Never Ending Movie Carnival
Never Ending Movie Carnival
On the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi – Bapu’s 152 birth anniversary, producer director Mani Kapoor suddenly out of blue decides to make a sci fi political drama. Here is how Modi Bane Gandhi happens.
It’s Saturday night morning of October 02, 2021. Producer director Mani Kapoor just out from his bathtub is feeling fresh and rejuvenated. Having exciting plans of releasing his long awaited family action comedy drama ‘Hamara Sanskari Sansar’ in his mind as Maharashtra CM Shri Uddhav Thackrey ji has given the permission for theaters and cinema halls to reopen from October 22, 2021.
Mani Kapoor gets ready and sits on the dining table for his favourite Saturday vegetarian (yeah its shaniwar na) breakfast of Aloo Paratha with homemade white makkhan, dahi and aachar bole toh pickle in angrezi.
Oye TV lagao bhai koi, says the filmmaker. A house help puts the TV on.
A leading news channel is showing the honorable Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi bowing down in full respect at Raj Ghat today on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s aka Bapu – The father of the nation’s 152 birth anniversary. "Tributes to the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi on his birth anniversary. I bow to respected Bapu on Gandhi Jayanti” Modiji’s inspiring quotes are getting flashed at every news channels scrolls with the same footage of Modiji’s giving his heartfelt tribute to the ‘Gandhi’ he admires and is his source of inspiration.
Mani Kapoor’s joy of his favourite Saturday morning hot yummy buttery hot aloo parathas gets interrupted and with a mouthful of paratha coated with dahi and butter, he picks up the phone and dials a number.
The infamous scoop hunter Chingari Kumar from the controversial film magazine filmy imli takes the call.
CK: Chingari Kumar. MK: Mani Kapoor
CK: Hello Ji
MK: (In Amrish Puri istyle) Oye Chingari
CK: Is corona ki mahamaari ne kab ki bhuja di hai garibo ki chingari
MK: Abbey tu hamesha rota hai.. or bas complain kar khali
CK: Jaane do aap sunao aaj is garib ko kaise yaaad kiya
MK: Media kab se garib hone lagi, garib toh bechari janta hai
CK: Very good observation sirji, now please tell me the reason for this call
MK: Chingari.. ab lagegi aag..
CK: What?!
MK: He he.. am announcing a sci fi political drama
CK: Haiiiiii… Family goody goody se seedi sci fi pe maari udi.. what a jump sirji
MK: Thank you for your compliment
CK: Give me the scoop sirji
MK: Am announcing the sci fi political - Modi Bane Gandhi
CK: Wah what a title ismein toh layer hai and I can sense a time travel as well.
MK: Time travel… yeh kya hai time travel. Time always travels.
CK: Bingo. What a comment. Am eager to know the story of Modi Bane Gandhi. Kahani dasso.
MK: Toh Suo. Ready
CK: (Grabs his pen and paper) yes sir.
MK: It’s circa the night of October 02, 2021. The spirit of our great leader and 2nd PM Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri visits Raj Ghat to meet the spirit of Bapu urf Mahatma Gandhi.
Lal Bahadur Shastri : Bapu jaago, jaago bapu
Mahatma Gandhi:Kaun…Shastri
Lal Bahadur Shastri : Ji Bapu
Mahatma Gandhi : Kaise ho
Lal Bahadur Shastri : Ab kaisa hona chahiye, kehne ko mujhe ek sau satarah (one hundred and seventeen) or aap ko one hundred and fifty two years ho gaye hai.
Mahatma Gandhi: Ha. Time flies. No matter whether Tata takes over Air India and merges it with Air Asia in its Vistaara (expansion) plans or not. Time will fly and fly anywhere even in US, UK no restriction for time to fly.
Lal Bahadur Shastri : Bapu.. you have become a bit sarcastic.
Mahatma Gandhi: No, Shastri am just underling the fact.
Lal Bahadur Shastri : Hmm. Nobody is worried about the hidden truth, all are elated with facts/versions presented before them.
Mahatma Gandhi: Shastriji aap bhi katash (sarcasm) karne lage.
Lal Bahadur Shastri : Samay badal gaya hai bapu or samay ke saath saath log bhi badal rahein hai (times have changed and with times people are also changing).
Mahatma Gandhi :Yeh toh prakriti ka niyam hai (this is law of nature).
Lal Bahadur Shastri : Bapu, bahut samay ho gaye aapne sair nahi ki, chalo aj thoda chaltein hai dekhtein hai kya or kitna badla hai (it’s been a long time you have not taken a walk lets go for a stroll).
Mahatma Gandhi: Okay as you wish Shastri.
Lal Bahadur Shastri: Offers Bapu his stick and they begin their stroll from Raj Ghat.
Mahatma Gandhi: Astonished by the epic grandiosity of Central Vista, Bapu gazes at Lal Bahadur Shastri.
Mahatma Gandhi: What is this Shastri so huge and grand?
Lal Bahadur Shastri : Its Modiji’s grand epic Central Vista
A grand mega project estimated to be around 13,000 crore (US$1.8 billion) spread over four years. Scheduled between 2020 and 2024, the project at present aims to revamp a 3 km (1.9 mi) long Rajpath between Rashtrapati Bhavan and India Gate, convert North and South Blocks to publicly accessible museums by creating a new common Central Secretariat to house all ministries, a new Parliament building near the present one with increased seating capacity for future expansion, new residence and office for the Vice-President and the Prime Minister near the North Block and South Block and convert some of the older structures into museums.
The project also includes a Common Central Secretariat and the Special Protection Group (SPG) building. Contract of only two projects worth 1,339 crores have been awarded till now. These include the New Parliament Building and rejuvenation of Central Vista Avenue at an estimated cost of 862 crores and 477 crores respectively. The project began with the ceremonial laying of the foundation stone of the New Parliament Building on 10 December 2020.
Mahatma Gandhi: You know so much
Lal Bahadur Shastri: Yeah, I keep on visiting India as a sizeable people of my beloved nation are more keen on solving the controversies regarding my demise rather than giving more and more boost to my ideas/schemes for betterment of all like White Revolution, Green Revolution, Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan etc. The farmers issue is still not solved.
But how do you find peace Bapu, when I arrived you where deep asleep.
Mahatma Gandhi: (Smiles) sleeping, I haven’t slept peacefully for long, that’s the reason you all saw me in Lage Raho Munna Bhai. My statues, memorials are there but I doubt whether my value is still intact. Am not even there in those currency notes.
Lal Bahadur Shastri: What am I hearing; you desired to remain in those Indian currency notes.
Mahatma Gandhi: No no, not at all. I never wanted to be in those currency notes. I am concern about whether my principles are really followed or just preached for public attention. Am happy as a humble satyagrahi. Now I have learnt the art of pretending from the powerful people of my nation. When you came I pretended that I am sleeping.
Lal Bahadur Shastri: So Bapu. You know what is happening around.
Mahatma Gandhi: Yes
Lal Bahadur Shastri: So now what, you will go back and start pretending again.
Mahatma Gandhi: No Shashtri, now it’s the time, we will question those who are pretending to be our true followers.
Lal Bahadur Shastri: How
Mahatma Gandhi: Just close your eyes
Lal Bahadur Shastri closes his eyes and next moment they find themselves at PM Modiji’s residence.
Modiji after a hectic day long schedule dominated by tributes to Bapu and Lal Bahadur Shastri has had his dinner and has fallen asleep.
Bapu and Lal Bahadur Shastri come closer to Modiji and whisper together Beta Narendra… the whispers starts echoing louder and louder slowly gradually making the deep asleep Modiji open his eyes
Modiji looks around and while doing so he gazes at the mirror
To his utter shock and disbelieve, in that dark room Modiji sees a ray of light and beneath the ray of light Bapu and Lal Bahadur Shastri standing and smiling.
With folded hands Modiji goes towards the mirror and humbly says,
Bapu, Shashtri ji at this hour, are things okay, have I done something terribly wrong.
Bapu : So, you can see us
Modiji: Ha bilkul. Yes.
Lal Bahadur Shastri : If you can see us then be ready to hear from us and answer a few questions.
Modiji : Will try my best
Mahatma Gandhi: How much do you believe in Non Violence?
Modiji maintain his silence with folded hands
Lal Bahadur Shastri : What is this farmers strike all about, what is the solution.
Modiji maintain his silence with folded hands
Both Bapu and Lal Bahadur Shastri together
What is the need of Central Vista?
Modiji maintain his silence with folded hands
Mahatma Gandhi: Narendra, there are still more questions but you have to answer these three first.
Modiji maintain his silence with folded hands
Mahatma Gandhi: Turning towards Bapu, let’s leave him to search for answers till then we go back and have some sleep finally.
Bapu and Lal Bahadur Shastri leave, Modiji wakes up from his bed and one again in utter disbelieve finds a stick similar to what Mahatma Gandhi use to take while walking and an empty glass with a packet of Amul gold milk kept beside. Lal Bahadur Shastri began the White Revolution – a national campaign to increase the production and supply of milk – by supporting the Amul milk co-operative of Anand, Gujarat and creating the National Dairy Development Board.
Modiji takes the glass to pour milk and drinks it.
Something extraordinary happens to Modji and he calls Amit Shah
Modiji: Mein sanyas le raha hu, kuch sawalo ke jawab dhoodne hai
Amit Shah is stunned, next scene we show Modiji meditating near Himalayas.
MK: What you say
CK is speechless
(Disclaimer: The above write up is a light-hearted take and is a figment of imagination of the author. The author has no intention to hurt anyone’s feelings. The website does not hold any responsibility)
A a vagabond, seeker, explorer, writer, movie critic, doesn't believe in destination just enjoys the journey post on FB/cineblues/ More By Filmi Ilmi