Chulbul Pandey - That name has a sticky quality. Not sure if it can be sticky enough like a Gabbar or a Thakur but I have feeling it’s going to stick. Salman Khan has a way of sticking around collective memory. For good things and bad, for cult hits and super flops, he’s somehow always there. And with the recent success of Dabangg, he’s just all over the place.
He’s reigning virtually all headlines, the cover pages of all lifestyle magazines. Everyone wants to narrate the ‘success story’ of the ‘man of the moment’. But every time I have the Salman-is-back-and-how conversation, my mind cannot help but wander back a few years.
He rose to the top with the likes of Maine Pyaar Kiya and Hum Aapke Hain Kaun and became the poster boy with shirtless numbers like Oh oh jaane jaana and what not. And then he tumbled. Overnight. He was steeped in controversies, he was the bad guy who killed animals and people. He went to jail. He started losing hair. (and don’t say that’s not as important. Hair is hair.) He was written off. The man at that moment lost all his glory.
But here he is. Back on his feet. Sweeping multiplexes. I might be pushing it a bit if I call him inspiring, but I have to admit he is fascinating. It’s a journey through time. I know it’s not unique. Every one has their highs and lows. And I’m not trying to make common people’s trysts with life’s sea-saws mundane. They’re just as poignant. But this one’s in my face. I loved him, I loathed him and now I lust him again. One could say life gives some people more chances than others. That may be true. He’s rich, powerful, he was famous and it must have been easier for him. But does every one take whatever chances he or she gets? I don’t know if I do.
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Adorable and worthy of lust though he is, the man is also a bad influence on many people, for eg my boss who has now started to suppose himself as Chulbul Pandey, strutting around the office in shady shades.
ReplyDeleteAs for your question, some do some dont. On a larger level, it is about trusting your gut instinct or intuition to determine whether to follow a path or now. Many times we might find ourselves in a wrong alley, a dimly lit street (just like sallu choosing yuvraaj) but then sometimes u do find a pretty meadow or a startlingly clear pond (like he found Dabaang, Wanted). Silly analogy, but I hope you get the point. Trust your instincts n feelings Shubhda and a few years later, at least you will know if you took the chances that came your way.