The following was posted on Ram Gopal Varma’s blog as a response to his love of hate. Original pose here.
You love the ‘hate’ – Of course you do!
Entertaining thoughts, perhaps. Some inconsistencies though, similar to some parts as reflected in your films. Here’s how.
“Thakur’s family is my films, the hate club of mine is Thakur and I am Gabbar.” If Thakur’s family is “your films” you cannot be Gabbar; simply because Gabbar and Thakur are staunch enemies.
Now, if the “hate club” is “Thakur” then how can “Your” films be Thakur’s family? I guess it would be appropriate if: Your films are Gabbar’s family, the “hate club” is “Thakur” and you are Gabbar. This sorts things out well, because they put you and the (imaginary) hate club, bang opposite, just as Gabbar and Thakur respectively.
So now does this make sense, or does it?
Secondly, you seem to have interpreted ‘love’ quite simplisticly and in a uni-dimensional way, equating “love” with “sex”. This is clear when you say ” Love at least will sometimes give you good sex whereas hate will give you nothing.”
Such generalized interpretation of ‘love’ with ‘sex’ leaves no room for other relationships. How would you explain the “love” between your or anybody’s parents and children, brothers, sisters and all such that does not lead to sex – of course there are exceptions where in most cases people seek psychological counseling.
Also how would you explain all your fans, both males and females, who simply “love” you and your films- there is nothing much for them in it (i.e. loving you) except that you are preferred over somebody else. Are they loving you so that it could or may lead to sex? Of course, some admire you, prefer you and some love you, perhaps without understanding its implications, or perhaps more, without knowing your love-sex equation, until now.
You explained quite appropriately, that ‘hate’ is too strong an emotion to waste on anybody, however if one does hate you (or anybody for that matter), it implies that you/the hated is given that ‘due’ or ‘undue’ importance. Because the another way for behavioral response besides love and hate is indifference. You are very well aware that being indifferent is worst than being hated or loved. So I guess, with this background, it perhaps now makes clear, why you want more (and more) people to hate you, or atleast suggest that they seemingly hate you. Because this it gives you one more opportunity to conciously or otherwise enjoy or rather relish that due/undue attention/importance.
Remember the scene from Hey Ram when Kamal Hasaan meets Gandhi? Gandhi apparently is in denial of his ‘Mahatma’ status, suggesting “Please, don’t call me a Mahatma!” Gandhi takes that one more opportunity to advance his overt Mahatma status, by asking people around, “Am I a Mahatma? I am not Mahatma…I am just a normal human being…” It is here, at this moment when Saket Ram (Kamal Hasaan) reads, understands and plainly denies Gandhi that opportunity to deny himself as a ‘Mahatma.’
Kamal Hassan says: “…No, I am not going to give you another opportunity to deny you your Mahatma status.”
I find that a very powerful, strong and intelligent scene. Something rare in most Hindi films. Where ‘self love’, ‘hate’ and ‘intelligence’ exude in different ways.
No wonder your post is titled “I love the hate.”
Best wishes,
Prashant
Toronto
