What Films And Filmmaking Taught Me About Life

Have there been times, when something that you couldn’t change was bothering you, but then, you watched a movie that your friend had recommended, and forgot what it was, that was bothering you? And suddenly, though temporarily, you were convinced that though it comes with a lot of baggage, life is really a gift, and that everything turns out alright at the end. Well, this happens with me for every single movie I watch. Each one has so much wisdom to offer about life. Each one ends up helping me in some way or the other, or at least gives me 2-3 hours of fun!!

I’m convinced that movies are magic! How else is it, that we suddenly forget about all our problems, and start caring about people who we’ve been watching for only a couple of hours, so deeply? How else can one explain why we get inspired by a rat who dreams of becoming a chef?  How else can we root for a friendship between a man and a Bengal tiger, both stranded together in the middle of the Pacific Ocean? Or even buy it, for that matter. How else can watching the journey of a group of friends come of their age literally inspire a generation to act, and not just observe?

I could go on and on, but what I’m trying to say is that movies are magic and they have the power to inspire change. I’m hugely in awe of the magicians who create this magic.

I believe that filmmakers are the most fearless and coolest bunch of people ever. They are visionaries, they lead and inspire a group of people, pretty much how the great CEOs do, to make something, that’s bigger than all of them, and might mean so much to so many people!

I think the process of filmmaking is literally a metaphor about how life is.

I constantly read about filmmakers giving 3-5, and in some rare cases, even 14 years of their lives to get their movies made, but they never give up. And even after all the genuine, tireless work they put in, there’s no guarantee if people will go to see their movies, if their money will return. Then I think to myself, isn’t this the story of every start-up? After such efforts, their movies fail, they fail, but all they want is a new project because they’re so passionate about what they do. Often times, we fail too, but we get second chances, and are allowed to keep the mistakes with us. Isn’t that something?

Filmmakers are very passionate about what they do; they believe in themselves, that they can pull off something that’s bigger than them. Most times they do. Let us also believe in ourselves, let’s see where it takes us!

Films keep on giving me perspectives about life. They teach me new and complex concepts in the most interesting way there is. Films have taught me more than I can appreciate or understand.

However, the most important thing that films and the process of filmmaking have taught me is that we are here very briefly, 18-20 years of our lives have passed by super-quickly. We should allow ourselves joy, we should try different things and enjoy the mystery that is life!!

– Vivek Jaju (FE IT), Sumeet Haldipur (SE Comps)