Special Days!

Movie Bluffmaster. Scene shot next to Gateway of India. Cast Abhishek and Boman Irani.

Abhishek has just been told he has a brain tumour. He is going to die in about three months. Boman Irani is the doctor. Abhishek is upset. He is confused about what is he supposed to do next that he is going to die soon. Almost unbelieving. Boman is joking around. His usual self on the silver screen after his success in Munnabhai MBBS.

His joking seems harsh in the face of the tragic situation Abhishek is in.

In his unceasing banter, Boman recites the experience of teaching his daughter how to ride a bicycle. Vividly.

But his whole talk seems out of place.

When he finishes, Abhishek looks at him in exasperation with ‘Well, your daughter learnt to ride then… so?’ kind of an expression on his face.

Boman takes the cue but ignores him and continues his incessant talking. He says, “I remember that day very fondly. The joy on my daughter’s face. Her delight at learning that she can now ride. My own satisfaction at having taught my child something worthwhile. That day is etched in my memory. It was a SPECIAL DAY!”

Then comes the punch line – “How many such SPECIAL DAYS do you remember from the thirty years of your life?”

That question comes out of the blue. Boman is no longer an irritating old chum trying to pakaofy Abhishek. All his banter suddenly makes sense. Abhishek is stunned and the movie rolls on…

Off screen, out in the theatre – I am stunned too.

Watching Bluffmaster was supposed to be a comedy experience. It had given me a lesson in living life. Making each day count. As I approach my thirtieth birthday soon, I am planning to write the thirty most memorable days of my life on this blog. I hope I can think of thirty. Finding a memorable day for every year of your life may sound easier than it actually is.

I am as interested as you are in reading about those thirty days of my life. I hope they are there somewhere in my memory – but I don’t know where and which ones and what they hold!

I believe the experience of recounting them and reliving them is going to be a helluva ride!

Watch this space!