Thank You Robbie Coltrane For Hagrid, He Will Stay With Me Forever

It all started with a book but never ended. Rubeus Hagrid aka actor Robbie Coltrane ruled my heart when I saw him in Harry Potter films. Rubeus Hagrid played the role of a gamekeeper and keeper of grounds and keys at the legendary wizarding school Hogwarts. Before that, when I read the book written by JK Rowling when first came across Hagrid’s character, I always imagined him as the humongous guy with a thick beard having all the wittiness in him. For the first time, when I saw Hagrid in the Harry Potter Series, it was like Coltrane coming as Hagrid right out of my imagination. He will always be my favourite, beloved keeper of the keys. 

Hagrid will be my favourite because he showed me an elderly person can totally be your cool buddy, and as we all know, Hagrid- the keeper of the keys was Potter’s buddy, to whom he can connect, whenever stuck. Coltrane in the series or in real was "forensically intelligent and brilliantly witty" as his agent Belinda Wright called him.

Hagrid for me was more like a cool uncle, I never had in my life. He was caring and looking out for Harry and his friends but I could feel the warmth and compassion. He was a scary but soft-hearted and cuddly bear. Hagrid had stories to tell about his own magical days like a grandfather told their grandkids. He has been a mentor, that any kid would need in their childhood. More or less if things won’t work out Hagrid's words, "Don't you worry, you will just be fine", are more than comforting.

What will a kid my age would need when the world seems unfair to me as a girl teenager and the trauma of those times, was less dangerous than Hogwarts but enough for an ordinary girl. During that time, I lost my grandmother and sister, it was a hard time. Harry Potter was an escape, Hagrid and Dumbledore made it easy. I might have imagined my loss in them. Obviously, who wouldn’t have lost in the world of Hogwarts? It was all fascinating for a kid my age. Hagrid’s laugh, witty comebacks, punchline, and fatherly affection towards the little Hermione were fulfilling. Every time Hagrid and Hogwarts’s kids came on screen, it was magic. All the eye contact, especially the way Hagrid looked with those colossal eyes, was sharp and mighty. Just combine with his domineering voice, it felt soothing, like Hogwarts having its own version of Santa. 

Hagrid taught me to be myself, never understood at that time, but you said it so I picked it up. Today, when I am grown up I understood it. Hagrid in one of his dialogues said, “Just be yerself, I know it’s hard.” I wondered, what is hard in being yourself. When I revisit the series, everything comes back. In my journey from childhood to adulthood, I learned why it is hard to be yourself. I could totally relate to what he said then, with the life I lived up till now. 

I had this habit of stacking Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Dumbledore, and Hagrid paper cuttings in my diary. Wrote their dialogues and magical power instructions near them. It worked for me like more motivational quotes.

One of his dialogues lived with me, “I am what I am. I am not ashamed. Never be ashamed, there’s some who’ll hold it against you, but they’re not worth bothering."  In one of the dialogues, He also tells, Hermione to think before reacting, I couldn’t master that yet, attempted to do so.

Image Credit- Snehal Mutha

Rubeus Hagrid's character understood the value of being appreciated and accepted, but never at the cost of changing oneself. I never gave this much thought to him, I was always fascinated with the thought of this big man and so chill vibe, rare in real life. When I think now, he was more than that. He seems more accepting and never judged people on the basis of their backgrounds or past. These all emotions, learnings, and though-process were possible because Robbie Coltrane brought Rubeus Hagrid’s character to life and made it legendary. 

Last Words For Hagrid, Robbie Coltrane death

In fact, Robbie Coltrane also, in the last of his words for Hagrid, said, “The legacy of the movies is that my children's generation will show them to their children so that you could be watching it in 50 years’ time. I'll not be here, sadly. But Hagrid will. Yes!"

Truly, Hagrid is there, with me forever. It is a strange feeling to see your childhood buddy pass away, who once helped you cope with the crisis. Thank you! Coltrane for being the best Hagrid and filling my life with good memories when it was dark. Meet you in a parallel universe. Till then rest in peace, Coltrane.

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