Do I like travelling or photography. Yes. Do I like capturing random moments on my reel or watching others unfold such candid moments? Yes. Do I appease myself by watching travel diaries, for my lack of travel? Indeed. Does a hot host add to the pleasure of pseudo-travel? A little. Does the hot host's desperate attempts to add the fun element spoil the fun? Yes. Do I feel the adrenaline rush when I see people sign on a near suicide note taking the blame on themselves if anything were to happen to them while jumping off cliffs with a rope fastened to their waists, or from a 40,000 feet high flying plane, with a parachute and an altitude meter? Hell yeah!!
Where do I turn to if I want to do all of the above? Move aside National Geographic, Discovery TLC or Photo galleries. Bollywood Flicks are here. Indian moviemakers have risen beyond the trivial storylines OR dialogues OR good humour OR 'the so-called 'inspiration' from the Hollywood blockbusters. Apparently, tijori ki chaabi is the Cinematography. Hire a foreign ace photographer, throw in a couple of method actors, offload a few songs on their 'unconventional' aka offkey vocal cords, don't forget to add the 'all ends well' bit & the audience is gushing about the simplistic beauty, the fresh appeal, the soothing music. The purpose of cinema is, ofcourse, entertainment, & seems like the Indian Audience is finally maturing to a new paradigm of realistic drama, where not all the people have a sense of humour or memorable dialogue or delivery. Is being 'Regular' the new unconventional or is it just a novelty waiting to turn blase? Or is it just another paradox: In the race to be different, all have become the same- Wannabe Differentiators.
Am I ready for such offbeat cinema....Not yet. I still seek laughter, or the goosebumps while watching a movie instead of watching a star studded documentary ramble on, reminding me of the money I blew up, for the same thing I could've watched back home, with a li'l less masala, & a li'l more liberty to switch the channel as I pleased.
