Perhaps one of the most awaited days (except probably the Presidential Election, but honestly Leo > President). February 28th, was monumental. Leonardo DiCaprio, after a long excruciating 22 years of waiting, won an Oscar.
Now, my mom has an uncanny skill of making everything into a lecture. However, when I told her about Leonardo's grand win, what she said hit home.
"See! he didn't give up".
Can you imagine fighting your way through gossip, rejections, failure, no opportunity, no money and working your way up only to have to wait 22 long years to get some recognition? I'm sure the academy had their reasons for making Leo wait so long, but still! It seems so unfair that Jared Leto could get an oscar and Leo couldn't!
Why didn't Leo boycott? He was nominated so many times and never won, he could have just said "Screw it, I'm not going to act anymore!" and it would have been in his right to do so. Infact, I'm sure many of his fans would have even supported the decision, just to put some heat on the Academy.
However, he didn't. He kept working towards his art, crafting it and perfecting it. Now I ask the question, why can't the Carnatic music industry be the same way?
When Sudha Raghunathan won the prestigious Sangeetha Kalanidhi in 2013, there were so many protests. The great, so and so never got the award, why did she get it? Where was her superiority in comparison to the great so and so? The worst part is, sometimes it was the great so and so who was offended and not just his/her fans. This has provoked a lot of animosity towards the committees that form the awards. It has created a lot of tension and many people have lost sight of what means the most; the art.
Yes, its frustrating if someone who came yesterday bags the award and you, who has been slaving way at it, doesn't get it. But that's how the field works! Many great artists have gone unrecognized. I have spoken to a few who've told me specifically to stay away from the entertainment field, because they were frustrated and annoyed from the lack of recognition. I do understand that sometimes there is a underlying hand of politics that plays (esp in Indian entertainment) in determining these awards, but the true greatness is not in receiving the award but rather what you do to get it.
Leo was persistent, he was patient, and moreover he respected his art. 22 years is a long time to wait for an award, but look at all the films he has given us throughout those years. To me, they are more valuable than any award. They teach me that being an artist is the highest form of recognition for anyone.
Can you honestly say after looking at Wolf at Wall Street, Titanic and Catch Me if You Can, that someone other than Leo could have done justice to those roles? No! The same way, can you look at Suprabatham, Baja Govindam and Katrinile and tell me that you can picture someone other than M.S. Subbalakshmi? I doubt it.
That, my friends, is the best award that an artist can get. Achieving that is much greater and much more difficult than getting a plaque or a tiny golden statue. Sure, its frustrating, sure it will make you mad. However, your day might not be too far away. The trick?
"Never give up"
Now, my mom has an uncanny skill of making everything into a lecture. However, when I told her about Leonardo's grand win, what she said hit home.
"See! he didn't give up".
Can you imagine fighting your way through gossip, rejections, failure, no opportunity, no money and working your way up only to have to wait 22 long years to get some recognition? I'm sure the academy had their reasons for making Leo wait so long, but still! It seems so unfair that Jared Leto could get an oscar and Leo couldn't!
Why didn't Leo boycott? He was nominated so many times and never won, he could have just said "Screw it, I'm not going to act anymore!" and it would have been in his right to do so. Infact, I'm sure many of his fans would have even supported the decision, just to put some heat on the Academy.
However, he didn't. He kept working towards his art, crafting it and perfecting it. Now I ask the question, why can't the Carnatic music industry be the same way?
When Sudha Raghunathan won the prestigious Sangeetha Kalanidhi in 2013, there were so many protests. The great, so and so never got the award, why did she get it? Where was her superiority in comparison to the great so and so? The worst part is, sometimes it was the great so and so who was offended and not just his/her fans. This has provoked a lot of animosity towards the committees that form the awards. It has created a lot of tension and many people have lost sight of what means the most; the art.
Yes, its frustrating if someone who came yesterday bags the award and you, who has been slaving way at it, doesn't get it. But that's how the field works! Many great artists have gone unrecognized. I have spoken to a few who've told me specifically to stay away from the entertainment field, because they were frustrated and annoyed from the lack of recognition. I do understand that sometimes there is a underlying hand of politics that plays (esp in Indian entertainment) in determining these awards, but the true greatness is not in receiving the award but rather what you do to get it.
Leo was persistent, he was patient, and moreover he respected his art. 22 years is a long time to wait for an award, but look at all the films he has given us throughout those years. To me, they are more valuable than any award. They teach me that being an artist is the highest form of recognition for anyone.
Can you honestly say after looking at Wolf at Wall Street, Titanic and Catch Me if You Can, that someone other than Leo could have done justice to those roles? No! The same way, can you look at Suprabatham, Baja Govindam and Katrinile and tell me that you can picture someone other than M.S. Subbalakshmi? I doubt it.
That, my friends, is the best award that an artist can get. Achieving that is much greater and much more difficult than getting a plaque or a tiny golden statue. Sure, its frustrating, sure it will make you mad. However, your day might not be too far away. The trick?
"Never give up"
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