Marudhanayagam

Barriers and limitations exist only in the mind. They cease to exist when someone comes along and believes that they can be broken or surpassed. That one person or incident breaks barriers not only for themselves, but also for all those who aspire to do so. It is all about showing others that ‘this is possible’! What many once thought impossible has later gone on to become commonplace occurrences once the mental barrier was broken by a pioneer or a brave heart. Instances are dime a dozen.The sub-four minute mile was considered a humanly impossible achievement by many until Roger Bannister proved them wrong. Now, running a sub-four minute mile cannot even guarantee an athlete’s qualification for the Olympics. 100 meters in under 10 seconds is the domain of mean machines, kangaroos and cheetas, many would have thought a few decades back. Now, we have people gunning for the 9.5 second mark. But, it is not just about athletics.

Science too has its instances of inventions that have had sweeping effects in the ways of thinking. No one thought that man could have traveled at the speed of sound - that was around 50 years back. Now, we are in an era where Concorde jets, which have gone at twice the speed of sound, have been phased out. Yes, all it takes is one foot in the door to keep it open, so that it never closes again. So, what does this have to do with cinema? Cinema too has its share of barriers and limitations which have been repeatedly broken from time to time by people who have dared to broaden their horizons.