As a young Jedi, Obi Wan (Star Wars) starts his training under the Jedi master, Qui Gon Jin. During their travels, they meet a young boy called Anakin Skywalker who, according to Qui Gon, has a great future as a Jedi. Qui Gon goes against the Jedi council and decides to train Anakin. The council feels that Anakin is too unstable to be trained. When Qui Gon dies, he handovers the responsibility of training Anakin to Obi Wan. Obi Wan makes him his ‘Padawan’. Anakin grows into a teenager from a boy under the tutelage of Obi Wan. They both become great friends and look after each other like brothers.
I met Anil in college. He was from a normal middle-class family but did not know much about world affairs, literature or arts. We became great friends and in my youthful arrogance, decided to mentor him in all that I knew. I had been mentored by my own Qui Gon Jin, my maternal uncle. When Anil met me, he could barely speak a few words in English together, so we decided to read books, converse with each other in English so that his conversational English improved, listen to Western Classical music, Fusion, Jazz, discuss about philosophy, religions etc. He was a great learner. Learnt many things and was a great buddy. We became best friends.
Anakin falls in love with Princess Amidala of Naboo. They even secretly get married, which is against the code of the Jedi which advocates strict celibacy for all Jedi Knights. Anakin becomes a great Jedi Knight but feels that he is constantly overshadowed by his mentor, Obi Wan. The truth is that Obi Wan knows that Anakin is not yet ready for greater responsibilities as he still harbours a lot of fear and anger in him which could lead to the dark side of the Force. Nevertheless, he is proud that Anakin has become a powerful Jedi. Despite these differences, they both travel together and work for the Jedi council maintaining peace and order in the Galaxy.
A few years later, we decided to start a business together. Anil and me. Anil by this time had become a great conversationalist, could hold his own in any party, was extremely polished and could articulate his thoughts beautifully. A far cry from the Anil we had met in college. I must say, that sometimes, I did feel very proud. During this time Anil got married to a dear lady called Simran who was known to us through a common friend. Anil and Simran eloped and got married against their parent’s wishes in true Bollywood style. Simran was a loving wife and they both had two boys, Shantanu and Shatrughan.
Anakin meets senator Palpatine. The senator is a Sith Lord, Darth Sideous, a master of the Dark Side of the Force. Darth Sideous lures Anakin to the Dark Side and turns him against all the Jedi. He transforms him into the evil Darth Vader (one of the greatest screen villains of all time). Anakin kills all the Jedi knights except Yoda and Obi Wan. Amidala tries to convince Anakin, but in his rage, he tries to kill her too. Obi Wan fortunately prevents it. Anakin and Obi Wan have an epic light-sabre duel in which Obi Wan seriously injures Anakin but is unable to kill him though he has become a great threat to the Galaxy. He says, “I have failed you Anakin, I have failed you”, towards the end of the duel. Obi Wan is extremely dejected as Anakin was like a brother to him. Palpatine with the help of Darth Vader becomes the Emperor of the Galaxy. While all this is happening, Amidala, gives birth to twins, Luke and Leia Skywalker and dies during childbirth.
A few years into his business, Anil met another old friend of his, Govind, who started turning him against me. After almost five years into the business, Govind became increasingly involved in our business. I was very uncomfortable but remained silent because of Anil. Simran started seeing the signs early on and warned me, but my affection for Anil blinded me. Govind wanted to takeover the business along with Anil. Finally, Anil took the entire business along with all the goodwill and continued with Govind. When Simran protested, Anil threatened her with divorce. They did very well and became millionaires. I could have harmed both Anil and Govind, by taking legal recourse, but I decided against it. When Anil left with Govind, a part of me died. And I felt just like how Obi Wan Kenobi felt after the historic duel with Anakin. I had miserably failed.
To escape from the clutches of the Emperor, Yoda asks Obi Wan to take Luke to a planet where Anakin grew up and Leia to another Senator who adopts her. They grow up and Luke meets Obi Wan as a teenager. Obi Wan takes the responsibility of training Luke, but as a youngster, he is restless and does not listen. Obi Wan is sceptical of being able to train Luke as he had failed with his father, but Yoda insists. Obi Wan dies in a duel with Darth Vader, Yoda continues the training, and though Luke never completes the training, he finally meets his father, Darth Vader and kills him in the final part along with the Emperor. Before dying, Darth Vader turns back to the light side of the Force and joins Yoda and Obi Wan in the nether worlds.
Shantanu, in the meanwhile, has become a handsome teenager. I got to know from Simran that they were having serious problems in their marriage and that Anil was living with another lady nowadays. Anil and Simran have separated. Simran lives with her boys. All this is having a very detrimental effect on Shantanu and Simran wants me to mentor and counsel him as I had done for Anil years ago. I am nervous. My failure with Anil comes to haunt me everyday. What if I am not able to hold on to Shantanu? What if he also goes the same way as his father did? I met the young lad. He is extremely gifted but restless, distracted and lost. I have started talking to him regularly and have become a part of his life.
My guess is that Shantanu will grow up to be a great ‘Jedi’, and will bring Anil back to the light side of the Force, just as Luke did. This could also mean that Simran may get her husband back, Govind may disappear, and I may, just may, get back my ‘best friend’.
Will keep you posted on the happenings in the parallel Universe…
Narsi's Space 