APNA TIME APNE AAP NAHI AYEGA

To me, the most powerful scenes and the dialogues in the movie ‘Gully Boy’ are those involving Murad ((Ranveer Singh) and his father (VijayRaaz). In one of the scenes, the father, as usual, goes on his rant and ridicule over Murad’s ‘na layak’ and ‘faltu’ activities… He blasts, “Saara din ghar pe baitke khata hai tum.”

“Tu nahi khata hai kya?” Blasted the young woman sitting on my right along with her mother. This young woman was so involved with the dialogues and the lyrics, that like many other young ones (in groups) did, she was jumping, rapping and yes, doing the dialoguebazi throughout the movie. My wife, who sat to my left, whispered a couple of times,, “Double paisa vassol’…

Well, I had to control myself, though!

“Apna time ayega,” is the driving force that propels every underdog in this world. Everyone, who has done it – come out from his ‘slums’ – has done it because he or she did not want to be ‘there’ in that ‘filth’, that ‘abuse’… that ‘fate’. Every Murad wanted to rewrite his fate… He or she has said to himself, “Apna time ayega’

And this: Every Murad has his parent or teacher, who has constantly yelled at him, “Sara din, ghar pe bait ke khata hai tu”!

Well, the ridicule may not be in the same words… But, parents and teachers will continue to yell this way, unless Murads remain faithful to their ‘callings in life, unless and until they get out of their gullies and ‘do and prove’… and prove, sadly, in a big way that is… The way this Murad from the Dharavi gullies did…

In the end, did Murad’s abusive father melt? Did he feel proud of his son?

Yes, he did.

And, that’s what the underdog saga is all about… The spirit of Abhimanyu … the stuff every ‘slumdog millionaire’ is made of!

And, that’s how all – well, almost all - Gully Boy sagas , happily, end!

Why do parents and teachers scream at their Gully Boys?

Why do I, a so-called a ‘motivating teacher’, scream at my own Gully boys… “Apna time apne aap nahi ayega, beta… Slog it out?  

Jitna tune boya hai
Tu utna hi toh khaayega!!!!

Just yesterday, in one of my sessions, I shook hard this 17-year-old from his day-dreaming state. The boy hails from a fairly well-off family and goes to one of the best Commerce colleges in the city. As several parents do, this boy’s parents, too, have supported him all the way in pursuing his talent – football. Presently he plays for a football team owned by a Mumbai business house… They have daily practice and regular matches… And, yes, they have these studies, too. The parents of this boy have placed him in my hands with the brief, “Sir, motivate him to do well in studies, too.”

And, am I able to do it?

Yes and No.

These kids get up very early for their practice… They come home late from their matches, dead tired… They are unable to attend regular classes and follow through at home. Yes, we should understand and be less harsh on them. But, there is a definite line there: What is your weakness, you can’t simply ignore it…

Models, actors, players, singers, musicians… almost all of this talented lot need to be clear as to how much they are ready to give… They need tremendous discipline. Will this boy of mine be able to see a future in football in India or abroad? How many more years are there for him to prove his stuff and explode the Gully Boy way? Will he be able to do it? What if he can’t? Is there a back-up plan?

These are very delicate questions. As parents and teachers, we constantly juggle with this dilemma. Simply telling a young one, “You can do it” … “Tumara time ayega”… Yes, this would be as dangerous as “Saara din ghar pe bait ke khata hai tu.”

My own story is a story of a Gully Boy. Yet, I will tell my own son and my every student…

Jitna tune boya hai
Tu utna hi toh khaayega!!!!

Yes, beta… Apna time apne aap nahi ayega!

GERALD D’CUNHA

Pic.: Hindustan Times

Video: Zee Music Originals/YouTube