“Cinema” the word cinema derives its meaning from Greek word “kinema” which means motion. Cinema is considered a group of pictures set in motion which would portray a set of incidents with human characters and is viewed in theatres for the purpose of entertainment. When comes to point of purpose it is evident that cinema as a multimedia tool is not alone meant for entertainment but also acts as an avenue of teaching the society in many ways.
Let’s have some understanding over the topic issued here. Everyone’s slice of life one way or other influences other whether good or bad. The topic raises concern over a fact that Cinema should not influence one’s life in such a manner that it should not change ones attitude in approaching his real time life in a cinematic way and tries us to convince cinemas should not be taken and viewed seriously and should be cherished like a piece of cake.
CINEMA AS A SLICE OF LIFE
Consider one example of Aamir Khan directed Taare Zamin Par. This cinema had brought out the story of young boys suffering who has been affected by a condition called Dyslexia which had made his life miserable and leads to cornering him down by his own father who had failed to understand him and all the situations that finally had made him low in spirits and lose the necessary guts to approach his life. One teacher understands the problem of this young boy’s learning disability and the foremost task he handled with that kid is to raise his spirits and weed out his mental sufferings and train him to come out of his disability finally makes him to climb the ladder of success and shows the world the fruit that had grown out of young boys potential.
This cinema has brought out three learning’s which anyone who watches the movie would realize:
We must become the change we want to see. - Mahatma Gandhi
Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it.-Confucius
The humblest individual exerts some influence, either for good or evil, upon others- Beecher, Henry Ward
However this cinema has become a slice of life for many parent and changed the way of approach towards their kids. The learning imparted by this cinema that had influenced many lives cannot be merely attributed to a piece of cake. Indian movies like Rang De Basanti, Lage rago Munnabhai, Smile Pinky, Kannathil Muthamittal (Tamil) and international movies like A Beautiful mind, Cast away, Dead Poets Society, Taegukgi (meaning brotherhood in Korean) are some of the notable movies which conveyed positive message to the society. Movies with stories of how poor heroes can achieve great heights in spite of all odds has conveyed a positive impact on the society and influenced the society in a considerable means.
CINEMA AS A PIECE OF CAKE
As the Shakespeare’s phrase all that a glitter is not gold implies all showy things may not be necessary valuable. Since the commercialization of cinema to attract a wide variety of population has made the cine makers to move on with a stories which has only commercial value keeping in mind to get a maximum return on their investments has changed the perception about cinemas in the society. Movies with stories portraying our heroes as gangster, mobster, or an anti social activity who had turned so for a cause and not abiding by law are the main theme in our movies for long period. Some movies kindle violent emotions and insist on blood for blood principle. Even to portray antisocial elements prevailing in the society a lot violent exaggeration is needed. Portraying women as a glamour dolls and imparting western culture will have negative influence in the minds of youth who may succumb to such kind of practices. Cinemas with stories backed by brotherhood, pure love, patriotism, had become a thing of the past.
CONCLUSION
Life teaches us lesson in many ways. Like cakes which can be had as an adjunct snack with a cup of tea or coffee during break time cinema can be considered as a tool to kill our time just like a snack but has no anomaly to a meal which we cannot be replaced with a snack at the stipulated time.
Although all cinemas cannot be considered as educating as well as entertaining, there are some cinemas which have unique nature of imparting the necessary message to change the view with which we approach our life. Even if we approach our life in a cinematic way yielding criticism from our surroundings but if that cinematic change that we practice is going to influence our life in a positive manner and that’s the change we and the world expect from us in this regard than cinemas can be slice of life rather undermining its potential with the term they are just a piece of cake. Potential cinemas which have a strong positive influence on life and society will be our slice of life even without our conscience. Cinemas with imperfect notions and worthless entertainment will always be a piece of cake and depends on individual perception whether to assimilate and digest that cake or to vomit and spit that cake after snack time.
