Wow - It is Nov 17th already and it has been 16 days since my last post ... what hectic lives we lead - no wonder we all sooner or later succumb to some stress related disorder. But morbid thoughts aside, here is my "detailed" Om Shanti Om experience.
Kutti (those on a need to know basis know who I am referring to) and wife called us to go catch the Om Shanti Om flick at my brother's deserted theater - (begin footnote) it appears some of the local mainstream cinema halls have stumbled on the fact that screening Bollywood movies is a sure way of generating copious quantities of moolah given the zillion or so well-heeled fanatic Bollywood fans in the bay area but this is a topic best left for another blog (end footnote). Anyway, the rotund and 24 weeks pregnant mrs and I made our way to the "deserted" theatre 10 minutes before the agreed upon time. Turns out that the zillion fanatic Bollywood fans also decide that this was the movie to see on a Friday night at our "deserted" little theater (and therefore ignoring the other Bollywood blockbuster "Sawaria"). We buy our tickets and I send the mrs in to sit down and save some seats while I waited in the lobby for the rest of the tardy group. Boy, was that a mistake.
Unbeknownst to me, she was soon fighting for her life, beating back hordes of desperate and very rude country bumpkins (not from Arkansas as you might think but rather from the badlands of Mumbai and Delhi - prime breading ground for Bollywood junkies) who were ready to sell their souls for the nice seats that the mrs managed to acquire. But this attack was just the beginning. When I returned without the rest of the group (who were informed that the show was sold out over the phone and therefore never made it to the theater) and attempted to allow some folks to sit in the empty seats, I had to face the music from the people sitting in our row who apparently believed that some crime was committed. Apparently I should not have attempted to reserve the seats as long as I did - i guess I missed the fine print on the ticket where this was mentioned. Usually, I try and avoid confrontations as they are rarely worth the effort but given that the mrs was close to tears and these bumpkins just occupied the empty seats without so much as a thank you, I was itching for a no-holds-barred fight to the death. To make matters worse, the women in the bumpkin group wanted a apology from me. I kindly requested them to not hold their breaths waiting for my apology. Thankfully, before things could get any more acerbic, the movie started. The mrs wanted to leave right away, movie be damned but my cooler head prevailed and I managed to convince her to stay for the rest of the movie. I think we are both glad that we did regardless of the boorish behavior from our brethren.
I read somewhere that SRK was more popular outside the motherland than in it. Given the response in the theater and some of the posturing in the movie, I am inclined to agree. But the art of film making in Bollywood has improved considerably over the years. In fact, they have take the same song-and-dance-routine and made it funny and enjoyable. This movie is certainly testament to the fact that some well choreographed dance numbers and some witty dialog is well appreciated by the immigrant desis.
I dont want to let on too much about the movie here lest I spoil it for the folks who are waiting to see this movie but there are a couple of scenes in the movie that are hilarious because SRK attempts to mimic Rajni!! Mind it ... Of course, I am probably sleeping on the sofa for the next few days for writing the next few words but I have to say/write it. The $10 entrance is worth it just to see Deepika Padukone. Move over Aiswarya Rai, Deepika is now the most beautiful Indian actress in Bollywood. Deepika seems to have a little something extra over Aiswarya Rai - both are stunningly beautiful women but Deepika seems to have a little more grace and a sparkle in the eyes that stand out. Check out a real discussion on this topic at my good friend's blog.
Disclaimer: I have nothing against country bumpkins from Arkansas. In fact, I think they are quite funny. Also I have nothing against Bollywood junkies. I even know a couple of German ones. I am sure my experience with Bollywood junkies detailed here was the exception rather than the rule.
Kutti (those on a need to know basis know who I am referring to) and wife called us to go catch the Om Shanti Om flick at my brother's deserted theater - (begin footnote) it appears some of the local mainstream cinema halls have stumbled on the fact that screening Bollywood movies is a sure way of generating copious quantities of moolah given the zillion or so well-heeled fanatic Bollywood fans in the bay area but this is a topic best left for another blog (end footnote). Anyway, the rotund and 24 weeks pregnant mrs and I made our way to the "deserted" theatre 10 minutes before the agreed upon time. Turns out that the zillion fanatic Bollywood fans also decide that this was the movie to see on a Friday night at our "deserted" little theater (and therefore ignoring the other Bollywood blockbuster "Sawaria"). We buy our tickets and I send the mrs in to sit down and save some seats while I waited in the lobby for the rest of the tardy group. Boy, was that a mistake.
Unbeknownst to me, she was soon fighting for her life, beating back hordes of desperate and very rude country bumpkins (not from Arkansas as you might think but rather from the badlands of Mumbai and Delhi - prime breading ground for Bollywood junkies) who were ready to sell their souls for the nice seats that the mrs managed to acquire. But this attack was just the beginning. When I returned without the rest of the group (who were informed that the show was sold out over the phone and therefore never made it to the theater) and attempted to allow some folks to sit in the empty seats, I had to face the music from the people sitting in our row who apparently believed that some crime was committed. Apparently I should not have attempted to reserve the seats as long as I did - i guess I missed the fine print on the ticket where this was mentioned. Usually, I try and avoid confrontations as they are rarely worth the effort but given that the mrs was close to tears and these bumpkins just occupied the empty seats without so much as a thank you, I was itching for a no-holds-barred fight to the death. To make matters worse, the women in the bumpkin group wanted a apology from me. I kindly requested them to not hold their breaths waiting for my apology. Thankfully, before things could get any more acerbic, the movie started. The mrs wanted to leave right away, movie be damned but my cooler head prevailed and I managed to convince her to stay for the rest of the movie. I think we are both glad that we did regardless of the boorish behavior from our brethren.
I read somewhere that SRK was more popular outside the motherland than in it. Given the response in the theater and some of the posturing in the movie, I am inclined to agree. But the art of film making in Bollywood has improved considerably over the years. In fact, they have take the same song-and-dance-routine and made it funny and enjoyable. This movie is certainly testament to the fact that some well choreographed dance numbers and some witty dialog is well appreciated by the immigrant desis.
I dont want to let on too much about the movie here lest I spoil it for the folks who are waiting to see this movie but there are a couple of scenes in the movie that are hilarious because SRK attempts to mimic Rajni!! Mind it ... Of course, I am probably sleeping on the sofa for the next few days for writing the next few words but I have to say/write it. The $10 entrance is worth it just to see Deepika Padukone. Move over Aiswarya Rai, Deepika is now the most beautiful Indian actress in Bollywood. Deepika seems to have a little something extra over Aiswarya Rai - both are stunningly beautiful women but Deepika seems to have a little more grace and a sparkle in the eyes that stand out. Check out a real discussion on this topic at my good friend's blog.
Disclaimer: I have nothing against country bumpkins from Arkansas. In fact, I think they are quite funny. Also I have nothing against Bollywood junkies. I even know a couple of German ones. I am sure my experience with Bollywood junkies detailed here was the exception rather than the rule.
Comments
Going to a movie in California is quite a difficult experience - I have never seen those kinds of crowds in the U.S. anywhere else...for Hindi or for English movies.
* I love your writing style...
* I love hearing about what's happening out there...