I know it’s ridiculous… totally hopeless, but while watching Frost/Nixon few days ago, I really hoped, rather yearned, that one day we’ll see Narendra Modi too breaking down in front of camera and commit his horrendous misuse of authority as the chief minister of Gujarat — like how Richard Nixon, the only man who ever resigned from the US Presidency, did in 1977.
Below are the three specific things that Frost (the interviewer) mentions when the defamed ex-president Nixon asks him “What do you want me to say?” –
… there are three things the American people would like to hear you say.
One, there was probably more than mistakes. There was wrongdoing – yes, it might have been crime too.
Second, I did abuse the power I had as President.
And thirdly, I put the American people through two years of agony and I apologize for that.
And I know how difficult it is for anyone to admit that – most of all you. But I just feel if you don’t, you’d regret it for the rest of your life.
To this, Nixon, now perspiring, visibly shaken and ravaged, responds by committing his crime and admitting that he let the American people down.
When I heard Frost asking for those three confessions from Nixon, I couldn’t help but think how relevant they are with respect to Narendra Modi — admittance of crime, abuse of power and an apology. I know, I know, it’s too much to hope from Modi who evidently doesn’t share Nixon’s guilt-conscious and compassion (as I perceive from the movie).
So there. Hope in vain…
P.S. Thapar did try once to bring him to knees, but his arrogant approach was bound to fail.
P.P.S. If you haven’t watched Frost/Nixon yet, I highly recommend it. Isn’t it amazing that a political drama that exclusively revolves around an interview can induce an adrenaline rush as high as if you were watching a boxing-movie?
1 Comment
July 25, 2009 at 5:07 pm
Yeah, I am planning to watch this week-end. It seems like a great movie.
But for modi, Yes he might have used his authority for wrong reasons (“that is still might, No court has yet prooved it, while we do not need the proof, we all know he did it) – but will his confession to his crime or his regret to what he did and admittance to public will help people in general, I agree that might really help his conscience.