Lights... Camera... Action

Raising the bat, removing the helmet, looks up at the sky and sends a thank you message. Sweat drips down indicating the efforts that took to reach here…Waves at the audience!

*claps* *whistles* *drum rolls*

Commentators— “Ladies and Gentlemen…Look.. That’s Indian Cinema! 100 and still going strong! Wow! A well crafted century!”

100 years of drama, 100 years of emotions, 100 years of romance…. 100 years of Indian cinema. Cinema and Cricket are the two C’s that can make us go Crazy (ya… that’s also a C  ).

We have watched with wide-open mouth when the heroine shouts ‘Naaahhhiii‘(Note- The intensity of Nahi is directly proportional to the intensity of the bad news), clapped fanatically when Amitabh reacts to this  “Aaj mere paas bangla hain, gadi hai, bank balance hai… tumare paas kya hai.?” Mere Paas Maa Hai“, fallen in love when Raj says “Senorita, aise bade bade deshon mein aisi chotti chotti baatein to hoti rahti hain“, shouted ‘Thalaivaaa Super!’ in the theater when our Super Star asks ‘How is it?’ seeing the camera, became emotional when the little boy asks Velu Nayakar ‘Neenga nalla vara… ketta vara?‘… kamal aka Nayakar baba chokes unable to reply (Thenpandi cheemayile… BGM plays on when we drench the handkerchief) 

Had I just told we are movie buffs, it wouldn’t have been this effective ! Such is the impact of Indian cinema… We have laughed, cried, danced, sang, fought… We get transported to a completely new world for three hours… A world designed by the director, created by producer, captured by the technicians and presented by the artistes!

‘Roja’ directed by Mani Rathnam starring Arvind Swamy and Madhubala is not only A.R. Rahman’s first movie… It was also the movie that introduced me to the world of cinema. It was my first ever theater experience. Though I don’t remember much, my parents still say I got so excited and started singing the songs so loudly in the theater that they had to take me out 

From then on, there was no looking back. I grew with Indian cinema. My neighbour and me claimed that we have a ‘Mr.India’ friend to the kids in my street after watching ‘Mr. India’. Shahrukh became my favourite hero and Kajol, my favourite heroine. I somehow wanted Raj to take Simran with him in the train and wanted Anjali to marry Rahul. I have broken many of my sunglasses trying Rajini styles (singing self BGM) with them and  dropping them down 

Indian cinema has nurtured the patriot in me. I was overwhelmed to see Indian flag raising up and British flag going down in a black and white movie when I was in my primary classes. I have jumped in happiness when Aravindh Swamy rolled on the Indian flag to prevent it from burning. Sardar Bhagat Singh, Gandhi and many such movies proudly presented our leaders to the world. ‘Apne jeeth ho unke haar haan… Koi humse jeeth na paye chale chalo chale chalo‘ from Lagaan was played in loop especially during India vs Pak matches.

All the school events had a touch of Indian cinema… Independence day/Republic day function will never be complete without gals in white salwar kameez and tri coloured dupatta singing ‘Bhaarat Humko Jaan Se Pyaaraa Hai… Sabase Nyaaraa Gulistaan Hamaaraa Hai‘ or ‘Achham achham illai, ini adimai ennam illa’… ‘Dola re‘, ‘Dol Bhaje‘, are sure shot in annual day dance performances…’Chale chalo‘ became the cheering anthem that gave team spirit during sports day.

We have often ended up using many film dialogues in our day to day conversation. When we want to sarcastically remark something stupid, ‘Enna koduma Saravanan idhu‘ came to our rescue. ‘Maapu… vechitanda aapu‘, ‘varum…. aana varaadhu‘, ‘usss habba… ippave kannakattudhe‘, ‘ipdiye usuppethi usupethi odamba ranagalam aakaranga pa‘ are few of Vadivelu’s dialogues that have now found its place in casual conversations. Using such dialogues, drives home the point as well as makes it lively.

Indian cinema has evolved, relating to the generations, the trend and mind set at that point in time. Cinema is a medium that has captured time. I can still see, how life was before I came to this world. If we watch a 70s film, we’ll know the lifestyle then. It has brought forth the issues that were of utmost importance then. It is also a record that can be shown our present day to the future generations.

There is a lot of celebrations about 100 years of Indian cinema. As a movie buff, I don’t want to be left behind.

Long live Indian cinema!

*hooting* *whistling* *milk abhishekam for the cut out*