Hope floats

Hi Shekhar,
Its extremely moving to see how touched you are by many of the performances on the show that you are judging esp the ones by special children who have such an amazing spirit to overcome challenges despite their special needs. Given that you have made such real , heart wrenching films like Bandit queen I was really moved and surprised to see how emotional you were through the show.
I run an initiative called Towards A Special Cause (TASC) that provides free and voluntary support to various causes (www.towardsaspecialcause.in). With a special focus on children with special needs.
Shekhar there are some wonderful and soul stirring performances that I have witnessed by blind, deaf and deaf- blind children and young adults that deserve to reach an audience beyond the premises of their institutions and if there ever was an opportunity to make that happen it would help spread some light and cheer in their world of physical darkness. Vocational training support, specialised education and life skills learning so that they can earn a lively hood and lead a life of dignity and self respect is perhaps the most important aspect of support to a special child and their parents.
We encourage people to spread awareness, volunteer time,
Give money or actual items of use ,
Visit a special school , do anything
Anytime and in whatever way possible to help any cause close to their heart..
I am also taking this opportunity to share that one of the most outstanding live shows I’ve ever seen has been Shiamak’s show with deaf and deaf-blind children of the Helen Keller Institute.
The length of this letter indicates how much I wanted to share after I saw you truly cared .
Hope Floats ,
Pooja

13 thoughts on “Hope floats

  1. This is unrelated to the posting but I was not sure how else to post something on this blog – sorry.
    Dear Mr Kapur,
    My husband and I are professors at the University of Illinois and recently came across a book – The Indian Clerk. This is a quasi-fictional account of Ramanujam’s life and relationship with a Matematician Hardy. The book has wonderful material for a great film – have you come across it?
    thank you,
    Aparna and Uday

  2. This is unrelated to the posting but I was not sure how else to post something on this blog – sorry.
    Dear Mr Kapur,
    My husband and I are professors at the University of Illinois and recently came across a book – The Indian Clerk. This is a quasi-fictional account of Ramanujam’s life and relationship with a Matematician Hardy. The book has wonderful material for a great film – have you come across it?
    thank you,
    Aparna and Uday

  3. Moved… and now my heart floats … 🙂
    thnx to Shekhar…. to Pooja…. and all you alike wonderful people!!!!…:)

  4. Pooja, thanks to Shekhar’s sharing your note, I had a peek at your website. Noticed that your sphere of work includes CSR consulting. Could you comment about the nature and scope of commitment to CSR within organizations you’ve worked with in India? Would also love to hear your views on who you believe are leading, or have the will AND resources to lead the way in terms of large-scale social impact. Could you shed light on quantifiable metrics, if available, around successful social impact investments in India to date? Thanks and all the best in your endeavors…

  5. Hi Sir,
    I am a great fan of your creativity.I liked ur Masoom & Mr.India.Come on India want to see your direction more in a Hindi Film.Now-a-days watching you on T.V.I found u very touchy & emotional.I think myself also a creative imaginer who can help u composing scripts & stories & it will help me as well.I think if i will be involved in any script & story,i will never let any film flop because of poor story.Will you give me a chance to work with u????I have seen u giving chances to people for 30 seconds.my be one sitting who knows with u will change my fortune????I will be optimistic & wait for your reply.

  6. Dear Shekhar:
    Hope floats when hearts and minds allow themselves to be convinced that the foibles of the human condition are also their strength. There are many moments when conditio humana shines in all its glory as it is just as often barely visible in the dimness of prejudice and intolerance. One such moment occurred last week in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the U.S. when Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates was arrested in his own home after initially having been suspected to be a potential burglar.
    What exactly was going on when the power of law met with the arrogance of intelligentsia? Why was America in such a huff over Barack Obama’s heartfelt excoriation of the local police department? He wasn’t off the mark by an inch when he indicated that racism was still a serious problem in this country. Would the press have pounced as eagerly if that very remark had been made by a white President? Would it have been as much of an issue as it is now that a black president has audaciously said what is clearly an unmitigated and irrefutable truth? I dare say, it would not. But it was said by a black man who resides in the White House and who has reluctantly and uneasily been given the mandate by white America to be their President. He still has to weigh his words far more carefully than any white counter part of his. Why is that the case and why has this rather silly affair occupied the headlines of the U.S. press?
    Racism in this country has not all of a sudden disappeared into thin air, it only has gone underground ready to rear its ugly head when society is letting its guard down. There is no doubt that America has made huge strides in racial relationships as there is no doubt that a black American is still not trusted as much as a white one by the public at large. This incident in Cambridge has opened old wounds, the ones that only reluctantly are healing. It has touched raw nerves. The white community is still grappling with a bad conscience over centuries of racism and the black community is still bitter over the undiminished continuation of racial profiling.
    Of course this confrontation in the darkness of New England between a respected member of the intellectual community and a less than dim-witted police sergeant could have ended with the proper apologies to the clearly identified owner of the home. It did not end there because primeval instincts or shall we say alpha male behavioral patterns had taken over. Both men had engaged in the age old fight for male dominance. Suddenly, both were no longer separated by the chasm of social and educational differences, the man with the superior vacabulary resorted to the vernacular of the street and the one who once had taught racial sensitivity in the police academy cast aside all the knowledge about text book responses he was supposed to have implemented.
    What is there to be learned? Barack Obama, in a Solomonian gesture, has invited to the White House the leading characters in an incident whose meaning and consequences may by far transcend the silliness of its narrative. It is true that according to the President’s words “two good people got snared in a bad moment”. Now they have a chance to teach America that both races have still a lot to learn but that their differences are steadily diminishing. If that were to be the outcome we all would have won.
    With kind regards.
    Horst

  7. Dear Sir
    Moments ago, I saw you shed your precious tears and speak those humble words, “in front of you all, I feel nothing” after watching the performance of physically challenged children on India’s Got Talent. Your humble gestures and child-like innocence and honesty have won you many million more hearts. I am also one.

  8. Dear Shekharji,
    While I had always been your fan & admirer, watching you judging the show “India has got talent” has increased my admiration for you a thousand fold. I would only say how lucky our motherland is to have “Shekhar” as her son.

  9. Respected Shekharji,
    I could not resist myself from conveying my feelings about your personality. In fact first time in my life I am highly impressed with a person from film line. I don’t want to miss your comments/face expressions, therefore never miss “India got talent show. Your face expressions /mood/reaction after participant(s) finishes his/their /performance in itself prove that how pure you are. Your reaction after every performance is amazing & heart touching. The way you express your views & give judgment puts you on top of all judges in different shows running on Television. As your judgment comes from your soul (as I feel) participants always appear satisfied. I do not know much about you but easily can imagine that Film Industry should be proud of having personality like you.
    I wish you long & happy life.
    With kind regards
    Kapil
    Kapil

  10. Dear Shekharji,
    Gr8 to see you as a judge on “India’s Got Talent” show with so much of emotion and honesty.
    I have seen some amazing talents perform on the show.There is one thing that saddens me becaz eventually there is going to be just ONE WINNER.I feel that this show should also be a platform through which these talented performers can further their careers and do what they do best. I would feel sad to see some talented performers go back into their villages and fail to pursue in what they believe becaz of their fate.
    Why am I knocking at your doors??….It’s becaz you are one of the most influential people in entertainment business who can help nurture these talents and help them GLOW from the darkness into a better life.
    One of the ways to handle this talent would be to form professional entertainment groups through which these talented people can perform. Most of them are not as fortunate, influential or lucky . Some even lack basic things in life.
    India’s Got Talent should also be a stage for these less fortunate people to have a better living.
    I hope to see a better and happy life for these talented people.
    Wishing you the best in all your future endeavors.
    Regards,
    Jawwad

  11. Dear Pooja,
    It warmed my heart to read your mail – I am Diana Tholoor, mother of Richard Tholoor, Finalist on India’s Got Talent and the founder of the Chrysallis Performance Arts Centre for the Challenge, Bangalore. 10 years ago, This was one of the first performance outreach programmes in Bangalore for children with challenges working across communities with multiple disabilities
    The dream in my heart at that time was – that each one our performances with the children would profile their different and special abilities. In fact, the wheelchair performance on IGT took me back to the very first of our performances when it was truly difficult to convince people that we all dance in different ways. It was a tough, uphill work!
    Starting with 20 children in Bangalore- today, I will have touched 1,00,000 children across the country with 150 stage productions (no comprise on performance or production) and several radio plays, short films – all of it leading to integration!
    I applaud your effort and would like to know the location you are based out of, a list of institutions you are connected with – in my travels I will visit them and extend the networking service available in that city.
    I also applaud Mr. Kapur, Ms. Bendre and Ms. Kher – the Judges of India’s Got Talent for their determination and evaluation of each item with such objective good sense. I always tell my children that when they step out on stage – they will perform on par with the best – performing better than the best! No pity – empathy, and truthful, honest feedback will change their lives.
    I could go on, but, my passion in 10 years has only escalated and knows no bounds.
    I look forward to your response on diana.tholoor@gmail.com.
    With best wishes,
    Diana Tholoor
    Founder
    Chrysallis Performance Arts Centre for the Challenged, Bangalore

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