<p>When I was in school, eight decades ago, my classmates and I used to be taken on trips to museums, factories, the Madras High Court, sites of historical significance and other interesting places. Our teachers wished to impress upon us that a whole wide world awaited us, once we left the sheltering walls of our educational institution.</p>.<p>A visit to a film studio stands out clearly in my memory. That is probably because my fellow students and I were at an age when we had the usual teenage crush on actors and actresses. We were drawn to a group of stars who sat near the sets, waiting to be summoned for the shoot. One of them was decked in the finery of a princess, the main character in the picture.</p>.<p>Grabbing a chance to speak to this dazzling heroine, we asked her how we could enter the glorious realm she inhabited. The young woman condescendingly replied that anyone aspiring a career in films should first have ‘the looks’. At this juncture, a member of the camera crew pointed to one of us: A slim tall girl, with fine features and a dusky complexion. He smilingly said that maybe she stood a chance.</p>.<p>We were amused because the fair-skinned, acknowledged beauty of our class was seething with annoyance. She felt that she alone had the requisite attractive appearance. Actually, after spending a morning at the studio, each of us harboured a lurking desire to join the film industry. We knew, however, that such an opportunity was not even remotely within our reach.</p>.<p>Long after we left school, whenever we met somewhere, we used to laugh at our youthful dreams. The prettiest girl is now a leading doctor and would not have changed her job for any other. One from our group had become a lawyer, another a politician and several others had opted for the teaching profession. The majority (including myself) were content to be housewives. </p>.<p>Looking back, I feel that, while none of us acquired movie roles, we played the parts best suited to our talents. Over the years, I have lost touch with most of my friends and many have passed away. I like to think that they found happiness in their varied walks of life, however humble. After all, one does not need glitter and glamour to shine like a star.</p>
<p>When I was in school, eight decades ago, my classmates and I used to be taken on trips to museums, factories, the Madras High Court, sites of historical significance and other interesting places. Our teachers wished to impress upon us that a whole wide world awaited us, once we left the sheltering walls of our educational institution.</p>.<p>A visit to a film studio stands out clearly in my memory. That is probably because my fellow students and I were at an age when we had the usual teenage crush on actors and actresses. We were drawn to a group of stars who sat near the sets, waiting to be summoned for the shoot. One of them was decked in the finery of a princess, the main character in the picture.</p>.<p>Grabbing a chance to speak to this dazzling heroine, we asked her how we could enter the glorious realm she inhabited. The young woman condescendingly replied that anyone aspiring a career in films should first have ‘the looks’. At this juncture, a member of the camera crew pointed to one of us: A slim tall girl, with fine features and a dusky complexion. He smilingly said that maybe she stood a chance.</p>.<p>We were amused because the fair-skinned, acknowledged beauty of our class was seething with annoyance. She felt that she alone had the requisite attractive appearance. Actually, after spending a morning at the studio, each of us harboured a lurking desire to join the film industry. We knew, however, that such an opportunity was not even remotely within our reach.</p>.<p>Long after we left school, whenever we met somewhere, we used to laugh at our youthful dreams. The prettiest girl is now a leading doctor and would not have changed her job for any other. One from our group had become a lawyer, another a politician and several others had opted for the teaching profession. The majority (including myself) were content to be housewives. </p>.<p>Looking back, I feel that, while none of us acquired movie roles, we played the parts best suited to our talents. Over the years, I have lost touch with most of my friends and many have passed away. I like to think that they found happiness in their varied walks of life, however humble. After all, one does not need glitter and glamour to shine like a star.</p>