The colour of patriotism

Whatever maybe the public opinion, I liked the movie. I would even stoically bear every criticism -- too melodramatic, too much of fuzz, too much this or too much that. I think this is just it. No questions to ask. Saari movie ka mood kirkira kar dete hain with all the psycho-analytic questions. This isn't your bloody homework for a film review class! This is plain movie-watching! And trying to enjoy it. I would confess that I wet my friend's shirt sleeve because of a missing kerchief. The movie was that good. But then those who know me that I am an A-class cry baby when it comes to emotional dramas. I even cry while reading some highly emotional paragraph or if a poetry moved me so much. So me crying over a movie is nothing big.
But that is also not the reason about this particular entry. The movie got me thinking.. as I believe any self-claimed youth with a brain would do and as the movie was supposed to do.
There was a heated debate in my office where people took sides whether the end -- with all those deaths -- wasn't a bit extreme. I haven't yet decided on that. How can I when I can't imagine myself as a DJ or a Karan Singhania or an Aslam.
But the one question that got me into a fix was this -- "Dhuan chhata khula gagan mera, hui subah..." -- has the sun risen yet? has the smoke cleared yet? Because we live in a country that still has its government influenced by the Raj from the days of yore. Becuase our families still teach us to be regional racists. Because we still hold onto the now-extinct feudal superiority. Because none of us are bold enough to think beyond the self. Because none of us are trusting enough to unite within our fragments. Because many of us can cry within a movie hall, but none can come forth to help a bleeding man. Because none among us would get out of even an autorickshaw to hold a beggar-child. Because we can't be .. human to understand the humane.
We compare a movie to the reality, when no one is willing to change the reality to the innocent idyllic illusion of a movie.
Perhaps Harvey Allen is right after all. "Each new generation is a fresh invasion of savages."
Savages that are more bothered with 'what their country can do for them' and not 'what they can do for their country.'