For the die hard Amitabh fan that I am, watching SARKAR has calmed the storm of worry that killed me within, regarding the throne, the legacy and yes...my Dada. I know that his article is NOT about peace, love and tolerance – topics that I usually write about. In a way, its about tradition, loyalty and above all......family.

Tagore’s Prayer II

It's been quiet a while now since I wrote my first prayer
You’ve heard me out, touched me. Thank you God for letting me know you’re there.
You’ve seen me smile, you’ve seen me struggle, and now you are seeing me cry,
I know these tears will cleanse your streams and oceans making every sin die.

Jesus, man nailed you to the cross so mercilessly,
That you cannot free you hand from the cross to reach out and touch me.
I stand below your cross, looking at your murder that I didn’t do,
I’m so much in pain, so I stand here and start praying to you.

I hear a bell in a distant temple, it seems to sense my sorrow and tear.
Bhagwan, tears roll down my face as I realize that you’ve come so near,
I’m still asking Bhagwan, I’m still begging in these tears. I am so much in pain,
Yes, I’m still trying a different shrine, calling out your name again and again.

Allah, isn’t my attempt at worship, good enough for you?
Tell me, please tell me. Don’t you know how much I pray to you?
I sense your presence, your love. I know you love me truly,
Then why is it Allah, that evil is still keeping my girl away from me?

So my Lord God, creator of all that I see,
What are the mountains & oceans for, if not for my baby and me?
You want me to chant your name, your love, to tell them that we are one
When this is the very same thing, that is killing your favorite son.

Answer me Lord, respond to my pain
Like a spoilt child, I’m weeping and throwing a tantrum again
And as I cry bitterly I ask you Lord to answer me,
‘Please God, please for the sake of your creation – answer me,
and turn the world around if you have to, but please give me my baby’

Note: I was going thru my old work, looking to find something to put up here on my blog. There are a number of you out there now who have started to 'stalk' me on this site, so I'm making an extra effort to update it as frequently as possible. Anyways, I found this poem, and immediately laughed at it having found it very sweet and yet it projects an immense connection with GOD. I realized that I have always behaved like a spoilt brat with GOD, demanding that HE makes things right - because at that time I was huffing and puffing and throwing a full blown tantrum which seemed to have a mask of deep pain in the name of love. But I do like this piece of work, it reminded me of my child like affection and relationship with GOD. What I never knew then, as most children never realize when they are throwing a fit, is that the adults know best. Similarly GOD knows best - ALL THE TIME. He can see beyond the horizon, thru the fog and way above the clouds. When an ant's foot touches a leaf, He senses it. When a pebble shifts in a streambed, He knows it. If there's a worm hidden deep in a rock, He'll know its body, tinier than an atom. HIS compassion towards us cannot and will never be able to be described. So the next time you pray, know that HE does not have to wait to hear your prayer, HE already knows what you need, and HE has already done what is best for you. All you have to know is, believe THAT. In the meantime, if you want to throw a tantrum like this moody libran here, go ahead. HE still loves you. - Tagore Almeida -

Ay Gopa!! Gopa,

“Hurry Up! We are getting late. Where are you Ethan?” – yelled his father, as he tried to get them ready for the school bus. 5 year old Ethan walked very calmly to his father and said ‘Here. I am in my body’. That made his agitated father smile.

“I am going to have two babies when I grow up, mum. Two”, declared 4 year old Merryl. “One will be a green pony and the other will be an orange pony”. Her trying-very-hard-to-be-over-things mother listened and then said “You have chosen Interesting colours for your children Merryl”, as she died within trying to figure out how her 4 year old was thinking on those lines. But the mother found it extremely funny too.

The workaholic was back home for lunch and as he ate with his wife, she complained how their 15 month old son was turning out to be a terror. She told her husband how she had to yell so much that her voice was giving way. The father could clearly see that the little boy was terrorizing his mother. The father tried his stern voice trying to let the boy know that he couldn’t get away with what he was doing. Lunch was over and the boy fussed with his father, throwing kisses at him, doing something ridiculously cute, and making the father smile. Soon the father had to leave to get back to work and the toddler begun to cling on to his father. Finally the toddler said ‘bye Baba’, waved his little hands to his father and threw him a flying kiss. The father came out of the house, got below his building, then went up again, opened the front door and told his surprised wife ‘Stop yelling at the poor guy’. Mission accomplished. I reckon the little toddler went back to his little room, pulled out his ‘mischief’ plan and exhaled ‘phew that was close!!! Now, how do I control mum?’.

A fanatical catholic grand mother, emphasizes on prayers to her little grand-daughter. She tells the little angel how Jesus went to Calvary and there he died for us all. She sensitively breaks into the hymn that proclaims the same. The grand daughter joins in stating ‘you went to Cadbury, there you died for me’. The grand mother’s deepest moment of prayer is beautifully disrupted with a smile, a blush and then upon establishing eye contact with her grand daughter, who just realized that something she said didn’t fit in, the grand mother laughs and hugs the child. A moment more precious, more divine and above all, like all the other stories mentioned here, a moment of pure innocence – sheer divine.

There is so much of innocence in these angels, so much of purity. They hold no grudges, no anger and no hatred. Most of all they are not manipulators, not conniving and then makes me wonder... what happened to us? We were those children some time ago. I pray for every parent to do the right thing for their children, to make them realize who is right and what isn't, as they grow up. I pray that we adults inoculate a sense of morality, a dose of braveness so that the kids might know that what might seem like a difficult or tough choice is actually something for their own good, so that they will learn to know the right path, the right people and above all that they will keep alive within them always, the umbilical chord between them and THE almighty. It's a shame that so many kids go astray, simply coz they are put on that path by none other than their own parents and/or guardians who are looking after them. Children are the light not just of tomorrow, but of today too. I say this because I truly believe that today they are the reminders to us adults on how much more pure we once were.

The kids in my life call me Gopa. Ethan invented that years ago when he was even smaller and a lot less naughty than he is now. I think he was trying to tell me to 'Go Far' away from him, but I just like to kid myself that he called me Gopa. When he says Gopa! I know he is going to take me for a ride. When Elaine says Gopa, it's usually a deep question about life. Thank God she asked her mother (my sister) what adultery meant and not me. I would have run away from her, doing my version of McCauley Culkin's scream. Merryl can ask me her 100th 'WHY?' in one single conversation, but at least I do not tell her what he mum does when she runs out of patience. 'Because the sky is too high' - I could never do that coz I don’t believe that Merryl would stop at that. Amaar can look at me, smile his most mischievous smile and then declare 'Chick-en!!'. That means he is hungry....again.

When I see these children in my life, I have just a few prayers in my heart. I always want to be Gopa to them. I want them to take advantage of me, take me for a ride, while I hope I never fail them. Secondly I pray that these kids always have that innocence in them as they grow to be able to connect to all the Gopas that they come across in their lives. By this I mean that I hope they trust, love and bond with whoever they feel is a Gopa to them, and may that Gopa NEVER betray them.

Go now and be the Gopa to the world around you. Amin, Amen
-Tagore Almeida -