I remember a Hindi Movie of yester-years – starring Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Aazmi – “Albert Pinto ko gussa kyo aata hain?” Neither the plot nor the actors (and their acting) impressed me – but somehow, the name stuck in my memory – and even after 30+ years, when I sat down to write few words – the first thing that came to my mind (other than Angry Young Man ‘Amitabh Bachchan’) was the title of this movie.
And I ask myself – Why I am angry? Not at a peace – like last several decades? Reasons: frustrations, unfulfilled desires, agonies, the works! But the most important one I believe is the frustration of getting old (and older by the minute).
The famous saying – Mind is Willing; but the Body is Not. This is exemplified now and again. Many are the days when I feel like flying. But the feeling remains just that ‘feeling’. I know that technically, a human being cannot fly – per se. But through his imagination, he can conquer the world; and fly into places where no one has dared to go. As Gujarati song goes – a poet goes into areas where the wise would never venture. So coming back to the point – I am not even able to fly in my imagination. And that’s scary. Body getting old is one thing; the mind becoming decadent is scary.
More about this – when time permits.
