Finally

Monday nights are usually movie nights for me. Yesterday I was meant to watch Bridge of spies with my partner  and I think he got his periods yesterday! ( I swear, men get periods too). He was so crabby yesterday that we decided to cancel the movie night.

Just because he didn’t want to go for the movie, doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t, so I checked the movie guide to see if there is any movie, I could watch on my own. (I felt his periods should be over by next Monday and we could still watch Bridge of spies together) I noticed that my local theatre is showing Amar Akbar Anthony. I couldn’t believe they were showing Bachchan’s movie in Brisbane. I haven’t watched a Hindi movie for ages, so I thought I might as well go and watch the movie. Yaya has exams going on and my son was speaking to his gf on Skype, so I asked Baby, if she would come with me to watch an Indian movie.

“Mom, I won’t understand a thing” she said

“That is fine, you can sleep if you want to, and  I will buy ice cream for you after the movie”

“Fine” she said and packed her colouring book and pencils to take along.

The other reason we watch movies on Monday night is that I get student discount and the ticket only costs 5$. I was shocked when the movie attendant told me the price for 2 tickets , 32$. Bloody hell !

As Baby and I walked up to the cinema hall, I noticed a lot of Mallus around and I was expecting Punjabi/Hindi crowd.

Something really wasn’t right.

And then the ads started.. Mallus speaking English in Mallu accent..Even a simple street name like Annerley road was butchered beautifully.

It occurred to me that the last time I actually watched a Malayalam movie in the theatre was when I was doing pre-degree. That is a loooooong time ago !

When the movie started Baby asked ” Mom, what language are they speaking?”

“Malayalam” I replied

“Isn’t that your language?” She asked

“Yup, yours too?” I replied

“Nope, Mom, I am a Canadian, I am not whatever you are”

I didn’t have any response.. after all, you reap what you sow.

Fortunately, movie had English subtitles and whoever has done it, has done a decent job and I noticed that Baby kept her colouring book aside and was actually watching the movie.

I loved the theme song..apart from that I didn’t find  anything remarkable. But Baby watched her first Malayalam movie..

What really bothered me was that a lot of people brought little kids along to watch the movie. It is time Indian movies started classifying movies according to the age. There was too much violence in the movie and I found it really disturbing that little kids are exposed to so much violence.

20 thoughts on “Finally

  1. so you watched a Malayalam movie accidentally!! 🙂

    I want to watch Rani Padmini.. new movie being released.. Manju Warrier and Rima Kallingal!

    • SV: It was Amar Akbar Anthony..I thought it would be Bachchan’s.. but it is the Malayalam version with the dude who can speak English 🙂

      • OK, so I just displayed how clueless I am when it comes to movies. Didn’t know that there was such a movie 🙂

        But in my defense, I have a husband who watches every single movie and let’s me know if there is something that is even worth considering.

  2. Was it Amat Akbar Anthony? Because I am planning to take my kids to that movie. I take them if it’s a comedy mallu movies as my elder son can understand, violence – no no ??

    • Nitha: Paedophilia is something I consider Adult theme..plus the vigilante justice is not something I want my kids to see or accept.

  3. This made me LOL! AAA is okay but I’ve heard Ennu Ninte Moideen, released recently is getting fabulous reviews (I’m yet to watch it though!) Also, I believe AAA is a 12A according to the British Board and I’m surprised Australia doesn’t adhere to any similar certifications at the cinemas?

    • T: I actually wrote to the theatre to ask them for the classification.
      Call me cynical, but I found the jokes in the movie lame.. and there were lots of over acting ( especially the scene where the two of them get on the bike to take revenge on the guy who bashed the third one..) The bikes stunt were really over the top.

  4. Sarah chechi,

    I did take kids along to watch AAA, and we all enjoyed the movie. Maybe it’s ‘cos you haven’t seen an Indian movie in a long time that you found the jokes and violence over the top :). Siddhu didn’t even realise it was peadophilia – he felt the kid fell into the drain and I didn’t bother correcting him :)..

    • Kochey: A lot of studies have found that children watching violent movies have difficulty in moral reasoning. The vigilante justice at the end of the movie, the slashing by using broken glass bottles etc are not something I would let my kids watch when they were young. When they are learning what is right and wrong, violent movies tend to provide conflicting ideas. Besides, I also found the movie to be sexist. Why would there be a need for guys to comment on how many guys drop the girl back to her house after work.. it still propagates the Indian mentality that makes a woman a property of a man..that she can never have a life of her own..that she is really not free. I would be very upset if my son ever even attempted to think that way. Your son might not have got the implication of Paedophilia, however, it will still be there at the back of his mind..how did she fall in to the drain, what was the old man doing with her that is something that can lead to nightmares.. I used to have nightmares after watching mallu movies when I was a kid.

  5. btw, you will love bridge of spies…right amount of history, right amount of standing up for what one believes is right etc etc…totally ur kind of movie !

    Stay off Rani Padmini – the song is the only saving grace !

    • Vandhana: We are watching Bridge of Spies on Monday 🙂
      I am off Mallu movies for a loooong time. I can’t deal with 2.30 hours of torture.

  6. Lol well I’m sure watching Amar Akbar Anthony in Malayalam would be draining..can’t blame Baby for it, but hey at least it was nice she watched her first Indian film (that is if she actually watched it :p). I have seen Amar Akbar Anthony since I like old Hindi films, but in Malayalam? That would be interesting. Last Malayalam film I watched was Bangalore Days, and to be honest it was a very good film. Would recommend if you haven’t seen it yet, heck I’m sure your kids would like it too and would perhaps get into Indian movies, especially Hindi since Yaya and Baby may be obsessing over those young actors many girls their age who watch Indian movies see as hot (sounds like they are into hot guys), like Arjun Kapoor, Imran Khan and Ranbir Kapoor. Maybe you should introduce them to a Hindi film with one of these young actors and see how they react to it haha. They will then maybe get into Hindi movies haha.

    I’m slowly getting back into Hindi movies after not watching them for years now. Saw Guru last weekend 🙂

    Btw, why feel like “reap what you sow”? I think it’s nice to have a family with different identities. I find it interesting that Baby is Canadian, Yaya is Australian and Toothless is Malaysian. But still it’s good to learn about different cultures and languages as it opens new doors. But an interest needs to be fostered (through something positive or so).

    • J1206: I meant, I didn’t give them an Indian identity, so I can’t complain when she said she is not Indian.
      Like me, my kids do not find Indian guys attractive..so no point trying to entice them with hot Indian guys..( btw, my heart would miss a beat every time I see Simon Baker..I never felt the same with any Indian actors)

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