THAT RANCHI BOY IN US







Today, when my wife and I went to watch the 2 pm show of the Hindi movie, ‘M.S. Dhoni – The Untold Story’, there were only two tickets left… the last two in the first row! So, we had no option but to grab them. We wanted to watch the movie. We did it… Felt as though we were watching the match standing around the boundary lines of a stadium!

On my right sat a boy – may be a 9 or 10 year old… next to him sat his younger sister… and next to the girl sat the young mother. I was so happy watching the boy and the girl jumping. I am an emotional fool, and I easily get choked while watching intense scenes. A couple of times, it happened in this movie, too… The boy next to me could sense that I was choked with emotions… He leaned forward and twisted his little head in my direction as if to ask me: “Uncle, are you crying?”

What was there to cry in this Dhoni bio-pic?

Every Indian cricketer - barring perhaps a few like Tiger Pataudi, Sourav Ganguly and a few more – the rest all, yes, including the God himself (Sachin) come from very ordinary families. Dhoni’s story starts in such a humble household. He made it to the stardom only through his talent and temperament.  Ours is a country of over 1.3 billion people… almost the entire country is obsessed with cricket and worships the cricket heroes. So, when the legends of a Sachin or Dhoni inspire an entire nation… make them aspire to succeed in life, it is, certainly, a great sign…

I just looked around in the packed movie hall today and was pleasantly surprised to see the mix of the audience… I saw the elderly, the young and lots of children. And the children were excited there… So, if the story of a simple Ranchi lad has sent home these city kids with some fire ignited in their bellies, it is a great sign, too…

Perhaps, I choked when such a thought overwhelmed me… When I saw kids and their parents jumping around me… When I saw on screen how your fine talent, aided by right temperament and dogged discipline, can take you where you want to reach in life…

So, I want to tell that little boy this: “Yes beta, I was crying.” I want to tell him, “Please follow your dream!”



GERALD D’CUNHA


Pic.: Internet




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