dear santa, i know it's early but,

Dear Santa,

 

I know exactly what I want for Christmas this year!

 

Yes, I realize this is terribly early to have already decided, but kindly remember that I haven't asked for anything in a long time.

 

And, it isn't that I'm asking for the person himself, as that would be a violation of his free will, and I certainly don't want to do that.

No sirreebob.

 

I had thought I would like just a poster, but that won't quite do.

 

Remember?

I like to be able to touch things, and a flat two-dimensional surface is going to be right.

 

I'm also a bit of a klutz, though, so, please... nothing breakable.

 

And just what image has me all agog?

 

This one.

 

That's Ram Charan, running in orange silks, tousled dark mane flowing out behind him as he runs, wielding a bow and arrow like an Indian god version of Cupid...

my, oh my, oh my!

Isn't he utterly magnificent?

 

Not that he wasn't also a good-looking fellow in mufti, especially when he and N.T. Rama Rao, Jr. (on the right), were dancing up such a storm that all the English ladies at the gala had to lift their skirts and hit the floor -

yes, oh yes, that was mighty fine!

 

And when the 38-year-old was astride a horse, as his 48-year-old friend raced alongside on a motorcycle, hair whipping about and their voices full of life -

yeah, that was quite a fabulous sight, so full of male energy that I could smell the testosterone wafting off the silver screen!

I could, I swear I could!

Fire and water they were, respectively, each a pure embodiment of those elements of life!

The release of "RRR", aka "Rise Roar Revolt", was originally slated for summer of 2020, but the pandemic greatly slowed production.

The makers had then chosen a time in 2021... but the pandemic had reared back up, making it not a good time to pack the cinemas with fans of Tollywood.

How about 2022?

Well, that had worked for a limited audience in Pooler, but not here.

But this spring, with the swirls of yellow plant sperm visibly casting about in the air, as if it was time for the celebration of Dilwale?

This spring, with the new roster of students at SCAD clamoring for arthouse cinema?

Yes, yes, this would do very well for this paean to the heroes that helped India break free of British rule so long ago!

And where better than at the Trustees Theatre on Broughton Street?

Most fabulous!

I applaud that the friendship between Alluri Sitarama Raju and Khomaram Bheem was from the imagination of the two scriptwriters, and not factual. (The two men had been contemporaries briefly in the 1920's, though Raju died in 1924, more than a decade before Bheem was killed. Both died young.)

Imagination plus facts: that's how legends are created, and this was all about the many heroes of India's history.

The students knew it, too, standing and cheering as each legend was shown on the screen during the closing credits!

Their energy was contagious, prompting me to stand and dance along with them!!!

Wow!!!

 

Good thing Barbara was so determined to have Indian fare afterward.

Sitting at Naan On Broughton allowed me to sit and chill in its cool air.

That respite from the action on the screen, and the contained heat of the Channa Masala, combined to quell the fire within me to glowing embers...

at least until I was home again, and found the above images to stoke it back up.

My, oh my, oh my!

So, my dear Santa, may I please have tangible versions of the men of Fire and Water?

 

And, if I can only have the one and not both...

than please let that one be  Ram Charan in the orange silks, with the bow and quiver (sigh!) of arrows for the win! 

I promise to be good, I do.

with hopes and kisses,

as always