Kai Po Che

“Kai Po Che” -  A Gujarati phrase which means, “I have cut the kite.” It’s significance cuts in much deeper. It transcends into a jubilant and triumphant yell, celebrating life in small things.

I just caught the last show of the film, an adaptation of Chetan Bhagat’s popular novel – ‘Three Mistakes of My Life.’ Getting mixed reviews, I didn’t have high expectations from the movie; lest it turns out to be another one of those, “Copy plot, kill the story” kind of movies. I was surprisingly and pleasantly proven wrong. The film has much to offer and the director, Abhishek Kapoor (of Rock On! fame) and the new actors have done a fabulous job. Apart from spotless direction and acting, the film actually manages to keep the audience engaged all along.

This got me thinking. The movie was good and full marks to everyone involved. Still, what was so special about this movie ? Similar stories and projects on them have come and gone. What makes this one stand out?

I kept pondering over this all the way back home and the scene of the three protagonists, cutting loose and showering in the bitter sweetness of their friendship on top of a fort, kept flashing across my mind. I thought to myself, “This has to be it. Friendship. Friendship is what makes it different.” I replayed the scenes of the movie inside my head.  The scene with them starting out on a sea of uncertainty to the scene where differences creep into their friendship and threatens to part these inseparable souls, each scene relates perfectly to the phases of a  friendship in reality.  The closeness of thoughts, the intimacy of dreams, the shared happiness, the bitter parting, the egoistical separation and the traumatic unrest  leading to a reunion only to strengthen the bonds further, is more or less a friendship’s life.

The movie highlights many other themes along with it but it is up to each individual to select his pick and relate to it. Friendship is something that I have learnt to value over the years. I have moved around a lot and met a good number of people. I loved some of them and despised others. I am not sure whether to call them friends or not. I shared my fun with some and agony with other. Some brought out the devil inside me and others, saint. Some even betrayed me.  The term ‘friend’ is very vaguely used nowadays. Instead, I would say ‘acquaintance’ is a more appropriate word. But all this, makes you realize and believe in the strength of an actual friendship.

Friendship is the best gift life can give anyone and it is a gift we all need. As shown in the movie, friendship is holding hands and jumping in the vast sea together, having faith in each other irrespective of the hopelessness of everything else. We have friends for putting smiles on their faces and lending shoulders for their tears. 

So guys, make sure that you have some mindless, stupid, annoying, irritating idiots whom you call friends. I (coincidentally, also Ishan  ) am certainly lucky to have  some Omis and Govinds  in my life.

The saying – “You don’t make friends, they make you.” is certainly a very true one. 

Kai Po Che !