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| Dhoom 3 Poster in Pondicherry |
Warning: Small Spoiler Alert
Deep announced he was going to watch Dhoom 3 on Christmas night.
In Hindi.
In Pondicherry.
Yep! In a city, where very few locals understand Hindi.
The next day he affirmed that the cinema hall was houseful and packed with North Indians who apparently have a sizable presence in Pondy which is why slots are reserved for certain Hindi films.
On his recommendation, I set out to catch the film only to find that the matinee show was dubbed in Tamil which I don't understand. I watched as locals thronged the ticket counter, asking for tickets to 'Tttoom 3'.
How would they react to the visuals and sensibilities of a Bollywood production?
My friend Bagalavan, an industry insider explained earlier, 'Tamil audiences come for the brand name 'Dhoom' and not necessarily for the power cast. Chennai Express released here in Hindi and was not dubbed in Tamil. Even My Name is Khan, Ek Tha Tiger and Three Idiots were released in Hindi but Tamil movie goers still went to watch them either for time pass or to learn Hindi. Me and my friends go to watch the differences in cinematic techniques.'
So anyway, Dhoom 3 started.
I remembered Baglu's words, 'In Tamil films, you won't be able to hear the dialogues spoken when the actor makes his first appearance on screen.'
Would hell break lose when Aamir came on?
His introductory scene pretty predictable -- direct transition from child (awakening from a nightmare) to adult. Muscles rippled in the dead blue of the night. But my co-onlookers were stone faced..
Next was Abhishek Bachchan's theatrical entry in a ricshaw, literally exploding onto the screen through a pile of bricks.
Again, a dull silence..
Maybe a small moan for funny man Uday Chopra?
Nada encore!
Wait! All's not lost! Love was the universal binder of things.. So would the kiss between Aamir and Katrina provoke a reaction? Any reaction? A flying chappal, gasps of 'Chhhooo'?
Nope!
But this is not to say that they were totally unmoved by the film.
There was this one (and only) time when two-fingered whistles pierced the air -- yep, you guessed right.
This was when Samar (Aamir) accepted the inspector's (Abhishek) handshake with a goofy shyness, only to suddenly morph into the creepy twin Sahil (also Aamir in a double role).
Pure evil that deserves applause!
Because this is where you come to realize time and again why Aamir is the undisputed King of the Khans. While other actors slip into their character's skins --- Aamir drags you down with him into the spine-chilling recesses of his dark grey personnages!
Analysts say that Dhoom 3 is having a good run down south.
It will take a while for Tamil audiences to warm up to the Badshaahs of Bollywood but when that happens, hopefully the bridge between North and South India would have shrunk.
If there's any one who can achieve this gargantuan task, it's Aamir!
Note: Reactions could have differed if I watched the film on a weekend night to a packed house!
