by Dear readers, I am starting with a new fun series – “Let’s Talk Films With…” where I will be featuring people from various walks of life talking about their tryst with films and their filmy side. And to start with I have one of my dear friends Ajay Makhija who renounced the comforts of a city life and has become a recluse. Yogi Baba Ajay (as I lovingly call him) has done what a normal city-bred person would never dare to do, and that is settling down in the lap of nature in Koh Phangan, Thailand (which is an island) where he has Co-founded a Yoga center – Gaia Yogashala. So let’s find out what Ajay’s Filmy Fundas are;
Welcome, Ajay to “Let’s Talk Films With Ajay“. In fact, you should be welcoming me (winks)
Wow! Feels great to have a chat show in my name (winks) and yes welcome Shaiju to “Filmy Fundas With Ajay” (laughs) and the irony is instead of me asking questions, I get to answer yours (chuckles)
So shall we start? What kind of movies you love to watch & how many in a day can you watch?
I like watching intelligent movies, where the plot makes sense, makes one think, stirs up emotions – the genres aren’t the most important thing as is the overall Quality of the offering. I would generally prefer to watch only a single movie in a day.
Same pinch (smiles) Do you remember at what age you started watching movies?
I have been watching movies since I was quite young. Two movies that stand out for me are Home Alone, which I watched maybe when I was 4 or 5 years old; I was that kid in the theater laughing much louder and so much longer than everyone else. And Maine Pyaar Kiya; the DVD of which I used to watch 4 or 5 times during my summer vacations in India. As you know I used to stay in Thailand when I was young.
You being a Yoga guy or Yogi Baba… tell me one movie that you remember that has the main lead practicing yoga?
Haahaha, totally stumped – I don’t think I can remember a movie like that at all. Maybe the closest is Ocean’s Twelve where the antagonist is a Capoeira practitioner – Capoeira being a Brazilian martial art where you become super flexible.
Have you ever imagined yourself to be a superhero and tried to wear your briefs over your pants and tried to save the world?
Imagined me as a superhero – yes but more of a sword-fighting, horse or dragon riding, medieval times warrior. No underwear shenanigans!
What is your secret fantasy when it comes to movies and movie stars?
Errmmm! It’s not a fantasy as such but I have ‘fallen in love’ with a few female characters in a few movies and wished to maybe join them on the screen. Also Avatar – if someone gave me the chance to give up our world and go live in Na’avi land, I would do it in a heartbeat.
That’s my secret desire to… I envy you at times (frowns)
Aww…
Anyway (fake sigh), tell me the most bizarre movie you have ever watched?
Tree of Life – very morbid plot lines, orchestrated sequences, it didn’t feel like a coherent piece of cinema, just pieces of different films pieced together. It wasn’t altogether unpleasant, though.
Your favorite movie and why?
I really love the Dark Knight. I thought it was a fantastic piece of film – well directed, superbly acted – Heath Ledger’s Joker, cinematically brilliant, being a Batman/superhero film which may seem less serious, but crossing over into just being great cinema. Larger than life, impressive, gripping, suspenseful, having us root for Batman – hitting all these different emotional chords; great soundtrack too.
The corniest dialogue you have ever heard?
Cannot remember.
Really? Okay… a movie dialogue you tend to use often or comes to your mind now?
I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse – seminal really.
Any filmmaker you would want to maroon in an island for making crappy movies?
That Transformers director, I think Michael Bay – just terrible. Also, unfortunately, most Bollywood directors are pretty shitty I believe. This attitude of the audience is dumb and we will make movies dumb enough for them is really sad.
(Chuckles) Any actors you want to add with the director in the same island (winks)?
Not really. Although I think Kristen Stewart takes my award for worst actor in those Twilight movies. Still, I’d prefer to be marooned on an island with her, instead of sending her to anyone else (winks).
Nice game plan (laughs) Okay any message to fellow movie buffs?
Umm, demand smarter movies!
Thank you, Ajay, for sharing your Filmy side and I wish you all the best with your Yogic endeavors!
Aww… pleasure is all mine (smiles)
So people if you happen to visit Koh Phangan and would like to learn or practice yoga then please do visit Gaia Yogashala. For more information please log on to their website http://www.gaiayogashala.com/
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