"Emotions are the great captains of our lives, and we obey them without realising it", so said Vincent Van Gogh..and I have to say I heartily agree! Cinema is a great medium for showcasing these emotions that we experience as human beings, but are some times afraid to acknowledge. I am going to write about a few powerful moments in cinema that have moved me profoundly. They are not all inclusive, there are many significant scenes I have missed out (and I hope you will comment on them!), but these are the ones that still play in my head like a broken record!
1: LOVE: "Love is but the discovery of ourselves in others, and the delight in that recognition" Alexander Smith
The love i refer to is not the romantic love that one normally sees in movies, but a love born of a mutual recognition of shared challenges, a recognition of the humanity we all share. The scene here is from "Taare Zameen Par" , right at the end when Ishaan (Darsheel Safary) is awarded a prize for the best work of art, and he searches frantically among the crowd for his mentor Nikhumb sir (Aamir Khan). When they make eye contact, there is such a powerful connection between the two characters, the realisation that there is someone out there who understands who he is, and who can help him BE the best that he can be. That, to me, is love. I thought that it was one of the most finely written, directed , and acted scenes in recent times...and always brings tears to my eyes when I watch it.
- ENVY: "Envy is the ulcer of the soul" Socrates
Anyone who has watched "Omkara" can probably guess the scene that I am about to refer to! Who can forget the face of Langda Tyagi (Saif Ali Khan) at the havan, when he is overlooked in favour of a raw Kesu (Vivek Oberoi). That moment lasts for just a few seconds, but the barely suppressed rage and malevolence on Saif’s face is the best illustration of how soul destroying envy can be. It made me feel quite queasy on the inside, and made me wish fervently that I never become the object of envy ! Good movie, brilliant scene, a moment Saif can be eternally proud of when he looks back at his acting career.
- EMPATHY: "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel" Wasmund
I know Shahrukh Khan has been discredited often by critics for his acting skills, but as far as I am concerned, that one scene in "Swades" , (after having met with the struggling farmer, gazing out of the train window, looking into the eyes of a boy selling water, eyes brimming over)...proves to me beyond a doubt that the man can act. What a moving scene that was. Not a word was exchanged, and it wasnt necessary. Mohan Bhargav’s understanding of the challenges people face just to make a basic living, was written all over his face. That scene is as good an example of empathy as I have ever seen in movies. Art house movies of yore (Nishant, Ankur etc) have all highlighted societal inequalities in their movies very well, but it took an Ashutosh Gowariker and a Shahrukh to make the emotional connect.
- RAGE: "All of civility depends on being able to contain the rage of individuals" Lederberg
Rage can bring about a complete destruction of humanity and goodness...a compelling instance of that is the scene in "1947 Earth", when Dil Nawaz (Aamir Khan) is looking in on his paramour being in the arms of another man. Wrath flickers on his face so powerfully, that you fear for the people who are undoubtedly going to be at the receiving end of his rage. Connected to this scene is the one at the end where a seemingly kind Dilnawaz asks the little girl where her nanny is, and on getting the answer, has a malicious look of triumph....shudder! 1947 Earth, for me, was an incandescent, relevant across times, movie..but this scene that I write about, really made my hair stand on its end. Aamir made being an anti-hero and a villian so human, that it was truly scary.
- PASSION: "Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamare dil mein hai, dekhna hai zor kitna baazuye qaatil mein hai..." Bismil
This great poem by Bismil Azimabadi (made famous by Ram Prasad Bismil) has been popularly used in hindi cinema for many years. I have sung the Prem Dhawan song from Shaheed, hummed the Rahman version...but the most memorable interpretation of this powerful poem for me, was in the movie "Rang De Basanti". Even now when I replay that scene in my head, every inch of me feels electrified. I havent seen so much raw passion, in this case for ones country, being expressed as eloquently on screen ever. Atul Kulkarni plays Laxman Pandey in the movie, a man who in these times is moved to do something for his country, but doesnt quite have the right direction yet. When he recites this poem, you feel every word. Its the burning intensity in his eyes and his voice, its the sepia toned visuals in the background, its the music that accompanies it, its the reaction of his audience....all of these combine to give a stunning example of patriotism and passion...ah, what a scene!
Thats about it for my trip down memory lane and nostalgia! Do leave comments and let me know what has moved you to tears, caused you to shudder, made you smile, in the movies you have watched.