FROM THE PIT OF MISERY TO THE PEAK OF THE EVEREST
“Gold
medals aren't really made of gold.
They're
made of sweat, determination,
and
a hard-to-find alloy called guts.”
- Dan Gable
I watched the Hindi movie ‘Poorna’ along with
my wife on 24th of this month. It was my wife’s 50 th birthday. It was, also, one of her
happiest! Both, my wife and I, loved the movie a lot… After coming home, my
wife posted on her friends’ group: “POORNA…
A very inspiring movie!”
Just the way great Sachin Tendukar is… 24th April is his
birthday, too! I remember an inspiring quote from the Legend:
“Don't stop
chasing your dreams, because dreams do come true.”
Till my friend, Vivek, told me about this movie, ‘Poorna’ - just two days
earlier that was - I hadn’t heard about it. How ironical, how sad! “Watch it;
it is very motivating for multiple reasons,” my friend had told me. It was only
after watching the movie that I gathered what the ‘multiple reasons’ were…
THE FIRST REASON: Obviously, Poorna. This 13-year-old girl from Telangana
was one of the youngest girls in the world to scale the highest peak of the Mount
Everest. Her story - from the pit of misery to the glory of the Everest - is no
ordinary story… It is, truly, inspiring!
THE SECOND REASON: Dr. Praveen Kumar, the Secretary of the Government Social
Welfare School, where Poorna studied. He was an IPS officer and wielded a lot
of power in the inner circle of the Chief Minister. Yet, at the height of his
professional success, he decided to switch his work area… the social welfare
and education and well-being of the underprivileged. It was he who spotted the
hidden potential of Poorna and an older Dalit boy, Anand Kumar… and it was he
who went all the way, against all the odds, to help these two to
brave the Mount Everest. Once, this goal was achieved, he went back to his
police position. So, ‘Poorna’ is a story of this top-cop, too.
THE THIRD REASON: Rahul Bose. I was inspired when I learnt that Rahul
Bose liked the story so much, that he involved in the project fully by
producing, directing and acting in it
(the role of Dr. Praveen Kumar). One can easily make out that it was beyond a
professional or commercial decision… It was a personal mission!
“Sometimes we make choices, and sometimes choices make us.” This was
one of the dialogues in the movie which I liked the most. The other moment that
touched me the most was when Dr. Praveen Kumar, the mentor, tells Poorna and her
co-climber, Anand Kumar, that even though they would be trained for the Everest
mission, the decision to allow or not allow them to climb would be taken only
when they came out with their respective reasons to do so. “Only if I find your
reason bigger than the Mount Everest, I will give my permission.”
Anand Kumar had the reason ready. But, little Poorna took some days to
visit the most harrowing space within her soul and come out and tell her
mentor, “Sir, I found my reason.”
My heart stopped when I heard these words!
Long years ago, another battered and wounded brave-heart had screamed
standing at the foot of the Everest:
“Mount Everest, listen to me… I will come back and defeat you… for, you
can’t grow any taller… my courage can!”
If you have not yet watched this Tax-free movie, ‘Poorna’, please do.
Yes, take a few young-kids along, even if they aren’t your own!
GERALD D’CUNHA
Pic.: Internet
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