CA-turned-famous movie director Shekhar Kapur says his cook taught him one of the most invaluable lessons of his life

Time of India

18 hours ago

In an era dominated by science, spectacle, and streaming documentaries, filmmaker
Shekhar Kapur
stumbled upon a profound truth—not in a lab or lecture hall, but in his London kitchen. What began as an innocent moment of nostalgia while rewatching the 50th anniversary of the
moon landing
turned into an eye-opening exchange with his cook, Suresh, that left the acclaimed director questioning not the science of space, but the philosophy of perception itself.
Kapur, in a deeply reflective
Instagram
post, recalled how he eagerly pointed to the television screen as historic footage of Neil Armstrong's iconic 'one small step' played out. Expecting admiration, he instead got quiet scepticism from Suresh, who, rooted in spiritual belief, expressed doubt. 'How could man land on the moon? I worship the Moon,' he said, firmly separating scientific fact from sacred symbolism.
The filmmaker took Suresh to the
British Science Museum
, hoping to replace disbelief with empirical evidence—replicas of
Apollo 11
, space suits, and all. But even after the visit, Suresh smiled and softly responded, 'Yes, sir, man went to the moon… but to your moon, not mine.' That quiet reply shifted something in Kapur. In that moment, he realised he wasn't just debating facts—he was witnessing the beauty of subjective truth. 'I had just been given the greatest lesson in
Quantum Physics
,' Kapur wrote. 'The universe is as you observe it to be.'
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The story ends with Suresh returning to the kitchen to cook his signature Saturday-night fish curry—unshaken in his belief, and quietly, perhaps unknowingly, having delivered a philosophical masterclass that blurs the line between
spirituality and science
. Kapur's post has since resonated widely, reminding readers that perception shapes reality—and that even the moon, in all its distant glory, might look different depending on who's looking.
Netizens react
One user called the post profound, dedicating it to teachers around the world and expressing a desire to know where Suresh is now. Another reflected on the deeper implications of the story, questioning who truly decides what is rational. A third simply appreciated the storytelling, describing it as perfectly expressed.
About Apollo Landing
On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 fulfilled President John F. Kennedy's goal of landing humans on the moon and returning them safely to Earth. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the Moon. Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon, followed by Aldrin. They planted a U.S. flag, collected lunar samples, and returned on July 24. Armstrong's words—'one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind'—became an iconic moment in history.
About Shekhar Kapur's work
Shekhar Kapur has delivered some of the most memorable films like Masoom, Mr India, and Dil Se (as a producer). His last directorial is What's Love Got to Do with It? Meanwhile, on the acting front, he was last seen in the Tamil film, Vishwaroopam II.