Let's just call this post "masala" and be done with it, okay?

Alright. I know my recent posts have been everything but writeups of what I've watched, mostly because I am running around getting ready for my trip and spending my evenings with my friends instead of film stars (Akshaye is pretty sad about this, let me tell you). But I have in fact watched two new movies lately, although with the return to California of my laptop, it's hard to find time to write them up. So while there will be no proper responses as such, let it be added to the record that I watched my first Satyajit Ray film, Shatranj Ke Khilari, which left me with a feeling of "hmmm...I'm not quite sure I totally got that, although it was certainly interesting" (and I really liked the Monty Python-esque animation and was muchly satisfied by narration from the Big B) (and if I had had its imdb entry handy while watching I would have been on the lookout for a young Farida Jalal). Water finally made it to our art theater last week, so I saw that too. My thoughts on Water still haven't worked themselves out but I would like to ask if John Abraham was supposed to be dull and underwhelming or was he just not doing a very good job?

My parents came to visit this weekend and I showed them Bunty aur Babli.* I can't quite tell what they thought of it, except for a clear fondness for the neck-popping Dashrath Singh, but they both said vaguely positive things. Given that they are professional historians, maybe The Rising would have been a better choice, but that would have involved gonig to the video store, which was far too difficult in the heat and humidity that made Saturday so very unpleasant. (Yes, I know India will probably be worse than that a lot of the time. Don't remind me.)

I have been asked by the people running our pre-trip orientation to provide my colleagues with an informal introduction to Bollywood. I've sent around an email asking them what they'd like to know about, but I could use some suggestions from all you Bollywood freaks too. This talk/discussion will be done at lunch and cannot include a/v, so no clips. Just paper. I'm thinking of an illustrated "who's who" of the big stars and maybe a list of typical scenes and elements, using stills whenever possible. Pls advise.

* A certain reader has accused me of being a Bunty aur Babli evangelist. If said reader would just watch it himself, he'd understand. And he had better believe me: he will watch it (imagine my most threatening tone) (yes, ha ha). He'll watch it and he'll like it.