Of Lives Shatterred!!
Hi Folks,
Saw this rather disturbing article in the news today and that inspired this write up:
Ex-supermodel begs for a living, sleeps on streets
It was there on the CNN IBN main story. Got me thinking, rather sadly, on the many implications this has:
(a) The story is of a former ramp schrocher, a contemporary of Sushmita Sen, perhaps an actor I don’t know, but it has repurcussions on the lives of artists, hence this posting in Passion For Cinema.
This is the “other side” of when lives get shatterred living searching for that illusive dream. It happens to actors, filmmakers, writers, journalists all. It makes us bitter, it makes us personal. I can bet that a lot of folks who go after RGV’s Sholay (and I have not seen it nor do I intend to, because I already know the story and am also indifferent about RGV) and after Yash Raj, are in fact taking out their own anger against these and other people. I can bet the journalist who went after this story and others, is really not caring of the affected person, but journalists are firstly in an ultra competitive industry, which is also a minimum wage industry (both in the US and India) and then a lot of journos are also aspiring or failed film makers, screen writers or models, so perhaps this is one such who wrote this in a “I told you so mode.”
This effect is also felt in other professions, although hihglighted more in the glamour industry. We have wannabe dotcomers who missed the boom, who keep inventing companies on the side, granting options when there is nothing to sell. I have seen behind the scene distributors, production companies, both in LA and Mumbai, say they are going to be the next Yash Raj and suddenly life passes them by. I have seen sports people (tennis players since that is the sport I know most about), who have lived all their life wondering in the “what if” scenario. Makes them bitter, makes those who hang around them not want to hang around them and in effect makes life hell for all.
(b) This story also highlights the lack of perspective that overcomes us when we get too deep into the creative field. As a lot of former or even current “in the limelight” people say (and I have two right here with me in the Bay Area), it messes you up. You forget who you really are and just seeing yourself in the news or the screen makes your day, without the practicality of “but does this pay my bills.” I guess I am not too different either, except having gone through the “tennis” part of it at a very young age am able to see the perepective when things don’t go right and also the reason I religeously hold on to and actually love my non creative life too. The balance is so essential to not only keep us grounded, but also a sense of “connectivity” to the real world and to the real life of “paying the electricity bill, doing grocery shopping, washing the clothes in a dryer, cooking the meal, cleaning the car.” Cause say what you will about folks like AB and SRK and Ash, the fact remains that they have managed to keep themselves “regular” in the face of constant onslaught.
(c) Was also reading the other day that the Versova, Yaari Road, Juhu area has at least 500,000 film aspirants. Add to that the aspiring directors, writers, etc. Sure that will mean a lot of dreams will be shatterred, but also important to note that a lots of those “lot” will be due to the person’s own folly. Again something I have experienced at close quarters. Actors being so driven by Films, that they turn away from Television, directors and writers waiting for that elusive break, when the Ad film and theater industry can do just as well to at least pay their bills and bring them a sense of dignity and self assurance, etc. And I don’t buy that argument that people who did not make it in the limelight, cannot become regular “job holders.” The berating will be part of the parcel, but nobody can take away that pride which comes from earning you own bread, even if it is in a “regualr job.” Those who have to point fingers and talk, will do so anyway….maybe they are the bitter one’s…..who knows….but that should not deter you from going out there and proving to that one person ….i.e. yourself….that you have a lot of solid qualities. Case in point is that of actor Deepak Malhotra of Lamhe, sure his career flopped, he also had to change his name to Dino Martelli, but what he did end up becoming was a hotelior in Mumbai and that to me is a solid decision showing a lot of character.
Concluding, all I can tell this model is that more than the Salman’s and the Dutt’s of this universe, it is their story and their lives, which touch you more. The impact such stories have on the lives of their families can only be emphathized with. One cannot and should not hope and pray that their lives get back on track, cause by hoping and praying for them, you are again taking away from them, their own responsibility to lead a productive life. Let’s ask them to get their lives together and give some sort of comfort to the very people who brought them into this universe.
I still remember that 4pm very clearly when many years ago I was in the Mumbai Central terminial waiting for the Rajdhani Express to pull up so we could take our seats. A physically challenged man came on a makeshift board and wheels (he did not have feet) and asked me if I wanted to polish my shoes. I said no I did not, but offerred to give him a couple of bucks (back then it had some value), he immediately turned it down, said he wanted to earn his money and wheeled away.
I had just found my role model and the person who would forever be etched in my memory.
Sincerely,
Vivek “don’t ever expect me to have any sense of pity to able body people who self destruct their lives, take responsibility and get on with it” Kumar
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Vivek,
Check your html. Looks as if some of what you tried to post is missing due to an incorrect tag?
Hi T!
Thanks for that observation. My post is there in it’s entirety, just the formating appeared as if there was something missing. Generally give hyperlinks, but to be sensitive to the person profiled, just wrote the title.
Thanks all the same for pointing that out.
:)>- Vivek wow what a wonderful post pal… like wise let me too share with u something, i could have nvr got any better birthday gift than this article of yours… I just turned 35 51 minutes back and was wondering what have i achieved in the last eight years of my struggle as an assistant director wanting to be a director… I see ‘nothing’ or may be on a positive note loads of experience, but when i peep into my bank account, I see nothing. Neither do i immediately see a faeture film happening for myself, nor am i able to give a bday treat to my friends this year…
Your post really cheered my spirits up, as i can totally connect with your thoughts and things that people like me should actually be doing and giving a serious thought to the way their is taking shape…
Thanks a lot…
Thanks Surendra and all the best to you as you seek and obtain (I am confident it will happen), that balance between your creative and practical life.Those are also one of the reasons I am making my own film the way I am (i.e. choice of actors, etc), cause hit or flop apart, don’t want to negatively impact the lives of those who are a part of the project , including my own and the people whose day I can make by buying them a gift or sending them a money order.
And a happy birthday. There is a lot of positive that is going your way and you have a full and productive life ahead of you, so live every minute as your last and with balance, cause there are opportunities out there just a question of taking it.
WHAT LIFE GIVES US, WE MAKE A LIFE OF, WHAT WE GIVE LIFE, MAKES OUR LIVES—- Arthur Ashe, tennis player
Vivek, One of my observation is that, lot of people think their job is the best..aspirants in media are looked down upon by folks having a decent 8 to 5 job and the filmi people look down upon them, ridiculing their life..in true sense any job as its own value n diginity involved..something called dignity of labour, the best thing I learned in the USA..If survival itself becomes an issue then one needs to think n evaluate the situation.
I agree with you Manjeet. Dignity is important and so is the issue of financial independence. Me, I don’t look down at any job as long as it gets home the dollars and notes and as long as it is not something that destroys humankind. But dignity in any job, including media is a two way street, in that you have to show up to be at work and show up with a good attitude and also show up if it gets home the money, that is important too, let’s face it. In the case of people with failed dreams, or low self worth, their negativity impacts their attitude, which in turn also impacts their ability to earn a living for themselves…any living.
vivek
very nice post indeed. yes its high time taleneted people are not exploited but given their due.
@Vivek,the bane of glamour industry is its carrot of hope..just hope..without any reality check..And most of these aspirants and wannabes fall back upon precedents of so many who had Cinderalla or Rangeela kind of rags to riches stardom..And they just wait for the tide to turn..And in that wait they rust..And when the tide does come their ships are too unworthy to sail out..And then they blame destiny..Another aspect is our cultural and religious outlook that makes us too fatalistic..There is very little done to reinvent oneself or retrain oneself with the changing times..Long time ago I heard Sam Pitroda addressing a seminar in which he made an observation that the biggest drawback Indians in general have is lack of self esteem..And it hit me hard..Over a period of time i have observed around my environment and found out yes it indeed is true to great extent..And without self-esteem where would you have dignity for self and for work..Till all these dreamers realise and develop their centre–their inner self and then go about doing the work in the world, i doubt you will have a better record than present in counting the lives shattered!..Very insightful post Vivek.
Very nice post Vivek, yes we have to find the way to get our way through, the way we want it to be, rather than the way someone else wants it. And there is always a way of surviving with dignity and labour… and not to get crushed in the way, or disillusioned, to know our abilities and inabilities and not get carried by the glamour and the moeny and what ever.. Its sad about that model, I didn’t get to see the news, but sad.. very sad… The oter day I was crossing the streeets of Mumbai, I happenned to see a beggar woman, she was barely clothed,I had seen her somehere, I couldn’t figure out where, as I moved ahead I realized she had done a few character roles in old hindi films, but I don’t know her name… I still don’t know her name. I never found her again, I will never find her again, she has got lost in the crowd.
Damn good post Vivek Bhai… and I must say I could not agree with you more. It’s not about your fate or kismat, its about your situational awareness, your ability to recognize and react to your own ever-changing realities, and with all that in mind your willingness to work hard to maje a life for yourself.
Another very very solid point you’ve brought across here is that everyone, especially those in the entertainment biz, need BALANCE between their career and having an actual life… for that you need to prioritize… your real life should always be your foundation and thus your 1st priority… your career should add to and enhance your life…
Written with a lot of insight Vivek. Wish you the best in all your endeavors. :)>-
Brilliant post Vivek…. i cant agree more because….
was working as a S/W developer & doing theater in bangalore (2 yrs). left it. came to mumbai…did a lot of different things… play tv, anchoring TV18, met a lot of ppl (so called big names too), did a small movie, plays.
typical struggle…finally boiled to one thing..
WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT ?? MY LIFE OR MY DREAMS
and there is a bloody big difference between the two…
have come back to bangalore. Back to IT now.
doing theater, will keep trying but feet firmly on ground. gonna make a short film… Am happy
Just out of curiosity,who was she(Referring to the supermodel)
Geetanjali Nagpal. She was a contemporary of Sush during her ramp days. Dad is retired Naval officer, parents live in Lajpat Nagar. Have disowned her since she is on drugs. Was in a relationship with a Brit in Goa, but now in Delhi. Well educated too, from Mt Carmel School and then LSR