Friday, December 28, 2007

In Search of Peace


I hardly dream in sleep though it so happens very frequently during the day, whenever I feel like. I have a very close friend who keeps telling me that I’m missing a lot by not having that habit. In fact, one day he told me in secret that the best sex he have had was in one of his wildest dreams…and I thought, “Lucky he is, for being a happy man at least in his dream even though he had never been the same in real life.” But you know, yesterday for the first time I was kissed by someone in my dream whom I would like to dream again or at least pray that I shouldn't wake up again in my life.

It is not true if I say I’ve not dreamt anytime. I remember seeing a mountain, a river, a valley and a meadow…some time in past time. Mostly those dreams I still remember are quite green in its look and nature. Once I could see me standing alone on a lonely peak gazing the depth, and breathing the chill. Later I reviewed it as my lonely journey in search of peace. After a few months I captured the same experience with the help of a friend and a camera on a little known- high altitude location in God’s own Land, Kerala. Thus I realized a 27.27 min short film “In Search of Peace”, with out any proper script or a planned shooting/ editing schedule.

Balancing a successful profession and silent passion is not a hectic task as compared to the normal notions on the same. The distance between realizing a dream and ignoring it is nothing but ‘the second thought on taking the first step.’ Working in an IT firm was never been a bar in fulfilling my ideas. In fact the team INNOVATION catalyzed the thought on dreaming high and thinking differently. Very recently I realized that my team is the best for sharing thoughts and implementing new ideas. In one way we can be called the best day dreamers, who believe in converting them to the reality.

The protagonist of the film “In Search of Peace” was acted out neatly by buddy Indrajith. He is one good friend I’m confident to have to the end of my life, after that too. We discussed about the film on a normal working day during the lunch-coffee break. On the same weekend I rushed to my home land after googling a bit about the location.

The tourist spot “Ilaveezhapoonchira” (a high altitude spot in Idukki district, Kerala, India), was already known to me in many ways. It is quite nearer to my mom’s place even though I first trekked all the way up while doing my Post Graduation. We were asked to submit a photo album with pics on various topics. The entire class was on a trip to Kerala for the Trivandrum Film Fest. Journey form Chennai to Trivandrum and staying there over a week, must be the right occasion for the students to capture the photographs- thought our audio-visual faculty Mr. Amalraj. So many of us are allowed to carry our lab cameras for this task.

Now coming back to my first visit to Ilaveezahapoonchira (meaning – The pond where no leaf had ever fallen). After the Film Fest I decided to stay back home for a few days. With special permission I was allowed to carry one of the lab-cameras. And hence I decided to visit Ilaveezhapoonchira, thinking of capturing some good stills.

I was always been a lone person with lots of friends. There is no specific reason for that. May be for some reason, I was admired by my solitude and I admired my solitude. Here also I could see me traveling and trekking alone. Half the way it started raining heavily and I was doubtful whether I would be able to take any photograph. My bike could take me to the nearest possible height it can reach. There I left her relax and started walking with my helmet and raincoat on. It took an hour for me trek up the way to reach the top of the peak. The weather changed drastically that I couldn't see things even a few meters away coz the clouded mist. Somehow I managed to click a few pics. While climbing down I had two faces. First, of the winner who fought the battle with such a bad climate and successfully reached the top point. And second, of the loser who couldn’t photograph or see anything from the peak because of the sweet friend, the rain. This was my first trip to Ilaveezhapoonchira.

The second was after two years - after started working with Hexaware - after talking to Indrajith about my dream and the film - after taking that “First Step without a Second Thought.” I rushed home on that weekend to find out the possibility of doing the film there and to find whether I can get those little friends who can act with Indrajith in the film. After reaching home, I somehow managed to convince my Dad, took the bike & went straight to the location. And for my surprise everything was there as I dreamt - even those little friends. The next day itself I returned back to Chennai to talk to Indrajith about it.

Both of us can’t say how we managed to push those weekdays in the enthusiasm of the coming weekend. Finally the Friday came and we packed our sacks, camera and tripod...started our trip and thus the mission.

Everything that happened after reaching the location is the film “In Search of Peace”, certainly the best work I ever did and may be the best I can ever do in future. On the editing table I realized that not even a single shot was missed and I have done full justice to what I dreamt. May be this is the first time I painted the dream to reality. But this is the start for me to dream more often.

Now about the dream I had yesterday… It is that kiss by someone who can take me back to the sleep and then sleep and sleep and sleep, hoping not to wake up again. But the morning rays caught me red handed kissing her. Hence now I am back to the reality to architect reality.