Zinda Bhaag! But How Many?

We often use the slang, “is mulk sy Zinda Bhaag”, but the point is: how many of us can move to other countries? The whole 25 crore population can’t go. The film “Zinda Bhaag” is not the story of the young generation being hopeless about this country; it's the story of our society’s internal rot. How everyone is brainwashed just to earn money. Otherwise, you don't carry any value. I know money buys you power, but it’s the society that convinced you that money is the only thing that should be respected. We often say, “sirf paisy ki hi izzat hai,” But we ourselves, as members of society, only give respect to money or those who have money.

We are in a country where resources are limited, and the pressure to earn money is so much that most of us become pessimistic. There are not only fewer resources, but there is also a deeper rot in our society. We are conditioned to think that money is everything. Our youth do not just want to go abroad due to unemployment and lack of opportunities, but due to intense pressure from family and society to earn more money. Young people, especially men, think that if they earn less, they are a failure.

This movie tells the story of three friends who desperately want to go abroad, believing it's the only way to get rich and get respect in society. It’s not their fault; it's embedded in our society. Even parents respect and value the child who makes more money. Only the ones who have money are respected in society. Your worth is equal to how much money is in your pocket.

This movie discussed a lot of social issues like family pressure, societal norms of respect and worth, the distinction between halal and haram ways to earn money, and the missing depth among male friendships.

The movie starts with the three men, Tambi, Khalidi, and Chitta. Tambi’s father sent him abroad illegally with his pension money, but he got caught and deported. Here comes the societal problem: he didn’t tell his dad or even his friends that he didn’t do anything wrong abroad, but that it was destiny. He didn’t tell his dad what happened to him in those two years when he was missing because he thinks society will not accept him. And his father also refused to accept a failed son. The lack of closeness and pressure to earn money led him towards prohibited (haram) ways to make money. He got involved with a gangster, which made him even more distant from his father.

The other is Khaldi, who is the only man of the house; his mother keeps emotionally pressuring him, and I would say blackmailing him and comparing him with others who are abroad and earn more money. She also uses his sister's wedding to pressure him more. As a result, he gets involved in betting, which is haram, and there is no discussion among friends about halal and haram money. Even her mother didn’t ask him where the money was coming. But in the end, he lost a big bet, and all his money was gone.

The third one is Chitta, who is doing a low-paying job in a restaurant, and he looked kinda satisfied with his life. He didn’t even want to go abroad illegally, but his father forced him.  He died in the end.  

But here comes the most important part: a young girl seems to be more optimistic. She worked hard and tried to earn money cause, she knew she didn’t have the resources to go abroad, and it was her only option. Instead of being hopeless, she chose to do hard work irrespective of what’s the condition in the country. She also had a love affair with Khaldi. She also tried to lift him, but he was a pessimistic character who didn’t want to work on himself. I know you will say, males have different financial pressures than women. But my main point is it's not gender; it's the type of attitude, positive or negative, pessimism or optimism.

Here, an important thing is the stereotypical behaviour of males, which is not discussing their problems even with their friends; they meet daily, share jokes, share difficult as well as good times, but there is no emotional depth and warmth; everyone tried to hide what they were actually going through so as not to look vulnerable and protect their male ego that men can’t talk about emotions. The ironic part is that even after the death of Chitta, at the end, Khaldi still chose to go abroad via an illegal route, and the cycle goes on.

My question is, what made him do this despite his friend’s death? His Desperation? His Pessimistic Attitude? Society’s Pressure?

We are almost 25 crore in total, almost 15 million, migrated legally from 1971 until now; illegal ones and those who lost their lives don’t have any count. Almost 15 lakh migrated during 2024 and 2025; many are still in line for visas. My question is: how many can move to other countries? 10 lakh, 20 lakh? What other 24 Crore will do? Sit and dream about going abroad? No, we can’t do this! Pessimism is not the way forward!

I know there is no array of hope, but a negative attitude is also not good. Work on your personality, your skills, or anything you can. Just try to be a responsible member of society. As far as societal and family pressure is concerned, it will remain the same, but it's up to you how you handle it. Don't collapse under pressure and stay hopeful. Try to sit with people who are positive and ignore the ones who let you down, even if they're close ones. It's the time when you need them, but if they refuse to give you warmth, don’t accept their emotional blackmail and pressure, too. Society will keep on pressuring you, but you have to learn to be resilient. Cause in the end, it's only you who will be destroyed if you are not resilient against society’s pressure.

It’s not about, I am, saying don’t go abroad. In fact, I encourage people who want to do research, invent, or engineer new things to go abroad because our country doesn’t have basic infrastructure for research. But those who can work in the country or don’t have the resources should not be desperate about going abroad. We have to build this country from scratch, so we have to be resilient, and I repeat, Pessimism is not the way forward!