Day one! Nope it aint really the chinese guy saying 'Day one' in the 'Che din, ladki In' program chalked out by King Shaw(for Saif) in Nikhil advani's stylish and charming Film 'kal ho na ho'. It is yours truly, Hari Yelleti, reporting from Goa, having fun at the 37th IFFI Film Festival.

Air Deccan Flight 222 landed at 15:10hrs and the descent itself told me what was in store. Panjim(where the festival is held) is 30km away from the airport and the drive was beautiful and enticing. The cab costs anywhere between 500 to 600 rupees but you can take a bike ride for 200 bucks if you are travelling light. Goras are there everywhere and my driver tells me that in the next 8 days, apparently about 30 chartered flights will land in Goa, full of goras. Apparently, the season is on. They have closed the nude beaches now, he informs, but the semi nude beaches are still on. God Bless Goa, I say to him!

The Goan archtecture strikes you immediately as you drive through, the accent being on the balconies, which reminded me of the hanging balconies you see in Europian Films, and also on the carved pillars. The clothes of women(not much sarees here, nor the churidars) reminded me of a culture very different from ours. Very interesting.

Manvins Hotel where I am put up is right next door to the beautiful Lady of Immaculate church(you can see the picture in the photogallary) and the view only got better in the night. Inox, where the festival is held, is about one and a half km from the hotel and the pretty volunteer girls handed me my delegate pass right away. Coffee crossed my mind as the pass was crossing hands but I said some other day to myself. 'Love talk', a Korean Film  directed by Reobeu Tokeu was about to begin in a few minutes and I wanted to catch  it right away. There was no food in the stalls today in the theatre, as the organizers weren't expecting much crowd I guess, but it didnt matter much anyway as I could not sit through the Film for more than a half hour. Love Talk was a Film about loneliness which was also the theme that interests the great Hong Kong cult director wong kar wai to a  great extent. Even the languid camera movements with the accompaniment of a blues  number was strongly reminiscent of karwai's style. The director was taking pains to  establish the boredom of the characters. I was really bored by the pacing of the Film and walked out. The next show is at 7:40pm and the Film is Jasminum directed by Polish Film maker Jan jakub Polski. I heard mostly good things about him. Lets meet after I see it. Adios. Its time for some yummy goan fish curry!

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