The Noise Within: A Cinematic Reminder and a Chilling Reality

In the silent brilliance of Pushpaka Vimana (1987), Kamal Haasan plays an unemployed graduate navigating a world full of contrasts — from poverty to luxury, honesty to deceit, noise to silence. One particular scene resonates deeply with today’s unsettling realities: After replacing a drunk rich man and stepping into a luxurious hotel suite, Haasan’s character struggles to sleep. Why? Because he is too used to the chaos and clamor of his modest surroundings. To remedy this, he records the noises of his former life — the barking dogs, clanging utensils, and the rickety fan — and plays it back in his plush suite just to fall asleep.

That scene is more than cinematic creativity — it is a profound metaphor. It reminds us that what we are conditioned to accept becomes our comfort zone, even if it’s not healthy. And when people try to replace their present reality with something drastically different — whether it’s comfort, wealth, or relationships — the consequences can be both ironic and tragic.

In a chilling real-life incident that recently hit headlines, Sonam Raghuwanshi murdered her husband Raj Raghuwanshi, allegedly for her lover Raj Kushwaha. A husband, trusting and unsuspecting, became a victim of betrayal within the very space he called home — a sacred institution that should have been his haven.

Just like Kamal Haasan’s character in Pushpaka Vimana found it hard to adjust to luxury because his body and mind were used to struggle, there is a disturbing parallel here — when people emotionally or morally degenerate, even a life built on love, trust, and commitment becomes difficult for them to accept. The line “Once an individual accustomed with consuming adulterated food can't cope with pure food” painfully applies here. In some relationships, the value of integrity is replaced by the pursuit of selfish desires, and purity becomes too “bland” to tolerate.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case. Headlines are repeatedly filled with grotesque stories of spouses being eliminated for extramarital interests. What was once rare and shocking has started to find routine mention in crime columns, desensitizing society bit by bit.

A Call for Awareness and Reflection

The intent of this article is not to pass moral judgment but to raise social awareness and rekindle the value of trust, empathy, and communication in relationships. These crimes don’t just begin with betrayal — they begin with lack of emotional maturity, suppressed frustration, societal pressures, and impulsive choices.

Let Pushpaka Vimana teach us something here. The graduate eventually regrets his actions. He lets go of the comforts he dishonestly acquired. He realises that true contentment cannot be stolen — it must be earned. He doesn’t get the girl or the riches, but he earns something more powerful: redemption and peace of mind.

So, to those in relationships:

Communicate your emotions, don’t bury them.

Seek help when you’re mentally disturbed — there is no shame in therapy.

Don’t let temptations destroy lives — yours or someone else’s.

Cherish loyalty — it is rare and irreplaceable.

Let not love turn into manipulation. Let not marriage become a crime scene. Let us not become so desensitized to noise that we mistake silence for lifelessness.

We must teach our children not just how to earn a living — but how to value lives.

Sanjay Pattnayak
Sundargarh