Osian's-Cinefan 2007: Driving to Zigzigland

Zigzigland. Where's that? It's an island just off the southern tip of South America and had been formerly under Japanese rule.

Stumped? Don't look for the atlas just yet. It's not a real country.

Driving to Zigzigland, screened at the 2007 edition of the Osian's-Cinefan film festival in New Delhi, chronicles a day in the life of Basher, a Palestinian taxi-driver trying to make it big in Hollywood.

When his passengers ask him where he's from, Basher says he's from 'Zigzigland'. Not because he's afraid of admitting he's Palestinian. But because of the inevitable question that follows - isn't that "where suicide bombers come from"?

Surprisingly, Basher's passengers often believe he's from Zigzigland. And blame their ignorance on poor knowledge of geography.

For the taxi-driver, Zigzigland is a country where citizens respect other people and there's always enough money to pay utility bills (unlike Basher in Los Angeles). The film depicts him trying to desperately raise a thousand dollars to stop the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from deporting him.

The low-budget film, based on a true story, explores how being an Arab guy in the U.S. is no longer easy after the 9/11 attacks.

Stereotypes against Arabs abound. When he turns up at film auditions, Basher keeps turning down roles that require him to play a terrorist. In another scene, an FBI agent asks Basher if he knows anyone planning jehad. And one lady passenger, unwilling to pay the fare, tells police Basher had kidnapped her.

Amazingly, several actors in Driving to Zigzigland portray themselves and their experiences on screen. Basher Da'as puts in an amazing performance in a role made even more spectacular thanks to a brilliant screenplay.

Director Nicole Ballivian, who's married to Basher in both real and reel life, says the film stays true to life except for its denouement - Basher was never actually deported.

"In real life, the FBI agent asked me questions. Not Basher. And we still have no idea why... I have so many Indian friends back home and even they face this kind of problem".

As for the screening, despite a rousing response from the audience, Nicole was a bit disappointed with the sound quality at the Osian's-Cinefan film festival.

"It was frustrating not to properly hear the narration," she told Toe Knee Unplugged.

Basher, in his inimitable style, says he looks forward to working in Bollywood films. And does an impromptu jig to prove he's a good candidate.

"I always wanted to visit India. In fact, because of my surname (Da'as) people keep asking me if I'm Indian".

Exclusive coverage of Osian's-Cinefan 2007 on this blog

Adam moos better than Amit Varma's cows

Yup, he does. Adam, the official cow on RJ Sarthak's show on Hit 95 FM, seems to be drawing a lot of attention these days. You gotta hear him moo whenever a caller loses Sarthak's 9-second nailbiter challenge. It's a treat for the eardrums.

Amit Varma may be the blog world's foremost authority on cows but Adam kinda beats him hollow on the radio waves.

FROM THE ARCHIVES
Delhi's "all talk" radio station
Getting high on Fever 104
Ten hits in a row, anyone?

Osian's-Cinefan 2007: Boring start

One would think organisers would have learnt from past mistakes. After all, this was the ninth edition of the Osian's-Cinefan film festival in New Delhi and its biggest yet.

Nah!

The opening ceremony was as tedious as ever. This time around, Neville Tuli had roped in Roysten Abel and his troupe of street magicians to enthral viewers at Siri Fort.

Abel's 'The Magic of Freedom' even had a blues band playing in the background. But barring the female vocalist, the show had little to offer by way of entertainment. Even the magic tricks were old hat. And a tad too long.

Just when half the audience had been lulled into a sleep-induced torpor, emcee Rajit Kapoor stepped in to announce that the opening film would be screened shortly.

Yippee!

After a round of lengthy speeches, during which several jury members were paraded on stage, the lights dimmed and the global premiere of the Iran-Azerbaijan feature Raami got underway.

Unfortunately, Babak Shirinsefat's film failed to live up to expectations. This esoteric work based on the Qarahbagh conflict and lovers of an ancient era didn't find favour with several in the audience.

Ten...
Five...
One...

The number of people seated in my row disappeared faster than you could say "Roysten Abel's magic". What Abel could not achieve, Raami did - people fled the auditorium at regular intervals. Raami's director and leading actors, who had specially flown in for the premiere, would surely have been disappointed.

Day One had proved to be a damp squib. Will the next nine days at Osian's-Cinefan 2007 be better?

Do check out Jabberwock's must-see list of films at this year's fest.

P.S.
Spotted Manisha Koirala on the run, trying to avoid the paparazzi.
Spotted Gul Panag baring her back, flaunting a tiny tattoo.
Spotted Divya Dutta in a pensive mood, wishing she was in Koirala's shoes

It's raining reality TV singing contests in India

Ya, and this is just the right time to make it big in showbiz whether you are the hymn-singing kind or part of the bathroom singer gang.

June 2007 Blog Mela

Here at last is the long delayed June Blog Mela. All complaints should be directed at my computer, which has been operating in fits and starts this fortnight.

Dilip D'Souza indulges in some non-name dropping

Falstaff thinks Nakul and Sahadev are the R2D2 of the Mahabharat

Rashmi Bansal wonders kitne aadmi gay

Presstalk wants to know if NDTV is supporting Hillary Clinton

Bikkupedia goes to Ramgarh

Rahul Khanna reveals more about his journey from rookie renter to serial subletter

Great Bong endeavours to say "Meow" as masculinely as possible on radio

Anand Ramachandran reports on the Tamil Nadu government's new cooling glass rule

Teesra Pahiya encounters two tough cookies on the Rickshaw Run

AB battles chicken pox and uses an umbrella

SMI writes a letter on her third wedding anniversary

Moonstruck Maniac mourns the death of Indian cinema

ALSO VISIT
March 2007 Blog Mela
April 2007 Blog Mela
May 2007 Blog Mela

Did you just come across a quirky, interesting or something-that-tugs-at-your-heartstrings blog? If yes, feel free to nominate it for this month's Blog Mela being hosted here on July 26



Blog Mela Rules
- Posts must have been written by Indians or have an Indian angle
- Only posts published between 1-22 July, 2007 would be accepted
- If possible, please nominate individual posts, not the whole blog
- Feel free to nominate something you have written. Immodesty appreciated
- You can nominate as many blog posts as you like - provided you really like them
- Only nominations received before midnight on July 22 will be featured
- No, you don't get any moolah for nominating or getting featured in the Blog Mela. That could change once I am a millionaire but for now you'll just have to bear with me
- Yours truly reserves the right to nominate good posts which you ignore

How to Nominate
- Leave a comment on this post OR better still - Mail me at toeknee (at) gmail (dot) com

Rajnikant fans go crazy in Malaysia

And I thought they would do this only in Japan

Shrek is a guy, isn't he?

Link via Flickr

BLOG INTERVIEW - Ravi Godse

Meet Dr Ravi Godse. An NRI physician who loves making films and writing novels.

Dr Ravi and Mr Hyde, a film about a doctor who turns filmmaker, has been written, produced and directed by Godse. What's more - Godse also plays the lead role. The film, which releases on DVD in the US on July 17, was shot with a small but professional crew in only 5 days.

Godse told Toe Knee Unplugged he now plans to direct a 'Bollywood' film based on his popular novel 2 Guys, 3 Girls and a Mad Professor. The Pittsburgh-based doctor says its been ages since he visited his hometown of Dombivili, India but hopes to do so soon.

A comedy about a doctor who went to film school to make a film about being a doctor. Hmmm! Dr Ravi and Mr Hyde sure sounds autobiographical?

I am a real life doctor and I did go to film school. I had some of the experiences and I do believe that life imitates art but I still won't call it autobiographical. The dusky Colombian nurse and blond Irish boy, who play my wife and son in the movie, will stand testimony to that.

How easy or difficult was it for a physician like you to make a movie?

It was easy to make a movie as a physician. Life being an independent movie maker is hard. You need a thick skin and need to call in a lot of favours, knock on doors of whose existence you were hitherto unaware.

Being a doctor here, all my calls are returned, no matter who I call. The calls stop once they know why I am calling but I get one chance.

Going to film school as a physician was a little tough. I was a straight A student since pre-school and had a hard time dealing with initial C grades.

Any chance of Dr Ravi and Mr Hyde getting a theatrical release

If the movie does well in DVD circuit, there is a chance it can play in theatres somewhere, at least in a limited way.

Though the picture was acquired on video, we have taken painstaking care to maintain fidelity to 24 frames per second and if printed to 35mm film, it will look good.

2 Guys, 3 Girls and a Mad Professor was an interesting read. Any plans to write a novel in the same vein?

I would love to. Currently, I am writing historical travelogues for a webzine. I have long since harboured ambitions to try and get a PhD in History...and might write a book on the Duke of Wellington or South Africa's Telecommunications Minister who is a friend of mine.

And what's next on the movie front?

I wrote my second movie I am a schizophrenic and so am I. It's a courtroom drama. In fact, I just finished shooting it as well.

Does your next film also draw on your experiences as a physician?

Yes. It is a movie where the physician gets sued.

Any plans to make a full-fledged Bollywood film in the future?

No...Let me qualify. I am directing a movie on 2 Guys, 3 Girls and a Mad Professor, in the next few months, hopefully and that can qualify as a Bollywood movie.

Other Exclusive Interviews on this blog
Sona Mohapatra
Mahesh Dattani
Ruchi Narain

The Finnish Fine is fine

All the rash drivers in Delhi should be deported to Finland. This is why.