Future Tense

As I contemplate this much awaited release,I reminisce about the many sci-fi Indian films that came and went,often without a trace. Why does an E.T. ,Star Wars,Terminator,Mask,Matrix and Avatar walk away with accolades while we struggle to make mega hits out of Robot,Action Replayy,Dasavathaaram,Zokkomon and others. Why is the Indian audience partial towards sci-fi films from the West and romantic,family and emotional masala movies of their own? Well,maybe the truth lies in the fact that we don’t keep films and reality mutually exclusive. Our films have often been reflections of our emerging societal changes,and our hearts and eyes are trained to view them as such.

It’s hard to imagine Shah Rukh Khan wearing his undies over his catsuit and pretending to be Batman. And it’s equally hard for us to see our much worshipped Rajinikanth as an alien or a machine. Of course,we could watch it for him because we worship him and his movie must be seen. We are also sure he won’t disappoint us and will have an ample dose of stunts and songs Rajini style. Mr India,a big success underplayed its science and overplayed the emotions,romance and action to appeal to Indian viewers. It wasn’t really sci-fi and so the magic potion worked wonders.

Besides,our stars and actors tend to become an integral part of our lives. It’s the way we Indians are. The daily soaps and the best movies become an extension of our selves. The actors are very human for us and not just stars. Where a Rani becomes a “ghar ki beti”,a Rajini is what every woman seeks in her idealistic husband and who every man aspires to become. They are all role models and we find it hard to displace them from this position to one of merely a great actor in a totally unique role. And then there is one other big difference. Hollywood sci-fi movies has more often than not,base the theme around an interesting scientific assumption to explain the present or a scientifically enhanced future,it makes you think and explore your own horizons deeply. That’s the trick. We have not understood this. Our sci-fi films believe it’s all about flying around,hugely expensive SFX,and a lot of advertising hype. And to add to it,complete confusion of keeping all happy.

No surprise here that ‘The Alien’ was a movie to be directed by Satyajit Ray in the late ’60s and to be produced by Columbia Pictures. It was eventually cancelled. Wonder if our Indian version would have been as popular as the Hollywood blockbuster with the same name. Perhaps it was a smart move to have canned it.

Finally,maybe we need to be reconciled to the fact that the Indian viewer’s expectation of Indian films is not to explore science and its new boundaries,but to reflect our own lives and imagine a better one. It’s the difference between living an imaginary scientific life versus an imaginary emotional life. To enjoy a Ra.One,we must let the West be West and East be East.