Indiblogger Aur Zee Zindagi #JodeyDilonKo - Dosti Ki Khushbu Sarhad Ke Paar!

Wahi Shaam Hai Wahi Savera,
Aisa Hi Des Hai Mera, 
Jaisa Des Hai Tera...

Something is wrong. Flashback to some key dialogues I remember from my childhood, spent in many little hamlets and towns throughout India thanks to my dad's transferable job....

'Aei,Wapas Pakistan Ja Re..'

'Pakistani Cricket Team Jeetti Hai To Ye Aatishbaaji Karte Hain..'

'Islam Is A Disease..All Muslims Must Go To Pakistan..'

'Ye Khans Ko Dekho, Pakistani Hain Sab Ke Sab Aur Bollywood Mein Baithe Hain Dawood Ibrahim Ke Spy Bankar..'

'Wahan Pakistan Mein Inko Muhajir Kaha Jaata Hai, Aur Yahan Ye Hamare Sar Par Baithe Hain?..'

'Ye Zaroor Hamare Padosi Mulk Ki Chaal Hai..'

'Those Who Do Not Support XYZ Politician Will Have To Go To Pakistan After The Elections...'

How do I remember all these? I did not say a single one of them, but had the opportunity to first-hand listen to each one of these in some context or other...

Once when there was a cricket match going on in our school and some Muslim child dropped a catch...Once when there was a crucial Indo-Pak match was going on and some celebrations started somewhere in the vicinity of our apartment when Pak scored runs..Once when one of my father's friends was describing his hatred for the Khan trio at top of Bollywood food chain..Something I read in a newspaper sometime near the 1993 Bombay blasts..Something that cropped up during the Indian General Elections..Something that was repeated often in many 80s and 90s movies where they showed fighting at the border and had to blame someone evil...

Snippets All Of Them. But Powerful, Yes. I remember each one of them like they were personally directed to me.

Once I asked my father what did all these barbs against Pakistan and mostly,by extension, Muslims meant? I don't remember the exact explanation he gave but I do remember him being as pained by the question, as the fact that his 10 year old daughter was asking him something like this which ideally, a child should not.

A 10 year old child is supposed to be so engrossed in his/her toys and storybooks and fairytales and Kabbadi matches that such harsh realities of life shouldn't even touch him/ her. But in India, it is not possible, is it? I suppose it is the same case in Pakistan. Our News Outlets, Our Movies, Our Stories, Our Media by and large -at least the part catering to the masses - finds it more profitable to spew venom against Pakistan. Needless to say, the wounds of Partition are also not completely gone and politicians on both sides have become adept at scratching them again & again. Result-people on both side have been turned into virtual monsters for each other, haven't they? After all this is the natural result for those who have had almost no contact with each other in a normal way for decades!

I try and remember. I have seen countless American sitcoms and Hollywood movies. It feels like I can glide through New York, Washington, Chicago and nearly half of America without any guidebook or map, they are that familiar to me! I see American, European, Japanese, Korean tourists all the time. I have read wonderful books written by American, British, Mexican, Norwegian, French, Chinese, Japanese writers. I have used South Korean & Japanese electronics, European cosmetics, American websites, Chinese home decorations, Taiwanese Laptop, Swiss chocolates...

But what about Pakistan? Oh, like every Indian I have devoured hours of News and General Entertainment worth of them being branded as heartless, evil, monsters learning jihad in every school, every house apparently containing terrorists ready to blow India to kingdom come...

Dharti Sunehri, Ambar Neela....
Aisa Hi Des Hai Mera,
Jaisa Des Hai Tera...

So why could I not hate Imran Abbas when he sang these lines that day? Well, I am a complete failure. I have refused to be swayed by the grisly murderous call given by the dirty politics on both sides to hate somebody..and guess what, I am not alone :)

Chupke Chupke Raat Din...

Through Music, Poetry, Theater, Arts & Culture,the biggest wounds of the world have been healed successfully. And when it comes to Indo-Pak relations, many stalwarts have tried to mend hearts on both sides for a long time. It is an open secret how Pakistanis love Bollywood movies, songs and Indian TV serials and women there have cried buckets when Mihir died! Listening to Mehdi Hassan, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Adnan Sami, Ali Zafar, Strings over the years; Watching Javed Sheikh, Zeba Bakhtiar, Veena Malik and others in Bollywood while Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah, Kirron Kher among others starred in some famous Pakistani films-nobody can blame the creative community for not trying. But these were still not enough. Sure, I listened to an Adnan Sami song and head-banged to String's album. And then what? I switched on TV and saw 10 terrorists roaming through Mumbai and attacking The Taj Hotel and news headlines screaming how Pakistan is THE Hotbed of terrorism in the world for months afterwards. What changed?

Dhaani...O Dhaaaaaaani...Chunariya...

Something changed when I got this email from Indiblogger inviting me to 'Zindagi Indiblogger Meet'. I am a new entrant to Mumbai and to the world of blogging (and a lazy one too, must add rather shamefacedly!) I had been watching some ads about a new channel being launched named Zee Zindagi with stories from across the border. But since I sporadically watch TV, I wasn't really sure what to make of it. Were they going to adapt Pakistani stories and make them with Indian actors? Were they actually showing Pakistani shows? Or was this similar to one of those cross-border initiatives like Aman ki Asha with both sides co-creating shows? In any case, my interest was piqued :)

Tere Bina Jiya Nahi Jaaye...Tere Hi Maine Hain Sapne Sajaaye...

On Saturday, 21 June 2014, I reached The Leela,Mumbai. First Indiblogger Meet of my life. And first time I was part of an event that had anything to do with Pakistan. Trying to keep my small towns' upbringing, that streak of ignorance, my inherent shyness and cobwebs of insecurity away, I entered this gorgeous ballroom where the stage was set up for Bloggers from Mumbai and Delhi to interact with each other as well as with officials of Zee behind the idea of Zee Zindagi as well as Imran Abbas, an actor from Pakistan! Whew, was I in for a treat or what!

                                     

Good food, Good Company, Chitter-Chatter of excited bloggers all around-some of whom I recognized as celebs in their own right with gargantuan readership and followers! The Tech team was ready to connect the bloggers in 2 different directions of India and not only that, a very special someone from Pakistan too! The camera team was hard at work capturing all the moods and expressions for posterity. And I was wondering what am I doing here!

The lights dimmed and the wonderful host started making things easier for me (I have a little social anxiety!) With jokes, anecdotes, I could feel the atmosphere getting lighter and easier. Then there was this wonderful game of wits -a sort of debate between the Delhi and Mumbai blogging teams. Without getting further into the questions and the insane way it threatened to spiral out of control, it is important to note the critical issue it brought forth -It Is So Easy To Divide & Fight, So Difficult To Unify! Brilliant point! We humans have this distinct tendency to pick up fights with everyone else based on any excuse- language, color of skin, gender, socio-economic background, religion...Guess how difficult it is to unify us all, and when it comes to cross-border love, it must be a mammoth task,isn't it!

Kinna Sona Tenu Rab Ne Banaya..Dil Kare Dekhda Rawan...

This is where the creative team behind Zee Zindagi and Imran Abbas came to fore. Explaining the rationale behind introducing Pakistani shows on Indian television so people could connect, their hearts could connect in the realest way possible, that is the aim here. Myths that Pakistanis are all terrorists,that their women are all burkha clad and forced to stay at home with no independence, that Pakistani society is one big conservative ball of doom and gloom are bound to dissipate once we see them smiling, singing, eating, talking to their friends and families, thinking, sleeping, dreaming just like us on this side of the border. Isn't this an admirable aim?

Imran Abbas spoke about the time his parents & grandparents used to talk about catching Doordarshan on their TV sets by fiddling with their antennae. He spoke about how he has been shooting for a movie with Bipasha Basu and has faced no kind of problem, discrimination or hatred of any kind. He waxed eloquently about his love for Lata Mangeshkar and Mohd. Rafi. And I sat there listening to him. He is not a monster. He looks like someone I could have gone to college with! He reminds me of this really good looking guy in my earlier neighborhood in a city in Bihar where everyone coaxed him to come to Mumbai to become a model. And here I was, listening to an actor who looked just like him. What was the difference between them? One is an Indian, One is a Pakistani. But if I did not know Imran Abbas's name, would I be even able to tell he is a Pakistani? NO!

Panchi, Nadiya, Pawan Ke Jhonke..Koi Sarhad Naa Inhe Roke...

Same questions arise every time. Same answers are given every time. Why is there so much hatred between Indian and Pakistan? Why are both the governments and military of both countries at near permanent loggerheads? And how has this percolated down to the masses? Shared culture, history, food, manners, traditions, family values..and still so much barrier between hearts? It was heartwarming to see many bloggers talk about their warm experiences of having been to Pakistan and first hand experience of warm hospitality. And about watching many Pakistani serials even back in 90s. Having been brought up completely removed from this cosmopolitan environment I was not privy to any of these honors, but the stories gave me goosebumps, and unbelievable happiness. 

Sitting there, listening to all these intelligent, accomplished men and women talk about this noble initiative I kept wondering about the world I come from, about the childhood I just spent, about all the bile and hatred I have glimpsed over the years and only one emotion could overwhelm me -HOPE! Hope for a better future, for lasting peace that is formed on a bond cemented by this proof of shared dreams, aspirations and love for humanity!

Afreen Afreen...Afreen Afreen...

Finally it sunk in. I am going to be able to watch Pakistani shows! I am going to peek into their homes and hearts. It is reminiscent of Neil Armstrong's words - 

Small Step For A Man, 

Giant Leap For The Mankind. 

May each child now grow up watching Zindagi Gulzar Hai and Aunn Zara so that 10 years later he might not identify a Pakistani as an enemy,but as that person who is a part of the culture where they make soaps lasting only 25-30 episodes and not 100 years! 

May each family now sit in front of their TV sets every night keenly noticing the home decoration tips to be gathered from each other's shows!

May all the womenfolk now go to their tailors asking for a suit that is just like-''Arre wo Zara ne kal ke episode mein jaisa pehna tha na shaadi ke scene mein..''

May normal conversations now include Pakistani actors and actresses, may plans be now made keeping these serials in mind!

When this starts happening, do you think a true, lasting peace that comes from the heart-be far behind?

No :) And The Giant Credit for the same will always go to Zee Zindagi -Sachhi mein jo #JodeyDilonKo :)