Prabhavit Prabhakar

No, it's not yet another corny name for a desi dubbed superhero. It's a term I coined to describe those (including me) who are so influenced by films as to weave them into daily life.

My group at work is particularly susceptible to celluloid of the motion picture kind. Our "prabhavit prabhakar"-ness spills over onto work. Which causes Sujay to break into an impromptu version of "Haa.n jab tak hai jaan" when faced with the question: "can we fight to the end and deliver our code successfully?". Or when asked about the arrival of a new big-shot manager, Parikshit says "Pistol jail me.n aa chuka hai". Or Daemon doing "angry young man" impressions

Understandably, references to "Sholay" dominate, but there are other founts to draw from - comedies like Golmaal or Chasm-e-Baddoor or Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron (any birthday celebrated with cake will see this recalled), recent ones like Lagaan or Jaani Dushman find themselves quoted often. "Angreji" films are also in vogue - every time the printer beeps "Paper Jam", you want to crush it like in "Office Space".

Un-prabhavit prabhakars around us may find us giggling like schoolgirls meeting their chocolate heroes from time to time, but in our defence, crazy things like these keep our sanity intact. For when we are depressed and frustrated, office buildings seem like Shawshank prison and we dream of printing out a poster of Rita Hayworth and start chiselling behind it. In contradiction, I feel that excessive film watching has actually resulting in further addling our minds, by providing it ideas and scenarios which would have never suggested themselves to us any other way.

Probably the most far-fetched filmy imaginary thing to have occured to me was after watching "Kill Bill 1". At a function to celebrate some divisional milestone, there were three people invited to cut the cake and they couldn't (out of modesty) decide who should do the honours. Instantly, I was lost in visions of a deadly battle between the three brandishing swords & daggers in a bloody fight to wrest the prestige of slashing the cake.... (you get the idea).

Warning: There is no redemption for "prabhavit prabhakars". For I am Jack's anti-normal imagination.