New Vistas in Image Building

When the 'Big' guys decided to share 50, 42.5, 37.5 and 30 per cent from weeks one to four, the multiplex owners v/s film producers' standoff came to a standstill. Then all the film producers fell in line - with Mukesh Bhatt standing out for a while, only to join in a bit - and even issue a statement to the effect of 'all is honky dory.' (It should be interesting to note how many films will be run after the second week; considering the fact that what the multiplex owners wanted was equal profit sharing over all the weeks.)

What I mentioned here, more than any detour from our main topic is also an apology for not updating the blog for quite a while. Why I didn't dig into any of Amitabh or Jeetendra or Parveen Babi movies is that I didn't want to replace an Padmini with an Ambassador or an Ambassador with at best, an Impala. And it didn't make much difference whether Dharmendra and Amitabh rode and sang on two Hero cycles rather than in a side-car. Or tell a Munna Bhai and Circuit to be in an open jeep than in a side-car when the filmmakers already were keen on repeating the 'Sholay' act. Just for a brief history of this blog. How much ever you may find this an impossible critique ("According to you, Thommen, has anybody on screen EVER driven the right vehicle?". "Yes, Darth Vader.") there is a story behind.

I call him my Caribbean Brother - he is dark, has lost most of the hair on his head and in hugely fun loving, good to be with and has many other physical prowesses identical to those on the islands which I was privy to - being in the same hostel for close to two years (where we walked around not wearing much clothes). He got married to his longtime sweetheart and they are settled in Mysore, both in the service of the central government in different departments. One day he called me up to tell me that he was planning to buy a car and ask what car should he buy. (By then, I had already earned a reputation among my friends for being a long distance driver, car maniac and whatever else that would make anybody ask my opinion, before buying their car.) After getting a lowdown on his budgets and options on hand, I suggested an Indica Vista to him - which was not among his options. Nevertheless he decided to visit the nearest showroom and took out one for a test ride. He bought one in metallic blue though I suggested brighter colours.

Satheesh (as his folks named him) is of medium height - 5 feet and 8 inches. Dark with a ready smile announced by perenially twinkling eyes. Muscular, you will always find him dressed in tees and jeans when he is not in office. Now, I couldn't think of any other car next to him than a Vista. A Swift would have mandated him to have a paunch, bigger, fairer and with a blazer hanging by the passenger seat all the time. A Fiesta would have required him to be more suave and with a more man-of-the-world who knows his way around air about him. A Honda City was an absolute no-no as he wasn't 45, over worked and over paid yet trying to save hard for that family vacation in Mauritius; feeling haggard yet trying hard to look pleasant. All these were options on hand.

Here he is, next to the Vista. Taken when he came visiting me on my recent visit to hometown Kerala. Shot at 7pm and hence the none-too-bright tone. But take a look at the guy and put him next to a Vista. See how they literally eat off each other, breathe off each others' air, a perfect symbiosis betweeen machine and muscle. Now, that's what Reel Wheel is all about.

With 'Big' initiating the breakdown of the impasse, you, dear reader, can now expect more frequent updating of this blog - 30 new releases are lined up over the next 22 weekends. Then, how many of our filmmakers do really try to enhance characterisation with the set of wheels? A politician always drives an Amby, a Gypsy for a policeman, a Merc for the girl's father and a Cielo (remember the sturdy war horse brought out by DCM?) for the villain which invariably goes up PFFFFF over a bomb during the final tiff.