DAY 1851
the isles of B, London may 10/11, 2013 fri/sat 1 :55 am gmt
I have company in the early morn … my son, my friend, my Abhishek !!
A joy as ever to sit and be in the company of men talk, quality time, issues of future, family, decisions and just about everything under the clouded and wet city. Followed by a drive out … the boys are out … to destinations that cover us with design and couture !! This generation is greatly more aware of this part of the world, than many of us can even imagine, and they are so correct and validated. There is surprise in the numbered recognitions from those about, and not all from the Motherland. In fact no one from there. Cinema is becoming truly, the next door neighbour of most communities the world over. I wonder often where this shall all lead to … positive yes, and filled with pride and honour … 100 years it has taken us for this stage .. 100 years, the existence of Indian movies … from Dada Saheb Phalke and Raja Harishchandra to what prevails now.
Raja Harishchandra from our mythical and deeper stories and belief, the King that for honor and dignity and truth, sacrificed his son too …
the reference, adage, expression of justification for honor - a Raja Harishchandra ! You be good and beyond personal honesty and honor and you are a Raja Harishchandra. Often in our conversations, when personality that impresses with the qualities of honor, they become ‘raja harishchandra’ … a substitute reference for the pure !!
Narrating this to Baz Luhrmann during our lunch at his home in New York, what he repeatedly asked was the name 'Harishchandra’ … quick to accomodate the most important aspect of any information or conversation, does Baz … his cause and reason for being in the category of genius …
The freshed and changed Face Book face page has an image taken by renowned photographer Dabboo Ratnani, for his yearly calendar. It was time said the team to change the first page and brought up this visual ..and I wonder why and how it converted my thoughts to what followed after - a few lines of pretended verse … but verse according to me … it may not sound the conventional, but were I to read it to you, it is hoped that it would .. VOG ? Bubbly ? … pity it does not work from here in the Isles, and there is frantic work being conducted to repair that. But till then, I am delighted to get the meaning across to my best :
The picture has several electric bulbs hanging about and my face in close with the 'shades’ - as todays young refer to it, as opposed to 'dark glasses’ in our time. There is one bulb that can be seen diffused , but lit, and another more in focus, in front of me, unlit ..
Hence the thought :
एक जला हुआ दीपक, धुंधला सा, पीछे,
नेपथ्य में I
one illuminated light, diffused, at the rear, behind
एक साकार , अन जला आगे …
one present, unlit, before me in front ..
देखता उसे मैं, ढकी, काली, नज़रों से
I watch it with covered, black eyes
सोचता ,
and think
क्या बुझ चुका ये भी
has this bulb been unlit too
या प्रज्वलित आलंकृत होगा कभी ….
or will it light up in glory again ever ..
जीवन का अर्थ मिलता ,
One discovers the meaning of life in
शिथिल निशब्द चित्रों में I
unmoving, silent pictures ..
क्या ये नहीं संकेत मेरे जीवन का भी …
is this not an indicator of my life too …
~ अमिताभ बच्चन amitabh bachchan
The black and white picture is symbolic of times in our existence - they are either black or white.
The diffused out of focus light bulb, lit, in the rear, is the physically descriptive, portion of my life - a phase gone by - of illuminated glory, now still, barely visible in its light, but in position behind, in the rear, without prominence …
The bulb unlit before me, being watched by dark covered eyes, indicative of not wanting to face the once prominent brightness … of the desire to hide the eyes … the eyes that speak and give away expression and feeling … the 'shades’ giving false looks of betterment, exalted, prettier … as do all when they cover their face with the glasses ..
Looking at the unlit bulb - unlit, because the time for its lighting has passed .. it shall never light up again .. nor bring back the aura of brightness, in my life … the glory and the dazzle that electricity brings is now in the 'nepathya’, behind the curtain, at the back … never to come up the stage ever …
Is this then not the story of my life … this picture ??
My love to you … you, that remain with the hope that the bulb shall come alive and bring back the light that has passed and is over …
Amitabh Bachchan
