22 January 2009

May Be It's Written


So Jamal are you ready for the final question for 20 Million rupees. So you know the answer, No I dont, But i will still play, because it 'may be written'. This is how the final tense scene is shot in Slumdog Millionaire. Hmmm a sort of movie might be nominated for the Oscars and has won already 4 golden globe awards for best direction, best screen play, best motion picture and best original score by our own A.R. Rahman.
Did the movie strike the real cord of slum dwellers, could it capture the the hardship faced by inmates of the slum, or was it fairy tale journey of the Jamal written on a backdrop of destitute society. Well I have no intention of answering the question, nor as a serious film watcher could the quality of direction or music score really appall me. Movie making should be a culture, rather a business. It should portray a obvious message at the end of show and most important if it can ever get the grey cells working then the very purpose of movie making has reached it very goal. This movie might be classified as a good entertainer, while for the West it might end up showing India still as third world country and plethora of problem among which Poverty, Corruption & Malfeasance still dominates our daily routine. There is One aspect which strike mine grey matter for sure, is the dialogue which keep uttering through out the movie, "May Be it's Written".
How do you perceive this statement is very important, It has a very deep hidden message buried in it. There is a sanskrit sloka which goes as," Taena vina trunapi na chalathi" which means 'Not even the blade of grass moves without my will'. It's a gem of a statement which separates the Theists from Atheists. For the devotee of Almighty its a great truth that strengthens his belief. But a pessimist can view this as reason for not being active enough to carry out his duties and work, after all there is nothing in my hand, and simply utter 'sab kuch upar wale ke haath main hain'. But this missing logic which everyone misses is, 'Results are not in our Hand, But We are very much responsible for our Action'. Lord Krishna taught this greatest truth to Arjuna in his Universal message to mankind in Bhagvad Gita. We are bound by actions and cannot escape our duties and responsibility. The flaw in the reasoning if everything is Written why Bother?, The Answer to this fallacy is Our approach to work is not good performance but good outcome. The Theists approaches this statement as, Whatever happens is always for good, for it is willed by the God, But the greatest pitfall can be If good things are happening around him, He will always praise well wishers and thanks God. But the moment event around him turns ugly he curse his ally and accuse God of playing false with him. The statement,' It's the will of God' are or those who don't elate during happy times and get dejected during failure. The one who keeps his balanced composure both during Happy & Sad times is the One who really can say, "May Be It's Written".
After all Results are consequence of Action, but response to be Happy or Sad is our own Decision. And the one who keep the balanced state of Mind (Stithapragnya)during Joy & Sorrow never falters. Thereby winning his shot of 20 million rupees at the end.

3 comments:

Pavan said...

Althought, I am yet to watch SLUMDOG.., I can say that the issue discussed here has a deep philosophical route.

Irrespective of our beliefs, it is important to realize that process is as important as the consequence.

Myself being an atheist can still appreciate the views of Manu.

Anonymous said...

It was nice to read about performance rather than consequence; to be balanced in states of success and failure.. But is it always applicable?

What happens when someone's life is too mathematical (or balanced, as you interpret it), and then his wall is breached? Or when someone comes into your life and goes away leaving a hollow..? When you are once again left filling it all on your own..?

Then when you look back at all what happened, you would not blame it on performance or action. Its then just the consequence that will matter to you.. And then you tend to say 'may be its written', but the meanings change! You say it probably to reconstruct your breached wall. Isnt it???

Just tried to look at the title of this blog in context of the previous one :)

Anonymous said...

mannu-da it's well written. i liked this one..
Dhriti