Thursday, March 11, 2010

AVATAR A RIP OFF OF SANJAY KAPOOR DEBUT

Yes my friends it’s not just the name it’s the fact that they have stolen an Indian film story too for the world’s most expensive movie. Well actually it was my friend K.C.(Kurnool Charminar 4 obvious reasons) who prompted me to think about this issue. He was happy that avatar didn’t win the academy award, what were his reasons ? only he can explain.

On my way back from my favourite city Margao, as I was traversing the lovely lotus laden lake of Cansaulim this thought just took the germ.

You sniggering guys who have difficulty believing me just have a look at the facts.

Disclaimer- I had seen the below mentioned hindi movie a long time ago, hence pardon me if Iam not exact with the trivial details of the below mentioned movie.

The movie in question is called “cult favourite” “Prem” it starred marked the debut of “sterling” Sanjay Kapoor and the vivacious diva Tabu.

The story goes some what like this:

There is a young guy who sees a girl and then starts remembering his previous life. In his previous life he is with the British and they are up against a tribal clan. Which happens to be a nature worshipper clan. He happens to infiltrate that clan and inadvertently falls in love with "chieftain’s daughter". Whence this, to prove his capability of being her suitor he has to appease the "wind god". Which as the hero he duly does, by excruciatingly crossing a bridge between two mountains in (the bargain eating up a lot of screen time). Then he also has to take the blessings from the ancestors whom the tribe worship, as god. And check this out, u know what they are called in the movie “jaraehwa”.

Then when the British come to fight against the tribe he leads the fight against them. In the ensuing battle only to be reborn and take a new life and live happily ever after with the heroine.

In avatar it’s a US marine who has actually sent to know more about some tribal clan on a different planet, who if you note happen to be "nature worshippers". Then conveniently our hero over here falls head over heels in love with the "chieftain’s daughter". He has to prove himself, again by pleasing the "wind god". In this case he just has to do it a bit differently, by taming a flying beast. When the fight at the climax begins he also takes the tribe's side. And hola! The ancestor's in avatar'case are called "ehwa". The movie culminates with him getting a new life. The same one, happily ever after one with the heroine.

Guys don’t u find the co-incidence in the stories a bit striking.

If you observe closely and if u just take out the rebirth saga in Prem and the visual razzle dazzle of avatar and tweak a few details isn't the co-incidence too obvious, to not notice?

Honestly guys (keep aside the production values and technological use chasm) if Prem was made in English earlier and avatar in Hindi now. Wouldn’t there have been a clamour saying that this is a rip off? And Bollywood directors have no imagination? Aping the west..etc etc.

You might very well quote the statistics of Bolly guys just plain copying their Holly counterparts, but I think even the devil deserves his due.

Here's my theory-

My friend KC…. avatar didn’t win an academy award this year because the racist jury members couldn't tolerate an Indian film double. First the name and the story-ripped of from pure Hindi commercial saga... too much. They gave Slumdog an academy last year because it was made by a Pom, although most of the credit was taken by my deshvasis. Another reason was India and China were the only two economies last year which steadied the world economy somewhat. So after the Dragon got an Oscar for Crouching Tiger, the Indian Elephant had to get its due and some share of the glory which we got in the form of SlumDog. Whether they liked it or not they had to give something to India ( some say there was a secret bargain, in lieu of academy awards India had to give up their demand of a permanent seat on the UN security council).

But this time it would have been too much for them to see James Cameron walk on the stage and in his acceptance speech giving major credit to Satish Kaushik :).

World beware: Well we Indians the new age conquerors out to overwhelm every body. First it was the holy American grail-Mc Donald’s. Whom we forced to make Mc Aloo Tikki (Ray Kroc must have definitely turned in his grave). Then it was the HRC belting out the favourite Daler hits. And now its Hollywood more so the hallowed Oscars.

At the risk of repeating myself, India is in a "Veni, vidi, vici" mode. Nothing matters to us now, poverty, malnutrition, unemployment, illiteracy, corruption, ineptitude... nothing.. These are too trivial for us. We want to make a name by annexing all the marquee symbols of the erstwhile imperial colonists.

Make your visa rules stricter, do what you can. We dare you, we will bring you down to your knees by sitting here itself. This is the age of re colonization. do what you can, but you cannot stop us. Our hubris is going to bulldoze the world.

Jai hind... wait a sec. Rajsaheb should I say jai Maharasthra. no? i will have to apply for the copyright usage? damn.. i will do it. in the meanwhile- it's

India shining. okay Advaniji...oh! Modiji...nah. Ok Gadkariji….thanks.