Every great magic trick consists of three acts. The first act is called The Pledge; The magician shows you something ordinary (a bird in a cage), but of course... it probably isn't. The second act is called The Turn; The magician makes his ordinary some thing do something extraordinary (the bird disappears from the cage). Now if you're looking for the secret... you won't find it, that's why there's a third act called, The Prestige; this is the part with the twists and turns, where lives hang in the balance, and you see something shocking you've never seen before (the bird re-appears in the cage). This is what every magician lives for to see that look on the face of his audience.
The above quote is from a movie called “The Prestige” which was released in 2006. It is a brilliant movie which specifically brings out the reason why a performer (magician) does anything that he does.
If we extend this thought, it applies to any one of us, in whatever role we play every day, we do it for the prestige. There are around 6.6 billion magicians in this world. Everyday and every single human act of kindness is a magic and miracle!
As a father, it gives me immense pleasure to see the bright smile on my kid’s face, when I bring back the doll which I had hidden away from her. It makes me feel special and a hero. At work, we solve many issues, tackle customers etc, but we do not celebrate here. We wait for the moment to showcase the final act which could be going beyond the call of duty or value addition and the appreciation. The midnight wish on a wedding anniversary, is the pledge, but the look on her face when she sees the little ring under her pillow is the prestige. I could go on and on…
I do remember when I first started writing. It was in my 5th standard when I wrote the crime thriller “Red Handkerchief” J It might sound outrageous when I praise myself but read on… I remember what motivated me to write the story. It was just to get praise from my grand father on how good my hand writing was. He had given an editorial from The Hindu (News paper) for practice. I felt it extremely insipid and I thought why not write some story – thus was born “Red Handkerchief” … I took this a little further and started participating in creative writing and other such events. When I read the blogs, I wondered, what it would be like the whole world reading my thoughts and writings and hence started blogging… Now I want to publish a book!
Imagine what the sheer act of prestige would accomplish if I were to win a Booker prize!!!!! J
I definitely acknowledge that there are great men other than me, so, let us take the case of 2 great prodigies from India. Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan & L.Subramaniam. These two are magicians with violin. One plays for the prestige and the other for a purpose. This is how the perception is among the music lovers. Even though many people and their perceptions do not have a scientific basis, they seem to have got it right. L. Subramaniam went on to become a researcher in violin and music in general. Kunnakudi on the other hand though much praised for his innovations he is more known as a show man.
KJ Yesudas a great south Indian carnatic singer, once said, “I sing cine songs for my stomach and carnatic for my soul” and SP Balasubramanian another great cine singer (though having a Guinness record) and having performed the final act of Prestige, still searches for his soul in carnatic music.
Anyway, coming back to the story, any performer (read it as “anybody”) lives and performs for the prestige. It takes time for anybody to transcend from a stage of sense gratification to soul realization. I endeavor to write on topics which I strongly feel about, use words which could influence people, the style that would be enjoyable by all and want my writings to be passed on to the coming generations. But I guess, still I have not enjoyed the ecstasy of the prestige.
I hope to leverage it judiciously and last but not the least I am keen not to end up searching for my soul in the prestige!
-Ciao
The above quote is from a movie called “The Prestige” which was released in 2006. It is a brilliant movie which specifically brings out the reason why a performer (magician) does anything that he does.
If we extend this thought, it applies to any one of us, in whatever role we play every day, we do it for the prestige. There are around 6.6 billion magicians in this world. Everyday and every single human act of kindness is a magic and miracle!
As a father, it gives me immense pleasure to see the bright smile on my kid’s face, when I bring back the doll which I had hidden away from her. It makes me feel special and a hero. At work, we solve many issues, tackle customers etc, but we do not celebrate here. We wait for the moment to showcase the final act which could be going beyond the call of duty or value addition and the appreciation. The midnight wish on a wedding anniversary, is the pledge, but the look on her face when she sees the little ring under her pillow is the prestige. I could go on and on…
I do remember when I first started writing. It was in my 5th standard when I wrote the crime thriller “Red Handkerchief” J It might sound outrageous when I praise myself but read on… I remember what motivated me to write the story. It was just to get praise from my grand father on how good my hand writing was. He had given an editorial from The Hindu (News paper) for practice. I felt it extremely insipid and I thought why not write some story – thus was born “Red Handkerchief” … I took this a little further and started participating in creative writing and other such events. When I read the blogs, I wondered, what it would be like the whole world reading my thoughts and writings and hence started blogging… Now I want to publish a book!
Imagine what the sheer act of prestige would accomplish if I were to win a Booker prize!!!!! J
I definitely acknowledge that there are great men other than me, so, let us take the case of 2 great prodigies from India. Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan & L.Subramaniam. These two are magicians with violin. One plays for the prestige and the other for a purpose. This is how the perception is among the music lovers. Even though many people and their perceptions do not have a scientific basis, they seem to have got it right. L. Subramaniam went on to become a researcher in violin and music in general. Kunnakudi on the other hand though much praised for his innovations he is more known as a show man.
KJ Yesudas a great south Indian carnatic singer, once said, “I sing cine songs for my stomach and carnatic for my soul” and SP Balasubramanian another great cine singer (though having a Guinness record) and having performed the final act of Prestige, still searches for his soul in carnatic music.
Anyway, coming back to the story, any performer (read it as “anybody”) lives and performs for the prestige. It takes time for anybody to transcend from a stage of sense gratification to soul realization. I endeavor to write on topics which I strongly feel about, use words which could influence people, the style that would be enjoyable by all and want my writings to be passed on to the coming generations. But I guess, still I have not enjoyed the ecstasy of the prestige.
I hope to leverage it judiciously and last but not the least I am keen not to end up searching for my soul in the prestige!
-Ciao
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nice post. I am pondering if you attempted writing this post on getting inspiration from the title of the movie or after making the post of presitge you made use of the movie.
ReplyDeleteThy shall reach success with 'prestige' .. :-] keep writing more.
ReplyDelete