The unfavorable luck !!

Rakesh Anand Photography

Sometimes words are not enough to express how you'd feel seeing someone else's life.. We think we are the ones with all those problems which doesnt really have a solution, and  that there's no point living. But then, when we look around and take the pain to know what others' life is all about, we realise that we are blessed, as the issues that we were cribbing about is nothing compared to theirs. I've been there once, those days when I was craving to be a film maker, and my friends who had dreamt about the same was a step or two ahead and I'd reached no where, made me feel like a loser. That was when I met this person who made me realise so many things.

That was a usual day, I was out there on the streets of Kochi, with my new companion, my camera, clicking everything that satisfied my soul. My first step to progress - observing and clicking. Nothing really reminded me, and I was happy.  I was walking down the streets, stopping here and there, clicking all that worth it and my friends accompanying me as always. i stopped somewhere, focused on clicking something and suddenly someone patted on my shoulder. Losing my concentration, I turned around with an annoyed expression. I saw a man, almost of my grandfather's age, who looked tired and lost, standing right beside. I gave him the irritated " what??" look.

He told me, "Hello, I  know I'm disturbing you, but why I called for you is that, I need to go to Kaloor and I've got no single penny to catch the bus. I'm pretty tired to walk all the way down to that place. It would have been great if you could help me. I need just 6 rupees".

 I was wondering what's it all about, he didnt look like a beggar in any angle, but what he just did was nothing less than that. But as usual, my pocket was empty. But something, my inner conscience may  be, told me i should help him.  I asked my friend to give him 10 rupees and as soon as my friend did, that man fell  right down to his feet!

We all  were shocked.

I suddenly pulled him back, and asked him not to do this with anyone,ever. He'd be around thrice my  age,and doing something like this would only embarass me. He started talking, "Do you know one thing kid? When you are in trouble, whoever takes the pain to help you is your GOD. And showing gratitude is not a crime."

"But not this way.."

I paused... "can I click a  picture of yours"? He was okay with it and i clicked.

What aperture value did you set while capturing this frame?

I was stunned!

f1.8. it's getting dark  so i thought... before  i  could complete it he interrupted.

You kids would not understand my relationship with camera. which one are you using?

Canon 5 D.

"Hmmm....Well, i hardly know anything about these digital cameras. My world was all about Rolleiflex,Hasselblad and leica".

He then talked about the Arri Camera family its nomenclature, Lenses without pausing.

I could see a spark in his eyes  while explaining this, and my surprise had no boundaries.

"Uncle, you know a lot about cameras. That too about things we are ignorant about.. what are you?"

That spark disappeared all  of a sudden and he went mum. After a while i told us  his story.

And it goes like this. Mr. V.R. Shekhar, that's his name. He once was a screenwriter in the malayalam movie  industry and used to assist maestros Padmarajan n Bharathan - the two names that would bring goosebumps to any movie maniac.

Are we thinking about the same thing? I guess, yes! assistant to master minds and he's literally begging on the streets? That's were luck comes in.

Talent is not always the only thing that decides someone's fate. Its all about luck sometimes. No matter how talented you are, or how much  you've worked to achieve something,  if luck doesnt favor you, you are done!

An accident changed his whole life and fate. He got half paralysed and he had to quit the industry and the only job that he knew. His wife passed away years back and the only son he  has got, the only hope he had, a guy whose around 26 years of age doesnt even give a damn  about his own father. Has he ever realised, the person he trashed, if at all  had luck by his side, might have made him proud? But unfortunately that father's luck was on the wrong side and hence he had to beg to get going.

He left to his destination and we to ours. But those moments were captured inside my memory and i couldnt really get over it.

Unlike people who we call "beggars", who had made it a career, who would give you a tough look which  would say, "i can give you tons like this back" when you give them a 10 rupee note... this person was actually begging 'cause he was helpless.

If that one accident hadnt  happened, he might have been one of those directors I'd have been looking forward to. But fate had something else in store and he had to beg to make his living! The minutes i spent with him, the experiences he shared and his story gave me thousand lessons. You are all alone in this world and will always be. You would never know what's in store for you. Just do your part, expect nothing  and keep moving. If you are destined to be successful, you'll be. If not,  you are unlucky!

And that moment brought a smile on my face, thinking how lucky I'm! I'm perfectly fit, I've talent, I've got time..... All i gotta do is do my part perfect, rest is upto my luck! And whatever it be, am okay with it...

I started walking, the nature called me to click its  beauty and  portray it as the most beautiful thing on earth.