Tuesday, July 04, 2006

the cross-pollinating bee

I was going to use the queen bee, for the obvious analogy, but then realised that she doesn't actually do the menial task of cross[cultural]-pollination. And so, I suppose, Ms. Nair will reside among the rest of us, for now. Bit uncomfortable for the rest of us, I can tell you. Especially because this worker bee goes on about flying, and not flowers. And something about roots - but I can't be sure what she was talking about. Maybe you can...

The brilliant thing is that there's room for all of us--for our four-hour Bollywood extravaganzas and for my independent work--because we come from a place whose heart is as big as the ocean. And to those who worry about us filmmakers becoming more international than Indian, I say this: It is because my roots are so strong that I can fly.

Hmmm....there maybe room for all of us, but either partition the room, or enter when I have left it, so that I can make "Gangsta MD" independently of the 4-hr Bollywood extravaganza, but then claim inspiration from my utterly necessary room-y: finally, Bollywood ("Munnabhai MBBS") inspires a Hollywood remake. Seriously, look at me fl-ll-y-y-y-y. Better still, "look at me sooo-aaaa-rrr, like I've n-e-v-e-r done bef-ooo-rr-e" ...to be sung in the manner of John Ashcroft. Better still, to be sung by John Ashcroft (move over Sonu Nigam, or Kumar Sanu or whoever else is the latest trend)

For those of you who are obviously not me, I had the following tabs open during all of this:
http://www.time.com/time/archive/preview/0,10987,1205385,00.html
http://film.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/Guardian/0,,1785682,00.html
and of course,
http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2424640?htv=12...(this is Ashcroft singing)
Then got to http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/the_daily_show/index.jhtml to see Stewart mock it. It is worth it, I assure you.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't understand the need for this double patronizing...I mean, I read the article and sure, Mira Nair didn't depart from the normal perception of Bollywood. But she was writing for an American magazine, where the audience is not yet as familiar with Bollywood in particular, compared with the UK, or Germany or Russia.

Anonymous said...

I agree with harold kumar. She is one of the greatest director we have today, who have made Indian movies popular in the west... how can you forget "Monsoon Wedding"??? That was a great movie... even "Bride and prejudice" was a huge hit in so many countries. Give her some credit!!

Anonymous said...

I hate to say it, anon, but Gurinder Chadha made "Bride and Prejudice" (the Bend It Like Beckahm lady), and it SUCKED!

Anonymous said...

Just a clarification (thanks for ze comments, Anon-1)...but I don't think the criticism of Nair's position vis-a-vis Bollywood translates into bashing all of her movies. The author seemed to have a problem with the way the article was written, and that was all. Where does Monsoon Wedding specifically come up for further criticism. Read the damn post before getting all emotional!!!!