INDIA: Raj Mandir Cinema in Jaipur

What better place to see a Bollywood film than in Raj Mandir Cinema in Jaipur. The cinema is said to be one of India's finest and rightly so, after entering its chic, vintage lobby, you are taken to India of the 1970s. The lobby was carpeted and it had a high dome-shaped ceiling. The dimmed lights bouncing off the walls gave the place a classy and retro feel. In the center was a small centerpiece that bore autographs of Bollywood legends.

There were throngs of Indians waiting for the next screen of Kambakkht Ishq, an comedy set in the US starring the Akshay Kumar and enchanting Kareena Kapoor.

I was waiting by myself then suddenly an Indian comes up to my side and chats me up. He asked me the usual questions, which, at this point, I was so tired of answering. Just to be polite though, I still did. He asked, "Where are you from, what are you doing in India, what do you think about India and its people," -- it was almost like he was following a script. I was waiting for him to sell me Indian handicrafts or to offer me an auto-for-day but, thankfully, he didn't. I guess he was just extending Indian hospitality to the foreigner.

I started taking photos of the lobby, admiring the architecture and the unique ambiance that came with it, when suddenly the same guy asked me to take a photo of him. Seeing nothing malicious about it, I agreed and took his snapshot. He excitedly asked me how it looked and I candidly replied, "It looks great!" In response, he gave me an amused look and asked, "Are you flirting with me?"

I looked back at him with an equally amused look and just walked away. What a weirdo. Just when I thoguht that nothing could go wrong in taking somebody's photo, this suddenly happens. Well, what can I say, he made my Bollywood experience a little bit more entertaining than usual. Here's his photo:

Two things make Bollywood worth watching. First, the storyline gives a whole new meaning to the word spontaneous. The story changes from being a comedy, a tearjerker, an action flick, to a dance competition so quick that it feels like you have seen five different movies in one go. Second, the people's reactions to anything on-screen was genuine. When the lead actor and actress appeared, the women screamed and the men cheered. When the drama began, the audience was silent and almost all had lumps in their throats. I've never seen such a responsive audience ever in my life! Bollywood in Raj Mandir, doesn't get any more Indian than that!