Friday, December 18, 2009

Shake Up Sid!

A misunderstanding arose between Anon and me.

I told Anon that I was going to do a “get coffee for boss” job. She thought I was going to live the Wake Up Sid life of Konkana Sen Gupta. Which means that I would get hit on by the boss (editor of fancy magazine with saxophone on his office wall), get squired around the jazz joints of the city, graduate to a columnist, and get to dump the boss – all in the span of a month. And I’ll get paid to do all this.

Unfortunately, life’s not like that. Internship is only for a couple of weeks, boss is a woman, there are no saxophones on the office walls (I checked), and I won’t be paid.

This is what annoys me about Bollywood. It doesn't makes films about life. It makes three hour long advertisement clips on life. Which means that everything is colourful; everybody is young, hopeful and charming; Mumbai is all sea, rains and chor bazaar; bosses flirt with you; Daddies are rich – and everyone had paid jobs. The dilemmas, frustrations, betrayals, failures and Bombay gutters – all the things that make life real, gritty and so worth fighting for – are airbrushed away. It is a big huge advertisment industry.

Of course, not that anyone minds. My 24-year-old sister called from Bangalore and said, “Wake Up Sid was so real. I totally identified with it.”

Clearly, as a race, we deserve Bollywood and Dharma Productions.

6 comments:

Girish Shahane said...

I'm surprised you didn't find Wake Up Sid scrupulously realistic, given that the workplace was based on Time Out.

globalbabble said...

Giggle... ya ya ya! So I've heard. But Naresh doesn't look like Rahul Khanna, has no secretary to get him coffee, or saxophones on his walls. And I doubt he will ever allow a column so hediously called "New Girl in Town".

Girish Shahane said...

Of course he doesn't look like Rahul Khanna. I believe I mentioned my theory about cool people and magazines...

globalbabble said...

Yes. and I think it is totally worth a blog entry. Write it before I do and appropriate it ;-)

Unknown said...

I object being "qouted" without my knowledge lady. I thought journalist ask permission before "embarassing 24 yrs old unidentified sisters" :)
I said that I liked the film...I didnt say I "IDENTIFIED" with it ...it was an entertaining film with usual proportions of unrealisme mixed with moments of realism. I especially felt some familiar tingling with the mother trying to speak english...made me think of mama..anyways hows you sista ;)
I am in big mess...
LOVE U
P

globalbabble said...

Hi P,

I am glad you registered your protests!

Love
C