Without godfather–Will millions follow in the footsteps of Sushant Singh Rajput for failing to find godfathers in their lives?
(This article was written soon after the demise of Sushant Singh rajput, which raises somany important burning questions that engulfs us today)
Vivekanand Jha Ranchi: Without godfather–Sushant Singh Rajput’s calling
it quits for his failure to find a godfather engenders a serious
question: Will the millions who languish in some dark corner of the
world without their finding a godfather too should end up their lives
the way Sushant Singh Rajput had? Sushant, despite all his pains and
anguish, reprehensibly ends up tainting the Bihari community for being
the first few Biharis’ for choosing to end up his life as his summum
bonum without waiting for the light to penetrate the darkness that had
enveloped him for the time being. In my sophomoric days, I was addicted to reading novels, most of which were Hindi. However as my intoxication with English language accentuated, i switched over from Hindi to English. In fact, I began my serious endeavour for the conquest of the bastion that was alien to
me little belatedly, the consequence has been slightly disastrous:
Despite best of my efforts, though i can write better than most, yet my ability might still fall short in comparison to men like Shahi
Tharoor or Dr Pratap Bhanu Mehta, or novelists like Amitav Ghosh. Now,
coming to the most important point that i am trying to make is, that,
how my excitement reached crescendo when i read the novel of Mario Puzzo’s The Godfather. The novel has U,S.A as its background, with
the scintillating depiction of the characters culminating in Don Corleone who was the Mafia king and consequently nothing moved without
his blessings. Whether it was a break with Hollywood or into
Construction business, or killing politicians of any hue or colour,
Don Corleone’s blessing was sine qua non for the same. Many supersars of Hollywood would often make beeline for seeking his blessings. No wonder then given that his writ alone mattered in making good budgeted
movies, or in contesting elections, the aspirants would come calling
to him, and Don Corleone would distribute his own largesse the way he
so deemed fit. As an adolescent mind would feel so much impacted by the story of a Mafia don controlling the affairs of USA, bewitched me
to the omnipotence of Don Corleone for so many days together. I would
often see him in reveries during my afternoon siesta or in a prolonged
sream at night, Don Corleone would appear to enthrall me with all his coarse voice and stentorian commands.
So far, so good. Yesterday, as the news of the sad end to an otherwise promising hero, Sushant reached me, I had a mixed reaction to his committing harakiri(
Japanese world for suicide, which is often used as a m’etaphor in
political description) was that, ‘Oh, why should he do it? He was a
successful hero, with plenty of success still awaiting him, why would
he finish his life in the state of depression? would he be the first
Bihari to have brought the curtain down on life by committing suicide,
i asked to myself ‘. Suddenly my mind shifted to Dr Dinesh
Mishrajee’s observation in the context of our discussion going on
about the river Kosi, whereupon Dr Dinesh Mishra, the river Putra, had
very candidly made an observation: ‘ Even if the government orders for
the horses to run amok, the Bihari farmers who are never known for
committing suicides will migrate to some other states for eking out
their living, yet will never commit any suicides’. Dr Dinesh Mishra
was speaking about the past history of the people of Bihar who are
never known for their pusillanimity. But then I felt sad at the sad
demise of the talented actor who won my admiration for his legendary
role in playing the role of Mahendra ingh Dhoni. Why would such a
promising actor commit suicide, there must be some genuine reason for
the same, or else such a handsome man like Sushant would not fritter
away his life unless something drastic must have happened with him, i
concluded.
Yet an idea struck me: Would the underlying reason, of
howsoever degree or magnitude, could have been sufficient enough for
the bright young talent to bring the curtain down on his life? Many
cricketers, i knew, who despite being the most talented could never
get a chance to play for the nation, but i never heard them ending
their lives at the altar of blinding frustration, was Sushant an
exception to that rule, especially when his going was great, I mused? Suddenly the news on twitter began inundating: Sushant was the victim
of cartelisation by a privileged cosy club that dictated and
controlled the destiny of actors in Bollywood. Small wonder the
cronyism that controlled the affairs of Bollywood was being piloted
by the sons and daughters of renowned film actors and directors,
presided over by such thugs like Karan Johar and his ilk. The poor
Sushant ( This information is made public by Sanjay Nirupam, Congress
leader) got seven movies, for which he had already signed, annulled,
and therefore, in the deep depression, the young man, feeling left out
in dry, called it quits from his earthly journey. But Sushant should
have known that by embracing death as the last option, he had lost
everything that he had earned in such a short time. Also, he had
brought such a bad name for his state, Bihar, from where seldom people
commit suicides despite facing the most adverse situations. Moreover,
he had also given enough of indication of his being a ‘defeatist’ who
could not withstand the pressure.
Sushant had left but he left some big questions for the society to ponder them and find their solutions. First, despite a parrot like repeating for meritocracy being the defining parameter for the society, the truth remains strikingly
different: It is the godfather that really shapes one’s career –be it
in Bollywood or in politics. In politics today, none can find his or
her place without his or her godfather. Sushant, despite his earlier
successes had no godfather and, therefore, lost despite his success.
Worse still, despite his success, his contracts in seven movies that
he had signed, were annulled at someone’s behest. Who was that
someone? Regrettably, all those who are shedding crocodile’s tears
now, were guilty for being the trigger for his taking the ultimate
recourse. The investigation must be conducted to unravel the real
culprits who hide behind the veil, after each suicide or murder
happens in Bollywood. Unfortunately, Sushant had set a bad precedent for the millions of unfortunate brethren who languish in the dark corner of the country
without any godfather, to finally call it quits if none heeds to their
desperate calls.
Further, the evil of consummerism is taking a heavy
toll on the society where the spirituality had long taken the
backseat, with an overwhelming splurge of materialism engulfing the
society in its octopus like grip. Sushant’s suicide is the vindication
of the erosion of spirituality from the lives of those who spend their
time in crude material pursuit, being unmindful of the reality that
never fails to touch them. Even the simple truth of ‘ all name, fame,
and wealth, never comes to one’s rescue when the final moment for
leaving this world comes. In fact, the greatest lesson to mankinf has
been taught by great Asi Shankaracharya in Bhaju Govindam: ‘Ma kuru
dhan jan jouvan garvam, harati nimesha kalah sarvam! Maya may mid
makhilang Buddhwa, Brahma padam tyuam pravasi viditwa( All material
wealth, name, fame never comes to anyone’s rescue, only the name of
Govinda is the final arbiter, the liberator from the cycle of birth
and death.)
Hence, Sushant had failed to imbibe the spirituality of
great Adi Shankaracharya while giving up his precious life. He
severely stands indicted in the eyes of divine for having wasted the
precious life that was endowed upon him by Supreme Brahman. Let the
nation once again revive the spiritual treasure as unleashed upon this
great republic by great Adi Shankaracharya. only this can enable the
society from saving the lives of such brilliant men like Sushant in
the future. Vivekanand Jha is an author of Yes, I am Bihari and The Living Legends of Mithila. He is an author and a Public Intellectual.
