Tamasha: From a Sociologist’s View

I do realize there’s a lot of bisti coming my way for writing this up..but I guess I got too emotional while typing only the status of watching #Tamasha on #Facebook... and realized that I ended up writing a NOTE..So I thought.. why not?? ;) (And well after all the forms, applications, assignments, research stuff and yada yada... one needs to type their heart out too yar!) Here’s Tamasha...From the perspective of a Sociologist...

This movie wasn't grabbing my attention...as Naqsh Nasyr says... we all were wondering “YE KYA HAI.. YE KYUN HAI.. YE KIS NE BNA DI??” :p no dialogues, no interesting scene, not even good acting.. zabardasti k jokes.. the Ranpika couple went on jumping and running like idiots.. showing the world (Quoting Nayab Nasir Sial) “OMG!! LOOK AT US!! WE ARE SO HAAAAAPPAAAYYY!!” And I was wondering why we bought this crappy nonsense...There was this over-rated city CORSICA.. which had been mentioned at least 10 times (more or less) in the movie.. even the first two song videos were too silly to bear.. and the Baba in the first half was pretty annoying.. My sisters and cousins were making fun of the movie.. and I was trying to convince myself that it is okay to recommend a movie..and make your sisters and cousins watch it..we all make mistakes...(though unforgivable at times!) :p

until..

I realized that all the nonsense in the first half an hour (or so) was planned.. and I must say it was WELL PLANNED.. (at a risk of losing audience though)..That's where the movie showed how people WANT to live.. without worries.. carefree..being silly.. being real.. being spontaneous..being THEMSELVES...

AND it was meant to show the people what they were expecting..(yes, I admit it.. even I had expected the same)

Just as people ask how are you and expect "I'm fine , thank you" in return..the Director probably wanted us to lose ALL our interest, thinking that all this is so mainstream...

It was meant to let the people sit back and PREDICT a "just-another-stupid-film" kinda story...

But then came the twist that moved the audience ... Where she told him...”THIS IS NOT YOU...” She was the only one who pulled him out of the sack he kept himself in... lying to himself and everyone around.. and that brought the audience from a leaned-back position to leaned-forward posture... AND it grabbed me from the heart..it was not meant for him only.. it was meant for EACH ONE OF US... That's where the film-maker wanted to WAKE the people up...where the least-expected began to happen...contrary to people’s expectations..contradicting with the worldly rationalized models of how situations should be and how the society functions smoothly...(#Social #Construction of #Reality)..

That is where an alarm went off... hammering the minds.. saying “Why do you pretend to care??” **as one of the dialogues from one of the best scenes goes like this: "Why do you ask HOW ARE YOU when you don't really want to know???"

The movie was about "Not giving the pen of our lives to someone else...but to WRITE our own story by OURSELVES.. "

and not just that..

but to END it with the same authority too!

SUCH A MARVELOUS STORY (but, sadly, the first half an hour was not that well executed)!

No villain.. no action.. no DRAMA.. no complications.. beyond romance and comedy..a satirical #Dramaturgical_Analysis of the role play we are tangled in... of how we keep on #DISGUISING ourselves and persist in the worldly TAMASHA .. how we kill the deepest felt emotions just to show the world how STRONG we are...how we keep on dancing to the beats we don't like just because we have got ourselves tied up as puppets..how we think that obedience is our obligation.. no matter how wrong or right it is..(Milgram’s Obedience Theory)

The movie began to chime...

we need to change the song if we don’t like the beat...

we need to create our own life's tamasha...

and then..

WE.NEED.TO.LET.GO.

I laughed.. and realized that I wasn't laughing at the movie scenes.. but the dialogues.. and how they mocked me.. and each one of us.. trapped in the web of societal interactions..fearful of social rejection on the stage of the world.. disappearing in the fog of people's wishes...just to gain SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE...just as actors have to ACT to gain the applause.. no matter how opposite they are feeling atm..

Oh, and only day before yesterday was I thinking of the REASON of wearing a TIE , which, from nowhere seems like a symbol of being a "GENTLEMAN" to me..and rather like a chain to keep the individual ENSLAVED with a false idea that he is looking smart in it...and there it was.. the movie addressed it in the best way.. I loved how the symbolism was portrayed..for instance: 1. #Robotic man with a heart .. who didn’t let it beat 2. His self talk in the #Mirror as another person.. and still not the SELF.. judging himself from the perspective of others...(the Looking Glass) 3. His relation with the #Tie...portraying the dilemma of a #mediocre employee in a corporate sector 4. How he eventually exploded on everyone who was responsible for his mental confinement 5. And all the nonsensical parts were actually screaming out.. “NEVER GROW UP” 6. The same “routine” scene repeated several times... and... 7. How important social relationships are... to KEEP THE YOU ALIVE... yes.. not you.. but THE YOU... 8. There are points where we need to SPEAK up.. and points where need to SHUT up.. and not “jhaaro” our own philosophies or interpretations.. because that might kill someone on the inside! 9. The worst and most dangerous form of depression= DENIAL.. this is when we try to tell ourselves k KUCH HUA HI NAHI...in order to keep ourselves from the brink of tearing up and falling in the pit of gloom...well.. we NEED TO CRY at times...and face the REALITY! 10. We gain success only when we DO what we LOVE..

And it struck me right in the head...! I am sure it must have hit many others.. with the question.. “IS THIS REALLY YOU?” “Did you always want THIS in life??” “Don’t you wish for a CHANGE??”

It wasn't even realization.. it seemed as if this feeling had always been there.. and was just a little more illuminated than before.. It was meant to deliver the message that EACH ONE OF US is born with one or more talents.. and the EFFORT WE PUT in KILLING EACH ONE OF OUR TALENTED FRAGMENTS, is what it takes to be #Socially_Accepted! This is what this movie is all about..It tells us that we are born stars.. but we get covered with the dust of others’ judgments.. and that star within us begins to sink as we grow older..

Trying to create an "other-oriented" #SOCIAL_SELF where we are pleasing everyone else but OUR OWN SELF (The #Mead thing!)!

After The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty , for me.. Tamasha, is the most RELATABLE movie plot of all times...

Probably the movie could have won awards and done great business if it had some strong dialogues from the very beginning.. (still.. can’t say about the awards yet) The movie was not a “That’s-What-I-Call-A-Movie” thing... BUT WAS SUCCESSFUL IN TEACHING THE LESSONS FOR LIFE!

Ranbir Kapoor is one HECK of an actor... I wonder when he is getting an offer from Hollywood..

and Of course.. I LOVE Deepika Padukone :D <3

I am not recommending it (NOT AGAIN :p )... but I’d say it is an eye opener... give it a chance.. :)

Lastly No one is living your life...except you..so

Take your pen back... write your story.. Open your wings.. and fly towards glory!

Virtual Session at Carmel Convent, Chandigarh

M.K. Gandhi said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world!”

India and Pakistan have been allegedly at daggers drawn since 1947. Politically and through various news, it has always been the impression at both sides that a war is about to break between the two. So thinking of a peaceful conference with so many international delegates from more than 30 countries, at one platform, seems quite impossible.

This impossibility was given a blow by the India-based NGO named Yuvsatta, led by Mr. Pramod Sharma, that has been working for youth empowerment within and even outside India. Aliya Harir was the delegate and GYPF coordinator for Pakistan. They provide the youth across the globe with various chances to interact and work towards their leadership goals. This was where I got the opportunity to attend the 10th Global Youth Peace Festival at Chandigarh. Not only numerous stereotypes were broken especially between the two countries, as well as all the participant nations, but the delegates also got a golden opportunity to represent their country to the fullest.

Through the very platform of Yuvsatta and GYPF, I got a chance to conduct a Virtual Session on Peace-building and discussion of women’s issues across the borders between KIPS, Lahore, and Carmel Convent School, Chandigarh. The purpose of the session was

Ø Peace building and friendship across borders
Ø Discussing issues of the women across borders
Ø Creating a think tank to present solutions for the prevalent societal problems

I couldn’t sleep all night thinking of the event, and couldn’t wake up in the morning because of the lack of sleep! But thanks to Sampuran Ji, who almost broke the door while knocking at it, trying to wake me up for the event.

So I reached Carmel Convent at around 9 and met Ms. Ritu Sharma who was there to receive and welcome me. The Principal of the School Ms. Mary Swati also supported me throughout the session. I went to the hall where the session was to be conducted. Everything was set on both sides of the border. Ma’am Saima, Ms. Saira, Ms. Zahida and Ms. Anam worked on the session’s arrangements in Pakistan. Even on my part, all was planned but live events never go completely as planned. The event was to begin at 11:30 am.

Initially I was the only foreigner at the school, accompanied by the worthy school staff, the respected principal and the very supportive event managing team; but then we were even more honored (and I, motivated) by the arrival of the American Gandhi, Mr. Bernie Meyer; two young inspirational ladies from Deepshika for Elderly Women’s Education, namely Namrata and Sarita; Pakistani GYPF Delegates and my friends Umar Shuja Qazi and Vishal Anand; the Indian GYPF delegates Ankit, Vikas, Arshdeep, Rajat and Karamjit (now friends J ); the press reporting team of Yuvsatta Mr. Kannan, Mr. Abhinav and Ms. Shelley. All of them illuminated the event.

Then came in the 42 young ladies from grade VI to XII, who were super-excited to interact with their Pakistani sisters. Adding and deleting a lot many portions and segments in the program schedule, I finally wrote one complete program format. There were slight malfunctions like mic disruption, camera positioning and eventually internet disconnection. But I tried to utilize that time in energizers. I had asked only the girls to stand up, but I felt really supportive of the people around me when the teachers and faculty of Carmel Convent and my friends Umar and Vishal joined in. Ms. Swati and Ms. Ritu appreciated that part the most. :)

I grouped the KIPSian and Carmelite girls so that they could better present their solutions. It was my very first session, and it happened to be across the border, without any prior training or guidance…But all thanks to Allah Almighty, who made it easy for me.

The girls from KIPS and Carmel Convent were all so thrilled to meet and greet each other. And once the session took to commencement, it sailed smoothly.

The girls on both the sides were active and made me feel proud of them. The little angels had such high level of awareness, such strong ideas, visions, and practical solutions to the women’s issues that making them a part of the Women Empowerment Conference among the GYPF delegates from across the globe would not have been wrong.

It was great to see the girls taking the initiative without the teachers’ push. The issues were pretty much the same on both the sides of the border, and the initiatives by the governments were much appreciable. But I want to talk only about solutions here. Some of the strong recommendations by the girls were as follows:

>Implementation of acts/ laws
> Balanced gender ratio
> Vocational training
>Women’s sports
> Establishment of high standard educational and vocational institutes in rural areas
> Self-defense training
> Empowering the girls to take the initiative
> Provision of better health facilities to the women
> Spreading awareness regarding women’s rights and how they can get help

In the end, the Pakistani delegates were presented with the Carmelite School Magazine and many beautiful “Thank you” cards. Photo session had to be a part of the event and the hi-tea was really good (mine was hi-Limca though!)

The press coverage for the event was highly commendable (Times of India, Indian Express, Hindustan Times, Punjab Outlook, ) through the news report only, did I come to know that it was the first of its kind virtual session in the Indo-Pak interactions, which made me feel even more humbled and honored that I had been chosen for opening the window between the two schools …

Thanks a lot once again to each and every person who stood by me and supported me in one way or the other.

Let the peace prevail! <3

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/... http://indianexpress.com/article/ci...

http://www.hindustantimes.com/punja... http://www.punjaboutlook.com/wp/exc... http://lockerdome.com/6617851771629...

To all those who matter...

To say "hello"..I am too shy..
I'm too weak ...to say "good-bye"..
I do get late...I don't deny..
It's not that ..I do not try..
But if I get ...a text from YOU...
Be sure that ...I'll surely reply...

Happy Women's Day girls and boys!

Thankyou boys of 6C and girls of 6B... you have been really active this week.. and cooperative too.. smile emoticon smile emoticon
Though this was not a part of your curriculum.. but you participated with great zest.. smile emoticon
heart emoticon I am proud of all you girls.. and I am especially proud of the boys who participated in this voluntary activity ... heart emoticon You broke the stereotype that Women's Day is just to be celebrated by the women.. :)  
This goes out to our moms, sisters, friends and all those women who inspire us, love us and are loved by us...
Thankyou for your special appearance: Hamna Wahid and Minal Shah (IX O) grin emoticon


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