The World In My Dreams
It’s refreshing to see a film coming from another culture. We get to experience a new language and culture while experiencing the life of a new character. “The World In My Dreams” is a delightful short from the Indian entertainment industry.
The boy Raju works all day, listens to fun music, and has a big dream to own a nice car. He essentially represents each of us. We all have to work and we have our own material dreams. The question for us, is it worth it and is there anything else out there to make our life more meaningful?
Raju works with a smile on his face all day. He is mute, but that doesn’t stop him from having a great attitude. He gladly serves tea and wipes tables clean because he chooses to be happy. He could have been sad and depressed the whole time. He could have done his job terribly, but that’s not who he is. He is a positive person who gives back to the world.
A rich woman gives him a really big tip and at first, he refuses, but his manager makes him take it anyway. His eyes widen with surprise and hope. That’s a lot of money for a tea stall worker! Finally, he can live a nice life with a fancy car, get the girl, wear nice clothes, and laugh at everything. He is under “the magic of money, the spell of money money…” just as the theme song says.
He is abruptly pulled out of his dream by a small beggar. Raju recognizes an opportunity to change the life of someone else so he gladly gives his hard-earned tip to the child. His manager just shakes his head, but Raju goes home with a full heart. He dances the night away in his room.
Anusha Srinivasen Iyer, the director, stated “The best dream is to fulfill someone else’s dream…And that is what our protagonist does…Signifying, he who has nothing really has everything…[this film] is thus the journey of a child who is mute, but speaks volumes for humanity…”
It’s as Gautama Buddha said, “Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it. Happiness never decreases by being shared. Before giving, the mind of the giver is happy; while giving, the mind of the giver is made peaceful; and having given, the mind of the giver is uplifted.”
What a perfect film to see if you are struggling with the idea of charity and selflessness. In our society, we are praised for being selfish, stepping on others to achieve our dreams, but does that make us happy? At first, we experience short-lived happiness, but if we truly desire long-term happiness, taking Raju’s example seriously would greatly enhance the quality of our personal lives.
The sound and editing were good. The cinematography was nice. The acting was believable. The music was perfect for Raju’s story. I look forward to seeing more from Anusha Srinivasen Iyer.
