A new movie award

This is a season of movie awards. Some have just concluded while others are anxiously awaited. Some reassure that you are not a mutant with deviant movie interests while some others make you cringe. However there is one category of actors who I believe are never recognized for their worthy contribution to movies. Therefore I have decided to create this award myself, and do the nominations and offer it to one I consider best. This is called FAADU award, or Fame Acquired As Dramatics Underdog awards. As the name expresses it so eloquently, this award recognizes those actors that appear on screen only for few moments, aren't listed among dramatic personae but still leave a lasting, and sometimes the only, impression of a movie. Here are them from some of the movies I have seen.

5. Charles Durning for Hudsucker Proxy

Charles, who play Hudsucker in the movie, graces the screen for only few minutes but the impact he leaves is much longer. This sequence always plays in my mind at work during one of our weekly meetings. As the meeting rambles on in a very similar conference room and even though I don't sit where Mr. Hudsucker sits, I imagine how liberating a free-fall like that would be. But, ahem, the price tag for that feeling is a bit too high!

4. Rajiv Gaur for Oye Lucky Lucky Oye!

This movie has enough FAADU actors to inundate these nominations. It could be the pissed off guy at parking lot, the Paan-wallah near the end of movie or the Haryanvi constable searching through Lucky's stolen collectibles but I think the waiter of New Amar restaurant has the most wicked grin I have ever seen. This grin sabotages jr. Lucky's authoritative manner ('Haan ek butter chicken le aa') to a meek kid out on his first date ('Khane pe bhi tax?').

Digging through web, I found this ZEE News journalist Rajiv Gaur who also looks suspiciously similar to him ;-)

3. Unknown for Suraj Ka Satvan Ghoda

Notice the person on whom bridegroom falls upon from horse. Also notice how he, after lifting up the groom from ground, also lifts the spirit of band company by his hand gestures.

This FAADU actor has the longest screen life among his competitors as he keeps re-appearing for a while in the movie. He's also hardest to justify as a nominee for he has some definite contribution to overall movie story. However, he's also the inspiration behind this award. Some of his other scenes are also just as interesting, like when he is next seen carrying luggage, or giving an advice to his master while riding taanga. There are no extraordinary dialogues for him except a frequent use of word 'mijan' but his manner and gestures make sure that he stays on in mind even after end credits start rolling.

2. Another Unknown for Haasil

I owe this to a friend for bringing it to my notice. This movie, Haasil, also has a menagerie of FAADU actors but the rickshaw puller's sequence of 5 seconds takes the show hands down. He is also the most adulated and discussed of his competitors among a group of my friends.

1. Couple of Unknowns for Mr. Hulot's Holiday

OK, I am not doing this because movie awards are supposed to be controversial but I seriously found the woman and his son in the first 15 seconds of the movie extremely hilarious.

This is undoubtedly the best slap that I have ever seen in a movie. When I first saw it, I had to hit the rewind button a few times to make sure this was not an actual slap accidently getting captured on camera. It's a real piece of acting on what looks like a real railway station. Also notice how effective the slap is - her son immediately knows how to behave and stop being a nuisance anymore. A great opening to a good movie. So, hereby, I proclaim this women and boy joint winner of FAADU awards whose names I couldn't find even with my best googling techniques.

Usually it's the director who is given credit for introducing such FAADU actors in a movie. Therefore FAADU actors, though deserving in all respect, lose out in the race of any award, any recognition and sometimes even notice. It's like cinematographers losing out on their awards just because they are only capturing a director's vision.

Lastly, a confession of a hidden agenda behind this post. If I could get one FAADU role in a movie, something similar to that foppish rickshaw puller in Haasil or that irascible parent in Hulot's holiday, I would meet my childhood ambition and die content!