Manto’s trailer made it evident that the audience should expect a deeply touching story, and that’s exactly what it delivers. It is an artistic and gripping portrayal of Saadat Hasan Manto’s life and struggles as an artist. The film stars the brilliant Nawazuddin Siddiqui and is written and directed by the highly talented Nandita Das.

Saadat Hasan Manto was revered for his short stories that revolved around the India-Pakistan partition. His stories touched upon the deep emotional tragedies brought by India’s partition during the British rule, often to a point of raising controversies and legal troubles. His soul-stirring stories were labelled as offensive content by the court and he was dragged to legal battles during the last years of his life.

Source: deccanchronicle

Today, Manto’s creative work is celebrated as an Urdu masterpiece narrating the true agony of partition. It is admired by scholars and readers around the world. His struggles as a fearless writer can teach you a lot as a budding entrepreneur pursuing an MBA course.

3 lessons budding entrepreneurs can take from the movie Manto

1. 1. Always stand by the truth and what’s right

From 1947 to 1955, the most popular phase of Manto’s writings, he encapsulated the bitter realities and the dark side of the society in a bold and almost spiteful manner. One notable fact about Manto was that throughout his career as a writer, he churned out every single word to please the writer in him and no one else. He stayed true and authentic to every single story he wrote. His blunt narration of truth often landed him in trouble, but he was not afraid of speaking his mind.

If you’re planning to start your own company someday, you are bound to face dilemmas and struggles. You may be expected to go with what the investors want or what is considered profitable by the market experts. Standing by what’s right, without coming across as stubborn or rigid, is an essential quality to become a successful entrepreneur. By using logical thinking and considering the facts, you can win everyone’s vote without compromising your decision to stand with what’s right.

Source: The Quint

1. 2. Don’t let anything hamper your creativity

    

Manto experienced countless ups and downs in his life. From a flamboyant and opulent time in Bombay to obscenity trials, health issues, and financial scarcity in Lahore – he saw it all.

However, throughout his career, these ups and downs didn’t overshadow his passion for writing and creating exceptional masterpieces. Some of his best stories came when he hit the rock bottom showcasing that he worshipped his work more than anything else.

Starting your own business can be demanding. You’ll have to play multiple roles. There’ll be moments of success and failure. What is important is to keep a laser focus on your goals and not get easily distracted. Keeping a positive outlook and taking baby steps towards your goal is the key to long lasting success.

1. 3. Don’t worry about success - focus on producing world class outputs

    

It is said that Manto told his wife, “Saadat Hasan will die, but Manto will live”. The confidence in this statement shows that Manto knew if he’d focus on creating world-class output, success will make its way, even if it happens after he’s gone.

Many believe that it is essential to go through the same suffering to evoke the kind of deep human emotions that Manto’s writings did. It came true as a prophecy for Manto in the last days of his troubled life. Today, Manto’s success downplays his failure and the credit goes solely to his passion – his writings.

As a budding entrepreneur, remember that the only way customers know you is through your product or service. If you put efforts in satisfying the customers, they’ll acknowledge it and may even stick with you as loyal customers. Even the most successful companies had their fair share of struggle before they started churning profits.

Write your own story of success

To sum it all up, remember to take up new challenges bravely, showcase your creativity and don’t let anything stop you from doing what is right! At the end of the day, success may or may not come, but you can always hold your head up and high because you stood for your own beliefs.