amar and akbar go to the movies

Although Anthony had warned me against it - at the end of the day, it's a romance, he said - Akbar was quite keen that we go watch Fanaa. It's about the whole desi film watching experience, he said, rather than watching this specific film. The atmosphere, the mohaul, the crowd of desi families, uncles and aunties and more importantly their attractive sexy daughters, newly married couples of which the female might be worth admiring, cute desi girls on a night out with their other also cute girlfriends... yes, there were a variety of reasons, Akbar mused, why this film might be worth investigating. So off we went to the cinema.

I was still concerned - romance is not a topic I deal with very well, and that too when it is set in delhi - rang de basanti left me as tormented as i was enthralled. But I steeled myself mentally and physically - which is to say I bought a few miniature bottles of red wine and smuggled them into the cinema, said my bismillah al-rahman al-rahim - akbar is teaching me how to act muslim - and prepared myself for the worst.

The worst never came. Sure there is nothing more execrable than watching other people in love, having succesful relationships, being happy and so on, but Anthony had not mentioned they would be conducting their romance in delightful verse! Where we thought we would be nauseated, we were absolutely charmed. For you see....[more to follow...publishing what is before is simqly a commitment device to force myself to continue}