Daily writing prompt

Who are your favorite artists?

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Dear friends,

I hope this blog finds you in a cheerful mood. Today’s writing prompt question is an interesting one: Who are your favorite artists? 

For someone like me, a media enthusiast, it’s not easy to choose just one. Over the years, my taste in movies and actors has evolved, and so have my favorite stars.

Growing up, I admired legends like Raj Kumar, Raj Kapoor, and Dharmendra, but one artist I’ve always held close to my heart is “Dev Anand”.

My fascination with movies began early, and it remains strong to this day. However, it wasn’t just Dev Anand’s charm that made him special to me. There’s a cherished childhood memory linked to one of his films that still brings a big smile to my face.

When I was a child, I was mischievous by nature. Now, in my senior years, there’s an undeniable desire to relive those carefree days of youth. While we can’t physically return to childhood, the memories linger, and revisiting them through stories keeps that innocence alive.

A Journey Back in Time

One incident, in particular, stands out. I must have been nine or ten years old, full of energy, and always up to some mischief.

Back then, my friends and I were known for getting into trouble. Growing up in a small town like Khagaul, there wasn’t much entertainment aside from the local cinema hall—Railway Cinema—which mostly screened religious films.

Among our group of friends, Kishor was the biggest movie buff. He never missed a single Dev Anand film and would come back after every screening, narrating the entire plot to us.

His storytelling was so captivating that even though we didn’t watch the films ourselves, we felt like we had. Soon, Dev Anand became a favorite for all of us.

But there was a catch: watching movies was strictly forbidden in my house. Even displaying anything related to movies was frowned upon.

I remember once bringing home a poster of Rajesh Khanna’s Kati Patang, and proudly sticking it on my bedroom wall.

My family was furious. “Is this a cinema hall?” they exclaimed. “You’re not even allowed to watch movies, and now you’re putting up posters?” I got quite a scolding for that one.

The Movie Plot

Despite the strict rules at home, my admiration for Dev Anand continued to grow. Then came the day when Johny Mera Naam was set to release at the Railway Cinema.

I was determined to watch it, but there were two major hurdles: I didn’t have permission to watch movies, and I didn’t have the money to buy a ticket.

That’s when my mischievous mind went into overdrive. The first-class ticket cost one rupee, which was a big amount for a child.

But my friend Kishor had a brilliant idea: he gave me eight annas (half a rupee) and suggested that I watch the first half of the movie. During the interval, I was to give him the ticket so he could watch the second half.

He promised to tell me all about the first half story, and I would tell him about the second half story after watching that movie. It was a perfect plan!

To cover the remaining money, I had to come up with a little trick. I managed to get some extra money from home, pretending it was for buying vegetables from the local market.

With everything in place, Kishor and I executed our plan. He went in to enjoy the movie for the first half, and I eagerly waited for the interval to switch places.😂😂

As I made my way to the first-class gate, the gatekeeper recognized me —small-town life meant everyone knew everyone. “Have you run away from home to watch a movie?” he asked suspiciously. I stayed silent and slipped past him, eager to watch the second half of Johny Mera Naam.

A Lesson in Innocence

The movie was fantastic, and I was thrilled to have watched it—at least the second half! But my joy didn’t last long.

As it turned out, the gatekeeper had already informed my family about my little adventure, and I was in big trouble when I got home. I tried to cover my tracks, but my story fell apart, and I received a harsh punishment.

Even today, I can still feel the sting of that punishment, but more than that, I remember the thrill and innocence of that moment.

I’ve watched Johny Mera Naam many times since then—probably ten times by now—and each time I do, it brings back that memory. The excitement, the mischief, the ingenuity of our little plan—it all makes me smile.

While Dev Anand was my favorite actor for his on-screen charisma, it’s that childhood incident that truly solidified his place in my heart.

Those days of innocence and mischief are long gone, but the joy of reliving those memories keeps my childhood alive.

BE HAPPY….BE ACTIVE….BE FOCUSED….BE ALIVE…

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Categories: infotainment

Tags: #Movie, #wellness, cinema, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2084, featured, film, movie-review, movies