Wednesday, December 23, 2009

IFAC #23: There's a reason we all know what "deewana" and "paagal" mean..

Thanks to the Twitterati folks for coming up with suggestions for topics of my last two entries in this Advent Calendar. It's shown me exactly why I don't blog about Indian films daily - I feel like I keep repeating myself, the same talking points and I just kind of get sick of my own words.

But today's topic is the craziest things you've done out of love for Indian films. Numerized list in no particular order of my own pagali things follows. To be honest, they're not all that crazy.

1. Blow 40 euros on a DVD. This was, in retrospect, simply really stupid. But back then I didn't know of anything better! I didn't know how to order films online, where to order from, what places to trust etc. So instead I took a painstakingly long route to ensure I'd have DDLJ to watch and rewatch until end of time. I ordered through a shop in Finland, who ordered the DVD through some other means they had (probably a shop in the UK) and through that, I got my damn DDLJ DVD. But the cost, plus the fact I had to pick it up from the shop myself to avoid extra costs? Not cool at all. Thankfully I've learned a thing or two since then. But sometimes I think it was worth it, because DDLJ is really that much a favourite.

2. Force my friend to take the longest metro ride ever to buy some Tamil DVDs. London, early 2008. An agonizingly long metro ride and walk to Colliers Wood, a part of London seldom visited by tourists, I'm sure. And what for? Ayngaran Video, of course! But what can I say? So so worth it. The DVD's are way cheaper than in their online shop, but still good Ayngaran quality, the guy who worked there was super nice and recommended good films (which I knew to be good because I'd already seen them!) and I ended up buying way more than I intended and good times was had by all. Well. Not sure about my friend...

3. One word: fanvids. Be it Sakshay set to Spice Girls, more Sakshay set to Spice Girls, a celebration of Saif&Shahrukh hosting or Siddharth + Sufjan Stevens, I'm a classy, classy fanvidder. Who's actually not very good.

4. Decorating with filmi posters, regardless of how cheesy they are.

The thing is, I've completely lost touch with the outside world in regards to what is cool and unique and what is just painfully cheesy and cringeworthy in terms of interior decoration. Somebody might walk into my room and be all, "Oh god she's crazy I have to get out of here!" but I just look around my room, my cheesy posters (I admit I unironically adore the Keemat poster - yes, really .. so much leather and awesome ladies, how could I not?) and I just feel kind of ..home?

5. Two words: Sakshay Manifesto. Oh, you haven't seen it? Click on this (it's in my livejournal).

I mean this is really something. I can just imagine myself explaining this to a total ignoramus of all things Indian cinema.

"You see, there are these two Indian actors. They both had careers a little above the gutter during the 90's, and they did some films together.."

"Oh, were the films good?"

"Not really. Well, some of them are. Well, one of them is okay, some of them are worth watching for the cheese and the rest aren't really worth mentioning."

"Right.."

"But I sort of developed this odd fondness for the films and these two guys acting alongside one another. I mean, they're just really good together. Actingwise. Well, sort of anyway."

"...I see."

Hell, sometimes I feel like even most Hindi film fans wouldn't understand. Sometimes I don't even quite understand it myself.

Maybe I really am nuts.

9 comments:

rhilex said...

Can I just say that the Hrithik-Farhan pic is super cute? ...I can? Good.

And Sakshay to Spice Girls, ftw!

Rosalind Francis said...

I can't really think of anything crazy I've done for Bollywood.

Oh! except audition for a film? http://rossywar.livejournal.com/414589.html

Beth Loves Bollywood said...

Does going to Europe to stay with people I'd never met in person count?

I've done some foolish things BECAUSE of Bollywood, but they weren't in service of it. Sadly.

Ness said...

Hmmm...all I know is I realised I was possibly watching TOO much Bollywood when I was "slightly" obsessed with Hrithik Roshan's armpit hair, or lack of it, and was watching films back to back to track its appearance and disappearance.

Yeah. That's a bit crazy and weird. I'm over it now :)

Filmi Girl said...

Such a good topic!! Does waking up an hour early to blog Bolly gossip EVERY FREAKING DAY count as totally crazy? Because I do that.

Also, I once talked my way into an closed event and then charmed my way into an interview with Hard Kaur while she took a smoke break.

Filmbuff said...

Interersting read as most of your posts are. I am sure a lot of Indians themselves can share some of their crazy ways too. For eg, I have known people who que up for long hours on the first day of a movie to catch the first show of their fav star in India or a cousin who saw a movie of his fav hero for 16 times! etc

Ness said...

Heh I just remembered I spent hours on ebay in pursuit of Bollywood Singstar for my PS2. I don't know if that says more about my love of Singstar or Bollywood? (Singstar is a karaoke game for those who don't know). Either way, no-one will play it with me because all the songs are, of course, in Hindi, but I quite happily warble them by myself.

Crazy, or SAD?!

bollyviewer said...

Hrithik and Farhan should totally do a film entitled Deewana Paagal!

Crazy things for Bollywood... hmm... Does spending hundreds of bucks ($7-8 at a time) to buy DVDs count? How about watching films that I know are awful, simply because I must see more of Shashi, or Vinod, or Hrithik, or... Not crazy enough? How about spending hours screen capping - trying to catch a lift of the eyebrow, the right facial/body angle or just the right expression?

veracious said...

rhilex - Yeah, it's a fab pic. Thanks, Luck By Chance!

rossywar - It's certainly something. :)

Beth - Oh it counts for sure.

Ness - Whoah. Dedication to the max!

And I wish I had Bollywood Singstar. But not having a PS2, it doesn't seem worth getting the console just to get the game..

FG - Sneaky way to get an interview. I like it.

Filmbuff - True, true. Serial watchers of films are surely a common form of craziness.

Bollyviewer - Yeah, building a collection is not something many people will understand .. except fellow collectors. You can never have enough!