Tuesday, March 16, 2010

To Rocket Singh

This post will only make sense if you have seen the film Rocket Singh. In the movie, at one point, Rocket Singh is jailed. his grandfather bails him out and brings him home. Ranbir turns towards his grandfather and says "Agar aap ne jhooth bolna sikhaya hota to aaj ye din nahi dekhna padta." (i would not have had to see this day if only you'd taught me to lie.)
(* ref to context: Rocket Singh got into trouble in office because he could not offer the mandatory bribes required to secure orders, and reported a customer asking for bribe. * )

That was a Whoa! moment for me. Why do we insist on truth over everything else, and me means EVERYTHING else. We could kill, but we could not lie. Having grown up like that, one sooo identified with that dialogue, and yes, i have been thinking of this all these months. It was an internal conflict that refused to end.

Then it hit. When Ranbir is trying to start his own business, he asks his first vendor - a man he has known for barely 5 minutes, to give him his first order on credit. The guy hesitates, then says "जा ले जा। वैसे भी मैंने किसी सरदार को कभी चोरी करते नहीं देखा। " (Take it. Anyway i have never seen a Sikh steal.)

Answer to Rocket Singh: बेटा, अगर दादाजी ने झूठ बोलना सिखाया होता, तो वो दिन भी देखने को नहीं मिलता।
(Son, if your family had taught you to lie, you would not have been able to see that day either.)

Faith in truth restored. Ishaan, watch out.

15 comments:

Peenuts said...

Glad to hear that

rishi anand said...

whose ishan???

Lucifer said...

interestin...

lol @ note to ishaan...bechara bahut dukhi hoga mommy se...sachi mein...reason...well here goes

u remember d other day when we were talkin about dasavtara n how krishna is regarded as d perfect human being...the reason for that is that anyone in hinduism needs to have 16 "gunas" to be a complete human being...sayin a lie is one of them...krishna had that guna which even ram didnt...

aage i dont think i need to explain :)

ofocurse its not a good thing...but then on d flip side u need to have it to b perfect :)

Neha said...

As they say, telling a lie is an art...but its an art which one should try avoiding to learn!

I am a believer of truth....and ALWAYS (with no exceptions whatsoever), always truth prevails. Sooner or later, truth comes out one way or the other. Its always the winner...then why not follow the winner?

Ishan is your son?

delhidreams said...

hahaha
bechara, sach k bojh ka maara
usko chahiye advertising waalon ka sahara :D

and please delete this long Russian fan-comment from here ;)

CYNOSURE said...

hahaha......very nice.....sometimes we have to pay for if we say truth.....but in bollywood movies.....anything can happen....lolzzzzzz....;)

D said...

You're reading too much into Rocket Singh. The film is blah :p

Anonymous said...

I haven't seen the movie but I loved the way faith was restored here. I feel truth is valued because it is reliable. I am very uncomfortable with those who I know are capable of lying.

How do we know said...

Hi Peenuts: Where have u been?

Hi Rishi: My son . :-)

Hi Mayz: thats a nice perspective. I thot abt it for a while .

Hi N: yes, i arrived at the same conclusion too.

Hi adee: :-) aapke aadesh ka paalan kiya hai.

Hi Cynosure: haan, par sochne mein kya jaata hai..

Hi D: its not abt the film. Its abt a conflict. The film was just the medium or the catalyst.

Hi IHM: You too? Fantastic! Faith restored once more! :-)

J P Joshi said...

Honesty is the best policy, I believe. The answer lies in the question - Does anyone trust anyone who lies??

deep said...

even i got stuck on the two particular dialogues in the movie and they held me.. but didn't thought the way u did.. :))
good one..

Onkar said...

Quite interesting observation.

How do we know said...

Joshi sir: Whoa! Good question. Ye pehle poochh leti to itna dissection nahi karna padta.

Hi deep: So what did u think of these lines?

Onkar sir: Thank you!

Hapi Dhindsa said...

these are the exact same things which made me watch the movie again. And make me feel proud. I have always seen Sikhs as jesters or drivers n the movies. First time was a normal person as any one else. But better than them coz of his values. .. I liked your post. Awesome.

Reshma V said...

Eerie how we had a conversation today about saying the truth and then I see your blog on the same!