Satire ::: Dharna Neta decides to stage another Dharna: Demands - Village name in 'Sholay' should be Rahim-Gar

(with apologies and good old spirit of Bengali tolerable humour)

 You have come a long way, Dharna Madam !!

In an age when film personalities make career moves towards politics, we have a 'different' case here ! Here, a politician has decided to try luck in the world of entertainment. She has decided to make (write script, produce and direct) films. In fact, 'he or she' does not matter. All politicians have talent, rolled into one, and why not ?

The word 'post' is a powerful prefix. It is enchanting at times and so she also thought, how life would be 'post-politics' ! Hmmm ! In vague thinking - out of logic after one has had the usual fight with wife - I often presume the word 'post' has double meaning when it is used as a prefix. Firstly, it obviously denotes giving up an 'old' style or profession and then opting for a new road map. It signifies a change or a 'new thing' following or after giving up something 'old'. But it also can somehow denote - part continuation of the old.

Does it make much of a difference, if one says, "post-marriage I have changed or saw many things change by themselves" ?

So, once a 'politician'; always a politician. That's continuity. But film making can be a good art and a respectable option ! Thus began the new journey of our Dharna Neta ! Some people in the film industry also started calling them 'Dharna Di' or Dharna Da ! A mischievous silver screen antagonist went a step further and would scream - "Dada o Dada" and at times "Didi o Didi".

But it turned out to be an interesting and exciting Wednesday! Dharna Neta decided to sit on Dharna yet again. This time the protest was the Neta-turned-filmmaker was not being allowed to change the name of a 'village' in the film. "This is genocide against creativity," there came a sharp reaction while onlookers were stunned. Although some from an old school in the 'Left' part of the city with a special liking for a special community knew - one or two Dharnas and 'street walks' were on expected lines. 

"I am making a re-make and it is not exactly a re-make but inspired from an old film Sholay. I am a good Hindu. I have a gotra but I like to send all my love for Green Colony. I do not like those Tika-wallahs in saffron. All Bhoiragatas," Dharna Neta said in initial remarks at the press conference wherein some journalists would be singing Rabindrasangeet!

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"Kintu Didi O Didi.....what is really the objection?" - came a question from an Inqlabi patrakar representing 'Hundu Telegram'. 

She pulled her left foot a bit and said, "See, they had attacked me. But I kept quiet. I am very tolerant. I allowed politics to Tolerate me for so long..... But now they say, the name of the village in the film should be Ram- Gar. How can I allow this ? Why not Rahim-Gar. See it sounds so sweet, tolerant and vote-giving kind?".

About 20 senior 'leaders' of one party clapped. That is their job. Some of them are very old and senior. After all 'leaders' means they should be led by Sisters and Nieces etc. Came in slogans 'Rahim Gar hobey....Na Khela hobey' !

However, several others said what is the fun in the 'game (khela) and the logic of changing the village name. That was the original name of the village in the film. And it had all ingredients - one old Imam making the big sacrifice of his son when the entire village was 'selfish'. This is how some democratic worshippers  behave -- either in Pakistan or outside Pakistan.

Dharna Neta got furious. One journalist - a talkative TV guy asked, "If you show the village as Rahim Gar, will you replace the Imam with an old temple priest?"

Oh that dialogue ! "Itna sannata kyon hai bhai"

"Oh.....all these Gujaratis", Dharna Neta lost cool. This is insult. This is undemocratic. Are you all from Gujarat or are you all from communist country Russia. Filmmakers must show the old Imam making the sacrifice, after all that is the political message. I mean the real message. All others are liars, they planned to kill me and my Green Gang people. Now they say Rahim Gar is now allowed. This is like Hitler".

"So, to protest, I will sit on Dharna," the democratic Dharna Neta screamed.

Dharna of a Faceless Indian