Vishal Bhardwaj: In 2020, the most important thing that all of us have learned is how precious it is to be normal

In a few days, the calendar will change - we will step into a new decade and a new year, filled with hope for a better future. Year 2020 has been a year of learning and realisations for most of us. Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj, for one, realised that there could not have been a better time for him to flag off his music label and bring out independent songs that mirror his thoughts and speak in the most poetic and yet the firmest voice with the aam junta to be vigilant about things happening around them.His mentor Gulzar and wife, singer Rekha Bhardwaj were among the first two artistes to collaborate with him and since then, the filmmaker has not looked back. In the process of planning his next few films and shows, the filmmaker told about the lessons year 2020 taught him.
Vishal says, “This year, the most important thing that all of us have learned is that how precious it is really to be normal, to be able to freely roam around, hug our family members, kiss our loved ones and shake hands or embrace our friends when we meet them after long. We had taken these little joys of life for granted. When it was taken away from us, we realised just how much it pinches to not be able to do that. When you meet a friend after very long, you instinctively go towards him or her and then hold back that warm hug. There’s reluctance which is so painful to deal with. This is the greatest realisation for all of us. Success and failure don’t matter if you can’t be normal. Also, this year taught me a lot. When I meet friends and introspect, there’s so much to discover. I have called up people and people have called me up to speak what was left unspoken once upon a time and to bridge emotional gaps between us. This has been a great time and we needed this time to think and reflect as individuals, people, and society.”