I don’t have to be a Bejan Daruwallah to predict - they never, ever, will.
May be it’s just a co incidence but the game show bit too was explored in a film called Haleem, in 2006 based on the life of the great Egyptian singing legend, Abdel Halim Hafez. This film though was stripped naked by the critics. Sir, the references cited above are not meant to forfeit your cinematic excellence or achievements or your genius. I am no Alexander Walker Mr. Boyle but a mere observer of life as million others. All I am saying is probably you haven’t shown us anything that’s original. Possibly that wasn’t the idea. Probably originality wasn’t the objective. The objective must have been sending a strong message to the world about certain conditions, situations, environs that exists. Those which are shocks to a few are part of lives to millions.
But let me tell you one thing Sir. Lend me your eyes and your mind for a bit. This might be your next Oscar. I am giving you an original story. A story of a magnificent community in India whose existence, identity is far more mysterious then the Bermuda Triangle.
It’s a classic case of a ‘riches to rags’ story.
Perhaps the only case of a mass Euthanasia of its own kind. I bet.
This community once upon a time ruled a state in the North Easter part of India. It had its Kings, Ministers, Administrators and the works that goes in an ideal Amar Chitra Katha kingdom. Historians as well as our forefathers say this didn’t last long. They were driven out of the state; new traditions, customs were forced upon; their language was not allowed to be spoken. This language which was once a Court Language now has a few schools across Bangladesh and India. You can easily count the number of schools in just one of your either hands. Don’t be surprised if it doesn’t reach even 15. To speak about numbers – we do have more of such miniscule mathematical figures – 1, 2, 3, 4….
The community has around 5 lakh population across India, Bangladesh and Burma. It’s whispered the actual number is much more this. It’s again whispered lot of the people of this community don’t claim themselves to be a part of it –either out of fear, habit or sheer embarrassment. You must understand Sir, members of this community find it difficult to clearly define their identity to an outsider. Multiple explanations have to be given, references drawn, uncomfortable questions asked. Demands a complex and a long conversation you see. Who has that much time Mr. Boyle?
Numbers again Sir! This community had 4 or 5 MLAs in total. Now it has 1.
There was 1 Minister who was a hope for the community. He was an impossibly talented man. A great humanist, social thinker, creative mind, a leader – Girok Bimal Sinha.
One fine day this man was assassinated. Everyone knows it was a great conspiracy. But no one knows the reason behind the conspiracy. Nobody makes an effort to know either. Life has to go on Mr. Boyle. We all have lives to live.
Sabhas and Parishads!!! Here we form a majority Sir. You can say we have our own Parliament. In fact we have many Parliaments. Currently we have 7-8 Parliaments. Sorry Sabhas. The numbers keep on increasing every year. Most of these Parishads and Sabhas are hotbeds of power lust, ego trips, chaos, inefficiency, wrong decision making and divisions. But we love our Sabhas Sir. There’s something about them that’s so adorable. You too can have a few lessons about politics in any of these Sabhas or Parishads. You can change the world after that Sir. I guarantee it.
There Mr. Boyle, I guess you now have all the ingredients for another masterpiece. A mysterious community. A lost kingdom. A questioned language. An assassinated leader. A great conspiracy. An epicenter of power politics. A mighty enemy.
All you need to do is – gather some guts, visit India, do some research; get your best script writer and use some common sense and get on to the storyboard.
Do revert if you see your next Oscar in this letter Sir.
In case you don’t, this would be couriered or emailed to a certain Anurag Kashyap closer home. He has the talent and the necessary guts.
At least his name would propel the community’s name in some satellite channels of this country. We love the TV Mr. Boyle.
That very inch of media coverage would be enough for us to get going for another century Sir.
Yours Sincerely,
A Bishnupriya Manipuri.
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