Imtiaz Ali’s movie Tamasha struck a chord with a lot of people. It’s a beautiful film, a thought-provoking story about living life like a robot and forgetting who you truly are. It captures that monotonous grind we all feel—that sense of being caught in a routine. The film’s message is clear: break free, pursue your passion, and you’ll find yourself.
But here’s where I disagree with Mr. Ali. I don’t think his conclusion is as straightforward as it seems. He suggests that we can all escape the robotic life by simply doing what we love for a living. I’ve tried that, and I can tell you from personal experience: it’s not that simple.
I’ve never been a robot. I’ve always pursued what I love. My friends have often envied my choices because I’ve turned my passions into my profession. I’ve excelled at these jobs, loved the work, but eventually, I ended up right back where I started—feeling like a robot.
Take photography, for instance. I love it. I landed a dream job at a top photography magazine, where I was paid to shoot, meet incredible artists, and learn everything I could. It was my passion, my profession, and my life. So why did I leave?
Here’s the simple answer for you, Mr. Ali: I left because it became monotonous. My dream job became a routine. Loving a chocolate doesn’t mean you want to eat it every single day. Eventually, even the sweetest treat loses its appeal.
So I moved on. I found another passion: travel. I became a researcher, traveling to the country’s most remote interiors. It was thrilling, an adventure every day. Until it wasn’t. It, too, became a routine, and I turned into a robot all over again. I even tried combining my passions, working as a photographer-journalist for a newspaper, but the result was the same.
The real trap isn’t that we don’t do what we love; it’s that we turn what we love into a job. The moment passion becomes a full-time profession, it can lose its magic. It gets tied to deadlines, demands, and the dreaded routine.
Instead of a complete career overhaul, I believe the real secret to a fulfilling life is pursuing what you love alongside what you do. Add some spice and fun to your “robotic” life, and you’ll feel alive.
If I love photography but work at a bank, why can’t I be happy? I can dedicate my eight-hour workday to my job and my evenings and weekends to my passion. That’s a perfect balance. And if I’m a city reporter who loves to travel, why can’t I excel at my job, work hard, save my leaves, and then take a month off to ride my bike on the highest road in the world?
I won’t be living like a robot then, will I?
This is my take, and I’d love to hear yours. Maybe I’m right, maybe I’m wrong, or maybe I’m just looking at the world differently. But I still believe that Imtiaz Ali’s conclusion in Tamasha is misleading. What do you think?
