"What to do after 12 th?"

                             

Image Courtesy-collegedunia

             It was a lazy Sunday morning and I was dozing all the way to glory when my 17 year old nephew, Arun (who had come from Kolkata to celebrate Onam with his grandparents and cousins) came running to me with a baffled expression on his face-“Chetta, I need your help, Chetta get up”.Obviously,I was irritated. But then, it didn’t take long for me to realize that Arun was a bit worried.

“Chetta, tell me what should I do after 12?”

“What…? We will have Onam Sadya (Lunch) by 12.30 or something.Tell Aunty..”

“No Chetta,stop kidding.I am asking what course should I choose after 12th.”

My initial reaction was quite obvious. In this age when everyone (from this part of the world) had either Medicine or Engineering as their first choice and other courses only as their back up option, a query like this (that too from a school topper like Arun) didn’t warrant that much of an attention.

“What’s there to think in that?It depends on your CET marks,right?” - I retorted not trying much to hide the irritation in my voice.

“No Chetta, I’m asking you this since you are a doctor. I want you to know your opinion. I have taken WBJEE. My rank is quite good.I might get a Medicine seat this year.But…”

That was surprising. I never knew that Arun had passed his Medical Entrance test with flying colours. Then why his hesitation? What was there to ponder much about this? He would choose a seat in a West Bengal Medical College nearest to his house. Was he making fun of me?-My mind started working in the true Malayalee fashion.

“Congrats. But then,what’s there to think about it? Choose a seat in the College nearest to your house..”

“No,Chetta,I know that.But then,I am in a dilemma….”

“What? Arun,there are millions out there who crave for a medical seat in a Government Medical college. Here you have grabbed a medical seat on merit and still pondering about what to do next.Are you making fun of me?”

“No Chetta. I am serious.I have a dream”.

“What?” I asked trying hard to remember the great speech by  Martin Luther King Jr.

“I want to become a screen-writer”.

A shiver ran through my spine. Suddenly, I could see myself in him. My half-written movie scripts and failed attempts at film making had become some kind of a running joke in our family. Many producers had said yes to my scripts and had assured me that they had quality and blockbuster written all over it but then all my attempts at making a movie had come cropper at the last moment due to some reason or the other.I didn’t know what to tell him.Finally, Igathered courage and told-

“Arun, I appreciate your talent. You can fulfill your dreams. But first complete your education. Cinema is something which doesn’t have any age barrier.You can still write scripts after completing your Medical degree (or even while pursuing it). It is a field full of uncertainties.You might have written a really brilliant script but still there is a chance of it not really getting made….”- I couldn’t complete my sentence but that feeling of fresh tears running down my cheeks was something which I couldn’t miss. Perhaps,sensing my discomfort, Arun didn’t ask me anything more.

After two days, Arun went back to his home in Kolkata. I heard from my relatives that he joined for Medicine in Kolkata Medical College.

The next day, I got a call from Shibu, a well-known Malayalam Film Producer-

“Hello, Dr.Nikhilesh, I want to meet you tomorrow at my office”.

“What is it regarding?”

-nikhimenon