Cricket and me

The cricket fever has begun and it’s not going to get over until the season ends. And till then, my wife would get irritated with me since she doesn’t like the game. A game in which there’s a ball and the other person hits it and it gets almost impossible for me to understand all this fuss and hype. However, these days I can notice a change in all this. When I watch a match, an excitement is clearly visible on their faces. I wish this temporary interest becomes a serious affair soon. Some people however don’t understand anything but football. Maybe they are right on their place

I wished Mr. Amitabh Bachchan on his birthday. However in the afternoon I got to know about his ill health due to some intestinal problems. I wish him a very happy birthday and may he get well soon.

These days I’m winding up my work in Mumbai because I have to leave for Cape Town in a day or two, for Acid Factory’s shooting. The shooting came to a haul owing to the rains. We have finished one schedule of the film and now the last schedule will be shot.

It will be fun meeting all the friends and the film crew again. I enquired about Cape Town’s weather from the production house so that I can pack my clothing accordingly. Only after getting the details from my secretary Shri Tripathi about my remaining films and the dates, I sat to write this post. Mumbai’s humidity is really troublesome, so much that I don’t feel like doing anything. It’s very irritating. However, work needs to be done. But a pleasant weather makes the work even more exciting.

Coming back to cricket, I wish Sehwag bats well in the second innings and we win the match. Tendulkar is my favorite, but his condition sometimes makes me feel bad.

Hoping to win the match I also wish that Mr. Bachchan becomes healthy soon. I always want him to be happy & healthy and shower his blessings on me.
With this…

Love
Yours,
Manoj Bajpayee

Why Democracy is seldom questioned?

I don’t feel like writing anything today. What’s the use of writing about myself. There’s nothing that’s different from others. The routine and its fate is the same all through. Going to work, coming back home and sleeping thereafter. However, I never stop dreaming; dreaming about an ideal country, an ideal family and an ideal personal life. Things can be achieved on a personal basis; however it becomes difficult when it comes to a society or a country, which comprises of numerous people. It’s not only difficult then but seemingly impossible too.

I just saw a debate on the television. I feel a bit irritated and depressed. There’s politicization of Jamia Nagar’s encounter on one hand and violence in Kandhamal on the other. I feel so deep hatred for the ones engrossed in this heinous crime. Sometimes I even hate that I exist. And the result of all this angst is today’s post. I earlier didn’t feel like writing but thought of releasing my frustration through posting this.

Violence, rape and exploitation are things that no one can give logics for. Neither can it be justified. A community’s or an individual’s act of violence should be immediately punished. When this doesn’t happen the democracy’s questioned. Today, the country is united but still divided and the reasons being violence, language, caste and creed. And we still go to work, come back home and go to sleep. But there are some people who make you feel that things would be fine. And it’s because of these people that there seems a light. Earlier, the democracy was questioned but these days it’s being questioned regularly due to one or the other reasons. The need of the hour is that we as people should consider ourselves a part of this society and country and move together. Religion, region and language shouldn’t be paid much heed. Being a human and belonging to a country should be the supreme.
I just wanted to take out my frustration.

With this….

Love,
Yours
Manoj Bajpayee

A poignant start….

When nothing remains in ones hands; he looks up to the Govt. and the system. But when even the Govt. and the system fail, it’s only the God who becomes the ultimate crutch. And when God fails to help, where should one go? This time I thought I would write something else, but what happened in Jodhpur’s Chamunda Devi temple has shaken me completely. Something of this sort even happened in one of the temples of Allahabad. There were bomb blasts in Malegaon and Sabarkantha a day before. The damage of life and property has been endless and immeasurable. And it’s a sad beginning to the Navratras. I’m completely shattered. I pay homage to all the ones who have lost their lives. May God rest their souls in peace and give strength to their families in this time of need.

Now, it seems that the whole system has crippled. The faith of 120 crore people has crushed. Earlier they weren’t safe in a market and now even a temple is not safe. They have been left neglected. Somewhere, it’s a moment to rejoice owing to the Nuclear Deal and somewhere it’s so sad that many households wouldn’t celebrate Diwali. After Naina Devi, Chamunda Devi, Bihar floods and bomb blasts at least I wouldn’t be able to celebrate Diwali at home. The reason behind not celebrating Diwali is my feelings towards the sufferers and also as a rebel. The time has arrived when the democracy should justify its doings.

I’m an artist and I’m completely dedicated to my art. However, being a part of this society, it’s my duty to do something (writing on my blog, for that matter) if not something substantial for their happiness and well being. I can at least protest.

How did the year go? How would any one be able to celebrate the festivities? I shared with my journo friend that blog has done well to me. This way I’m able to speak my heart out and can actually take out my frustrations. He however said this isn’t my frustration but my anxiousness. It’s important that ones worry and anxiety comes out as a frustration. I have always thought that I don’t belong to Hollywood that I can keep myself aloof from the gravity of my country’s problems. We can’t even think of doing this. Our nation is still developing. If not everything, we can still raise our voices against the prevalent corruption, inflation and poverty. This at least justifies my existence. You may agree or disagree, but in the present day conditions, Escapism is the only success mantra. If yes, then so be it. Today, as an actor, if I do what I feel like and if I’m able to run my family desirably, then it’s for me. I have always achieved more that I had desired for. I can’t leave acting. It’s like oxygen for me. I can always share my worries with people on my blog. And at least can take out the frustrations born out of worries, on my blog.

Before coming to an end, I’d like to mention that, while I was trying to find out news and related information on the news channels on the Chamunda Devi incident, 95% of the channels were airing comedy programs. It seems that 185 people dying is no news. Hail TRPs and Box Office!!!

Love
Yours,
Manoj Bajpayee