I had said in my earlier reviews that I wasn’t going to write a review on new movies. My dear friend Prasidddha also asked me why don’t you write reviews on new movies. The reason then was that there were already so many new reviews on new movies, that I did not feel the need to do so.
Prasidddha then commented again and asked why I had not written a review for so long.
This is not a review on Salaam Namaste but on something that is closely related to Salaam Namaste. I am extremely sorry that I have done this but I needed to share this.
Salaam Namaste brings back many memories for me. Memories that were always around, always in my subconscious, but just those memories that I didn’t really speak about. But today I am.
I’m going to tell you about a story so please bear with me…
Since three years ago, this boy had an aspiration to become a doctor. He was somewhat decent at studying and he made it an ambition to become a doctor not because he was interested in the service of people but because he was attracted to the respectable and luxurious life a doctor has.
In order to gain some knowledge of the field, he decided to do work experience at a nearby hospital that same year. In the hospital there was another girl who was doing work experience at the same hospital. Both had contrasting view towards life. She was devoted to the service of others and extremely religious. On the other hand he did not believe in religion but only in God. He felt religion is a divider of people.
They met a few times, and at first did not say much. Gradually their friendship thickened. They become close friends and possibly even something more. After many sleepless nights and hours of silent thinking, the boy decided he would say everything he felt to the girl. After all, their work experience time was almost over.
Three days before their work experience ended, the boy told the girl everything he felt. He poured his heart out to her. In return she broke his heart into pieces. She did not have another boyfriend but still just did not feel that way for him. She did not even explain her reasons properly. The boy was shattered.
For the next two days, both saw each other but neither said a word to the other. Work experience ended and a few weeks passed. The boy needed to return to the hospital for a reference on his CV, and incidentally saw the girl there again.
He relived his memories but stayed silent. She tried to tell him something but he would not listen. It was later when he was leaving that he realised the girl was lying in a hospital bed. He went towards her, but saw her relatives there. He thought it was best to leave.
After enquiring he found out that she was still in the hospital and went again. This time there were no relatives except an elder cousin. The two talked and it was then he realised…
The girl had done her work experience at the hospital but that was not the only reason she was there. She was suffering from a tumour formed by mutating agents near her optic nerve, which had been detected in the earlier stages. However, her situation had worsened. The situation had become quite serious. The boy asked her why she did not tell him earlier. All she could say was that there was no need since she would get better anyway. But inside the girl knew she was lying.
The boy began to understand why she refused him before. He felt so selfish inside. He assured her that things would become better again and told her about all the things that they would do after she was out of the hospital. He told her about where they would get married, how they would make their own hospital and how many children they would have.
The boy visited her again two days later…but he did not know that within two days so many people are born and so many die. She had passed away. He did not know what to feel. Sadness because he missed her. Angry because the doctors could not save her. Or empty because she was gone.
From thereon, he decided that no matter what happened he would become a doctor and that he would live his dream as well as hers. He never was quit sure whether it was love between them or not. But that was irrelevant. Because the something that they had was something that probably no one had.
After watching Salaam Namaste these memories were bought back. I have seen many movies in my lifetime, but Salaam Namaste touched a chord somewhere. I cry in almost every emotional movie I see, but the tears that fell from my eyes while during the movie, were different.
“So what if you’re gone, I will always be with you.
So what if you’re not here, I will always live by you.
I don’t need any other, your memories alone are enough.
I’ll live through life somehow, I know it will be rough.
The wind still whistles and the leaves will always show a sign.
The rain plays Chinese whispers, yes, these are tears and they’re mine.
I cry then I think why should I? Is it because you’re gone,
Or is it because I’m still here? Life’s a two-sided coin,
It’s never fair.
I promise from now on, I won’t remember you,
Or how we met.
Because we’re always together,
And I can’t remember someone who I never forget.