Hashing in Chennai and Kollywood TV shoot
Trip Start
May 11, 2005
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227
259
Trip End
Ongoing
Madras,
Kerala,
India
Monday, March 2, 2009
There are 2 reasons I came here....One- check out airfare to Sri Lanka. Two-run with the Chennai Hash House Harriers. Since I had missed the hash in Bombay, Hyderabad and Bangalore I really felt like I should make this one. I had been telling Roi and Liora about it for about a week. Even though most people are put off by the sound of the hash they both still wanted to come. I contacted a hasher via the web site and Whala! We had free ride to the start. This turned out to be huge because the beginning point was really far away in a very random location.
This is me in Chennai for the second time
The trail that day wound its way along a beach and through a fishing town before heading back. All hashes in India are family hashes which means no dirty songs, less binge drinking and normally less fun. Don't get me wrong, I had fun....it's just once you've hashed in Las Vegas or San Diego most other hashes are quite tame. Despite their lack of songs the Chennai kennel still had a great spread. Free food and booze.....people actually went home while there was still alcohol left! (were not leavin till were heavin!) I guess that does not apply here.... I think its because they hash on Sunday and everybody has to work the next day. On top of all this there was a reporter for the Chennai Times present- Roi, Leora and me were all in the paper! Ice blocks are another good thing about hashing in Asia. The hash brings blocks of ice that the accused must sit on. This is done for various hashing crimes.
While hashing I met a fellow named Babuski. He told us that he had India's record for fastest movie ever made. I think he shot an entire movie 23 hours?? Anyway, Tamil Nadu (the state in India we are in) is 3rd in the world for making movies..... It goes Bollywood first, Hollywood second and Tollywood/Kollywood (don't quote me on this) third. We were all keen to see a TV or movie being shot in Tamil
Views from the hash
. I questioned Babuski about it and he arranged for it the next day! Ask and you shall receive!The following day Babuski gave us his car and driver to shuttle us to the location of the Tamil soap opera. Everyone was very friendly and the actors (when not shooting a scene) would come over and talk with us. Since Tamil TV shows use dubbing there is no need to be quiet during the filming. The Director would yell ACTION! but never QUIET ON THE SET! because there was no need for it. It kinda took the magic away not being able to hear the actors (like I could understand them).
One of the actors explained how Indian soap operas work. Of course they thrive on drama but not like American soaps. All the drama here is very clean. No infidelity or sex outside marriage. It's more of the drama of a huge families living together, power struggles, evil mother-in-laws and disobedient women. It was a good experience and even sweeter when we watched the actors (we had met) perform on TV that night. (I still don't know what they were saying......) Just in case anyone does speak Tamil the shows name was Kalyanon (this mean marriage)
I came back to Chennai a week later to fly to Sri Lanka....with the kicker being that I had to get up at 4 Am. Upon checking in for the flight I could not find my passport. My sleep deprived brain thought I had left it at the front desk of the hotel. I then had to re-book my flight for 2 days later! Driving back into town I discovered that my passport was exactly where I always put it. I was so frustrated I wanted to scream! Therefore I had to kill 2 more days in hot humid Chennai....the first day I spent it in a posh movie theater and the next day Aditi came to keep me company. I hashed one more time with Chennai HHH.
