Skimming through the masala page in Mumbai Mirror I chanced upon this piece.
The note expressed concern over AD's mother's health. The article showed how the actor had cancelled his appointments, shootings and had even declined to sit for narrations till his mother got well.
I have always admired the actor for his off-beat roles and acting. A person who wrote his own rules.
This side of his personality added more to the already existing respect for him. As in, one's mother is definitely more important than big bucks and plum assignments. The relief one might get while serving one's parent has to be more than earning a few extra lakhs !
Yeah, it does involve losses for Production Houses who spend crores on these stars...But what the heck... its his mom !!
I felt smug and patted myself with this line of thought.
Only then did I recall a similar but graver incident involving another legend I had come to admire...
In April 2003, while the San Marino GP frenzy was at its peak, Schumacher faced a dilemma like none could face...
While his mother lay comatose and had minimal chances of survival, Schumacher decided to participate in the GP. Not only was it a spectacular race but it was a resounding win for Schumacher !
Now, being a star, Schumi could have easily pulled out and stayed back with his mom during her final moments... Yet, he decided to go ahead with the GP. He did it in the spirit of the game, for his promoters and for the people who worshipped him.
Would pulling out have affected his popularity? I doubt.
Does this make Schumi a greedy, heartless, insensitive human being?
No.
Come to think of it, India has produced similar sons. The most famous being The Iron Man - Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. One popular story goes - Sardar defending a man in the court of law. At the most crucial moment of his closing comments, Sardar received a note. After reading it, he put it back and went on to defend his client.
He presented his points with fervor none could match. Obviously, he won !
Yet, on receiving congratulatory hugs, our man could not take it anymore and broke down. The note he had received carried the news of the death of his beloved wife.
However, Sardar had deemed it fit to defend and fight for an innocent man. Does it make him a less loving husband?
No.
Indian sensibilities would make Devgan a hero. Yet, what Schumacher did shows us what true men are made of.
Now, I wouldn't want to take a stand here and judge any of these men.
Like they say, I would cross the bridge when I come to it. However, in this case, I wish I never reach such a bridge !
6 comments:
@ All Talk and No Action
I remember one such incident. Wassim Jaffer, the current opener of Indian Test team was once playing in a domestic match. While he was on crease batting for his team, he got the news of his mother's demise. Wassim went on to score a century in that match and his team won.
I have heard cricket fans raving about his commitment to Cricket after this incident and no one can obviously doubt his commitment and professionalism.
But then, I ask the same question. What the heck!! It was his mom..
To be honest, both sets of people are right in their own sense.
As the author rightly pointed out we are not in a position to judge who is right or wrong.
@india unbound -
I feel it was an individual decision...there is no black & white in such cases...
@madman -
True...for once we can avoid being judgmental...
For once I have to agree with one of your oft-used words "to each his own".. :)
Also, the decision that a person takes at a moment is relative to / depends on a lot of other things and perhaps at some other point of time, the same person would have taken a different decision for the same situation.
There are many bloggers, many of them start of with great topics but eventully after some time start writing about fruitless thing just for a sake of blogging such an example is sunshinejoy... may be she is busy...
Now its a great piece that you wrote...I have faced similar situation around six month back, when my brother suddenly died... I was working in US and was already leaving within 15 days for vacation but as soon as my family told me the news ...I just left for airport and I knew when I will reach at my place I will be atleast 3 day late... but it was a impulse decision you have to take in a moment...and you gotta do what you gotta do...because money, education/exams, work, these thing can wait but you always have one family... and you have to take care of it
@piyela-
Sorry about your brother.
I remember a poignant tale written by Premchand wherein he has described a fruit selling female's state of mind...one day her husband dies...the very next day she is back to work...selling fruits....
on-lookers call her filthy names...unfaithful, heartless...
shouldn't a widow be mourning her husband? what about the 13 days's ritual, they ask.
But you see - she is so poor that she has to sell fruits even to cremate her husband ! Does overcoming her monumental loss and hiding her tears make her a less loving wife?
Difficult to answer...
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