Watching Films can be mind relieving

A film has no language as long as you’ve a heart to see it, regardless you don’t know its spoken language. Hell! I’m not just preaching here like a Baba but I have had such a real life experience. It was during my college days in Bangalore. It was a fine Sunday, I guess and I was bored as either of my friends was off to home as vacation was fronting or was lazy taking a nap in bed. I thought to myself that what better time killer can be than watching a film?

I went to a theater I don’t remember its name now but it is situated in Malleshwaram area. There were few film posters hung outside the theater, couple of them were of Hindi Films and one of Teleugu (or for that matter, Tamil may be!) I didn’t know Telugu or Tamil at all (And do not even know yet!). It was around the noon time and I read that the next film show was a Hindi film. I straight away purchased the ticket and went in.

To my shock, when everything went dark in the theater and the film started, it was not the Hindi one! I realized, I had mis-read the timings of the film outside. But now what? Damage was done. I had paid for ticket which was in my pocket, and there was no refund scheme going on! I had to make a decision, either to leave theater straight or stay for a while and see how the film in the language I do not know goes about. I chose the second option.

After few minutes, I found myself settling down with the film. Although I didn’t understand a single word of what was spoken in it, I was enjoying it. It was a romantic film, all that emotional drama, songs around trees and stuff like that. Moreover, actor was giving justice to the character. I judged so by his acting. Does acting have any language? I mean, what’s more powerful? The words of dialogue or the emotions with which it is delivered? I didn’t know the words of that film, but I felt the strong emotion that the actor was putting for them and that kept me adhered to the seat. It wasn’t that tough to guess what was going on in the film. Actions were quite easily understood. For that matter, even speechless films of Charlie Chaplin were hit and highly enjoyed. Did anybody need the addition of excessive dialogues in his films?

I must say, I enjoyed that film in totality and came out with the satisfaction of ‘Paisa Vasool” despite it wasn’t a Hindi or English film.

For me, films have always been mind relieving medium. There are films almost on every mood. Sadness, happiness, romance, thriller, horror, fiction, non-fiction… you take any, there are good and must watch films on the theme.

I have always loved watching films. They do really talk to my soul. For me, watching a film is more powerful than attending a prayer in temple. If it’s about witnessing God, I find films to be a medium and not the temples. I am not against temples if that’s what you sensed, but the point is that the creativity put in by the filmmakers in films are capable enough to touch our heart and soul.

I have observed that in few families, watching films is considered as an addiction or something unworthy. Parents feel that it will give a wrong message to their child. In INDIA, watching Hindi films is considered to be ok to some extent. But in few families, I have also observed that they consider English films as sexual films only. I mean, it doesn’t matter if you’re talking about A Beautiful Mind or Schindler’s List or Forest Gump, when they come to know that it’s an English film, they just dress up with an uncanny expression on their face. Sometimes it feels like they are saying that “You’re a freak! You watch English movies for sex.” If it’s about sex, I feel like saying to them “There is porn stuff available for that purpose.” But when they are considering English films as porn stuff, you just can’t help it, can you?

Personally for me, watching films have been a great life changing experience, every single time. Whatever the positive change that you can see in my life, these film have a big role in it. Films have provided a different way to look at myself. They have taught me few important lessons of life. I run this site, SpeakBindas where I interview people, ask those questions, also conduct video interviews and apart from that I’ve made few documentaries on Indian festivals and common people. This doesn’t come from my education. I’m Diploma in Computer Science which has nothing to do with mass communication, interviews, documentaries etc. Its films that have evoked the inner-self of mine and taught me what I really love doing!

Hadn’t I watched the films that I’ve; I wouldn’t be where I’m today. I am indeed happy with what I am doing. Films made me strong, strong enough to take some decisions that for the society were foolishness. But how can they know about what I really love doing? I mean, if I had walked on the straight path like most of us do, I would have been living my life without the kind of happiness that I am enjoying today. Money isn’t always a matter of happiness, right? I know it as after starting SpeakBindas I have met people of different financial conditions, rich, richest, poor and beggars. From each of them, I have learnt what happiness is. And my friends, what I have learnt is that happiness comes from within. And when it’s about within, do what you really love to.

For me watching some meaningful English films has molded my personality. My favorite films have changed from time to time, but some of them I remember are Forrest Gump, Cast Away, The Green Mile, Gladiator, What Women Want, Catch Me If you Can, The Departed, Blood Diamond, The Ghost and the Darkness, American Beauty, The Longest Yard, The Aviator, Dil Chahta Hai and RHTDM. I know it’s quite an insulting matter to list out few names, because in doing that I tend to forget many others those too do fill this list. But the point is that, watching films has never bored me, rather it has killed my boredom. And if I say further then I can say that, watching films has taught me to study other people, know about their liking-disliking and most importantly it has taught me what are my likings and disliking!

Fortunately, I have come across such persona who do share the same or rather a better taste about films such as Dushyanth Goswamy (who lands me films from his personal library) and College days buddy Pratik Patel (A Chinese film fan). Virtual buddies like Rotary Midtown Library which has a cool collection of English Films as well as Gold Video Parlor from where I can rent interesting films.

These days, I am even working on couple of concepts to make a documentary and another a short film. I know that film making isn’t as easy as film watching. We can sit in front the TV, watch film and share our criticism, but when it comes to film making, even a few minutes short film is a tough job.

I hope to come up with something created by me which can be called a short film soon. More on the other side of the creativity.

To watch documentaries created by me, please visit: India As It Is