Wholeheartedly

, how I wish, the '98 "ahead-of-its-times" classic were released today.

I can't imagine the effect this wonder would have now on 70mm.

A scissor here, a two there. A perfect run through the Digital Intermediate for the sheen. Just to the right level.

That's about it. Add nothing, take away nothing. Let the passion and the insanity be unbridled.
Let the engines roll all over again. Let Ms. Arora Khan sway yet again to Gulzar's chaste Urdu atop the moving inferno. Let Guy Pratt, Keith Peters, John Themis cut loose.

Let H.Sridhar, S.Sivakumar and Yak Bondy's work in the studios be an exercise in revision for those who seek. Let Samir Chanda teach design again. Let M. G. Sreekumar utter those at-first-incomprehensible malayalam lines yet again, with the nightingale for support. Let Pia Benegal and Manish Malhotra smile smugly at their line of work.

Let Shaad Ali not mind assisting again. Let Meeta Vasisht, Ken Philip, Zohra Sehgal, Arundhati Rao, Aditya Shrivastav, and Piyush Mishra get theatric for one more time.

Let Ms.Zinta shoot "Are you a virgin"? with the same dimpled charm.

Let the Southern Railways take credit and be a part of one of the more arresting cinematic experiences on the silver screen in decades.

Let the Programme Executive from the All India Radio be on a run again.

Let Connaught Place, and the vintage Delhi be visited again.

Let Tigmanshu Dhulia be known not just for his Star Best Sellers, or a Haasil, or a Charas.

Let Shekhar Kapur and Ram Gopal Varma feel proud of India Talkies again.

Let Rahmania be succumbed to again.

Let Santosh Sivan's wizardry on Super 35s, Arri 535s, akelas, jimmy jibs be a small lesson in mechanics, physics, co-ordinates and aesthetics to the current wannabes.








Let the master be visited again.