First things first: The tickets of Ship of Theseus aren't all that expensive everywhere, at least not after the opening weekend. If you are borderline broke like me, you can still watch the film for
Rs. 150/-. If you're too broke, take the bus or walk, skip the drunky session, smoke Four Square & eat vada pav (KFC is unhealthy anyways & PETA will love you for that) for the next few days a la moi. But don't miss SoT, I am not a beggar, am a requester. It's a rare film to come out of our inane blockbuster circus tent.
Second things second: Hawaai firing & immense respect for director Anand Gandhi & the entire gang who made this film, and also those who got it a theatrical release. Special mention for the man who played the monk (Neeraj Kabi), it was surreal to watch him die... almost.
Now a little about the film, its three segments & how I connected with it at various stages in my life.
Years ago, I had a fatal accident. I almost lost my left leg. The doctors were kind and patient, but I was not. I had all kinds of disturbing thoughts in my head. What if I am never able to walk again? My bastard friends had already started calling me 'Langda Tyagi' (
Yaar bhi kaminey). To get rid of that negative space I came back to Bombay with a crutch & limp like Pran saab (may his soul RIP) in Don. Took up a job here and it needed me to take the local train daily. I could never convince myself to get into the
dabba meant for the 'handicapped'. Just couldn't. Well meaning Bombay people in the train used to tell me, "Woh dabbe mein jaao na, aapke jaisa log ke liye hai." I did it once and I broke down. Soon after an old man in the same dabba started laughing at me for being a wuss. FML. I love Bombay!
Dissolve
My life philosophy almost changed when a kind friend gifted me a book by Rumi. It opened the door of an all new world for me. I started believing in most of his sayings, especially those about love & giving. If not for the filmi keeda having bitten my arse so bad, I might have turned into a full-time wanderer. The most powerful portion of SoT (for me personally) was that of the monk who would have sold his Ferrari, only that he didn't even have a pair of shoes. But he did have a sense of humour, which I totally loved. I could understand why he would rather die than be treated by medicines that were against his school of thought. Just like I would rather not watch a film at all, than watching a pirated copy of it. Whoa! That sounded deep, but I am deep like that; neck deep in shit almost always.
Dissolve
Like all those in my age group most of our conversations with our parents revolve around marriage. A few years back it was about me not receiving calls from my relatives. The usual chat with my mom was something like this:
Mom: Hey your chacha was trying to reach you the other day for the Durga namaskara pooja, you didn't answer his call.
Me: I had lost my phone, mom.
Mom: Why do you lose your phone when there is a family function to attend?
Me: Awkward silence.
Mom: Did you save some money this month, we have to...
Me: Hello hello... mom, I can't hear you... *click*
These days me & mom have graduated to talking about the kind of marriage I would prefer. While I am all for a quick, no-fuss, sign-the-legal-papers-and-boom-out-to-the-honeymoon type ceremony, my mom wants me to sit for the yagna-havan-feast-burp-Udipi-style arrangement. Instead of feeding 500-odd people who I have met perhaps once, during my thread ceremony, I would rather save that moolah & buy an island near Bora Bora. Thankfully, my mom has given up on me. As long as I marry, she will be happy. Don't even get me started about dad. He still doesn't know what I do for a living. He also doesn't know how to reply to texts to save his life, while my mom is wondering which Tab to buy, so that she can look up girls for me and my kid bro, on Facebook at leisure. FML.
Dissolve
While there is nothing life changing in Ship of Theseus, there is everything that we need to ask ourselves every now & then, with a pinch of salt. While it takes all the segments seriously, it doesn't mind taking a joke at itself. Sample this line from SoT - "Monks are supposed to be celibates, then why is there so much of intellectual masturbation?" It is laced with such gems throughout. Take it seriously or laugh out aloud, it's your life after all. It is really mind boggling that a film like this got made and got a theatrical release too! I was also very happy to see Rohit sir's name in the end credits. Watch his extended interview here:
