Last week’s events turned out to be bloody for the world,
yet again destroying the fragile possibility of a globe undivided by religion.
In India, religious bigots brought home the lost sheep back into the fold (‘Ghar
wapsi’) in an attempt to right, what they believe to be, generations of wrong; this they did
by dangling the carrot of material kickbacks, proving once again that the worship
of Mammon (a biblical deity of riches and greed) is really the universal
religion.
Meanwhile, other overzealous religious practitioners elsewhere in the world unleashed terror on unsuspecting school children and cafe goers. As Blaise Pascal, the 17th century French mathematician once famously said, “Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction.”
Meanwhile, other overzealous religious practitioners elsewhere in the world unleashed terror on unsuspecting school children and cafe goers. As Blaise Pascal, the 17th century French mathematician once famously said, “Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction.”
While all religions (cl)aim to refine and purify our souls,
it is obvious they have not even managed
decent human beings in the first place. All the world’s religions (as they are
practised today) and all their God's men have failed to teach us the first
principle – of being simply human.
Going by the outcry the Sydney and Peshawar incidents have
generated on social media, it is apparent that many of us are seriously
questioning the usefulness of religion. A
friend and fellow-blogger & writer went all out to express
his pride in being an agnostic in today’s messed up world. This reminded me of the quip by Kamalhassan (a self-proclaimed agnostic) in ‘Dashavataram’ – “I don’t
say God does not exist; I only wish He did!”
It is in this context that a movie like ‘PK’ has to be appreciated.
Quite unwittingly, Raju Hirani & Vinod Chopra have released the movie at a
time when mankind’s religious beliefs are being tested yet again.
Coming as it has, two years after the ground-breaking Oh My God! (OMG)
(released in 2012), the movie no doubt is a disappointment in terms of
originality of theme. Unlike Raju Hirani's earlier movies, which
were delightfully bold and fresh and brazenly ventured into unchartered territories,
(my favourite has always been Lage Raho Munna Bhai for the sheer audacity of
its theme – friendship between a goonda and Gandhi.) 'PK' lets you down on the novelty parameter.
But where does PK score is in its nobility of intent (despite
being a commercial venture) and relevance of theme (unfortunate!). By raising
very simple and basic questions, from the standpoint of a rational alien, the movie strikes at the very heart of the
logic behind religion and related practices. Although the movie does remind one of OMG much too often,
it is undeniable that the film rakes up fundamental issues that every person
should confront and contemplate, some time or the other, or even better, now!
The alien looked like a wide eyed child so many times while I watched the movie, as simple questions shake his intelligence still needing answers ,Same thing happened to me years ago when my father was advised to give Aahuti ( putting things in the holy fire in the name of God) of 1008 kuzhkattai(a sweet meat steamcooked with coconut mixed with jaggery and some with chana dal with coconut and jaggery ) with pure Ghee to remove the obstacles in the path of my marriage !I had crossed 25 and there were no eligible grooms who would accept an ordinary looking girl like me with an added minus point of carrying a gold medal in Hindi (for a Tamilian it was supposed to be a big crime(?/ sin?) whatever they saw it like. I never have forgiven myself for being a party to that particular religious act as if I had snatched away vital food from the mouths of the most vulnerable poor children of my society!
ReplyDelete