Celebrating cinema: Lessons you learnt!

Hi all! Considering this is the 100th year celebration of Indian cinema this year, I invite every Bolly fan to join in, celebrate and share how cinema - films, characters, any songs or dialogues or any artiste/cinema personality's life or work inspired them!

It's all around us and we've grown up watching, internalising their works, our dreams also influenced by magic of cinema! Let's share the positive, inspirational impact it had! I for one feel being a cine fan is not just about stars or timepass. It's a part of our lives and does impact us. Let's share and celebrate the inspiration that world of cinema infused into our lives!

😊

Okay, I'll begin with some stuff that inspired me:

- Dev Anand:

In 2003, I read an interview of his in which he revealed he was mocked for not having a perfectly aligned set of teeth and was asked to get them corrected or wear a filler to set his gap teeth right.
He said he wore fillers but found them quite painful and unbearable. So he removed them and declared he would come onscreen as HE WAS, not get anything "corrected" and resolved he'd make audience fall in love with him despite his flaws.

And he ACTUALLY did it! He worked on his style, developed particular mannerisms to set himself apart from others and is now remembered as a legend, even listed among the most good looking actors to have ever graced the silver screen!

I felt really inspired from his sense of being totally comfortable and unapologetic for what he naturally was, not feeling inferior or hiding his flaws, rather developing his qualities and frequently flaunting the same set of teeth he was mocked for - AS THEY WERE! Bad alignment and gaps be damned!

Solid attitude to have and great example of a positive self image! 👏

The Khans:

- AAMIR:

Who thought that the guy who did a Mela in 2000 would less than a year later give a film like Lagaan with a flop director like Ashutosh Gowariker? Who thought that the short, scrawny boy with bow legs and large ears, who got laughed at by his own heroine the first day she saw him; would end up lasting so long in the industry and be a part of movies which are now considered milestones in Indian cinema?
Every odd was against him. Still time and time again he proved everyone wrong just due to his own tenacity and conviction!
Same inspiration to follow one's heart is the message of his films like TZP, 3I also!

No actor has ever managed to make a comeback to the big league after taking breaks of 4 years in prime of his youth and career. Yet he came back, failed but bounced back in a big way with films like RDB, Fanaa, Ghajini, TZP, 3I etc. which are not just hits but also memorable and trendsetters in their own right.

No one has proven the power of following one's heart as aptly as this guy has! Fantastic! 👏

And NO ONE symbolises the ability and importance of being able to reinvent oneself with changing times as this guy! Naysayers say he is finished or gone mad but by the time his new film releases it is already setting new trends!

For me he is epitome of the saying that it is more important to be trusted than to be just loved. And no other actor enjoys the kind of trust that Aamir does! It takes a lot to earn trust!

SALMAN:

Who'd have thought that a film made by a new director, with newbie stars would shatter all records and give the first true jolt to Amitabh Bachchan's throne?
Who could not only survive but even thrive in the industry and earn love of fans across the world despite all odds and rough times he faced?
Who could've become such a COLOSSUS after years of a spate of bad films and patchy success ratio and loads of controversies, health and personal life issues?

Salman stands for a never say die spirit. He's epitome of hope and the fact that once a person focuses himself and channelises his energies in right direction he can achieve wonders! He's shown that clouds can only hide the Sun. They can't destroy it or keep it from shining forever!

Today he's fitter than ever, doing what he wants and getting mega success from it.

And he's one star who has made it trendy (I had to use this word for today's generation) to GIVE and HELP others.

They allege his giving is a show off.

But his charity and Aamir's taking up of social issues in films or shows has shown people that such things are responsibility of every citizen and not just oldies or government!

Salman's rise like a phoenix from the ashes shows that there is never an end till one is alive. As he himself says in his Thums Up ad - "Toofan sab mein hota hai bas dhakkan kholne ki der hai!"

You may not be a fan of him or his films but you can't help being inspired by the way he bounced back and turned his life around!

SRK:

What is there for this man that has not been said before?
When he started he was doing smal roles in serials in which he was not even credited! Being laughed at by his early heroines like Juhi and Divya Bharti, not having any contacts or godfather, dwindling financial conditions at home etc. could have made abyone crumble or suffer forever in self doubt or give up on one's dream.

But he did not give up. Kept taking films that others refused. And within no time he became one of the biggest success stories ever!

I don't like his films except for a few. But have to admit he has a fire within him which fuels him to keep going on no matter what. He'll be working even if he is frustrated or sad!

He's like a cat who even if thrown from the top of a building would land straight on its feet! That's the spirit and drive he has!

He's aware of his blunders and weaknesses, yet he'll keep marching ahead.

You'll be judging him for something else, but by that time he would have already begun to try his hand at some new dream to achieve.

It's been not even 20 years properly since Baazigar and Darr - and one just gets amazed at the volume of his achievements.

Education, stable family, wealth, fame and self-made man tag - he has got all that Indians value.

He can laugh at himself, spoof himself in his own film, he can accept all brickbats yet he will never stop at anything.

The couplet "miles to go before I sleep.." was written for him!

Duniya jo bhi bole, chahe kuch bhi ho iss bade ne bas chalte jaana hai!

He's fallen many times but is quick to dust himself up and move again!

Even in his worst phases he is at a certain level. Never gone out of top 4 really.

The guy who lost his parents now has the entire world as his family!

Even if someday you or I forget him, he will not have given up. At a concert or a film or TV show he will be there to entertain.

SRK symbolises being unapologetic about one's desire to achieve, unapologetic about flaunting one's success, importance of moving on NO MATTER WHAT and the ability to bloom wherever one is planted - grow and succeed in any milieu!

All these THREE have shown us importance of following one's dreams and being comfortable in their own skin. No one really expected them to rule or last so long. But their conviction ensured they captured not just hearts of Indian audience but also popularised Bollywood abroad in a way never seen before!

Kudos!

👏

To those few who mocked. I request you to keep away.

Please keep this a positive thread. Fan wars and sarcasm happen all the time.

We do not need it everywhere do we?

And if this is indeed the only inspiration you draw from stars or films then good for you!

Did not know that at all about Dev A. Thanks for sharing. :)

Wow Amazing write up Skepblun 👏

Biggest inspiration is IMO is Big B. There have been stars and superstars but very few people are able to move on with the times and have an active public like he does at 70.

My inspiration is manna dey

Originally posted by: Skepblun

SRK symbolises being unapologetic about one's desire to achieve, unapologetic about flaunting one's success, importance of moving on NO MATTER WHAT and the ability to bloom wherever one is planted - grow and succeed in any milieu!


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