Its Classified !

How many times have we heard this ? How many times have we been exposed to materials that is screened by others only to be told finally that 'this' is inflammatory, that 'that' is a sensitive issue, how many times we have we been the cynosure of abject humiliation ?

Yet, we do nothing.

Because the moment one of 'us' suddenly find a voice to speak, when out of the blue the thought strikes us to strike back - to question the very essence of authoritarianism, we are included as part of 'that' elite. By the allure of responsibility to safeguard the interests of society, by letting open the valve for a split second to let go off the steam !

And we never will do anything.

Because we are incapable of standing up.
Because its not a comfort zone.
Because it does not concern 'me'.
Because it is someone else's problem.
Because we do not even understand that we are humiliated.
Because we love to ridicule or question when someone does so simply because it hits us on the face that we lack character, that we lack strength, that we lack the most basic form of humanity - that of consciousness.

Rang De Basanti tries (and unlike as many think not for the first time) to address specifically this concern. Ankush did that before. So did Arjun. So did Main Azad Hoon. And Hum Paanch. (Did I hear anyone say that RDB is the first film not to have 'one' central hero ?) All of them succeeded - but only as a movie; not as an instrument of social consciousness. It never will be.

Because we end up doing exactly the same things that we loathe when we are on the other side. Its innanely, uncannily, perplexingly funny how we forget what we were, what we are and what we will be. Such is the power of power.

In a conversation I overheard one of my exasperated friends ask this critical question to another "Who gives you the right to decide what is interesting to me?" - to an explanation put forward by the latter about "how divulging the information would lead to mayhem and end the suspense!".

For a second I should have asked them to swap places !