Last week I went to Fun cinemas at Cunningham road to watch the English flick Avtar with the kids and there I saw these ‘bum’py benches quite popularized by the movie 3 idiots. It reminded me of the 3 issues that unwittingly got tagged with the movie and bore striking resemblance to its namesake. Was it art imitating real life or otherwise? For there could have been only 3 idiots emerging after the release of the blockbuster movie of the year and it would not be difficult to put a finger on it. And the rolling ‘credit’ would go in the following order
Idiot #1(Chetan Bhagat) – the writer who cried foul over the credits for the film. But why cry over spilt milk Mr.Bhagat? I can understand 10 lacs would be a pittance compared to the 200+ Crores that the film has raked in and is still counting. And I am sure you wouldn’t have cared much if your name came in the rolling titles or elsewhere if your remuneration was linked to a percentage of movie proceeds. It doesn’t take so much of arguments over 9 o clock prime time NEWS to figure out whether the film is loosely based on your book or inspired or whatever else you call it. Just the trailer of the movie or the clips that is regularly shown on TV channels is enough to settle the doubt. Anyway you make to the top of the list for making of hash of it, you bargained a candy for the movie deal and then you gatecrash late in the party as a spoilsport .
Idiot #2 (Producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra) - ‘All is not well’ Mr.Chopra. You took the bookrights and made it into a successful commercial masala movie but in the whole process conveniently forgot to give the devil its due. The least you could have done was to assuage the poor writer by massaging his alter ego and giving some credit for the movie. But no you choose to relegate him to the back alleys of rolling titles in the film. Whoever so have read the book will not have any doubt about where the movie is derived from . I have read the book but not seen the movie , and the promotional clippings of the movie on TV channels is enough to convince me about its veracity. So why go to town on the subject contradicting the same? Your unconvincing performance in front of the media entitles you to the second honors.
Idiot #3 Viewer (Hoi Polloi) – You neither got any credits nor raked in the moolah, but you were doughty inspired by the movie to go and re-enact the ragging scene. You are the quintessential idiot who ensures that there is no business like show Business.
4 comments:
Good one, Vaz. Rightly said.
Agreed. Esp the one about Chetan Bhagat.
Btw, where's your millennial memory - NYEve y2K? :)
My information is different than yours.
VC bought the rights from CB and as per the agreement gave him the rolling credit.
Problem is that CB is feeling that he should have got more than what he did
Does it not show that he underestimated his own product??
@ Nona - Tks, couldnt help reconnecting the 'Bum'py benches with the movie related issues.
@V'cat - Tks fr dropping by, your millennial memories were nicely described in your blog post, dont know whether I could do that, But nonetheless I had fond memories of the event in Mangalore where I was posted on my first job assignment at ICICI Bank
@BKC - Yes very much, the whole issue with CB is that somewhere the pent up frustration is showing up I guess. As I mentioned in my post, he bargained a Candy for the movie & then gatecrash late into the party.
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