Often, after watching a good movie, some characters from the movie continue to live-on in our minds, for a while, at least. During my younger days, it happened a lot more frequently and I used to live the experience, literally. A 'dishum' on the screen would automatically tighten my wrist. A 'dishum-dishum' on the hero would mean anger and rage on everyone's face. And during community viewing (one TV in the neighbourhood phenomenon) nodding heads, expert commentators, and weepy women added that much more to the entertainment value of DD programmes.
After watching a Bruce lee movie, I could kick the shit out of anyone. Bash up goons single-handed or take on the whole world after 31/2 hrs of Bacchan Saab. This short stint imaginary characterization depended entirely on the movie and the character I patronised.
A few years back, The movie Matrix had a huge impact on me. Thankfully, it lasted for about 30-minutes. It was an expensive movie-date (no pocket money, no source of income) catching up with a friend (phoren returned) that day. About 300 bucks for a two-way auto ride, movie tickets, beer and food included. Fiesta time, certainly! I might have had some more money to spare, had my bike not ditch me that day. But in that case the story i'm going to write about wouldn't have happened.
So, the time, venue and agenda was set. And as I completed the part-bus, part-auto ride(to save money) to Rex Theatre on Brigade Road. Getting off the rick on MGs meant the joy of a brisk walk and save a buck, probably. The narrow footpath on Brigade's was fun though, every thing was/is available here. The footpath mela enticed all kinds of people, including me on any given Sunday. The railing was a vantage point as it offered a better view of yourself to the passerby, and of course for the cheap lot, the cheap thrills of brushing and rubbing against someone was high.
Hawkers spat venom if you trespassed their property on the footpath. It was the new age chaos. Cut to the chase, time was running out as I hurried past on this narrow street. And this was one movie I didn't want to miss out on. Also, the thought of the phoren dude waiting was a big obligation, feet moved faster and faster. I abandoned the footpath and jumped right onto the road. Evoking loud shrills of electric blasts coming at me from the cars.
After due appologies and giving all the possible reasons, I continued walking towards the theatre without the customary hug. Trying to show off that the ticket collector was someone I knew, I put up a smile on my face and ready to nod at him the minute he looked at me. Quickly realising that this guy would care less to see anybody's face but the tickets, I smartly tried to engage him “Movie startaagidiya??” A silly question, no doubt. Some joy, at times, in reconfirming the sad part. "Heard you failed in the exams?" Most relatives suffer from this ailment.
Exhillarting movie. Whistles and a pledge to come back again to watch it. It took me about 20 seconds after the movie got over, and the credits vanished that I decided to get up from the bug-infested chair to walk out. Keanu Reeves was walking out the theatre now. It was time for me to unleash myself. I had the power.
"Where do we go for a drink?" My friend asked. Realising that it was quite late in the night after the second show, I suggested that we have a quick dinner and leave, catch up next week for a drink. He hesitantly agreed. After, a walk past Brigade to MGs, assuming most joints would be closed, we had a hearty Tamilian Chineese style dinner from one of those carts lined up. A quick catching up on life happened between us as we lit up a cigarette and walked towards the autorickshaw stand. Vague interpretations began whenever we were not conversing. Keanu Reeves was reminding me that he was still around and wanted to live on for a while. I began to feel a little different and wondered if I had the power. A hard squinting stare at the auto driver would suffice to bring him to his knees and plead us to board his vehicle. It was about time I tried it out, I said to myself. Realising that this friend was also lost in thought, I sensed it was "spaceman spiff' time. But before, I wander into wonderland, we had to get our transporters convinced. About the destination. And about our 'yen guru' skills. "Auto" I shouted as we were reaching the MG road junction. The rickshaw stooped and the driver got off and bought some beedis from a hawker. We ignored him seeing a big bunch awaiting us near the junction.
Even before I raised my arm to signal an auto, there were more than one responding...wavering madly as if they knew us for long. One of them just asked us to get in his rick and not bother. Happy that we got our means, we continued walking towards his autorickshaw. "Where to?" he asked in Kannada. And as I told him the location, he nodded as if he knew that I was about to say that. He seemed to be a bit strange guy. He seemed to be under heavy hypnotic trance. As he got in the rick and I stubbed out the ciggarette on the road, he said "Swagatha -Come In"
It felt really strange to feel that warm in a autorickshaw. I acknowledged the weird look on my friend's face and winked.
As he pulled the long lever near his leg, the driver turned back to check my attire, a quick scan.
After a loud crappy stuttery jerk, the vehicle stated moving. As we reached the end of MGs, I had noticed that this weirdo driver turned back some 3 times tomake contact with us. Midway he rises up from the hot seat and leans back. Confused with this acrobatic stuff my friend looked at me in anger. I pinch myself to see if my power has become overbearing on him. The driver checks in person if the meter is moving or not and settles down. Realising that it isnt, I ask him "Yen swami..yen idu meteru..full golmaalaa?" Screeeeeeech...and he comes to a halt. Gets off the vehicle and detaches the long handle of the starter and walks away. Returns back with a smile.
“Urgent agitu saar” sorry what? “Toilet hogide” oh ok, we looked at each other and heaved a sigh of relief. One question was still not answered, why did he take the pull-start lever along? I asked him. Another scary screech as he just missed a drunk walker on the road. “Bewarsigallu” he yelled. I repeated my question again. And he jammed the brakes again and leaned back to say “ Naigala kata saar, readyaagirbeku attack madute (Dog menace, got to be prepared)” Seeing the reaction on my friend’s face, I felt some cajoling was required and laughed out load. That bugger jammed the brakes again and said “Joragi nagbeda…ee..roadalli yeradu deva ide (Don’t laugh hard, two ghosts wander on this road in the night).
We kept to ourselves for a while without talking and without looking at each other as he scanned the roadside for every detail and said how things had changed from the last night. As, my thoughts wavered the movie scenes began to appear and it made me feel strong and confident. I knew that I could chase of any ghosts by just staring hard and controlling their mind (if they had one).
“What a movie, it was” I said turning towards my friend as we reached closer to his home. I just prayed that the auto driver didn’t hear this and screech his vehicle to halt again to throw a comment. He did and this time he stared at the mirror that was just above the windscreen. Staring hard at me, as if he didn’t like what I just said.
We just missed stopping in front of the gate as I didn’t hear my friend show his house. As he got off, he asked me if I still wanted to continue the scary journey with this mad automan in a sarcastic tone. He baited me by saying “we can have a drink, and you can start of early morning” I took it up and decided to settle the night for the auto ride. As I leaned inside the meter to see, the driver spit out some red jelly from his mouth and blocked the meter with his hand. Surprised at this, I took a step further to face him and asked him if anything was wrong.
He spit the jelly out again, got off the seat and looked around. “Is this where you wanted me to go first?” he asked. “No, and I’m sorry as I decided to stay back” flashed another 5 rupee note to show that I was offering him something extra. He turned his neck in quick jerks to release his neck muscles. Flaring up his nostrils he asked “Hedirkond bitra? (got scared) I shrugged him off and cajoled him saying how that it was quite late and I decide to settle down here. What on earth can ‘the one’ be scared of? I said to myself and gave him the money. Spiting out a lot more than earlier and clearing his mouth the driver looked at my friend and me again as he took the money. He said in broken English to my friend sensing that he wouldn’t understand Kannada “go Himalaya Theatre..in Majestic…good evil movie …Bhayanak Raath I coming from there only…..see last show...you both enjoy too” and gleefully took up his seat and scooted away revving up the engine to make a loud noise.
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