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Kashmir Bad Guys inspired by Bollywood action films
Islamic rebels in Kashmir are turning to Bollywood action blockbusters to learn tricks for guerrilla strikes. Kashmir state officials and a top guerrilla leader told Agence France-Presse that it is the macho muscle-bound Bollywood superstars drawing fans from militant groups across the border in Pakistan, rather than the industry's captivating actresses. Proper Islamists aren't into girls. Everybody knows that... "These militants draw inspiration from our action films because some of the stunts are novel and give ideas," said a senior city station house officer, tasked to track down militants in Jammu. The local commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba, detained last week in Jammu, said he had spent more time watching action films than planning attacks. "During my stay in Pakistan, I saw a total of three Pakistani films, but since I crossed over, I have seen about 100 Indian films," Zulfikar Ali said from jail. He said he had entered Indian Kashmir a year ago. The 20-year-old Yep. Only thing missing in those shootouts is the background music... "Gadar," a hit in 2001, revolves around a Indian trucker who single-handedly battles Pakistani forces to rescue the woman he loves. Ali named Sunil Shetty, Aditya Pancholi and Ajay Devgan as his celluloid heroes. Millions watched Shetty's "Hutu Tu Tu" ("War Cry"), in which he played a malevolent insurgent. Devgan was a terrorist in the hit "Dil Jale" ("Burning Heart"). Character actor Pancholi is a villain in B-grade Bollywood action films. "Recently we took in two Hizbul Mujahedin militants who were in a Pakistani training camp but switched allegiance to the New Islamic Front (guerrilla force) after their bosses beat them up for watching 'Gadar' ('Riot')," P.L. Gupta, Jammu police chief, said. None of this comes as a big surprise, and none of it makes the cannonfodder look any brighter. The number of kiddies and dim-witted young adults in the USA who practice wrestling moves on each other represents an aspect of the same phenomenon. Nor is it confined only to the USA and Kashmir. Most Hamas threats and vows of vengeance sound like they were written by out-of-work screenwriters recycling old action movie material. Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2002-07-07 |
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