-Ali Peter John
History and time will always remember 2020 and 2021 as the dark era of corona virus, followed by another virus called Omicron. Life has never been so depressing and disgusting as it has been during these two years and the havoc wreaked by these two unpredictable enemies of man continues even as the world finds new and innovative ways to fight these enemies which if Losers can soon be trampled if not defeated and lead the world to destruction and even doom.
It is during this difficult time that we are all looking for ways to bring some sunshine into our lives. We have not succeeded and will not be fully successful at least in the near future, but we have to keep trying if we are to survive and if we have to hope to live in a better world the virus has forced us to live. Is done.
I have found my own ways to overcome the loss and devastation of these difficult times. I have tried my best to find interesting men and women who can bring back a smile and a light of hope in my life.
I was sitting with my friend Nitin in my cafe where I do my work even though the place is full of young people and the endless and unbearable noises they make and I am sorry to say that my life is sad , but then, life has to go on, right? Yes, I was talking about the cafe where I work and where I work the way I do, I’ll have to write my epitaph soon.
A man wearing a mask came to my desk and I couldn’t easily put on what I usually don’t forget about faces, names and numbers because he was wearing a slimy mask. He was the right hand of my friend, well-known writer and director Rumi Jaffrey. After that man was Rumi himself, Rumi, the person whom Rishi Kapoor introduced to me (I hate myself whenever someone calls Rishi the late Rishi Kapoor) as a writer, whom Rishi had called his mentor and Wrote like my guru, KA Abbas. The smile on Rumi’s face told many stories, but I knew there was only one reason for her to smile as her film “Chehre” was recognized as one of the ten most popular and powerful films in the world. I still do not understand why Rumi’s achievement has not yet been appreciated by the people of this great country.
“Chehre” for those who couldn’t see it during a lockdown is a daring look at the legal system and the place of justice and law. Unlike most films written by Rumi and films like “God Tussi Great Ho”, this was a tough film.
which he directed. The film has many highlights, but the biggest plus point of the film is the performance of Amitabh Bachchan, who makes such a powerful impact even at 69 Plus. And of all his scenes, in which he proves that his best is yet to come, he is a fourteen-minute monologue in which his character is against the legal system. Rumi told me that the words were written by him, but life was given to him by Amitabh, who gave the whole shot in one go. I have a deep feeling that if the film had released in normal time, it would have created a sensation and even became a blockbuster. But, Rumi should take all inspiration from the recognition she has just received and hope to win many more in the awards season that begins in the new year 2022. And then armed with all the applause and awards, Rumi can go ahead and make many more good, sensitive, sensible and entertaining films.
The second gift 2021 gave me was a gift that came to me in the most unexpected way. I was part of planning a concert in the honor of Mohammed Rafi. Rafi’s daughters Nasreen and Yasmin and her husbands Miraj and Parvez were present in the show, but I wanted to make the show even better. I was thinking of ways to do it when I remembered the name Kishwar Jaipuri I regularly see on Facebook in which she remembers her “dear father” as the “king of romance” . I speculated that she might be the daughter of the great romantic lyricist Dr. Hasrat Jaipuri. I called his number and was happy to hear a hoarse voice in Jeevan’s voice on the other side and realized that my guess was correct. She was the only daughter of Hasrat Sahib, Kishwar Jaipuri.
Kishwar told me the story of her life almost when we talked and in no time, I realized that Kishwar lives in Pakistan with her husband and two daughters. I asked her if she could send me a message for my show and she was very happy to do it and that evening, her voice was sweeter than some of the best voices I had heard. I still wonder whether she is fourteen or forty. Since that first conversation we have been talking every day and his voice and his knowledge of his father’s poetry and the poetry of great poets like Ahmed Faraj Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Majrooh Sultanpuri made me still think about the first virus. I have overcome some fear and now about other viruses and all the other problems of my everyday life. I may sound poetic or silly, but my heart tells me that if Kishwar Jaipuri spoke to me for even a few minutes every day, my zeal to live could get stronger.
Just ten days ago there was a lovely sensation on social media. It was about the beautiful girl Dipika Chikliya who played the role of Sita in Ramanand Sagar’s epic serial “Ramayana”. He had committed a “sin” by wearing a pink knee-length trendy dress and high heels for a private occasion and was a hoo haha about the “sin” he had committed. How long was Deepika expected to live the life of the character played by Sita in the Ramayana about twenty five years ago?
I took her number from my friend and called her and like Kishwar, she too looked very bright and like a celebration of life. In my brief conversation I realized that I had seen her for the first time and had met her when she was playing a lead role in Rajshri’s Sun Meri Laila. And during the shooting of Ramayan and other serials made by Sagar, we used to meet regularly because Sagar has always been family to me. It’s nice to know that Deepika was still popular and desired at events and functions where she is still Sita Maiya, but in real life like any modern and liberated woman today. We have promised to meet each other in the new year.
And for the sake of Rumi, Kishwer and Dipika, I hope the new year comes soon and is a year that will bring love, peace, progress and prosperity to our world and the whole world.
