31/03/2018
Sahil, my nephew, passed away at the young age of 26 years. It was a rude shock as a young life was snuffed out leaving the parents grief-stricken. The boy was finding his way out in the peer- driven, ambition ridden society.
A few days ago young television actor Karan Paranjpe was found dead in his sleep by his mother. He was 26 years too.
Both suffered a massive cardiac arrest. There was no time for any medical assistance or help to reach them. They saw to it that there was no way they could be saved. They had decided to leave and had made their decision to step away from their physical existence because they felt that was one way to stop them from deterioring further into depression or degeneration. Maybe they had chosen limited years to learn or unlearn a karmic lesson or just existed according to a higher plan.
Sahil was looking after an ailing father who was on dialysis thrice a week, a schizophrenic mother and weak- willed brother. He had in the last few years put on weight, due to irregular food habits, stress and over- work. He was keen to drive a hole in this competitive world which he had become a part of. His flight was clipped, for his fuel had run out. He joined a gym fifteen days ago, without any medical examination. His post-mortem revealed that he had undetected arterial blockage which may have precipitated a massive cardiac stroke due to maybe the fat burners that were prescribed. The sudden weight training may have put pressure on his system,collapsing it.
Karan Paranjpe in a high profile media industry maybe couldn’t take the pressure too. His reins may have got weak and his resolve broken.
These young deaths make me think of how our world is changing. Hundred years ago young deaths were taking place because of passion. Freedom and liberation was the slogan for the young. They didn’t want to be enslaved any further. A decade later young deaths are the result of obsession, freedom from societal pressures and expectations.
Drawing room discussions veer towards the young generation being indisciplined and self - obsessed. They are touted as media crazy, numbed into indulgence as night snacking owls. They are the virtual guzzling Internet junkies who have been exposed to all but nothing by the very generation which criticises them. I recall that as a career option we had science, commerce and arts but today, even window dressing is a vocation. How do you counsel a young media professional on his career choice without much historical data of its success validity?
An actor fifty years ago had less competition and avenues of work. The industry was small and cohesive. Everyone knew everybody. Today, the actor has a casting agency, PR agency and overseas agent to manage their work. There is movie, TV and digital platform to showcase their work. They have reality shows, appearances and judging dance shows that can be done. The pearl in the oyster is now pebble in the ocean.
In every generation there are challenges and it’s up to the senior generation to rise to it. As we tout ourselves as mature, knowledgable and wise, having weathered many a storm, it’s our duty to know that the challenges we faced, have tripled for the youth. Instead of blaming and critiquing them from their dressing style to their personal choices we will have to be more sensitive to their quandary because of the plethora of choices they have before them.
A 26 year old today is driving in the fast lane, guzzling amidst neon lights, accelerating towards an unknown destination.
We, need to shine a torchlight to guide them, a breath analyser to check them and a traffic weather-cock to steer them towards their desired goal, not ours!
