Bollywood Meets Hollywood

Yesterday was the big day. Post Logic Hollywood and New York, along with Frantic Films Vancouver and Winnepeg, were pulled under the umbrella of Prime Focus. To celebrate, PF invited 500 industry people and press to showcase the company and to shower us with Indian dress, food, music, and dance.

Each person was given a long red and gold scarf to wear. And a red dot called a bindi or talek was painted on our forehead. The significance of the forehead is that it is the site of the 6th chakra, the seat of "concealed wisdom." Like a third eye. The girl that painted my forehead was dressed in a gold sari and dipped her brush in a small silver bowl with a thick red paste. I looked around the room to see Indians and Americans all with red scarves and red bindis and somehow we all seemed like we had something in common, even if it was something handed to us as we came in the door. I wondered what it would look like if they handed out scarves and bindis to all the people who rode the bus and metro over with me that afternoon. Would they really have yelled the F word so much, if they saw their fellow bus patron dressed (somewhat) like them?

The invitation to the event was really beautiful. It came in a large black fabric-covered box, which also included a book about PF and the people who work there.

And then, underneath the book was a red satin bag with a statue of Lord Ganesh, who is ranked as the most popular of the 33 MILLION gods in the Hindu religion. I thought that's quite a contest, and maybe it's because he's an elephant with a turban because, let's face it, who doesn't love an elephant in a turban? I'm not sure I could pray to such a god, but I love having his likeness sitting on my desk, reminding me of the joy of last night.

Here's Rob talking about new technologies (surprise surprise!).

And then the founder of the company, Namit, took the stage. He talked about his grandfather being a cinematographer, and his dad being a Bollywood producer, and how he wanted to be a director. But he started a small business in his parents' garage when he was in his teens, and it did so well that it became the foundation of the world-wide company of today. He looked like a very proud man on that stage. (He was wearing a long Nehru-collared coat, which reminded me of mom's idea to make my grandpa Kemp a Nehru jacket in the 60's when they were the rage. I know we have photos somewhere, and it made me long to see them again.)

And in between all of the talking, there was music and dancing. The dancers were Bollywood-type dancers and even had a Michael Jackson lookalike. One would think it wouldn't work, but he was good, and his moves were strangely in line with traditional Bollywood moves. The dancing was happy, happy, happy and I could have watched it all night long.

Afterwards, Rob and I went to our favorite coffee house nearby. It's called "Ten Forward" which (apparently) is a Star Trek Next Generation reference. LeVar Burton was at the PF event and Rob told him that he HAD to go to Ten Forward afterwards. LeVar was excited about it and promised to go. We didn't stay long, but I know the owner will be thrilled when "Geordi" walks in that door... LeVar calls me "Mrs. Hummel" (most likely because he can't remember my first name) and always gives me a big hug. Rob said that he got a big hug from him that night too. And we remembered that at ComicCon, daughter Claire introduced herself to him and he said, "I love your dad!" and, you guessed it, gave her a big hug.

There's a lot to be said for elephant gods, red scarves, bindis, music, dancing, and hugs. I feel blessed to have been a witness to it all.