Blog: You can kill a body, not the voice

Flipping through various sections of my daily newspaper, my eyes initially popped out and eventually halted, as the identical twins raced through a buzzing headline which read: 'Pak lesbian couple tie knot amidst threats'. And instantly my mind generated a question for a handful of incorrigible fools - can they kill their heartbeat now? They can kill the body, but not the heart, nor even the soul, as love will always pervade and evade any territory irrespective of any religion or boundary. I must bring to the fore the real intent of the write-up for those who may take it otherwise. Pointing out finger on any country or religion is not the context. The concern is the game between moral and immoral, fundamentalism and liberty, laden or willingly taken, and on top it - it is always a tussle between love and hatred. Who wins is the call. Love and hatred reminds me of talented Shoaib Mansoor, who staying in a terrain where life keeps no certainty and where a few fundamentalists are decision-makers, he has the guts to prove his mettle. He has been instrumental in proving that love always wins. Not only this, he is the bellwether who spearheads the way for countless generations to believe and do what is right, which their hearts liberate them to initiate. Amidst devils, Shoaib Mansoor has the guts to show what can be done, which needs to be done. His two films - 'Khuda ke liye' and 'Bol' can be counted among the outstanding narrative tales in the celluloid, which not only educate scores, but also discard the adulteration/ artificial manipulation in what can be called - a blind faith. While ‘Khuda Ke Liye’ deals with not to get lost in the name of religion and to establish the fundamental right of making one's own choices in life, Bol deals with breaking the old mold of fundamentalism - wrong beliefs, which come at the cost of numerous lives. The flick establishes how important is it to raise one's voice against the surreal or baseless concepts, which have spread its tentacles far and wide in society. I make no bones in saying hats off to this man of courage and guts, who contributes uniquely in his own way to leave a mark. He may be a bete noire for these few, but he exemplifies his chivalry to legions by leading them towards that shining light. And eventually his work proves, which becomes Waterloo for such human folly. He proves the proverb: 'Action speaks louder than words'. The movie, KKL discards the thought that the religion doesn't permit music, and which is what happens as a creamy crop of artists and singers from our neighbouring nation, has found a bright career for them in India's tinsel town. While those who want to mum voices on gunpoint may feel they emerge as triumphant for whatever wrong they believe in - people like Mansoor are a blunt answer to their credo – “Establishing their supremacy at gunpoint.” Likewise, this lady from Bangladesh lives to say and write what she believes is right. She has been expelled from her homeland as she raised her voice in her words against male-dominated society. Criticized, ridiculed, harassed and threatened for her thoughts, Tasleema Nasrin has been the target of this 'society's life contractors'. Though facing extreme trials and tribulations, moving from one place to another, like nomads, she still wears her heart on her sleeves for what her heart feels. Her counterpart, Salman Rushdie also faces such wrath at times and fatwas on other occasions for being outspoken and writing against what feels is a set of immoral laws. I too will proclaim in my closing note: Truth and right will find its way in the end. I want these figures among ciphers to understand - that threatening will not stop the voices from saying what is right, what one's heart says, what needs to be brought to the light. Like Nasrin, Mansoor and Rushdie, who haven't stopped irrespective of numerous threats to their lives, there are countless such people of courage but as I have to sign off, so can't name them all. The sooner they (fundamentalists) will understand, the better it is: Bodies can be killed, but not the voices.