Koimoi Recommends Bombay Mirror: Communal Disharmony, a term that the liberals ignore and, unfortunately, our politics flourishes on. A man comes shouts at the top of his voice, and acts terrifically that you believe and act like him. Ever thought about the outcome in the short or long run? Was it really worth it to forget your stand and step into his shoes? Shlok Sharma, in his unreleased satire, questions our stand, and it is a journey from calling yourself liberal to the reality check in 3 minutes. Today on Koimoi Recommends, I recommend Bombay Mirror starring Rajkummar Rao and Vijay Maurya that never got a green signal. Obvious reasons!
It’s just another day. A Muslim man has come to a probably Hindu’s salon. Both seem to be great friends, so much so that the barber calls the client’s mother ‘ammi’ (mom in Urdu). A commotion on the road makes the barber realise something big, and he takes a huge step. What happened? What changed? Watch.
A quick fact, Bombay Mirror was shot and ready in 2010 but was never given a green signal to release. In 2013-14 it made it to the Internet, and the world noticed the strong satire and voice Sharma raised through it. It is from the time, Rajkummar Rao was Raj Kumar Yadav and Vasan Bala, Zeeshan Quadri were in front of the camera giving special appearances. Imagine!
Do you believe everything that you see with your eyes? What if it was staged to lure you and make you do things as the powerful want? And what if you lose your valuable prospect while the one that agitated you were ‘acting’? Shlok Sharma in Bombay Mirror raised these questions more than a decade ago, but it is the reality we live in right now more than ever. Look around smell the tea, before it’s too late and before you end up losing everyone. The undertone is as simple as that. It, of course, takes an exaggerated route, but that is what makes it mind-numbing.
What creates a Communal Riot, two groups coming on the roads and the commotion happening. With just a few people on screen, Sharam simply explains how in a mob, the majority are never informed why are they participating. And these uninformed happen to be the most significant danger. The title is a nod to the same. Bombay, of course, we know why, and the mirror because we don’t think twice before taking a leap for the worse when something shattering takes place in front of us.
Watch Bombay Mirror, link attached below. Because even if shot 10 years ago, the conversation still exists. People in power continue to paint false pictures to fuel their politics. Millions continue to believe it and act against the enemies of the men in power. Wake up, rub your eyes, ask yourselves, is that really needed? Questioning your conscience is the key.
