February 10, 2008

Taare Zameen Par. It didn't make me cry, but it did make me a little teary-eyed recollecting the years I was growing up. Where I never felt I fit in. I was a good student but I never wanted to study. I wanted something else ... something I could never quite put my finger on. I scoffed at the nerds, many of whom have attained great heights in their careers. I see them on Orkut and I do not want to say hello. I want nothing at all to do with them. Because theirs is not the life I want or wish I had ... happy with their wives and their babies in some small town in some faraway cold country. Perhaps in the eyes of the world they have achieved it all, but in my eyes they are just- another brick in the wall.

I always had a lot to say to but never wanted to say it to anyone. That changed when I happened to be checking out the cricket score on Rediff one afternoon in May of 2003 and spotted a link that said 'Publish your thoughts'. Suddenly I was presented with a canvas that I could do anything with, a canvas I was missing all along. And now nearly 5 years later that canvas still hasn't run out.

But people who have met me would surely have been disappointed. Because somehow they expect to find someone who talks a lot and is funny all the time, but I am just the opposite. I am still that loner kid who wanted nothing more than to be left alone with his Legos .. where he would turn out one beautiful creation after another that his father would show off proudly to anyone who came over. And they would always ask him -- So, you will be an engineer when you grow up, or an architect, or a designer. And he never had an answer.

It was just one scene from the movie that left me teary actually - the one right at the end where the kid wins the drawing competition. Because it brought back memories of that day in Class 5 when I walked up to collect the first prize in the secondary-school singing contest, to the thunderous applause of everyone present. I guess one reason the applause was so loud was because I was the only boy in the competition. And nobody ever thought I'd win ... least of all me.

I never won anything after that.

17 comments:

Its all Maya said...

Hey! Was just going to write about TZP - I saw it last night. Mirror your thoughts..

teacup said...

Why do I find it hard to believe that:)@ "I see them on Orkut and I do not want to say hello...of the world they have achieved it all, but in my eyes they are just- another brick in the wall."

I always won drawing/painting competitions too :) And for some reason I feel Proud of the fact that I can draw and paint...like I am in someway special...to be able to do it :) (I know, silly me...but hey! not many people can draw a straight line!)


"I have this major grouse against people who think they're one up on everybody else just because they read a lot."

hhehhee...well...I read a lot and yea, I feel like the Queen of England in front of my non-reader friends :P

Cynic in Wonderland said...

..i have a hypothesis that a lot of people who end up blogging are the shy/misfit/loner types..knew i was one and seems so are you!

o&m mumbai? tell him to get the heck out of there while he can. miserable place to work in

Arunima said...

this was such a cute post Blues

S said...

:) i remember i came second to last in a song competition when i was in 8th. i was so nervous that my voice was shaking!! And now i just sing in the solitude of my room (it still scares me to sing in front of people). :-s
So, which song did u belt out?

Anonymous said...

Nice post Swb, made me :)

Honesty is a virtue respected by all, even those who don't openly admit it. Keep up the good writing.

Stone said...

I think I know what you are talking about!

Take care bro!

Deez said...

glad to know there r more ppl in this world who want different things....

:) makes it worth the while(ing)

Anonymous said...

Everyone who appreciates art IS an artist.

Anonymous said...

Hey! I just realised you are back to blogging... so much to catch up on :).

TZP touched a cord in everyone... transports us back to the carefree childhood days... why do we have to grow up anyways :(

Tartrazina said...

1.been telling myself i must watch Taare Zameen Par... soon, soon!
2.yeah... what's with readers thinking they're one up... i'd pick the thinnest books that would sit in my bag for a week when i had "library" hour!
3.i tried posting a song the other day :-(

Anonymous said...

I have been a regular reader of your blog...for long now..
just wanted to tell you..that every morning..i look forward to logging in and reading you...yOUR thoughts mirror those of so many of us out here!
...Keep at it!

zypsy said...

i think you'll delete this post:-)

rupagulab said...

Enjoy the way you write too- so we have a mutual admiration society going. And thank you for the music BUT have no idea how to listen to those tracks. Clicked Carly Simon, was led to a radio blog site and NOTHING HAPPENED! Now, I'm DYING to hear You're So Vain, and the only place it's playing is in my head!!! Weeping with frustration.

Anonymous said...

tell C shango to get out while he can....advertising is no place to be now-a-days!!

seriously.

bips

Aqua said...

swb...a nice post. i was going to say cute but thought it would go against yr macho image :)

i liked tzp too. totally agree with cynic on her hypothesis.

Anonymous said...

I completely identify with the "not wanting to say hello" to nerds from school! I was an average student but when I see those nerds in faraway countries who have posted pics with smiling babies and husbands, I think to myself that well, I haven't done too badly either.