On 15th August 2019 we celebrate our Independence Day. Some of us will have a much needed lie-in, some will head out for a family outing, while some will watch patriotic films. Some of us may want to give some thought to a few Independence Day resolutions to be a better Indian. We can also watch this short film that character actor Piyush Mishra recites in his own unique style. Maybe we can start thinking a bit about modern India; about what it means to be a good Indian and what the concept of freedom means to us.
Is it 'freedom' to be able to urinate in the open, litter with impunity and behave as we want in public spaces? What is the limit of our personal freedoms and how do these impinge upon the freedoms of others? The video raises these questions.
What does patriotism mean to us today? Is it about putting up an Indian flag on your social media account, pose for a photo dressed in the three national colours?
Do we see the poor and the underprivileged, the exploited and the disenfranchised around us? Have we become inured to the poor eking out a miserable existence right in front of our eyes? Why does none of this bother us?
For a lot of men, women's empowerment and gender equality are meaningless phrases and mere lip service. Many men still have the same sense of entitlement vis-à-vis women and subscribe to the same patriarchal notions that ought to have died decades ago. Concepts such as respect and consent are still very nebulous.
Are Indians only those who look like us, speak like us, dress like us, eat like us and pray like us? How aware are we of our glorious diversity and how willing are we to embrace and celebrate it?
Many of us break laws and then blame the police either for being corrupt or not doing their jobs. In most cases, these are simple folk trying to do their job given difficult circumstances and meagre means. If we would just stop making assumptions about them and stop trying to throw our weight around, things would be altogether better.
The short film shows us some rather unpleasant but undeniable facts about ourselves: we care nothing for public spaces, our patriotism is mere tokenism. We can be very hypocritical and racist, and we will break rules if we think we can get away with it. How if we can transform our love for India into something concrete; modify our behaviour in ways that will actually make a difference for the better --- we would then really be celebrating India --- and our freedom this Independence Day. Jai Hind!
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