Chak De? Forget it!

Don't be misled by the title of this piece. I will write about the movie some other time.


I saw the first day, second show of Chak De India at Cineworld, Sheffield. The show was nearly houseful. About 95 per cent of the audience looked like Indians to me.

Chak De India had moments when I couldn't sit put.

I exclaimed not-so-softly, "This is the statement of the year", when Mary and Molly remarked about being called guests in their own country. I counted 15 nasty glares.

I swooned loudly when Shah Rukh jogged with the girls in that black track suit. Again, some 20 heads turned.

My arms were up in the air at the beats of Sukhwinder Singh's rendition of 'Chal De India'. Two elbows poked my waist from either sides. Even my friends were irritated now.

But when Jana Gana Mana played before the World Cup final, even the seat couldn't pull me down. I stood up. The peanuts and popcorn that lay carelessly on me fell with muffled tick-tacks. My purse dropped on the floor with a clink. My friend grit her teeth, "Kya kar rahi hai?"

Countless head turned, eyes looked, faces smirked.

I was standing, all alone.

"Shayad hamara National Anthem tha," I was loud as I picked my purse and sat down. I knew I had attracted attention even then.

I was wondering how loud my Chak De! is for my India.