Outsider

The word outsider first came to my mind in the context of Bollywood. It describes people who want to join the film industry but have no connections, no family members, no mentors, and no easy way in. For them, getting opportunities is not just about talent but also about breaking into an industry where access is difficult. They must work very hard and hope for a lucky break.

In 2018, I read The Outsider by Frederick Forsyth, an autobiography that gave me a different meaning of the word. Forsyth was an outsider in many areas.Journalism, intelligence work, and fiction writing. He moved through war zones, secret operations, and the world of books, but he never completely belonged to any of them. Being an outsider gave him a unique point of view, allowing him to observe and write with clarity.

Last year, I read “The Outsider (L’Étranger)”by Albert Camus. In this book, the term takes on a deep, philosophical meaning. The main character, Meursault, does not show emotions in a way that society expects. When his mother dies, he does not cry or seem sad, which shocks people. Society expects people to show grief as a sign of love, but Meursault refuses to pretend. This makes him an outsider; not just because of his actions, but because of how he sees life differently from others.

A few days ago, at Howrah railway station, I saw another kind of outsider. The busy station was filled with travellers, workers, and migrants. Some of them looked like labourers who had come from different states to find work. In this big city, they were outsiders. Trying to fit in, earn money, and survive in a place that was new to them. Their outsider status was due to their economic and social situation. They were separated from the locals by their struggles and unfamiliarity with the city.

From all these experiences, I realise that being an outsider is not just one thing. It has different meanings. It can be about birth, like in Bollywood. It can be a personal choice, like Forsyth’s life. It can be a way of thinking, like Meursault in Camus’ book. Or it can be about money and survival, like the workers at the railway station. But one thing is common — outsiders always stand at the edge, looking in, trying to find where they belong.

Maybe, in some way, we are all outsiders at some point in our lives. And maybe, that is what makes life interesting.