Why do we indulge in wrong deeds?

When we were attending a lecture on behavioral skills needed for the organization, one of the participants asked the facilitator-"What ever you are teaching us is commonsense. Why would any one do otherwise?". Facilitator replied - "If that was true we would not have any one who smokes cigarette, knowing the fact that it causes cancer. "  Very much true indeed!!

Extending that analogy in broader terms, people know in general that  wrong deeds have an impact but still indulge in them. Here are few reasons I can think of for this trend

Temptation:  People fail to resist temptation as typically Nishidda karma (unwarranted/barred deeds) have so much tempting to get away.

Group Behavior:  Some bad deeds are performed by person who is innately good natured when he is in a group. This is usually because of mob/sheep mentality. Even though he knows at heart that the act is wrong, he either too timid to complain or too reckless to stop. Ragging in college is one example to this genre.

Delayed Impact: Some acts beget impact albeit late. So person involved either ignores the impact or less worried as its not immediate.

Impact Not Clear: With certain acts the impact is not clearly seen. Person thinks he/she can get away with it. A case of powerful person torturing a poor fellow is an example.

No one is watching: Similar to above scenario, where there is no chance of getting caught in the act. That's why wise people say  ' a good person is judged by what he does when no one is watching'

Ignorance: Some people act by receiving instructions from their bosses with out understanding what they are tasked with.

Fit of Anger: Behind most crimes, anger is one commonality found. Bhagavadgita says - Desire (not fulfilled) leads to anger, anger leads to mental imbalance and mental imbalance leads to destruction.

My Director - K Viswanath

When I am writing this blog, I am doing so with respect for the man, with fear that my limitation of writing skill failing to express his greatness adequately, with happiness that he is born to be Telugu/Indian and chose to make films, with sorrow that he is not directing films these days, with shame that I did not get to watch all the movies directed by him, with honor that I was able to write this about him.

The person in context here is K. Viswanath Sir and he is an accomplished director in Telugu films and also directed few films in hindi. His films may not have earned Box office records unlike today, but his films can be showcased for his exemplary skill in the art of film making. He started directing at a time when films were transforming from meaningful story telling to meaningless hero-centric stories. He could have easily chosen to go with the trend and earned a fortune. He chose otherwise and thus made films that are good enough to inscribe his name in Telugu Cinema in particular and Indian cinema in general.

There was a time when I watched a series of movies that centered around purest form art and with a message that art is for the art's sake and not for fame/money's sake. When I looked up the commonality of these genre of movies, I could easily find K Viswanath in it. He made extra effort to make sure Indian values are embedded in the movies and thus future generations when they watch his movies get benefited and transformed (if they will) from it. Movie is a medium that gets maximum reach and he is one of those few who understood it and its impact on the people. So he chose to make films that have positive impact on people instead of cashing on their emotions in the name of mass appeal. We find our next door character playing lead role in his films and not the fictitious character who can hit truck load of people single handed.

Films like Swati mutyam, Saagara sangamam helped Kamal Hasan increase his image as versatile and genious actor and earned him thousands of fans among telugu speaking audience. Films like Subhalekha, Swayam Krushi and Aapadbandhavudu helped Chiranjeevi prove to critics that he can play role fitting characters perfectly alongside characters that established his mass appeal.  Film Sankarabharanam proved to the world that box office hit need not have glamorous lead characters as this film features a 60 year old man who is passionate about Carnatic music in lead role.  Sankarabharanam released in only one theatre and opened to an empty hall but later reversed norm of that day about the commercial elements in box office. He provided space for lyricists like Veturi, Seetharama satry, writers like Jandhyala, Gollapudi Singers like SP Balasubramainam, actors like Chandramohan to reassert their talent and perform to their mettle.

How difficult would it be to narrate a tale that's centered around  blind man and a dumb girl? Viswanath took up the challenge and we have masterpiece Sirivennela. Who would approve lyrics written by then newbie Mr Seetharama satry which requires a PHD in telugu to comprehend. But because of Viswanath Sir's decision, many telugu speaking were able to pick up many new words in vocabulary through the songs of Sirivennela.

On one hand portraying the Indianness in his movies, he did not hesitate to challenge some of them. But when he does it, they get the cleanliness of his vision and clarity of his thought. One such instance was in movie Saptapadi, he concludes the tale by giving the hand of a married brahmin girl (who got married against her will) to a low caste but high cultured man. He also challenged through movie Maangalyaniki Maro Mudi, why a wife should put up with husband who is evil natured.
Even if I write one paragraph each on movies like Siri Siri Muvva, Subhodayam, Swati Kiranam, Sutradharulu, Srutilayalu,  Swarna Kamalam, Chelleli Kapuram, Kaalam Marindi, Sarada and others,  I would be incomplete in describing him. In hindi he directed movies like Sargam, Kaamchor, Sanjog, Jaag Utha Insan, Eeshwar, Sur Sangam, Shubh Kaamna, Sangeet and Dhanwaan. Winner of numerous awards and above all winner of hearts of movie connoisseurs.