Flash Mob and the Bollywood Dance Number!

"How can 20 people suddenly appear to dance behind the hero from no where and that too dance with synchronized steps??", said my US returned cousin to me three years back when he learnt that i intended to make my living out of writing Hindi feature films. Couple of my south Bombay friends agreed unanimously with him at the atrocious nature of such a- "crime!" "Come on man", began one of them, "it is demented to suddenly have people dance like that! Whats the point?!"
I tried the usual reasoning with them, from 'cinema' being a fantasy to the fact that it was fictional and an exaggerated representation of joy or sorrow. They found it retarded!


Three weeks back they showed me some clips on their 'macs.' They were excited about the whole thing. It was what they called- "Flash Mobs"!
"Check this out, bro", gushed one, "200 people suddenly getting together and dancing in synchronized steps, as the guy proposes to his girl friend! Cool Na?"
"Look at the thrill on the faces of people watching man!" swooned the other!
I smiled. I agreed. I smiled more!!

I did not know about flash mobs until the last week of November this year. When i saw the clip Flash Mob @ CST - i loved it and could not help notice the similarity between a flash mob and a Bollywood number!

In both instances the mob appears out of nowhere for the sole reason to have fun. After having done that they disappear as soon as they appeared without any rhyme or reason!! There is no logic to it. There is no reason except for the pure joy of having fun. How only if the purist could be understanding of films as they are of life... or NO!...even there they just claim to be!

All the same, the only difference between the flash mob and a Bollywood number as i see it is that while flash mob (as per wiki) started in 2003, the Bollywood dance number would be completing a 100 years within the next decade!

Cool man??!