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Dearest Geeta,

Have started becoming more and more like a protagonist of a ‘feel good’ film. Have mellowed down a little.

Cigarettes ? I know that will be your first question. They have gone down from 20@day to 15@day. You, the censor board of India and honorable Mr. Anbumani Ramadoss will be very happy to hear this.

It doesn’t look as good as we wanted it to be back then. May be I too am trying for a naxalite-parallel-cinematic-revolution. “That the audiences will rise up one day and grab all the ‘different’ and ‘well made’ films.”

I can hear you snigger.

One thing I’ve noticed is that CHANGE is very uncomfy. Any new idea is not discovered on its way, but only recognized when it’s gone. People want great ideas like Lagaan, Rang De Basanti, Taare Zameen Par.

Ideas that everyone can relate to and say “Hey Ishaan Awasthi is my son. This is almost my son’s story. I will be more sensitive to him from now on. Let’s come up with more such brilliant ideas like Taare…”

Well well well….

Taare Zameen Par is a great idea for sure. Whether or not it is a great film I don’t know, but a great idea YES.

But then what we forget is that Amole Gupte and Deepa Bhatia lived years with it. They did what I wouldn’t dare to do. Namely, not just watch Iranian films (which I’m doing) but also go and spend years of their lives with children, privileged and lesser privileged. I wouldn’t have the will or the guts to do that. I’m too selfish for that.

The point is great ideas come only when you nurture them for a period of 7-8 years. Pakeezah,Mughal-e-Azam, Sholay took years. So did Lagaan and Taare Zameen Par. They needed nurturing. Those endless cycles of emotional highs & lows; from the passionate bias to the subject to an objective world view to even a what-the-hell-it-is-TRASH feeling. The sinusoidal waves of passion is what makes an idea to a good idea, and perhaps a great one.

Before you bring me down from the ‘pedestal’, let me admit i may not have a great idea …may be perhaps 1 or 2 good ideas … and many many trashy ones. I want to put time in them ….

Anyways, as usual I’m rambling.

Hey do you remember the time we sat together on Marine Drive.. “Queen’s Necklace” as Dad calls it. The place where Irrfan and Konkana are sitting after all that shopping. Irrfan is guzzling Beer and smoking and telling her “I will miss you”.

The place where Ranveer Shorey is “pissed on” by Vinay Pathak and Brijendra Kala. Well obviously not exactly THAT place !!! But you understand what I’m saying right ? And then we saw both the films together.

Didn’t we ? I sooo loved Irrfan… and you said he was like me in the film ..Forever leeching at women !!!

You also said how u loved all the characters… Shiny for trying to do something different in his life rather than the routine..and actually having the guts to attempt (irrespective of how unintentionally hilarious he looked in “Kyun mar gaye sab key vishwaas ??? Kyun jab tak bomb blast nahi hota hum sotey rehhtey hain etc etc..” )…

How sharman is caught between choosing his love and choosing his career … he eventually chooses his love and basically asks Kay Kay menon to f**k off ….

In fact I remember we saw Grudge together in theater. When you got so scared that for the first time u hugged me … We should’ve seen Shutter together (the Asian one).. Its damn scary .. Am pretty sure I would’ve got luckier …. Haven’t seen the Hollywood shutter yet and don’t intend to either … Who would I hug when i get scared in the theater ??? (If at all i get scared by the Hollywood one that is)

There is something I remember from Hazaron … Siddarth wanted a revolution.. He was inspired by Che Guvera (i know my politics is real bad….but whatever…u get the drift) and naxalites in Bengal..and wanted an encore in UP/Bihar…But he failed… I think I remember Sudhirji saying somewhere that the reason the revolution failed is because there was no alternative solution provided. It’s like saying the government will ban Prostitution without providing any other source of employment for the out of work sex workers …. It’s like banning/fining for answering nature’s call in public places…but not providing enough public toilets…

Its like some of us banning YRF, Karan Johar, David Dhawan, DVD remake films without actually providing/writing/directing/producing/encouraging an alternative “sensible cinema” …

As Anurag says “90% of the films we make are DVD remakes… The first original film which comes out, we pick hair on it…”

If you are not happy with what you have .. Go and do something about it than crib about it ….whatever … but start in your own way ….provide a solution …. Be a Yuva …. Put your money where your mouth is …. That’s what ….

Heck I’m sounding like Shiv Khera ….

Whenever in some fancy egoistic trip i thought of myself as a Naseer/Om Puri ..i always saw you as my Shabana Azmi … Wish you had been here with me ….

Next time I see you .. I know you won’t see me …

Until then,
Missing you,
Lots of Love
Siddarth….

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