Iron Curtains for Glass Ticket Windows?

In late December last year, we went to Big Cinemas in Pondicherry to watch 'Dhoom 3'. I looked hard for the ticket window (the regular glass ticket window one normally sees at cinemas), but none was to be found except for a red iron curtain of a window where people had already queued up. It soon became apparent that these guys were successfully purchasing tickets from behind that iron curtain!

A closer look revealed that this was indeed the functional Ticket Window. There was just a circular opening wired in mesh from which patrons could communicate with the counter guy. Unbelievable! I should have known that security was the most obvious reason but still asked a few people around what this was all about. They seemed mildly amused at my ignorance and explained that the cinemas in Pondy can't afford glass ticket windows because fans smash them in a frenzy if the shows are sold out. In order to protect property as well as the ticket counter guys from the brunt of this cinematic rage, solid iron came to replace clear glass.

My friend Bagalavan Perier who worked on the sets of 'Life of Pi' with Ang Lee gave me useful insights into the collective consciousness of Tamil audiences and their passion for cinema. About the ticket window, he said 'Oh, this exists not just in Pondy but all over Tamil Nadu and most of the South Indian theaters except for those in malls. Just go watch a Tamil film especially one starring Rajni, Kamal, Vijay or Ajit. First day, first show -- you won't be able to hear the dialog as people scream throughout. Some times fans will tear apart the screen if the operator won't play the song they like again.'

He continued, 'Over here fans are crazy that's why chief ministers are always related with cinema. MGR was a Tamil hero, Jayalalitha (current chief minister) was a heroine. Karunanidhi was a script writer who holds the name for changing the trend of Tamil cinema. People have been requesting Rajnikant (actor) to enter politics since 1980. Just because of his support, Karunanidhi became the Chief Minister in 1996. When Kamal Haasan's controversial film 'Vishwaroopam' was banned in Tamil Nadu, we willingly went to the neighboring states of Kerala and Andhra Pradesh to watch the movie!'

Vishwaroopam Poster

What about women in southern cinema?

Shobana

I asked if Shobana, an acclaimed actress and danseuse who runs a Bharatnatyam school in Chennai would enter politics. Baglu replied, 'No, she won't because she is from Kerala. Kerala people are clever, they treat actors as actors unless he or she is worth their support. In Tamil Nadu it is different. You have male fans performing abhisegam (worship) to posters of film stars by squirting milk on them, or beer. In Pondicherry, they even smash the beer bottles after!'

Fans Pour Milk on a Kamal Hassan Poster

Do Tamil actresses enjoy this love too?

Apparently yes! Some fans constructed a temple for Kushboo and Namitha. On reading this article, this is what Namitha had to say about her temple, 'I am both thrilled and scared because I find a temple built in honour of a living person - especially me - a little difficult to come to terms with.'

Just before my jaw couldn't drop further, Bagalavan trailed off, 'In the South of India, not just the actors but even directors, music directors and cinematographers are worshiped. We have fan clubs for technicians too. Antony and Lenin in editing, Ilayaraja in music, Sandosh Sivan in cinematography, Rasul in audio editing ....'

------------------------------------

Thanks to Bagalavan.
Shobana's pic courtesy her official site.

Watching Dhoom 3 in Tamil (in Pondicherry)

Dhoom 3 Poster in Pondicherry

Warning: Small Spoiler Alert

Deep announced he was going to watch Dhoom 3 on Christmas night.
In Hindi.
In Pondicherry.
Yep! In a city, where very few locals understand Hindi.

The next day he affirmed that the cinema hall was houseful and packed with North Indians who apparently have a sizable presence in Pondy which is why slots are reserved for certain Hindi films.

On his recommendation, I set out to catch the film only to find that the matinee show was dubbed in Tamil which I don't understand. I watched as locals thronged the ticket counter, asking for tickets to 'Tttoom 3'.
How would they react to the visuals and sensibilities of a Bollywood production?

My friend Bagalavan, an industry insider explained earlier, 'Tamil audiences come for the brand name 'Dhoom' and not necessarily for the power cast. Chennai Express released here in Hindi and was not dubbed in Tamil. Even My Name is Khan, Ek Tha Tiger and Three Idiots were released in Hindi but Tamil movie goers still went to watch them either for time pass or to learn Hindi. Me and my friends go to watch the differences in cinematic techniques.'

So anyway, Dhoom 3 started.

I remembered Baglu's words, 'In Tamil films, you won't be able to hear the dialogues spoken when the actor makes his first appearance on screen.'

Would hell break lose when Aamir came on?

His introductory scene pretty predictable --  direct transition from child (awakening from a nightmare) to  adult. Muscles rippled in the dead blue of the night. But my co-onlookers were stone faced..

Next was Abhishek Bachchan's theatrical entry in a ricshaw, literally exploding onto the screen through a pile of bricks.

Again, a dull silence..

Maybe a small moan for funny man Uday Chopra?
Nada encore!

Wait! All's not lost! Love was the universal binder of things.. So would the kiss between Aamir and Katrina provoke a reaction? Any reaction? A flying chappal, gasps of 'Chhhooo'?
Nope!

But this is not to say that they were totally unmoved by the film.

There was this one (and only) time when two-fingered whistles pierced the air -- yep, you guessed right.
This was when Samar (Aamir) accepted the inspector's (Abhishek) handshake with a goofy shyness, only to suddenly morph into the creepy twin Sahil (also Aamir in a double role).

Pure evil that deserves applause!

Because this is where you come to realize time and again why Aamir is the undisputed  King of the Khans. While other actors slip into their character's skins --- Aamir drags you down with him into the spine-chilling recesses of his dark grey personnages!

Analysts say that Dhoom 3 is having a good run down south.

It will take a while for Tamil audiences to warm up to the Badshaahs of Bollywood but when that happens, hopefully the bridge between North and South India would have shrunk.

If there's any one who can achieve this gargantuan task, it's Aamir!

Note: Reactions could have differed if I watched the film on a weekend night to a packed house!