What's going on?
Let's go to the city.
Let's go to the movies.
But if you don't like movies.
We haven't been to the movies since
I was five years old.
Listen,
after you watch this movie,
you will never see another one.
I've told you,
cinema is not suitable for us.
So why are we going?
This time it is different.
It is a religious film,
Goddess Mahakali.
At 15:30,
at 18:30 and 21:30.
Three times a day.
For you, it is the first
and the last time.
Holy Mother
Kali lives in the minds of all her devotees
Slay all the demons
Blessed be the goddess Kali.
Dad...
Manu wants to be a stationmaster.
S.T. wants to be an engineer.
And I want to make movies.
Shut up.
Don't say that again.
Have you ever heard of a Brahmin
with such a horrible job?
The world of cinema is rotten,
it is not pure.
We would lose all our honor in the community.
What honor?
Look what you've done today,
making tea
and washing cups all day long.
"Buy me tea!".
How dare you?
- "Tea, tea!" - That's enough!
- The train has arrived. - Late, as usual.
Always wasting time.
Do you want to end up like me?
Get to work.
Yes, daddy.
Wafers! A packet for ten rupees.
Chai tea, hot chai tea!
Wafers!
Thank you.
Hot chai tea!
- What station is this? - Chalala.
How did it go?
A pittance.
Ten, twenty...
Thirty rupees.
Me too, only 30 rupees.
A plane was flying.
It landed in a field of sunflowers.
A balloon seller
tried to board the plane.
But, then, a strong gust of wind
brought him down.
The plane belonged to a king.
- To a king? - Yes.
Was he a rich king?
Yes, he was loaded.
He had a lot of stuff,
cars,
SUVs, guns, swords...
He had three courtesans.
The first one was called Meghana.
The second, Menaka.
And third, Piana.
That's some hair you're wearing.
Cut it.
Why do you always mess with my hair?
Samay!
Don't fool around.
Come back soon.
Yes!
- What's up, Siddi Dada? - Get in!
Good morning, Siddi!
The year is 2010,
and our region of Saurastra has two more names.
One of them is Sorath.
- Which one is the other one? - Kathiawar.
Our great Kathiawar.
Our land is not only famous for its lions and cows.
Many great men were born here.
Can you name one?
Gandhi!
He fought to achieve our independence.
But without blood and bullets.
And that's why we call him
the devotee of non-violence.
- Devotee of what? - Nonviolence!
Of non-violence.
S.T., come here!
Yeah, daddy.
Stay away from the tea seller's son.
- Yes, Dad. - You're free to go.
Baba, keep your money.
Your blessings are enough for me.
How much have you earned?
55 rupees.
To the cashier.
A refreshment.
Here you have it.
An entry for The Mafioso.
Was Samay in school?
- Yes. - No.
Was he there or not?
- No, he wasn't. - Yes.
Yes.
His name is Samay.
Don't worry.
He's sleeping on a bench at Amreli station.
Samay is going to have his ass red for life.
It's showtime!
Stop!
Don't run!
You'd better stop!
You've been warned!
Stand still!
Our next class
will consist of physics practices on light.
Samay.
Yes, sir?
What are these bruises?
My father beat me.
I went to see a film.
What now?
Traits of an ideal child
Great and magnificent emperor,
leader by royal decree
May your life be eternal
Words do not convey your greatness
You are the heart of Hindustan
Hindustan is your life
And you are the life of Hindustan
We welcome you to our hearts!
Let go of me!
Fucking scrounger!
Get that kid out of here!
Get out!
Get lost!
Don't come back here.
What a fine chapati!
My wife makes them very thick.
They're like eating a blanket!
My mother makes them very thin.
She's the best cook in the world.
Do you want some?
I'm not hungry anymore.
What a treat!
Do you eat food like this every day?
Every day?
Why are you sad?
What's the matter with you?
I had no entry.
That assface kicked me out.
Come with me.
That assface!
Don't touch anything.
Come, sit down.
Here.
And now,
you can watch the film
from here.
For free?
We will make a deal.
Salam Aleikum.
My name is Fazal.
I am Samay.
Samay? It means "time", doesn't it?
Why Samay?
My parents had nothing, no job,
no money, nowhere to go.
They only had time, that's why they had me.
And, when I was born,
they called me Samay.
My time is frozen
like this watch.
Quickly!
Come on, give it to me.
No!
Get out of there!
You're going to find out!
Why did you hit my car?
I bet ten rupees, who gets up first?
That one there.
I won.
Hurry up!
You're going to miss the train.
Never! I'm faster than the train.
You hate okra.
Why did you ask to be put on?
I've started to like it a lot.
Liar.
To tell the truth,
I hate okra.
That was a joke.
Even though you brought me my favorite food.
You know what white people call it?
"Ladyfingers."
Who's this?
Do you know who that is, Sili?
Don't you know?
It is Shahrukh Khan.
Badshah!
Shoot me!
Show me your sea of fire!
Pierce my chest with your bullets!
My love will always triumph.
Fazal!
Samay!
Show me your food!
Put your mother's food in front of me.
Those fine chapatis,
the radish,
onion, cucumber...
Pierce my chest with your bullets!
My love will always triumph!
Today,
we're going to eat together.
Will you let me watch the film?
The film?
Of course.
The truth is, I'm starving.
Prepare the next reel.
Fazal,
how are these films made?
The films?
They're for storytelling.
The stories
and the films
have a long relationship.
Just like politicians
tell stories to win votes.
The salesmen
tell stories to sell their products.
And the rich tell stories
to hide their fortunes.
The future belongs to those who tell stories.
This consists of
storytelling.
In knowing how to tell lies.
In telling the truth,
I'm very good at lying.
Guys,
we have to capture the light.
But that's impossible.
If we want to project light,
first we have to capture it.
Yes, but how?
Are you stupid?
I am trying to capture it.
Dave, sir.
I want to be movies.
No, not "be" movies.
"Make" films.
My father says we can't do that.
Brahmins should not make films.
He says that the world of cinema is disgusting.
Listen, Samay.
In 2010, there are only two castes in India.
Two?
The first one,
those who speak English.
The second,
those who do not speak it.
If you want to achieve something in our country,
you need to do two things.
The first
is to learn English.
And the second one?
Get the hell out of Chalala!
- Leave? - Yes.
Go and learn.
Khwaja, love of my life
Lives in my heart
Khwaja, love of my life
Lives in my heart
You offer a destiny to the helpless
I'm not young like you.
I have a wife and two daughters.
If I didn't, I would live in Turkey,
with Sufis.
Dad, can I ask you something?
No.
Do you think that one day we will get out of Chalala?
Are you blind?
Going to that abandoned village
is not a good idea.
Don't worry, there won't be any ghosts.
Just us.
Tiku.
Manu.
S.T.
Nano.
I see something.
It's working!
When the truck started to accelerate,
the god Shiva appeared.
The truck said to him
"Big Shiva, get in, please!"
But Shiva said "No".
Then a queen appeared.
She's cross-eyed!
And then Shiva was transformed
into an avatar of a demon.
After that,
he built a huge palace.
Another queen!
What are you cooking? It smells good.
Spinach ravioli.
We need to repaint
the entire facade.
My mother's palak-dhokli.
Really?
Spinach ravioli
cooked with lentils.
And as a side dish...
Mum's special coriander, mint and tamarind paste.
You're asking too much just to paint it!
Sir, nowadays the workers are engaged in
diamond cutting.
I don't need workers.
What I need are craftsmen.
The craftsmen have gone to Dubai
to build more Taj Mahals.
My final price is 30 000 rupees.
Thirty thousand?
I'd need 500 screenings filling the room
to make that kind of money.
With the films that are out there nowadays,
that will never happen.
I don't accept less than 30 000.
Then get the hell out of here!
Would you like some tea?
- Are you the tea seller? - Yes, he is.
Are you a Brahmin?
Yes, sir.
And you sell tea?
Did you get the letter?
Yes, sir, but...
It was in English, I couldn't read it.
They're going to build a wide railway track.
The train will use electricity.
They will not renew the licence
of your tea stall.
So you have to remove it.
Lock it up.
But, sir,
the passengers need it.
Passengers...
Listen, the trains
will pass this way without stopping.
No one will get off at this station.
Do you understand?
Where will the passengers come from?
So do it, please.
What bad luck this man has.
He used to have 500 cows.
His brothers cheated him and stole them all.
And, after that,
he started selling tea.
You should have taken all your clothes off.
- Naked? - But there were girls.
What's the difference? Next time, we'll swim naked.
Yeah. It's no fun swimming with clothes on.
Naked!
We'll see next time.
The film has changed.
The whole film is here?
Yes, all the reels.
Samay!
Is he for real?
We've been looking at those boxes
since we were born.
Don't look!
But we didn't know that each one of those boxes
has a whole film in it.
Don't look.
They take them from here to the big cities,
like Rajkot, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar...
Be careful.
Look out,
an eagle hunts a sheep.
Ala! The Himalayas.
Look what a strange animal.
Look at this.
Look at this!
He's killed the sheep.
Here they kill a poor man
in cold blood.
Oh, man!
Look, a pretty girl shaking her ass!
What's happened?
Half the song is missing!
Where's the girl?
That was the best part!
What a load of crap!
This is the first time this has happened.
Remain calm.
You've sullied yourselves
my favourite scene by Amitabh Bachchan!
Let's get our money back.
Give us our money back!
Give it back to us!
Now we know why you were truant.
Guys, we can't make movies,
but we can show them.
My father can't find out.
Don't worry, neither your father nor mine,
no one will know about this.
Can't see anything.
Looks terrible.
We've carried this thing 3 km for nothing.
What a piece of shit!
Why don't you watch the films?
There aren't any left.
I've seen them all.
But remember one thing.
Movies were created to deceive people.
What idiots!
Come on.
Look at the screen,
blinking very fast
and tell me what you see.
I see darkness.
You see it, don't you?
Come on.
Listen.
Pay attention.
We think that the film happens continuously.
Right?
But it's not like that.
The truth is that it stops.
Picture after picture.
One, two, three, four...
It's moving slowly.
Between the light and the image,
there is a shutter
that doesn't let the light through.
It opens, it closes...
Like this.
When it closes, the tape moves.
When the light passes,
the tape stops.
Passing light, tape stops,
shutter closes, tape moves.
Do you understand?
That's why
you see darkness on the screen.
Those idiots sitting in the theatre for three hours
they don't have a clue
that, for an hour, they see darkness.
It's a crazy thing.
It's all a lie.
Do you get it?
Why haven't you paid my school fees?
The school thing?
Wait, I'll tell you now.
Stay there.
Let me explain.
Don't move!
There, hold still!
You're not going to class
to watch movies.
And you're asking me about school expenses!
Wait, wait, wait, wait!
How dare you?
Who do you think you are?
Samay!
There he is. Get that punk!
Listen, please.
Get him out of here.
Wait for it!
Get out!
- Sir, your backpack. - Shut up!
If I ever see this bastard again,
I'll fire you.
Be careful!
Be warned.
Does it mean that
that you won't be able to go back into the Galaxy cinema?
What about our cinema projector?
Say something.
Here's a sewing machine!
Hey, brother!
What fun!
This guy is the best
There is a great storm inside
He is an idiot and a dreamer
This guy is the best.
- Hello. - We need your help.
We're screwed.
The police are asking about the reels.
Don't worry,
our things are in the abandoned village.
Listen, the last ones we stole
are still in that room over there.
Idiot.
Let's do something.
There have been many complaints
of missing reels.
We know they were stolen from here.
Complaints have come in
from many dealers.
Who went into that room?
Do you want me to lock you in?
Bunch of thieves.
No, sir.
Let them go.
It was me.
Hot tea!
Chalala wafers!
The real wafers of Gujarat!
After the train,
we go to the abandoned village.
Here we go.
I hope that hovel wasn't so bad.
It was horrible.
But the good thing
is that it gave me an idea.
Our films don't have to be silent.
Samay, thanks for not snitching about us
to the police.
That's why,
we have prepared a surprise for you.
A surprise?
Sir, I told them not to do it, but...
Just take it easy.
This is unbelievable.
Bravo!
Yes, sir?
Guys,
you've done well.
But what are these circles? The triangles
and the other doodles?
What does "galaxy" mean?
Galaxy?
See,
you should learn English.
Samay!
Good job.
Can we watch movies for free now?
Yes.
Today, you eat first.
Try this.
Samay!
Have you seen my white sari?
No.
Mum, look what I have for you.
Are you up to something?
Yes.
That's a very nice jar.
Run! Bandits!
Run! We're under attack by bandits!
Sing!
He's been dumped by another girl!
Samay, run! Urgent call from Fazal.
Hello?
- Samay? - Yes.
It's a catastrophe! Come quickly!
Tell me what happened.
It's urgent! You have to come now!
No trains run at this hour.
Think about it.
Samay, see...
It is over.
This was the last projection.
At least tell me what happened.
I've been fired.
Why?
Go and see for yourself.
Did you see it?
To use that modern projector,
you need to know English.
And you know me.
I'm neither a letter man nor a number man.
What about films?
Get rid of this rubbish.
Come on!
Samay, the trucks are leaving!
Take the short cut!
Lagrabhai!
Enough!
Tiku, take the others home.
OK, daddy.
Oh, my goodness! We have reached Rajkot.
Can you tell me what happened
with the trucks?
I think it's better you don't know.
Why are you taking me to Chalala?
My friend S.T.'s father
is the station manager.
I want you to meet him.
Are you coming to play?
Shall we make bets with the lions?
No.
You'll be a station boy
on the new line.
Until then,
you'll keep an eye on the parcel room.
Thank you, sir.
And thanks to you.
Samay.
Yes, daddy?
You don't like my hair.
Let's go to the hairdresser
to get it cut.
Son,
why do you want to leave?
I want to study the light.
I want to know more about light.
Because of the light
stories emerge.
And from the stories
the films emerge.
Do you want to make films?
Do you want to make real films?
Listen,
before S.T.'s father,
there was another stationmaster,
Sharma.
At that time,
you were only five years old.
Do you remember that?
He was a friend of mine.
Yeah, the only friend you ever had.
That's enough.
He now lives in Vadodara.
He...
I've spoken to him.
About what?
About you.
Go away.
And learn.
Did you talk to my teacher?
Are you going to let me go?
Are you for real?
Yes.
When?
Now.
You have exactly
fourteen minutes
until the train leaves.
Only fourteen minutes?
You'd better get going.
Before I change my mind.
Run!
For women only
Those bracelets are red and green.
They must be the avatar of director Manmohan Desai.
And these must be the avatar of Amitabh Bachchan.
Aamir Khan.
Shah Rukh Khan.
Salman Khan.
Rajnikanth.
Guru Dutt.
Kamal Amrohi.
Satyajit Ray.
Stanley Kubrick.
Antonioni.
Charlie Chaplin.
David Lean.
Maya Deren.
Godard.
Francis Ford Coppola.
Andrei Tarkovsky.
King Hu.
Hitchcock. Hiroshi Teshigahara.
Bergman. Fellini.
Scorsese. Zhang Yimou.
De Sica. Ozu.
Buster Keaton. Spielberg.
Spike Lee. Eisenstein.
Jane Campion. Chris Marker.
Germaine Dulac. Véra Chytilova.
Tarantino. Kurosawa. Wertmüller.
Kathryn Bigelow. Jodorowsky. Méliès.