Did you know about Vindoo?” is a question I get a lot these days. Followed by, “So who’s next?”

I have to confess I hadn’t even heard Vindoo’s name in connection with the betting biz, let alone of him being a minor kingpin (if that’s not an oxymoron). Perhaps I need to keep my ears closer to the ground, I considered briefly, confronted with my singular lack of information on this count. But rumours about the sleazy side of life in B-Town float around all the time; chasing them can be not only an exhausting task but a dreary, mind-numbing one as well. So one dips in just enough to be informed about what impacts the primary business of film-making.

As for the second question, of course many names are being bandied about. I’ve heard (now and earlier) about many other B-Towners, big and small, who are said to be inveterate gamblers and cricket bettors. From all accounts, the degree of involvement varies, going from occasional to compulsive. But these are just rumours, not proven facts, so I won’t predict any names.

However, Bollywood’s affinity for betting is inevitable. Film-making is itself an inherent gamble, driven more by hunches and a near-obsession than any kind of guarantee or success. Bollywood gambles all the time — on actors, films, ideas, gut feelings and, of course, big money. That’s part of the thrill of the game. When you’re playing for stakes in two-digit crores, what’s a few lakhs on a cricket game or two? The fact that it’s illegal perhaps adds to the addiction for some.

Unfortunately, the Vindoo episode has effectively minimalised coverage of India’s showing at Cannes 2013. By that I definitely do not mean the fashion coverage, which has now acquired proportions that would be comical if they were not so dangerous. While our khaki-clad police are careful in the information and opinions they put out, the same cannot be said about the fashion police.

I’ve seen endless pictures and dissection (largely critical) of Aishwarya Rai’s, Sonam Kapoor’s and Vidya Balan’s wardrobes.

But precious little talk of Vidya’s duties as a member of the jury, which is a much-deserved honour for this actress who takes her craft more seriously than most in the film industry. Luckily for us, Vidya has her priorities right. As she told me once, “My family once sat me down and asked me: What did you get into this industry for? The answer was so clear: I came here to act. And that was what I needed to concentrate on and not get distracted by criticism of other aspects.” By other aspects, she meant her fashion sense, of which she self-admittedly does not possess too much.

Aishwarya and Sonam, on the other hand, take their clothes seriously, especially at Cannes. Despite being dressed and styled by big names, they came in for some red carpet bashing too. Even Amitabh Bachchan, who is generally impeccably dressed, was at the receiving end for his somewhat over-the-top, trying-too-hard outfits.

Interestingly enough, the least criticised was perhaps actress-director Nandita Das, who wore simple but elegant clothes that didn’t look as though they had arrived from some over-priced designer studio. Indeed, they looked like the clothes that the average well-dressed urban Indian woman would wear. With minimal makeup and jewellery, coupled with maximum good sense, she didn’t try too hard on the fashion front. Like Vidya, Nandita focused on her job as a jury member for the short films category. And it paid off beautifully.

Ditto for the other Cannes regulars, Anurag Kashyap, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Irrfan Khan. All three are poster boys for indie cinema and festival films. You might have seen pictures of them on the red carpet. But how many did you see of Anurag Kashyap receiving his honour, the Chevalier dans l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters)?

Or of debutant director Ritesh Batra, whose Dabba ( TheLunchbox ), starring Irrfan and Nawazuddin, has got some terrific reviews at Cannes? Not only did it get an audience award at the fest, Hollywood bibles Variety and The Hollywood Reporter , which keep their eye on commerce as firmly as they do on art, have had nothing but praise for the film.

Variety called it “a feel-good movie that touches the heart… An indie Indian pic with the crossover appeal of “ Monsoon Wedding ,” it’s sure to be gobbled up by audience-friendly fests…” The Hollywood Reporter was far more fulsome, dubbing it “a charming first feature film… a tender, ingenious tale of romance by correspondence…” The magazine added, while predicting good international sales for the film, “What is most endearing is the delicacy with which writer-director Ritesh Batra reveals the hopes, sorrows, regrets and fears of everyday people without any sign of condescension or narrative trickery.”

I reproduce this excerpt in full because it seems to me to contain so many keywords that would be anathema to mainstream Bollywood. Delicacy? Perish the thought. Everyday people? Oh, no! No narrative trickery, that is, a tale simply told? Forget it.

Not surprisingly, the mainstream offering, Bombay Talkies , was dismissed by The Hollywood Reporter thus: “…the four stories of Bombay Talkies are meant to celebrate the one hundred years of Indian cinema but do very little to further its reputation.” And that pretty much summed up Cannes’ reaction to the film.

Now Cannes may be a bit of a circus at times, but praise from its critics does mean something at an international level, especially in terms of commerce. After years of drought, a brave new breed of indie producers and directors are doing India proud at Cannes. While mainstream Bollywood and, indeed, the mainstream press, seems to be more concerned about who wore what.

Ever-faithful supporter of mainstream Bollywood though I am, I have to say B-Town’s dress sense on the red carpet is as misplaced as its choice of films for Cannes. How one wishes that, like Nandita Das and Ritesh Batra, Bollywood could try for a little more simplicity and plain common sense.

shashibaliga@gmail.com

comment COMMENT NOW