Editorial Viewpoint
“Much abides”
January 2007 witnessed the community firmly basking in the public limelight. The House of Tatas’ successful bid to take over the Anglo-Dutch steel giant Corus will catapult Tata Steel to become the fifth largest steel maker in the world. No finer tribute could be paid to the founder Jamsetji Tata who laid the industrial groundwork for India.
Though the takeover was at a high price, US $ 11.3 billion at a time when the steel market is at its peak, the Tatas believe that the acquisition will give them entry to the lucrative European markets Corus caters to.
The other heartening news is the proposed elevation of Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Air Command Fali Homi Major as Air Chief Marshal of the Indian Air Force. The congenial Major will become on April 1, 2007, the second Zoroastrian to occupy this position, the first being Aspy Engineer. A down-to-earth, unpretentious individual and a dedicated services man, Major is undoubtedly an excellent choice for the nation’s top Air Force post.
Zoroastrians were also the focus of the newly released movie, Parzania. The film portrays the plight of a Parsi family who lose their son in the riots affecting Ahmedabad and other parts of Gujarat in 2002 following the death of 58 Hindus in a fire in one of the coaches of the Sabarmati Express near Godhra.
So many untruths have been spread about the post-Godhra induced carnage that it is hard to separate fact from fiction. Was the coach set ablaze by fanatic Muslims out to avenge verbal or physical provocations at Godhra station or was the fire accidentally set off from within the compartment? Cooking on trains and carrying inflammable liquids such as kerosene is not uncommon.
What we do know is that the state and local machineries stood by and let the mobs massacre around 800 Muslims in Gujarat, many of them in Ahmedabad. What we also know is that following the carnage the chief minister Narendra Modi and his party were reelected with a thumping majority. Similarly in regard to the movie, we know a Parsi lad was separated from his family in the murderous melee and has not been seen since.
But beyond this, much in the movie stretches our imagination. Where in a crowded metropolis like Ahmedabad would we find children romping home from school through greenery along with a host of goats? And how many American doctoral students have we come across who are alcoholics and use the ‘f’ word in every other sentence (that too while doing a thesis on Gandhi)? And how credible can an ageing Naseeruddin be as the father of a 10-year-old boy? True Parsis marry late, but how late? But if an aging, potbellied Sanjay Dutt can woo a heroine young enough to be his daughter in Lage Raho Munnabhai one assumes why not Shah portray a youngish father?
Shah is the quintessential cinematic Parsi. From Pestonjee to Parzania he has faithfully portrayed both the sensitive and tormented individual (Piroj in Pestonjee) as well as the sudreh-lega clad, crude mannered, dhansakia bawaji (Being Cyrus). If we ever confer honorary community membership on an individual, Shah should be among the first to qualify.
The two children in the film Parzaan Dastur and Pearl Barsivala came across well but do they always have to be skipping or playing? Why can’t they be shown walking or studying? Actress Sarika as Shernaz Pithawala in the movie came across as a caring and sensible Parsi mother (yes, they do exist). Like Shah, she also looks Parsi and should qualify for honorary associate community membership.
Director Rahul Dholakia has to be congratulated for tackling a highly sensitive subject at a time when the wounds of the Gujarat riots are still to tastes. But how many viewers does a non-Bollywood style (no songs and dances) movie attract? One of the multiplex theaters on the first and second day of the release was three-quarter empty at a matinee show.
The ending<
Though the takeover was at a high price, US $ 11.3 billion at a time when the steel market is at its peak, the Tatas believe that the acquisition will give them entry to the lucrative European markets Corus caters to.
The other heartening news is the proposed elevation of Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Air Command Fali Homi Major as Air Chief Marshal of the Indian Air Force. The congenial Major will become on April 1, 2007, the second Zoroastrian to occupy this position, the first being Aspy Engineer. A down-to-earth, unpretentious individual and a dedicated services man, Major is undoubtedly an excellent choice for the nation’s top Air Force post.
Zoroastrians were also the focus of the newly released movie, Parzania. The film portrays the plight of a Parsi family who lose their son in the riots affecting Ahmedabad and other parts of Gujarat in 2002 following the death of 58 Hindus in a fire in one of the coaches of the Sabarmati Express near Godhra.
So many untruths have been spread about the post-Godhra induced carnage that it is hard to separate fact from fiction. Was the coach set ablaze by fanatic Muslims out to avenge verbal or physical provocations at Godhra station or was the fire accidentally set off from within the compartment? Cooking on trains and carrying inflammable liquids such as kerosene is not uncommon.
What we do know is that the state and local machineries stood by and let the mobs massacre around 800 Muslims in Gujarat, many of them in Ahmedabad. What we also know is that following the carnage the chief minister Narendra Modi and his party were reelected with a thumping majority. Similarly in regard to the movie, we know a Parsi lad was separated from his family in the murderous melee and has not been seen since.
But beyond this, much in the movie stretches our imagination. Where in a crowded metropolis like Ahmedabad would we find children romping home from school through greenery along with a host of goats? And how many American doctoral students have we come across who are alcoholics and use the ‘f’ word in every other sentence (that too while doing a thesis on Gandhi)? And how credible can an ageing Naseeruddin be as the father of a 10-year-old boy? True Parsis marry late, but how late? But if an aging, potbellied Sanjay Dutt can woo a heroine young enough to be his daughter in Lage Raho Munnabhai one assumes why not Shah portray a youngish father?
Shah is the quintessential cinematic Parsi. From Pestonjee to Parzania he has faithfully portrayed both the sensitive and tormented individual (Piroj in Pestonjee) as well as the sudreh-lega clad, crude mannered, dhansakia bawaji (Being Cyrus). If we ever confer honorary community membership on an individual, Shah should be among the first to qualify.
The two children in the film Parzaan Dastur and Pearl Barsivala came across well but do they always have to be skipping or playing? Why can’t they be shown walking or studying? Actress Sarika as Shernaz Pithawala in the movie came across as a caring and sensible Parsi mother (yes, they do exist). Like Shah, she also looks Parsi and should qualify for honorary associate community membership.
Director Rahul Dholakia has to be congratulated for tackling a highly sensitive subject at a time when the wounds of the Gujarat riots are still to tastes. But how many viewers does a non-Bollywood style (no songs and dances) movie attract? One of the multiplex theaters on the first and second day of the release was three-quarter empty at a matinee show.
The ending<
◆ ◆ ◆
From the archive