The Joy of Living



We all look for a reason to live, we all must.


"When I was attending a film school in the early years of my career, I realized one fact about films that shook me up greatly – that films don’t really change people’s lives. People watch films for 2-3 hours, laugh, cry, get angry, become tense, feel sorry, sad and other emotions but after the film is over, they all go back to their day to day lives being just the way they were.



Their responses, outlook or attitude wasn’t affected by the emotions they experienced inside the dark room watching that film. Maybe their hairstyles and dress sense or way of speaking did but not their attitude, outlook or responses. If this was the case, then we would have eradicated corruption and violence long time ago from our society but alas such is not the case.


This made me wonder that if I am not making any worthwhile contribution to the society then what is the point of being a filmmaker?


So, I went around painfully exploring the purpose of becoming a filmmaker and I share with you what I discovered in that difficult time – Great purpose of life is not defined by what you do or not do but what you choose to do or not do. The emphasis being on “choice”. This, is the primary difference between inanimate objects and living beings.


We always have the choice to do or not do something and when we exercise that right, we experience the joy that is only possible for a living being – be it an animal or human. If you push a chair, it will fall. It doesn't have a choice. If you push a man, he might choose to fall or he may choose to rise. The point is he will always have a choice. Always. Thats why I live – I live to make a choice with every breath I take."


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