“NO ONE WINS UNLESS EVERYBODY WINS” Bruce Springsteen
- What is the LIGHT – my good idea, my great opinion, my good image, my best belief which I cling to, that BLINDS me from seeing the good in others’ good … ?
- How can I write my stories without missing out on the stories of other hungry hearts?
The movie based on the memoir of a journalist Manzoor Sarfraz, GREETINGS FROM BURY PARK will help you answer these questions
The film tells the story of a teenager from an immigrant family trying to cope up with – recession, racism, unemployment in the Thatcher-era Britain of 1987.
Introduced by his Sikh classmate to the songs of Bruce Springsteen, Javed discovers in them a map to navigate through the racial intolerance, political unrest and the family conflicts, to “all that is true in this shitty world” and finds his vocation as a writer.
The lyrics of Bruce infuse courage and confidence in the young man and guide him through the twists and turns of his life journey.
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=blinded+by+the+light+film&form=HDRSC2&first=1&scenario=ImageBasicHoverInterlaced with 17 songs of Bruce, the film is a musical roller coaster. The words of the working class poet from America, inspires the troubled adolescent to rise above the burdens of life and make his own unique voice heard breaking free from the expectations and pressures from- family, friends, society and religion.
With words of “The Boss” as compass, Javed is led to life-altering meetings with Ms Clay the teacher who unearth his writing talent, Mr Brydon his friend’s dad who gave him part time job, Eliza the activist girl friend , and Mr Evans the silent supporting neighbour. All of them encourage his search for authentic self-expression.
Sailing the sea of storms, Javed stands up at school which honored him for his writing, and confesses: I was blinded by the light !! I was only thinking of Springsteen and myself …… We are all not just individuals. We have friends and family and what they think matter. Success without them isn’t really success. That insight was churned out of his own big battle within! “No one wins unless everybody wins” Javed recalls the words Bruce .
Having hated and broken away from his bossy dad whom he could not forgive, a realization dawns on Javed : I can see how much I am like my dad and dad is like me !! To tell it loud in front of dad, family, friends and teachers gathered together in public… , the boy has come a long way to be a man!!!
Eliza his girl friend whom he wanted to leave, had played her part in bringing Javed to this point of reconciliation. When he apologizes to her, she reminds him Bruce’s words, “Like a river which does not know where it’s flowing, you took a wrong turn and just kept going. Everyone’s got a hungry heart ”
To Javed’s surprise his dad has begun liking Bruce’s songs and values! He cites few lines on ‘hard work, never giving up and respect for parents’ and jokes that Bruce must be a Pakistani! His dad pleads, “Son, write your stories ! Don’t forget ours !!” and embraces him.
Even parents grow when children mature! Interestingly the last scene in the film indicates such a transfornation in Javed’s dad who hands over the driving seat to his son getting ready to pursue his study of journalism. His dad gracefully changes his favorite old hindi song in the deck to play Bruce’s song in the interest of Javed as they travel together.
(You Tube: 1 min 39 sec)