Sivaji
Browsing the indian blogosphere, it seemed there was just 1 topic everyone wanted to write on - the movie Sivaji. I saw the movie last night (technically this morning since it was supposed to start at 11:15PM last night but got delayed and we were let in only at 12:05AM this morning), and so, I will throw in my 2 cents on the movie and the phenomena.
I was not too excited on watching this movie. I figured I would catch it later. My friend from undergrad, though, wanted to see it on the 1st day. So we tried but there were no tickets available. So, the next day, we got tickets for the 11:15PM show. Went to the theater by 10:30PM to collect the tickets we had bought online. The mood was already very festive. There were stalls selling Indian food, the crowd was loud and boisterous, everyone were having a fun time. People on the street were certainly curious what a bunch of Indians were doing in this part of the town in such larger numbers, and behaving like this.
What is it about a Rajini movie that makes people so excited? To me, the parallel, to some degree is, the super bowl phenomena. It is not the game itself that is exciting. Nor the players. It is just a reason to do things that were always done, are fun to do and is sort of a tradition. Also, Rajini is a great mobilizer of the troops. Like a leader of a country or a company, he rallies the troops behind a common cause. In his case, the cause is himself (certainly debatable). I cant think of anything else all people from Tamil Nadu would be so united on. Even someone who hates him enjoys what he creates in the form of an experience.
Once inside the theater, it was difficult to distinguish it from a theater in India showing a Rajini movie. People were at their elements, blowing whistles, screaming, shouting, etc. A big gang that came together actually visited a party supplies store and brought streamers, to throw in front of the screen. There was also this woman behind my row who was very upset that even though the tickets had seat numbers assigned, no one followed it. Of course, the seats themselves did not have numbers written.
Each time Rajini appeared on the screen, the crowd went wild. And Rajini was on the screen pretty much the whole time. Well, the crowd was wild all the time. There were guys dancing at the back of the theater. Some ran to the front of the screen to dance. Some decided to dance from their seats. Everyone were dancing, even if they were'nt standing.
Compared to other Rajini movies like Padayapa, Mannan, Badhshah, I was disappointed. The villian was not evil enough. Ya he had goondes and everything. He was too busy wearing and removing his sun glasses, getting in and out of his car, screaming at politicians. Shreya was mostly crying, or scared. Her only job in the movie was that of a laptop messenger to the CBI. The MGR character played by Rajini himself was super cool. I was not impressed with the music or the dance sequences, though people seemed to differ in their opinion. The songs were just exuberant.
A must watch in a theater, just for the experience.
I was not too excited on watching this movie. I figured I would catch it later. My friend from undergrad, though, wanted to see it on the 1st day. So we tried but there were no tickets available. So, the next day, we got tickets for the 11:15PM show. Went to the theater by 10:30PM to collect the tickets we had bought online. The mood was already very festive. There were stalls selling Indian food, the crowd was loud and boisterous, everyone were having a fun time. People on the street were certainly curious what a bunch of Indians were doing in this part of the town in such larger numbers, and behaving like this.
What is it about a Rajini movie that makes people so excited? To me, the parallel, to some degree is, the super bowl phenomena. It is not the game itself that is exciting. Nor the players. It is just a reason to do things that were always done, are fun to do and is sort of a tradition. Also, Rajini is a great mobilizer of the troops. Like a leader of a country or a company, he rallies the troops behind a common cause. In his case, the cause is himself (certainly debatable). I cant think of anything else all people from Tamil Nadu would be so united on. Even someone who hates him enjoys what he creates in the form of an experience.
Once inside the theater, it was difficult to distinguish it from a theater in India showing a Rajini movie. People were at their elements, blowing whistles, screaming, shouting, etc. A big gang that came together actually visited a party supplies store and brought streamers, to throw in front of the screen. There was also this woman behind my row who was very upset that even though the tickets had seat numbers assigned, no one followed it. Of course, the seats themselves did not have numbers written.
Each time Rajini appeared on the screen, the crowd went wild. And Rajini was on the screen pretty much the whole time. Well, the crowd was wild all the time. There were guys dancing at the back of the theater. Some ran to the front of the screen to dance. Some decided to dance from their seats. Everyone were dancing, even if they were'nt standing.
Compared to other Rajini movies like Padayapa, Mannan, Badhshah, I was disappointed. The villian was not evil enough. Ya he had goondes and everything. He was too busy wearing and removing his sun glasses, getting in and out of his car, screaming at politicians. Shreya was mostly crying, or scared. Her only job in the movie was that of a laptop messenger to the CBI. The MGR character played by Rajini himself was super cool. I was not impressed with the music or the dance sequences, though people seemed to differ in their opinion. The songs were just exuberant.
A must watch in a theater, just for the experience.
posted by d'na | 9:17 PM
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