And in between sitting down and walking out, I also took a break to the loo, where I had an epiphany that watching Ra. One was similar experience to going to the loo.
Disclaimer:
This comparison is based on visiting Men’s Loos for the the past 42 years. I have never been to or used a Women’s loo so pardon my lack of experience in that domain.
Now, the comparison:
– Relief:
When you go the loo, it’s to relieve yourself. I have heard Men say ‘ahhhhh’ standing next to me. It’s a great relief to just be able to service your body.
When you see Ra.One it’s the same feeling. Though instead of your bladder, you relieve your brain.
In the first 15 minutes of the film, you see a beautiful expulsion of humor, action, juvenile behaviour, London, hindi movie actors, rebellion, slap stick comedy and GAMING.
U wonder what the movie is about till quite a while – but then when u r in a loo u aren’t supposed to think too much.
– Company
The loo provides some interesting Company. It’s all mixed up. Some men who take forever to fasten their trousers, some who cough so loudly that you feel their throat will come out; others spit like they just swallowed a snake, and interestingly lots of men who take so long to just be ‘done with it’, it’s like they had their bladders stitched till that time.
In Ra. One, you meet similar interesting people – but on screen.
Weird women warriors, cigar sucking (hmmm… cigars are NEVER sucked – they are smoked) actors who you cannot identify with; classroom teachers, students, computer programmers, doorman, hot blondes, curly haired freaky men, south Indian men who eat chinese noodles with yogurt, south indian men who eat Chinese noodles with yogurt AND with their hands, bosses who announce that their office in London will become a south Indian restaurant, women who claim that there are things ‘in the air’, etc etc etc…
By the time you take an inventory of the people who you met in the loo – oooops – Ra. One, you will have wet your pants.
– Theme
When you go to the loo, the ‘theme’ is easy to comprehend. The business is to repel waste.
In Ra One, your time is wasted with perfection.
An hour gloriously wasted in establishing a ‘theme’ that really I could not understand till I walked out of the interval.
One doesn’t know if it’s about a father disconnected with his son, how gaming companies work, what happens at launch parties when games get launched, how people survive after downing 20 shots, a son unimpressed by his dad, a computer program gone bad, good vs. evil, artificial intelligence and what will happen to the world or….
I gave up.
– Style
Most loos are built on a ‘style’, They may be contemporary, classic, highly chic, very old school or plain and simple ‘high school’ style.
In Ra.One, you will see a wonderful mix of Crouching Tiger, Matrix, Lots of Kill Bill, Quentin Tarantino, Tomb Raider, Bollywood funeral scenes of grieving, nice Dance ‘Item’ numbers etc..
Interruption
Interval
The guy behind me in the loo is asking me if I am dreaming or planning to wait at my station for a second round.
I prefer to walk out.
*******