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Enakshi looks back at 2020 and tells us about the films, books, authors, and music that she saw, read, and heard. She also tells us about the lack of audience for new writers, musicians, and filmmakers. An exclusive for Different Truths.
I watched Ludo recently and all I could do was appreciate the thinking and linking (every scene with another) that Anurag Basu has used to weave a story that revolves around karma and the concept of sins and virtues. Exceptional writing, brilliant performances, crisp writing, and the apt number of twists and turns make Ludo one of the best movies of 2020. Is this a movie review? Well, no. This is more of an eye-opening article than a movie review. Another top-class movie that I watched recently was Chhalaang in which Raj Kumar Rao stole the show single-handedly. When it comes to books, I read two very well-written books by Indian authors – OGD by Anusha Ravishaker (Target audience: Children) and Tales From the Himalayas by Priyanka Pradhan (Target audience: All age groups). When it comes to music, I have a new artist in my music library, and it is not Tony Kakkar. It is Rohan Thakur (from the mountains) whose tunes have made me fall in love with his new album. All the artists that I have quoted above are underdogs; some have become successful after a long haul of failure while some are still in the making. Why does it happen so that the people with the most gifted mind often find it even more difficult to find their place in the world?
When I first started writing, I was blinded by the fame that the famous authors like Chetan Bhagat, Preeti Shenoy or Durjoy Dutta had. I read their book but honestly, I didn’t find anything worth appreciating in their books.
When I first started writing, I was blinded by the fame that the famous authors like Chetan Bhagat, Preeti Shenoy or Durjoy Dutta had. I read their book but honestly, I didn’t find anything worth appreciating in their books. When I was given Chetan Bhagat’s One Night at the Call Centre to review as a part of my grade 12 English assignment, I was excited to read that book. But when I wrote an honest opinion about the same, the teacher deducted marks saying that the general opinion about the book was good. She questioned my opinion and as a courteous child that I was, I didn’t say anything.
That made me foray into the field of literature with a newfound enthusiasm. I took to reviewing books and my honest opinion often offended the authors. Surprisingly, most of the authors didn’t accept the flaws that could be easily identified in their work. Gradually, after much struggle, my work started finding recognition and hidden talents like Sandhya Jane and more started reaching out to me to review their work. To cut to the chase, I realised soon enough that the blue-chip names that fascinated me once were no more than what other writers are. Just because money did the talking and opportunities didn’t shy away from knocking at their doors, their talent was not only discovered but also appreciated.
Anglo-Indian Literature is creating a buzz with its niche and new way of storytelling.
India is a country where cultural diversity aids the amalgamation of different tastes, different perspectives, and different opinions. That’s the reason why we have ‘dhamakedar Bollywood’, ‘masaledaar Tollywood’ and plenty of other types of entertainment media. Even literature is not lagging in this aspect. Anglo-Indian Literature is creating a buzz with its niche and new way of storytelling.
The music in different languages is a further add on. But the point is how many of the urban artists who do not have a godfather get their share of joy? How many of them get the money to make their passion as a profession? Even I don’t do or rather cannot do full-time writing as the money is almost negligible in that. While on one hand, people are experimenting with the content they are producing, it has become even more difficult to get an audience, readers, and listeners for your craft because Indians follow the herd mentality, and the herd mentality asks them to go behind ‘free stuff’. Supporting local artists is not a trendy thing. But buying a Chetan Bhagat book is. Buying handcrafted home decor items from foreign brands is considered stylish but buying the same products from someone who doesn’t have a proper website, or a showroom is considered cheap!
It is said that there is light at the end of a dark tunnel and thankfully, I can witness that light when I see the people on Instagram campaigning for local artists/ brands. At least some of us are not following the blind alleyway. At least some of us know the value of talent and have an open perspective for new artists.
It is said that there is light at the end of a dark tunnel and thankfully, I can witness that light when I see the people on Instagram campaigning for local artists/ brands. At least some of us are not following the blind alleyway. At least some of us know the value of talent and have an open perspective for new artists. Respecting the craft is not enough. The best we can do in this world where every other person is governed by god-complex and never misses any chance to throw you off the pedestal is to support the ones who struggle hard. We can, through this, co-exist and be a part of nature’s holy plan, maybe!
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