The Chennai Express

So a couple weekends ago, I went to go visit my dear friends C and D who just moved to Redwood City from The City (San Francisco) and into a brand new (beautiful!) condo. Among other things, we had a great weekend going for walks in the wildlife reserve outside of their front porch (life’s rough, right?), debating the safety of his new, red Ducati speed bike, most likely drinking more than we should and “doing Indian things” (their words, not mine). We went to Indian brunch, where I got some dosa (a large crepe-like thing, which you tear into pieces and eat with one of the five various sauces that it’s served with) and going to an Indian movie. We went to go watch Chennai Express, which, although there are terrible reviews of it floating around, I found to be thoroughly interesting and enjoyable. I learned a lot. It was truly a cultural experience. A recap:

• All my Indian friends love to dance, but they always made fun of how funny Indian dancing (moves often stolen from Bollywood movies) is. Well, there is AWESOME music in Bollywood movies, so my conclusion is that Indians dance differently (note: not just standing there dry humping the air) because their music is better. Here’s what I see for the future-- a return of Indian beats (bhangra beats, yo) in mainstream music again (kind of like when we saw the emergence of latin music in the 90s)
• Why can’t all movie theaters offer snacks of the samosa variety? I tell you what, it doesn’t have to be an Indian movie for me to thoroughly enjoy a mango lassi (I know it’s not “real Indian food”, but I really like them) and a samosa with my movie. I think they’d pair just as well with the new Wolverine movie than with Chennai Express. Delicious
• I feel like I got my money’s worth. It was approximately a 3 hour movie. I got an intermission in the middle-- to buy more snacks. When I came back, there was another set of previews before the movie started again. This, my friends, has got to be pure marketing genius. Someone in the Indian movie industry came up with the “Why not two sets of previews? Two sets of advertising revenue? Two times to build hype for what’s coming up?” and someone gave him a million dollars in a burlap sack (with a green dollar sign painted on it). I’m pretty sure that’s how it works when you’re a business genius
• Finally, I know Indian movies get a lot of crap because they’re slightly formulaic. Okay, really formulaic. The formula basically goes like this: take one protagonist who is poor, have them meet by chance another main character of the opposite sex who is not. Have them fall in love. Introduce a third party that is a hurdle for the two characters to overcome if they want to be together. Multiply with some family disbelief, some family members trying to secretly sabotage/support the two lovebirds and then some silly antics. Divide by one big (very public) confession/show of love. Live happily ever after. I’m not a big romantic, although I wish I was. But the best part of the movie is the escapism. It’s just so over the top that you actually begin wishing that you could believe that life will work out like that and you’ll find the person that will make you happy (and apparently break into a choreographed dancing/singing number with elephants) and that understands where you’re coming from even though you’re from two different worlds. I’m willing to pay for that

Now, all I need to do is find another Indian movie house. Chai please.

And, to end on a dance number: