Monday, January 4, 2010

3 idiots

Before Show
I had not known that Aamir Khan would be buying tickets for us. The moment mail came - 3 idiots - register for bus, I did it, coz this was going to be last informal get-together across sections.
3 disparate iimb junta started wondering about the timings and my company during movie. One was an academic intern AK, another our students affairs councilor DG and the third one was a batch mate VM. The bus was at 4. It was pretty far from here.

I was surprised to learn that AK had worked on English movies in US and she had taught film editing on and off for 10 years. She had got a card and a gift for Raju Hirani and others. DG luckily opted to come by the 5 pm bus and I was glad that I would not be juxtaposed with AK and DG.

The Movie

The show started on time. And I left my e7 seat next to AK, coz I found my section mates sitting in the first row of the theatre and was enticed to join them, leaving AK at the last row with other ladies. Initially my head started hurting with my eyes scanning the huge screen in front of me. Later i got used to it. The first scene when I had gone to watch shooting jostling amidst the crowd in C-block and which made me keep away from shooting ever after was the underwear ragging scene. Only later folks told me, that the real ragging done in north was nothing compared to what was portrayed on screen.

It was a good movie and made me reflect on how I studied for some exams, without liking some of the subjects, just for the sake of getting marks, without understanding, aimed at just giving what the prof wanted. Given a choice, I would have taken literature, and fine arts - painting after 12th instead of doing dad’s engineering. I was really surprised, how they made the sets for flooding scene, even the room they made sets with was a eye opener for me about the film industry. It was a neat finish. Though parts of it were overdone. Looking at iimb campus, iimb junta opening door, even our Saravanan sir running as police was amusing. Before I leave, am going to climb the tank around 5 someday next week, and see the campus from top.

After Movie – with Aamir, Maddy
AK was writing the names of the film crew on a card to be given to hirani. I got to the second row from the first row. Theatre folks got sofas for Hirani, the lyricist, VVChopra and the guy who stamps the butts in the ragging scene. Hirani looked at AK and acknowledged her who was sitting next to me in 2nd row. They entertained us and answered few questions, even sang song for us till Aamir came. Aamir was young as usual and full of life, even after getting whisked twice to reach the theatre to meet us. The first thing he asked for was - where is appa, my father-in-law. That appa, whoever it was had left, he spoke to Pankaj sir who were sitting right across along with the film crew. He answered all queries with full enthusiasm and thoughtfulness typical of a Piscean.

Why do we need an Aamir to say all this? Aamir said he had spoken to edu min and he was aware of the need to change the present edu system and academic approach. Aamir said, the kids talents should be appreciated. Instead of asking, how much marks you got, the mother ought to ask, how many students did you help this day. He said, how he never studied coz he started working when he was 16 years old. How he played tennis and beat the other kid. When he went back home, his mother after being happy for his victory, a while later used to wonder, how the mother of the defeated child would feel. He asked for little bit of caring and consideration on the part of the winners. He said the most out rightly blunt words of harsh reality about VVChopra and still made it sound funny, without spoiling the relationship between them.

Then he went on to say, how each child’s gift is great. He went on to talk about abilities in TZP. To love and be good with machines, to sing, to skate, to read the mind of others, to be good in sports, to care for others etc. At this point, AK squeezed my hands and said, don’t lose it, even if hurts you at some point of time. Vishwa threw couple of questions at Maddy who was being sidelined. Maddy got a call in between and was visibly hassled. He just said, apparam koopidraen and kept it off. It was 10:30 and we were starving. AK didn’t want to be alone with director and faculty for the dinner Hirani had invited.

Back to Campus
I broke my promise of not touching trans-fatty acids and ended up eating chocolates. We returned in iimb bus, where I blissfully collapsed on AK’s lap amidst shouting and singing in the bus. Came back, had 1 dosa, turmeric milk in night canteen. When i went back to room, I had orange and pomegranate peeled and kept ready for me in a big coffee mug. Oh man, I thought, in December to eat such things after 12 at night, but could not say no and ended up eating. Jolly good evening it was, after a hectic day.

On the side note
It was really surprising to know that our prof Shyamal Roy sir had been instrumental in granting permission for shooting taking place on campus. Roy sir is one of the few profs, I really admire both as a person and a teacher. I believe simplicity is the ultimate sophistication; he was simplicity and kindness personified.

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