Bollywood fans

                                                      The Bollywood fans

This story is one my experience during my United Nations peace keeping tenure in Africa in Nov 2007.

We were tasked to go and fetch current situation report from Galgok area of Sudan where there were recent event of ethnic killings. It was border area of controversial line 1156.  We were airborne towards the baron marshy lands of Africa.

The noise of chopper grew louder as we were trying to touch the ground. I peeped from window and saw some thatched roof huts and people running sighting our chopper.

The veteran French pilot didn’t take long landed right between the clusters of huts, which left me astonished, all safety and landing protocols were just left aside.

I looked from the round window of Mi-8(Russian helicopter) and saw few thatched roofs blown away and slowly being surrounded by some black men with RPG (rocket launcher) and AK-47 and moving from all sides. I looked at my team, could see them getting ready for action.

I could feel the tension and more so as I was the patrol leader responsible for the lives and safety of the UNMOS (United nation mission observers) 3 of them from Malaysia, Peru and Rwanda.

‘Stand- by’, I gave the order and slowly opened the door of the chopper.  I landed and I ordered everyone to stay behind in chopper.  I said,” we are from UN and have come for Peace, no fight, no fire” and raised my empty hands. Which I thought was the right thing to do than getting shot in foreign land.

After few rounds of negotiations with petrifying SPLA (Sudanese people’s liberation army) rebels, I could manage a meeting with their leader to take the reports on current situations of the on going war.

The men in gorilla outfit told me that only 4 people can go to their leaders, hence me along with 2 Observers decided to go there. We were blind folded and taken in one rusty jeep through bumpy muddy track.

We reached the place which was already in shambles and there was some discomfort around which made it difficult to break the ice. The most interesting part of whole story starts here after.

After saying our hellos and exchanging unpleasant pleasantries, listening to few allegations, noting down some vital reports amidst the whole crowd of gunman, the focus shifted to me.

 “Where are you from captain?” asked the 7 feet tall intimidating gigantic fellow who was supposedly the leader or Colonel of that rebel force. ‘India’! I uttered with lot of pride and looked towards all trying to ease out the tension on all faces.  “NO! You don’t look like, you must be from Malaysia” said the chief as if I have cheated them. I had nothing to say.

To confirm the statement he said, ‘do you know Shahrukh khan?  Yes! I exhaled in excitement.

Amitabh Bachan? Yes very much, my voice grew even more confident, looked at everyone’s face.

The UN observers had no clue whatever I was speaking, but they felt as if I had leaked the information of Bin laden’s whereabouts to the rebels.

I saw huge smile on the faces of all the rebels in the room with positive nod. How is Mr. Bachan? Asked the rebel leader.  He is doing very fine and so are his wife Jaya and son Abhisekh, I uttered in exuberance to ease out the situation. They thought I actually knew them, no matter whether Bachan and shahrukh knew me or not.

I learnt that Bollywood movies of Amitabh and Shahrukh were big hit in the continent even before the War tormented the Sudanese land. The whole discussion thereafter revolved around bollywood. I promised them that I would get them some CDs next time I came for patrol.  The chief said something to one of the boys and he came with a bottle of 30ltr Pepsi out of nowhere in that rebel camp. He offered me Pepsi and didn’t even bother to ask my fellow patrol team members. The ignorant souls were unfortunate to see me sipping well earned ‘Pepsi’, whereas they had settle by drinking their saliva. I knew for sure that I was safe in safe hands for knowing Bollywood.

Bollywood took precedence before the of UN reports and war situation reports. I couldn’t imagine the life in the dreaded Darfur region could be beyond killings and murder. That very place was far behind modernization and development. People may not have heard of TV or other white goods, yet such is the charm of Indian cinemas it has left mark in such remotest places in world. It has created fans amidst the hard hearted rebellions, who don’t blink eyelids before killing anyone.

After the meeting

‘Allah Hafiz’, “kullu tamam” I said to all and they dropped us back to chopper and we took off for our base.  This event raised the bar of Bollywood in my eyes thereafter.

(Later I realized during my visit to Khartoum city (capital of Sudan) I saw some cinema theatres running old Bollywood movies with Arabic subtitles).

On the Job

patrol team before take-off to base