Thank You Mr. Sekhar Kammula

I generally don't have a very high opinion of present day Indian movie makers, be it directors or actors or technicians. I believe the last great film produced by Tollywood is "Sita Ramayya Gari Manavaralu". I have high standards in this regard and am difficult to please generally.

Even with this context, I want to thank Sekhar Kammula from the bottom of my heart. And it is a very surprising reason for this volte face. 

The other day my son answered a seemingly standard question that elders pose to kids all the time, "what do u want to become when you grow up?" We, my wife and I, were expecting that he will either give a standard response like a start sports player or a normal professional like an engineer, doctor, blah blah, blah.... But he shocked everybody there. He said that he wants to become the Chief Minister of AP when he grows up. 

Now, while everybody was still trying to recover from the surprise, my wife, Mala, asked him what prompted him to say that and why he wants to become a CM. His response was that he wants to be a CM like the hero in the Telugu movie "LEADER". My son watches his share of movies and TV and till now, he has never expressed that he wanted to be like a TV character or a movie character. The only exception to the rule till then had been Lord Hanuman. He wanted to always be able to fly like and fight like Lord Hanuman.

Coming back to the episode, his answer demonstrated how kids pick up good things from the mediocre crap they see day in and day out. Also, there is nobody from either side of our family, either maternal or paternal, even close to the political world. If I was given a sheet with CM and PM listed as career choices for my kid, I would have never even considered either one of them for my son. Thank You Mr. Sekhar Kammula!!

This episode told me in crystal clear terms that try as much as we want, my wife and I, are not even close to guessing what my son has in mind for his life and career. This got me thinking somewhat. The biggest challenge for my wife and I as parents, middle class Indian parents at that, will be to ensure that we provide him with the right appropriate moral and ethical frameworks and then get the hell out of his way. 

How can parents, with all their love, concern and such strong desire to direct their kids` lives, desist from providing guidance that in reality is only limiting them. No parent can, after being battered by the storm winds called life, provide risky choices to their kids. But it is exactly the risky nature of such ambitious plans that will bring the rewards, that will bring the world to their feet. 

As I watch my son grow up, I am able to understand my Dad better, his choices for me, his strong guidance and stabilizing influence in all aspects of my life. Nobody could have done a better job at shaping, motivating and influencing me to become a better person. I will have fulfilled as significant portion of my life's purpose if I can be to my son, what my dad was and is to me.

Here's to wishing that my son continues to shock, surprise and amaze us like this. The world will definitely be a better place if we can only let his mind run amok without it being constrained by 'traditional' safe wisdom.

Here's to wishing us, my wife and I, the wisdom, strength and clarity of mind that will help us to get out of  his way and to play the parental supplemental role to perfection as he stakes his right royal place in the world on the basis of his God given talent, intellect and industry.