There are artists, and then there are artists.
For today’s generation, it is hard, almost impossible, to imagine a world without the internet – without the screens that surround us, without the constant stream of information that begs for a scrolling. Why them, even for someone like me, who grew up in the 80s and the 90s, I too cannot remember that feeling of not having a gadget in hand, social media, the convenience of access – how did we live? how did we ever pass time? What kept us entertained?
Can safely answer the last one. Movies, yes – a few trips to the theatre. A movie every Sunday on Doordarshan. Books, a whole lot of them. Then there was music of course. Cassette tapes, then CDs, collections, mix tapes, music videos, and Michael Jackson.
I don’t know much about titles like the King of Pop, the Gloved One, or whatever else they called him. For me, and for most of our generation, he was just Michael Jackson. The musician, the performer, and of course, THE dancer. Michael was synonymous with dance – oh, he thinks he is Michael Jackson – was our usual comment when someone danced well. Govinda was Michael Jai Kishen – the indianised version of course:)
His music videos were events – premieres watched over grainy TV connections stolen from overhead cables – everyone glued to the steps, and eagerly awaiting the moment when the king of pop would turn around, wait for a split second and then…MOONWALK. Boy, how many hours and days were spent in trying to walk like him, to no avail.
Those were the days.
And so, when the first look of the movie came about, it brought with it a lot of memories of those days, those feelings, that craze, the euphoria and the fandom – something that we thought we moved on from, but realized that it was all a facade – no sir. We were, and still are unabashedly fans of Michael Jackson, and no way in hell would we miss the chance of experiencing him on screen.
Went and saw the movie this evening – what an experience it was. Damn the reviews, damn whoever says whatever about the acting, or what they thought of the plot, or anything for that matter. If you are, or ever were, a part of the phenomenon, go and experience it for yourself. Don’t try to watch it with the mind of a critic, see it with the heart of a fan. I think I can safely say that you will not be disappointed.
There are artists…and then there is Michael Jackson. Forever:)