Why we all need some Aakrosh (Angst) in our lives

We live in an era, where we are blessed with knowledge and news quite literally at our fingertips. We have the instant ability to find out if there is a traffic jam on the Eastern Express Highway before even stepping out of our homes, or know of a riot in the making while it's happening, or see the innumerous videos of waterlogging at different spots in our cities, and with the same ease and speed be able to share our opinions on the matter, all without even moving an inch, from the place we are present at currently.

This in itself is an amazing achievement for our generation and rightly so the world has become a very small place to live in. And yet everyday I feel so distant when I step out into the world, I feel disconnected, and within me lies an urge to go to times of the past when as they say "Things were simpler then".

But even so, I have not explained the intention of this post, and you are justified in asking as well. It is the rage in all our collective fingers and minds when it comes to our online presence that needs to be acknowledged and the cause of which be understood.

I have a habit of reading random comments on posts across several sites and I also write my thoughts when possible. Almost always there are people who are either neutral, in favor or against the subject. Everyone has a right to their opinion, and so the only problem lies in the conversation when it changes tracks as things get personal quickly and that's where the Aakrosh (anger) does not make sense.

I have tried to understand why there is so much of rage in these comments and why do people go into elaborate details while trying to convince or retaliate online. On the contrary, such animosity is seldom seen in the real world, leave alone a few morchas (protests) or gatherings. Could it be that expressing one's views on the subject matter provides a much needed release, is there a need deep within all of us to rebel against the system, do we want to just be heard or is there something more to it?

Let's take a minute or two away from this topic and go through a movie analysis, trust me it's related.

Aakrosh (1980)

The debut movie by Govind Nihalani, about an adivasi (tribal) Bhiku Lahanya who is convicted of killing his wife, Advocate Bhaskar Kulkarni as Defence advocate, is assigned to him as a formality and the Prosecution is lead by Advocate Dushane who is undeterred by human misery and has already judged, and decided the outcome of the case before it has started. Only time can change the course of the story in their understanding of each other and ours of them.

Let's quickly talk about the main characters.

Om Puri, as Bhiku Lahanya plays the role of a lifetime, and for the entire movie does not utter a single word until the very end where his scream resembles the last call of anguish of a bleak reality. Further events lead him into oblivion. He does not have any respite in this situation, his fate is already decided, what is only pending is the conviction and the visit of the noose.

Naseeruddin Shah as the advocate of the common man (Advocate Bhaskar Kulkarni), new at the job, with a sense of justice that is fresh like his career. He is as isolated in his belief as the fear that creeps into him every night at the sound of someone tapping at his door. He is conflicted to say the least, and rightly so, for you would be too, if what you thought was right, was being questioned and the wrong being accepted without examination.

Amrish Puri, as Advocate Dushane, mentor to Advocate Bhaskar and prosecution in the case, an adivasi himself, but disconnected from reality who during the length of the film ever so often, faces the stigma of his background at many occasions but yet does not stop to observe the plight of one of his own, and quite the reverse fights the case against Bhiku with no remorse or understanding of the facts.

I am sure I have you totally confused by now, as to what these characters or this movie has to do with the theme I started before. Let me explain.

I strongly believe the right movie has the ability to present reality as it is, and question it so that we as citizens can not only understand the situation but also apply our moral compass from time to time. Then why is it that in a period of less than 30 years have we become so disconnected from reality and more connected to virtual bashing of sorts, why is every march taken against injustice or corruption short lived? Why are we so vocal in saying anything and everything from the comfort of anonymous online avatars but afraid to take any steps in our real lives?

I believe the cause of this all is that our online dealings are shallow and provide instant gratification (I too am guilty of it, who doesn't like the adoration even if it's momentary). we can no longer take up a mission without measuring the attention it will draw in. Our Aakrosh needs to drive us in the real world and help us make moral decisions at every step we take, but our online dealings give us enough testosterone to feel we are doing the right thing, without joining in on a real cause in person. After all in our busy lives making a living, who has time to be on the streets fighting an upstream battle (maybe our wrestlers did, but in the current political scenario, even that failed).

A lot of us are very much like Advocate Dushane who have a burning rage that we pour out ever now and then and partake in public virtual campaigns for a cause, but just like him, are seldom aware of the facts or circumstances. Sometimes some of us might even be like Bhiku Lahanya, silent, scared, confused and even afraid to speak our minds at the right place and time offline. Who then can we hope to be like?

Advocate Bhaskar as the third character in this narrative has by far the most burden to carry in the entire film as the evolution of the common man, who fights back at every knock on his door, who digs through the facts to arrive at the morally right decision. That is the Aakrosh we should have in all we do and deal with... That is the Aakrosh we need today to stand up for what is right.

But the bigger question is, can we do this without being biased towards a certain piece of information floating everywhere, that even though being fake might seem so real as it's on everyone's lips? Or will we succumb to an alternate reality, just because it's well documented and seems real?

Be the wiser and always question!

P.S. I wrote this in 2019 and almost left this piece, but came back to it today in 2023, and now it seems even more relevant than before.