A few days back, I happened to watch a movie which left me
overwhelmed with the underlying theme…….that being the feeling of “freedom in
captivity while being shackled in apparent freedom”. For those of you who are cinephiles
like me, you may have already guessed that the flick I am referring to here is
‘Highway’. However, the purpose today of getting down to my favourite way of
communication (writing of course) is not to come up with yet another review of
the movie in question here, but to ponder a little over this central theme
which has somehow affected me deeply.
Keeping my own self in view here, I realized how most people
experience the same emotion, in some way or the other, but refrain from
accepting it or admitting to this fact, lest they be looked upon as being
eccentric or self-centered people who try to question the norms of this society
that we all willingly or unwillingly, have to be a part of. A good friend of
mine always tells me, “life is tough, yet beautiful and worth every effort to
live it and keep oneself happy”. I can guarantee that while most people acquiesce
to this in the privacy of their inner self, when it comes to action, people
take a step back, yet again considering those unseen ambits that we all have
imposed on ourselves. Societal norms and public image get the better of the
happiness of our inner soul. Whether this is right or wrong, is again a
subjective thought. It is largely determined by the priorities people set in
life and by the level of sacrifice deemed acceptable by one.
Life presents us with different situations, and we make our
choice and settle for that as the destination. Given the context of the moment
when the choice is made, it may have been the best possible option. But don’t
times and people change? Is it wrong to change? Or is it necessary that we consciously
turn a blind eye to the change and pretend that life is just the same? Why is
it that, being truly happy becomes a conditional affair subject to restrictions
that the rule book of the society lays down? When I put forth these questions,
I certainly don’t want to sound like one who is saying so because she is the
devil’s advocate justifying any act or desire as acceptable under the pretext
of being happy. Certainly not. But I would definitely like to consider the flip
side with the possibility of breaking the unseen barriers of right and wrong sadly
decided in most cases by the rules of the world.
While the concept of “where the mind is without fear” is a
pleasing idea, the fact remains that each one of us succumbs to those unseen
inhibitions, the fear which prevents us from lending a ear to the will of the
mind, from taking up the road less taken or that step considered taboo. This
brings me to yet another distressing question. After all the painstaking effort
to grow – physically, intellectually, socially…..settle well, do all that is
done in life to be considered successful, claiming throughout that it is all
done with the aim of leading a good and happy life, does life actually spell
out into happiness for all with this. Yes, gladly for a lucky section, it does,
but for most, life more often than not adds up to a series of subdued wishes,
sacrifices and compromises. And all this for what……for the life we proudly
claim to be our own, but end up living it as per the whims of the society.
Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara…………..is it? If yes, is it worth wasting this precious
gift because others wouldn’t approve of something and force ourselves to live
the life the world wants us to live. Or should we spread the wings of our being
far and wide and live life to the fullest, which necessarily doesn’t mean that
we go on an inconsiderate rampage blurring all distinctions between right and
wrong.
Of all the questions that I have raised, while I personally
would respond with an answer that would be considered rebellious, it’s an irony
that I still find it difficult to put my views into action. Fortunately or
unfortunately, in so many years of the life that I have already lived (not sure
though whether I can consider it living in the actual sense of the term), I
could only muster the courage to raise the questions and answer them honestly…..
action is still a distant dream.
