Rang de Public Protests

I have, in the past too, been impressed by the all-consuming social influence of some of our cine superstars. Although each of them has left their characteristic mark on the social behaviour and outlook of the people of India, none has been as significant as that of actor Amir Khan. Amir Khan has almost always picked roles that define the way lives should be lead; idealistic and difficult lives. Through the role of the tough cop in Sarfarosh to that of sepoy Mangal Pandey, he has always conveyed strong messages to the people.

All ‘standard’ movies showed corruption, defilement, rape and a billion other vices. Then the hero came and single handedly took out the motley bad crowd. Amir Khan’s Rang de Basanti changed all that. True, it had its own share of controversies – prime being the use of violence to weed out social evil – but it impacted the youth like never before. For the first time a matinee idol was able to convince the nation that when evil threatens to take over your country, your hands should not be in your pocket. The candle light march held for the fallen pilot in the movie then became the avant-garde of the neo-enlightened public protests.

“Sarfaroshi ki tamana ab hamare dil main hai
Dekhna hai zor kitna bazu-e-qatil main hai
Karta nahi kyon dusara kuch bat-chit
Dekhata hun main jise vo chup teri mahfil main hai
Ai shahid-e-mulk-o-millat main tere upar nisar
Ab teri himat ka charcha gair ki mahfil main hai
Vaqt ane de bata denge tujhe ai asman
Ham abhi se kya batayen kya hamare dil main hai
Khinch kar lai hain sab ko qatl hone ki ummid
Ashiqon ka aj jamghat kucha-e-qatil main hai
Sarfaroshi ki tamana ab hamare dil main hai
Dekhna hai zor kitna bazu-e-qatil main hai”

Jessica Lall, Meher Bhargava, Priyadarshini Matoo, Meerut fire…the modus operandi of lodging protests remains the same. As soon as the facts are tabled before the people, they decide and their verdict is then out on the streets. In fact the intensity of such popular public protests is such that for the first time since India got independence, the incumbent authorities are being forced to sit up and take good notice. The highly inflammable but mute public has finally found its voice. The authorities will do well to understand that protesting by way of expressing public solidarity with the victimized is not sporadic, platonic or toothless. It has now become the oppressed common man’s way of saying “My country, my people – I care!”