Why we’re moonstruck, right about now

If you happened to divert from the Holi revelry for those of you who did play yesterday, and look up at the sky, you would’ve seen the wonder of the full moon (in Virgo by Western astrology), cast its spell despite any upheaval down below. Full moons are traditionally associated with many aspects — joyous (so many fests are centred round moon phases) exhilarating (outdoor revels globally, especially at island/beach destinations are full moon fests), and then, tricky too (all our hauntings and hantings by witches/werewolves/warlocks et al are timed at the full moon, in folklore globally).

The entertainment world loves full moons. Not just because they have eternally made for picture perfect settings for romantic visuals or scary tableaus (take your pick), but also because they can be scripted into storylines most effectively as trigger for the denouement of the tale. If Hollywood uses full moons to address the exact turning point when man morphs into werewolf, or prom princess turns psychotic temptress, then good ol’ B-Town (even teleland, at times) uses full moons to further the feel-good familial factor, the time when fasting wives get fed by their significant others such that songs spontaneously spurt from their lips to capture the magnitude of the moment.

In recent times global popular culture has embraced this enchantment with la lune tighter. We have observed for a while now, how the Harry Potter and Twilight sagas and other spin-offs have ensured that moon moments are right up there in our collective imagination (in any case, the world music industry has never hidden how much it is inspired by moon-y tunes).

Now filmistan back home is ready to revisit moon madness (doesn’t matter if we actually see the moon, it’s the associated spine-chilling that counts) with a host of thrillers lined up in the coming months. Canny as ever in mapping the tide of the times, B-Town has realised that one needs that little bit extra to hold audience attention whilst fending off competition from (about to be) in-full-flow cricket season (now that awards season is over, it’s very much back to business in tinsel town).

There’s one industry though that doesn’t need the moon metaphor in order to embrace the unusual/the eccentric. Fashion season, too, is in full flow globally and apart from Delhi and Mumbai, fashion watchers are continent hopping at present, to keep abreast of trends thrown up by the fashion weeks in the world’s fashion capitals currently. And this season, apart from the return to retro (’20s, ’50s, whathaveyou), global fashion’s doffing a hat to our inner child, celebrating confectionery colours, either pop, go-go or candyfloss pastels. Moon madness or not, no time like the present to get in touch with your inner toddler, though should you ever have wanted to recite ‘…The cat and the fiddle, the cow jumped over the moon…’ without rhyme (or reason), the fashion world is one place (and thankfully so) where no one, absolutely no one, would bat an eyelid.