Monica has been attending the Imagine India Film festival in Madrid. In the midst of changing schedules and unprepared organizers, she manages to watch many movies sometimes even three in one day and all using subtitles in English. There have been disappointments as well when she hoped to meet some celabrities like A R Rehmaan. She did meet Sharmila Tagore and M S Sathyu. She now attends the last day of the festival and this time she takes her mother. The high point – She gets to meet Aamir Khan and click photos with him. Eight Days have been worth it.Read the Eight days report starting the First Day here and here, Second day, Third day, Fourth Day, Fifth Day. Sixth Day and Seventh Day.
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I wake up with a negative feeling… If everything goes well, I will be able to attend the closing ceremony and see Aamir Khan (that, assuming he is coming!). If everything goes wrong, well, then at least I will watch “Gol Maal” or/and “Nayakan” which I have been told they are good films. So I suppose that should comfort me (let me think about this carefully) Erm… no, definitely not… But anyway, lets pretend it would! The event is taking place in the Consejeria de Cultura. This belongs to the Department of Education, Culture and Sports.
My friends looked for the telephone number and address last night so that I can find out about it. From the address I deduce it is just a few metres away from El Círculo de Bellas Artes, so not bad. I phone in the morning and get to speak to the lady in charge of cinema matters. She is very kind and tells me that in fact, the event requires invitations but that she can write my name down on a list and that I should ask about her when I reach the place. I write her name down too. This makes me feel more positive although not a hundred percent.
Just in case this is not working, I remember what that man told me the other day after Sharmila Tagore’s conference and decide to go to the Indian Embassy and find out about invitations. I had no idea where the Indian Embassy was so my friends also looked for the telephone, address and subway station for me. The phone is engaged all the time so I decide it will be quicker to take the tube and go there. This area of the city seems to be full of Embassies! After walking for a bit I find the Indian one. Take a deep breath and go inside. I ask a security lady but she doesn’t know anything about the film festival and looks at me as if I was an alien. I feel like a real one. She tells me to ask another lady behind her desk.
This lady at least knows about the festival but she tells me that the man in charge of that is not in his office at this moment. But she offers to find out if anyone knows about these invitations and tells me to sit down. She speaks to different people on the phone. She answers: “yes, Spanish…” (looking at me) “you’re Spanish, aren’t you?” Well, yes but… should my nationality matter? Every time she speaks to someone on the phone about me, I feel more embarrassed. I really don’t know what I am doing here. I wish I was invisible. As I am waiting I read some leaflets.
There are leaflets about different places in India, some magazines, etc. I see them all. Meanwhile this lady tells me that she knows that there were invitations for the opening ceremony and that there were so many left that they had been destroying them after that. So, while some people were left outside the cinema dozens of invitations were kept somewhere and were tore to pieces afterwards. I thought the purpose of this festival was to spread Indian cinema and culture… I doubt that would be the way. This is all beyond my comprehension.
Anyway, eventually, another lady comes with a card and gives it to the first woman. She looks at it and addresses me. She tells me that this was the inaugural concert invitation but that it is also valid for tonight’s event. I have the feeling I might be looking at her open-mouthed. Of course, and pigs can fly! (I didn’t say this, by the way, I just thought it!). Does she expect me to believe such a thing? How offensive! I think my friends must be right, there might be something wrong with my face so that people think they can tease me like this!
I cannot help but telling her:
- “Excuse me, but here it says: Imagine India chairmanship has the pleasure to invite you to the inaugural event of V Indian Film Festival that will take place next 16th of May 2006 at 19:00 in Palafox cinema, Madrid.” -
“Oh, yes”, she says, “but even though it says that, on the other side of the card you can read it says from the 16th to the 23rd of May”.
- “Well, yes, but those are the dates in which the festival takes place, not the dates for which the invitation is valid… “
- “It doesn’t matter. You can enter with this. It is valid for two people”, she says. This conversation is pointless… Better to smile, say thanks and leave. I reckon they must have placed a hidden camera there to see if I am such a fool to tell the security guys there that I am going through that door with that piece of paper. Wouldn’t that be a laugh?
The “invitation”
I take the bus feeling too miserable. I reckon this is going to be difficult. I have convinced my mother to come with me. She has seen Aamir in some films like “Lagaan” and “Dil Chahta Hai” (the ones I’ve got with good Spanish subtitles) and she feels quite curious about meeting him. Well, OK, I will be honest… I persuaded her because I need someone in case I faint. Ahem. Well, and maybe she could take a picture of me with Aamir too! But I must make it clear that she was delighted thinking she would meet a big star like him! Don’t you believe me?!
So, in short… half an hour before the event starts, we are at the door. There are three human towers outside. I observe the situation. Most of the people going inside are Indians. They don’t seem to be asked for an invitation – they just go inside. I feel very nervous. I reckon I will have to be brave. I must do just like them all: go amongst the security guards and then through the security scanner. My mother encourages me. Go, Monica, go! Take a deep breath… walk fast… here we go! STOP! OK! The first humongous security guy asks me: “where are you going?” I tell him that this morning I spoke to this girl in charge of cinema matters and ask him if we can see her. He makes funny faces, smiles and lets us in. Wow! We go through the scanner and have our handbags scanned.
The guy in charge of this asks me again. I tell him the same story. He lets us in and tells me she was there a minute ago and will probably be back soon. Good! When this girl comes, the guy tells me she is the one I am looking for and this friendly and wonderful girl tells us there is no problem, we can feel free to stay. I am happy. I just can’t express how happy I am. Mum is happy too. Anyway, we are chatting and feeling like gatecrashers, quite an uncomfortable situation, the truth is, but my mother seems to be having such fun with it!
After a while a lady approaches us – she seems to be a bit lost and lonely. I don’t know how on earth she came because she doesn’t even know what is happening and hasn’t seen a single film… She speaks a lot. Then I see the woman who came from Luxembourg with whom I was having coffee the other day. She tells me she didn’t have to give any explanation at the entrance and that she didn’t have an invitation. I see… so this is the definitive proof: it IS my face (or it could be my mum’s, HA!) So, this woman and I start talking about the festival and AR Rahman’s absence, etc. and then I tell her I am hoping that at least Aamir Khan comes to which she answers:
She: But he IS already here! Isn’t he that one over there? He’s been here for a while now!
Me: WHERE???
So she leads me to a little group of people and… there he is! Right in the middle! I can’t believe it! He is talking to the people around him. Everybody is taking pictures. I take my pen (yes, that famous pen) and my DVD covers. My mother didn’t notice I left. She is still speaking with the lady that talks nineteen to the dozen. Oh, dear! How am I going to do this? I need her for my picture because the lady from Luxembourg has now disappeared! I try to catch her attention but it is simply impossible, this place is unbelievably crowed and now I find myself surrounded by dozens of beautiful Indian ladies! Funnily enough the most excited ones are the oldest. I reckon teenagers would have gone wilder had he been John Abraham, for example. I can’t decide which DVD to give him. I would like him all of them but I suppose the crowd would complain. Ahem. Before I can make my mind up I ask him for his autograph on my Dil Chahta Hai DVD. When I give it to him he is surprised and says:
Aamir: Oh! (looks at it thinking where to sign and finally decides to do it on the back). What’s your name?
Me: Monica (Now, isn’t that an electrifying piece of conversation???)
And then he writes:
Dear Monica Keep smiling Love Amir 23/5/06
Awwwww. How sweet! I am silly, I have now realised that I could have looked at him face to face but instead of that I was looking at what he was writing. Well, wouldn’t there be enough time for that afterwards???
Anyway, this time I also remember about ‘Punds’ dedication, although he writes Puns. Maybe the place was too noisy or maybe my pronunciation is not good enough, which is most likely.
Aamir surrounded by happy smiling ladies. I like this picture. He seems to be thinking: ‘gosh, how am I going to get out of here?’
Aamir smiling. He was so kind to all the people there! Smiling to all the cameras.
The award ceremony starts so Aamir goes to the front row and everybody watches the ceremony. I manage to find my mother. We are together now. Daivanamathil is the winner this year and MS Sathyu collects the award. I personally preferred other films to this one but I guess everyone deserved it. Elephant Boy wins the short film award ( I haven’t seen this one) and Aamir Khan is given an award for his work during the last decade. Presenters are actress Veronica Forqué and writer Asha Miró. Veronica is a lovely sweet lady. She is great in comedies. She always brings a smile to my face with when she speaks. Asha is of Indian origin but was adopted by a Spanish family when she was a child. She has written two great books about her story trying to encourage couples who cannot have children but would like to adopt them.
Veronica Forqué
Asha Miró
Aamir thanks the festival for the award “actor of the last decade” and says that it would be wonderful if Spanish people watched Indian movies.
I have done my homework already! I have always liked Aamir’s voice and I think he talks in a very tranquil and sensible way. It is always a pleasure listening to him.
A nice picture after all the prizes were collected.
When the ceremony finishes Aamir is chased by people again. This time the bodyguards are much stricter. They hold hands and keep Aamir inside the ring and whenever one person wants an autograph or a picture, they let them inside the circle with Aamir, but one by one. My mother says she is amazed how polite he is and that he looks so young. She is right. I think films do not do him justice as he looks much younger live. When I tell my mother Aamir is 41 she thinks I am teasing her.
From now on I try to get good shots of him but it is quite difficult. However he doesn’t stop smiling at cameras and people. Some snacks are served and Aamir chats with the Spanish actors and organizers. After that he signs some more autographs. Now I get him to sign QSQT for me but there is so much confusion that he only can write an eligible Aamir. However my mum managed to take a picture of me next to him while he was signing.
Aamir chatting with Spanish actors and organizers. Notice the bodyguard behind him. He (The bodyguard) doesn’t look very happy, does he?
Another nice one of Aamir.
I have been so busy trying to get nice pictures that I have mostly looked at him through my camera which seems a bit daft really, as I am used to seeing him in the screen. All I should have bothered about is looking at him live! Never mind!
Here is a funny one of a couple of bodyguards. They look humongous, however, it is a trick. They are standing on top of a platform. Aamir is getting ready to leave so nobody is allowed to approach him anymore except… who are those people? No idea but they must be part of the team.
Aamir Khan’s Autograph for Punds. He misspealled the word Punds as “Puns” Must be because of the noise around him.
Everything is finished now. Holidays are gone. I haven’t seen Gol Maal or Nayakan but I guess I can always get them on DVD or on another circuit. After all, I only grieve about AR Rahman’s absence. I am on my last legs. I never thought attending a film festival could be so tiring. Being a film critic must be a hard job! And I have also come to another conclusion: blogging is tough!
Only one thing left to say now: thanks to Punds for making me his reporter during this festival. I hope you don’t regret it. I tried my best. Also, thanks to those of you who had the patience to read anything I wrote and sorry to those who came looking for Punds’ writings but found this stranger’s stories for days instead. Things are back to normal now!
[...] Patrix | Movies & Music Monica has been attending the Imagine India Film festival in Madrid. In the midst of changing schedules and unprepared organizers, she manages to watch many movies sometimes even three in one day and all using subtitles in English. [...]
Wow! Monica you are really doing a great job!!
Thank you, Ashu!