Hi Folks,

Saw this rather disturbing article in the news today and that inspired this write up:

Ex-supermodel begs for a living, sleeps on streets

It was there on the CNN IBN main story. Got me thinking, rather sadly, on the many implications this has:

(a) The story is of a former ramp schrocher, a contemporary of Sushmita Sen, perhaps an actor I don’t know, but it has repurcussions on the lives of artists, hence this posting.

This is the “other side” of when lives get shatterred living searching for that illusive dream. It happens to actors, filmmakers, writers, journalists all. It makes us bitter, it makes us personal. I can bet that a lot of folks who go after RGV’s Sholay (and I have not seen it nor do I intend to, because I already know the story and am also indifferent about RGV) and after Yash Raj, are in fact taking out their own anger against these and other people. I can bet the journalist who went after this story and others, is really not caring of the affected person, but journalists are firstly in an ultra competitive industry, which is also a minimum wage industry (both in the US and India) and then a lot of journos are also aspiring or failed film makers, screen writers or models, so perhaps this is one such who wrote this in a “I told you so mode.”

This effect is also felt in other professions, although hihglighted more in the glamour industry. We have wannabe dotcomers who missed the boom, who keep inventing companies on the side, granting options when there is nothing to sell. I have seen behind the scene distributors, production companies, both in LA and Mumbai, say they are going to be the next Yash Raj and suddenly life passes them by. I have seen sports people (tennis players since that is the sport I know most about), who have lived all their life wondering in the “what if” scenario. Makes them bitter, makes those who hang around them not want to hang around them and in effect makes life hell for all.

(b) This story also highlights the lack of perspective that overcomes us when we get too deep into the creative field. As a lot of former or even current “in the limelight” people say (and I have two right here with me in the Bay Area), it messes you up. You forget who you really are and just seeing yourself in the news or the screen makes your day, without the practicality of “but does this pay my bills.” I guess I am not too different either, except having gone through the “tennis” part of it at a very young age am able to see the perepective when things don’t go right and also the reason I religeously hold on to and actually love my non creative life too. The balance is so essential to not only keep us grounded, but also a sense of “connectivity” to the real world and to the real life of “paying the electricity bill, doing grocery shopping, washing the clothes in a dryer, cooking the meal, cleaning the car.” Cause say what you will about folks like AB and SRK and Ash, the fact remains that they have managed to keep themselves “regular” in the face of constant onslaught.

(c) Was also reading the other day that the Versova, Yaari Road, Juhu area has at least 500,000 film aspirants. Add to that the aspiring directors, writers, etc. Sure that will mean a lot of dreams will be shatterred, but also important to note that a lots of those “lot” will be due to the person’s own folly. Again something I have experienced at close quarters. Actors being so driven by Films, that they turn away from Television, directors and writers waiting for that elusive break, when the Ad film and theater industry can do just as well to at least pay their bills and bring them a sense of dignity and self assurance, etc. And I don’t buy that argument that people who did not make it in the limelight, cannot become regular “job holders.” The berating will be part of the parcel, but nobody can take away that pride which comes from earning you own bread, even if it is in a “regualr job.” Those who have to point fingers and talk, will do so anyway….maybe they are the bitter one’s…..who knows….but that should not deter you from going out there and proving to that one person ….i.e. yourself….that you have a lot of solid qualities. Case in point is that of actor Deepak Malhotra of Lamhe, sure his career flopped, he also had to change his name to Dino Martelli, but what he did end up becoming was a hotelior in Mumbai and that to me is a solid decision showing a lot of character.

Concluding, all I can tell this model is that more than the Salman’s and the Dutt’s of this universe, it is their story and their lives, which touch you more. The impact such stories have on the lives of their families can only be emphathized with. One cannot and should not hope and pray that their lives get back on track, cause by hoping and praying for them, you are again taking away from them, their own responsibility to lead a productive life. Let’s ask them to get their lives together and give some sort of comfort to the very people who brought them into this universe.

I still remember that 4pm very clearly when many years ago I was in the Mumbai Central terminial waiting for the Rajdhani Express to pull up so we could take our seats. A physically challenged man came on a makeshift board and wheels (he did not have feet) and asked me if I wanted to polish my shoes. I said no I did not, but offerred to give him a couple of bucks (back then it had some value), he immediately turned it down, said he wanted to earn his money and wheeled away.

I had just found my role model and the person who would forever be etched in my memory.

Sincerely,

Vivek “don’t ever expect me to have any sense of pity to able body people who self destruct their lives, take responsibility and get on with it” Kumar