Letters

Hi,all!!Well, the last 4-5 weeks have been quite good, where my writing hobby is concerned. For those who are not aware, I write Letters to Editors, and have been doing so since the early nineties. Back then, the frequency was much more, about forty a month. Now, it's down to less than ten. In fact, come to think of it, this (last 4-5 weeks)must have been the maximum in a month, since the time I came here. Which mags? Well, there's the Jan 21 issue of Filmfare, the Feb issue of Cine Blitz, The Jan issue of Glad Rags. I event tried my hand at writing to Marie Claire and the letter's there too(Jan issue). 

Then, the caption contest in last to last week's Xpress out here selected my caption as the best.(Ahem!)..no prizes, it's just the selection that makes me feel happy. Then, another letter in Weekend, last week.

This one's my letter to Filmfare(One of my favourite movie mags. CB is the other)-it was edited slightly, but, still, believe me, it was and is right from the heart.

Dear Editor,

Sub: Tribute

They came, they fired, they killed, they were killed! Some of their victims survived, one of 'them' survived! I was just another of the millions who watched the real life drama of the Nov 26th attacks unfold on the News Channels.I'm one of the millions who said a silent prayer for the innocents killed as also for the security personnel who laid down their lives so that others may live! I'm also another of those who heaved a sigh of relief when the four days of tension ended and all the 'venues' were declared as 'sanitised'. And, lastly, I'm also another of the millions who felt  traumatized  by just imagining what those who were held hostage/ rescued/ killed must have felt in those moments, for a number of days after the terror strikes!

So, my fervent appeal to all our 'realistic filmmakers', one of whom also went with the (then) CM to probably get 'some ideas' first hand, is: Please do not even try and make a movie or two or three, 'dedicated' to these traumatic moments. You might want to show it through the eyes of one of the brave ones who died, or, through the eyes of a survivor, or, even through the eyes of the terrorist(s), thinking that people will flock to see real life converted to celluloid once again!

This is one time when I(And, I'm sure many people echo my feelings) just do not want to see these real life events being converted into a song-and-dance of a movie! It would just seem like you were making fun and exploiting our trauma, if you convert it into a movie, supposedly 'dedicated' to the brave ones!

If you really want to make a non-commercial tribute to those who sacrificed their lives , then, please make just a documentary tribute of, maybe fifteen-twenty  minutes or even half an hour, and, a sincere one! It could be shown before a commercial movie, as in the olden days, with, maybe the National Anthem being played at the end of the tribute! And, it would show us that cash registers ringing at the box office are not your only purpose in life!

I am definitely one of those who will boycott any commercial movie made on these traumatic moments, and, I'll  convince my friends and relatives as well to ensure that they do not go and see it!Amen!

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Till next time,keep smiling.