That day evening while coming back I went to the music shop to buy an audio cassette. Ufff! There also they were playing the same O Podu song. It had almost become like an anthem at Mangalore as well. But I felt the song Pennoruti was much better than O Podu. S.P.B’s soulful voice was superb. I normally like soft songs than fast numbers.
I think that’s why I didn’t like O Podu. I felt Rhythm movie songs were much more wonderful than Gemini songs.
Our first year exams got over and next academic year commenced
June 11, 2002
That day my Kannada lecturer Shiv wanted to talk to me. That day evening I met him. Normally we talk inside the staff room but that day he told me to accompany him till Tagore Park, a beautiful garden of our city. Both of us went there and sat on the stone bench over there. He returned the diary in which I’d wrote Sneham story. I had given the story to him for editing in vacation. He took three days to finish it. I was very keen to know his opinion.
‘Hari, I’ve finished reading it. I did not find any need of editing at any stage. It’s just perfect! I really loved it. I knew that you would write something out of the box but amazing fact was being a bachelor you wrote about three married people, such roles that were beyond my imagination. Simply great! I’m feeling very proud of you!”
‘Thanks, Sir for your compliments! What do you feel?’
‘If I say frankly, you should become a director!’
‘What?’ I was surprised.
‘Yeah, Hari! You know why? Cinema is such a media where you can reach and spread the message to crores of people. We cannot reach such number of people through writing because these people will not be interested in reading novels, as they are busy but they will watch the movies though they are busy.’
‘But even today they are no lack for good readers.’
‘Yeah but cinema is such a field where you can reach the illiterate and educate them. Worst thing is there is a lack of good directors who can come up with new thoughts. You should seriously think about it.’
‘No, Sir. I don’t think so. Right from my childhood days I wanted to become a journalist or an editor of a magazine. I love watching movies but never ever thought of entering that field. I hate the cine field.’
‘Of course, your aim is good one but why you should hate any other field?’
‘Both cinema and politics are the 2 faces of the same coin. To get fame, name, money, popularity these people would do anything .Cinema is much better than politics, I agree. Cinema should be treated as pure art but it has become a business! Everything is commercialized. Everyone will not get the equal importance. There are so many people who are still behind the scenes in spite of working very hard. Most of the time it’s only the hero who gets the credit even though he takes hundreds of retakes for each shot and troubles a lot. They still rule because they are star sons. I hate this injustice and oppose it. I don’t understand why so many people leave everything family, wealth, and friends to join an industry where it’s very hard to make it and should remain an outsider or an extra? Why don’t they just leave it? It is the most uncertain life. It is just a crash course because it’s so short lived. Worst thing is the people who are stars simply forget this fact and behave as they are here to rule for 1000 years. And the people who run behind them to get their autographs or to take photographs with them are most stupid. Seriously I feel those people never achieve anything in their life. Do you know why, because they want to be followers, not the leaders? They simply forget the fact that celebrities are also just human beings, not any god or goddess to worship them. If we try hard and concentrate in our field we also can reach much better heights. So, why this difference? They have reached to the top in their profession and if we try we can reach that height as well. Then why we should worship or run behind any celebrities? They are not any heroes in their real life, then why? I know, Sir what and all happens behind the scenes. If I think about it I feel like retching.’
‘Really I’m dumbstruck, Hari. I really feel great for your thoughts of not to follow any stars. I also agree that art has become a business now but still there are people who are good like your story’s hero Priyatam!’
‘Come on, Sir. Don’t compare any person with Priyatam. But hey, why do you feel like I should become a director? What is the reason?’
‘Can you remember your 2 questions, which you’d raised with me long back? That day itself I realised you are different. In fact being more educated than you, I never thought such questions. You’ve got very good knowledge about general things and mythology too. Your parents have given such knowledge to you and your surroundings have educated you very will. You never accepted anything directly because it was in books. You cross verify them, until you get satisfactory answer you don’t accept them at all. You start questioning them till you get an answer.’
‘May be that’s because I admire Swami Vivekananda’s life style.’
‘Mmm but still your first question, ‘Where was the demon Hiranyaksha (Prahlada’s uncle) when he chased the Mother Earth? If he was on earth then how can chase her?’, put me in a real surprise. I had to struggle for one week to get the answer. Your second question, ‘When the real terminator is Lord Shiva then why all should blame Yama?’, was shocking till today. I couldn’t answer. That day itself I realised that you have got lots of creativity. Your poems were examples for your rare talent. Now again this story Sneham confirmed it. But only one thing, you have put all the good qualities in Priyatam’s role.’
‘No, Sir. Not all, he has a habit of smoking, which is not good but yeah later he stops it.’
‘Okay, but still he resembles an idol person. Mridula is the perfect example for the best life partner and Shanti is the best instance for a perfect friend. Three in one! Nice subject. But now I’m asking can you come up with one more theme in which there should be roles, which can overshadow these three roles, A hero who can leave the same impact, which Priyatam left in Sneham, a wife who can overshadow Mridula’s role ,A heroine who can keep Shanti’s role little away for a while from reader’s mind .Can you?’
I thought for a while. That was really a big task. Sneham itself took 2 years to complete. Big task was hero's role, which can leave the same impact as Priyatam leaves. Ufff!’
I was thinking.
‘Mmm. You have put me in a thought but who is the inspiration for such roles? Is there anyone?’, I asked
‘Who was the inspiration for Sneham?’
‘There is someone, I cannot say. But of course, nature played major role while writing. Sneham was a theme about the personal life of two people. Priyatam gets everything in his life. Job, Money, lovely wife, cute kids. He leads a middle class life like a king with everything in his life. But gets the biggest blow when he loses his family and it continues with a hope that how a complete family person like Priyatam leads his life when his dream family shatters. He is extremely obsessed about his family. The story ends as a dreadful tragedy about which Shanti comes to know only at the climax. The whole story is like a dream with dream roles, which leaves the impact of a feel good story. So…now you want me to write something different but should reflect the same feeling?’
‘Yes but I want a happy ending this time but it should leave the tragic end feel somewhere. Did you get? So you want one more inspiration, right? Okay. After nature, which is the other thing you like most?’
‘Of course, it’s music.’
‘Okay! Now think for a while and tell me about the plot but remember d my words.’
‘Okay!’, I started to think and I thought for almost 5 minutes and said , ‘Okay, I’ve got the plot.’
‘Tell me what is all about?’, he was curious.
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