MUMBAI: Lage Raho…. Well, that’s what the Gandhigiri lesson seems to be doing. In an eloquent display of Gandhigiri — borrowed from the Vidhu Vinod Chopra film Lage Raho Munnabhai – directed by Rajkumar Hirani — unhappy Indian green card seekers sent hundreds of flowers to the US Citizenship and Immigration Service, to demonstrate their displeasure against the last minute reversal in policy that would impede their way to permanent residency.
Interestingly, the third part of the film, which is currently in its pre-production stage, is titled Munnabhai Chale Amrika. In this movie, the protagonists Munna (Sanjay Dutt) and Circuit (Arshad Warsi) will travel to America with their histrionics intact.
In response to this event, producer of Munnabhai MBBS and Lage Raho Munnabhai Chopra stated, “Mahatma Gandhi has influenced several personalities, including American Civil Rights Leader Martin Luther King, Jr. These young, law-abiding professionals have set out to strive for reform the right way- the Gandhigiri way.”
Hirani, who has directed the Munnabhai series, added “When you feel you have been wronged, you feel angry. The best way to overcome what you think is unjust, is to protest peacefully. Be nice to your opponent and let him see your point of view. My well-wishes go out to these educated, highly-skilled professionals who have abided by the law and have been eagerly waiting in line for their Green Cards for nearly 10 years.”
Actor Boman Irani, who plays hardball in the popular series, shared his views, “Gandhigiri is a strong tool to protest. You make your opponent see your point of view without losing your dignity. With aggression, one usually loses focus over the main issue, whereas good behavior makes the other person open up a dialogue. What’s key is to keep the efforts ongoing – Gandhigiri isn’t easy, but works in the long run!”
Dr. Emilio Gonzales, Director of the USCIS, announced in a press release on Monday that the agency would arrange for the flowers to be sent to recuperating service personnel.
