Films. Food. Fighter jets. Foreign policy. France!

There are a lot of F words to celebrate this week for India, and Bengal in particular. The French Connection is more than apparent for Bharat after Payal Kapadia's movie, All That We Imagine As Light, won the Grand Prix at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival alongside Kolkata's own Anasuya Sengupta who bagged the Best Actress award.&nbsp;

But behind the more prominent headlines from Cannes, there is a lot happening to suggest that Indians are saying "Paris, I love you!" with a passion that might remind you of a dancing Shammi Kapoor in An Evening In Paris. There is a reason for this affair extending to foreign policy, but before that, I want to share a fine story with you, told to me by Shombit Sengupta, a well-known brand guru who used to be an interpreter for visiting Indians such as filmmaker Satyajit Ray when he was based in France.&nbsp;

Sengupta says he asked celebrated French filmmaker Louis Malle why he loved Kolkata, then Calcutta, so much. Malle said he was once filming a documentary in then Calcutta when a policeman stopped him to ask who he was. Upon learning that he was a filmmaker from France, the cop told him: "Do you know Maupassant? You must make a film on his stories!"&nbsp;

Malle, himself a celebrated Cannes winner, turned to Sengupta and said: "Where else in the world would you find a street cop who knows about Maupassant? That is why I love Calcutta."&nbsp;

Such fascinating tales apart, there is a lot happening to suggest that India's connection with France is reaching new heights thanks to resurgent nationalism and a love of fine culture. You can raise a French toast to that, or rather, some Burgundy wine, as the toast in this question is eaten more than raised.&nbsp;

India and France are scheduled to begin on May 30 negotiations for a Rs 50,000-crore deal to buy 26 Rafale Marine fighter jets. These fighters, once in, will be airborne from aircraft carriers like INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya. Long torn between US-made F-16s and Russia's MiG fighters, Rafales, despite the political controversy surrounding their purchase, have been a fine tradeoff between Washington, which has historically had cosy ties with Pakistan that made India feel cold, and the quality of the MiGs that has seen accidents that have cost Indian lives.&nbsp;

The French, like India's Bengalis, love films, fish, and football. The cultural factor has always been a key force in bilateral relations.&nbsp;

A less visible aspect of the French connection was announced quietly this year. Le Cordon Blue, France's century-old culinary arts and hospitality institution, announced an enhanced partnership through a campus in Gurugram's GD Goenka University with which it has had a decade-old relationship. LCB plans to triple student capacity through a 50,000-square feet training facility.&nbsp;

Indian chefs are joining its young filmmakers in making waves across the globe, and the French are unwilling to be left behind. There are now 10 Michelin star chefs from India now in the honour named after a French tyremaker that invented the award.&nbsp;

The Indo-French camaraderie may also have something to do with a bitter-sweet relationship that both France and India have with Britain. As a British colleague from the Jersey Isles located in the English Channel once told me: "The distance between England and France is only 20 miles but it is the longest 20 miles in the world."&nbsp;

The distance is 21 miles, to be precise, but precision rarely matters where cultural prejudices can be both funny and irrational.&nbsp;

Jokes apart, France is a useful ally for India, especially after the rise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has clearly sought to decolonise some of the old influences. This means distancing New Delhi from both Washington and London and maintaining a studied equidistance from various world powers, with the possible exception of China, which is too close for comfort.&nbsp;

With a fierce culturally and politically independent position of its own within the European Union, France is just right for India. Several Indians, from Tamil actor Sivaji Ganesan to diplomat politician Shashi Tharoor have been conferred France's highest civilian honour, "Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur”. Some Cordon Bleu graduates and a Cannes award or two add some spice from the country that has in the past seen protests against Mickey Mouse-led Euro Disney, which manages to exist now as Disneyland Paris despite grunts of protest from the land that would rather celebrate the Made-in-France Asterix comics.&nbsp;

In "Asterix and the Magic Carpet",&nbsp;Watziznehm takes Asterix and Obelix back to his “Indian kingdom”, where they help him save a princess from becoming a human sacrifice to a rain god. That is as subtly racist as the English idea of stereotyping India as the land of the fakir with a rope trick. But then, the French are learning now that India is an emerging economy and an ambitious Asian power.&nbsp;

We also heard a decade ago that the creators of a fresh series of the Asterix franchise were planning a new character in the Gaul village called Gandhix. That does not seem to have happened. It is not clear if that has anything to do with the rise of the Gandhi-family-baiting Narendra Modi in 2014. &nbsp;We shall let that pass.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)&nbsp;

Films. Food. Fighter jets. Foreign policy. France! There are a lot of F words to celebrate this week for India, and Bengal in particular. The French Connection is more than apparent for Bharat after Payal Kapadia's movie, All That We Imagine As Light, won the Grand Prix at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival alongside Kolkata's own Anasuya Sengupta who bagged the Best Actress award.

Films. Food. Fighter jets. Foreign policy. France! There are a lot of F words to celebrate this week for India, and Bengal in particular. The French Connection is more than apparent for Bharat after Payal Kapadia's movie, All That We Imagine As Light, won the Grand Prix at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival alongside Kolkata's own Anasuya Sengupta who bagged the Best Actress award. But behind the more prominent headlines from Cannes, there is a lot happening to suggest that Indians are saying "Paris, I love you!" with a passion that might remind you of a dancing Shammi Kapoor in An Evening In Paris. There is a reason for this affair extending to foreign policy, but before that, I want to share a fine story with you, told to me by Shombit Sengupta, a well-known brand guru who used to be an interpreter for visiting Indians such as filmmaker Satyajit Ray when he was based in France. Sengupta says he asked celebrated French filmmaker Louis Malle why he loved Kolkata, then Calcutta, so much. Malle said he was once filming a documentary in then Calcutta when a policeman stopped him to ask who he was. Upon learning that he was a filmmaker from France, the cop told him: "Do you know Maupassant? You must make a film on his stories!" Malle, himself a celebrated Cannes winner, turned to Sengupta and said: "Where else in the world would you find a street cop who knows about Maupassant? That is why I love Calcutta." Such fascinating tales apart, there is a lot happening to suggest that India's connection with France is reaching new heights thanks to resurgent nationalism and a love of fine culture. You can raise a French toast to that, or rather, some Burgundy wine, as the toast in this question is eaten more than raised. India and France are scheduled to begin on May 30 negotiations for a Rs 50,000-crore deal to buy 26 Rafale Marine fighter jets. These fighters, once in, will be airborne from aircraft carriers like INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya. Long torn between US-made F-16s and Russia's MiG fighters, Rafales, despite the political controversy surrounding their purchase, have been a fine tradeoff between Washington, which has historically had cosy ties with Pakistan that made India feel cold, and the quality of the MiGs that has seen accidents that have cost Indian lives. The French, like India's Bengalis, love films, fish, and football. The cultural factor has always been a key force in bilateral relations. A less visible aspect of the French connection was announced quietly this year. Le Cordon Blue, France's century-old culinary arts and hospitality institution, announced an enhanced partnership through a campus in Gurugram's GD Goenka University with which it has had a decade-old relationship. LCB plans to triple student capacity through a 50,000-square feet training facility. Indian chefs are joining its young filmmakers in making waves across the globe, and the French are unwilling to be left behind. There are now 10 Michelin star chefs from India now in the honour named after a French tyremaker that invented the award. The Indo-French camaraderie may also have something to do with a bitter-sweet relationship that both France and India have with Britain. As a British colleague from the Jersey Isles located in the English Channel once told me: "The distance between England and France is only 20 miles but it is the longest 20 miles in the world." The distance is 21 miles, to be precise, but precision rarely matters where cultural prejudices can be both funny and irrational. Jokes apart, France is a useful ally for India, especially after the rise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has clearly sought to decolonise some of the old influences. This means distancing New Delhi from both Washington and London and maintaining a studied equidistance from various world powers, with the possible exception of China, which is too close for comfort. With a fierce culturally and politically independent position of its own within the European Union, France is just right for India. Several Indians, from Tamil actor Sivaji Ganesan to diplomat politician Shashi Tharoor have been conferred France's highest civilian honour, "Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur”. Some Cordon Bleu graduates and a Cannes award or two add some spice from the country that has in the past seen protests against Mickey Mouse-led Euro Disney, which manages to exist now as Disneyland Paris despite grunts of protest from the land that would rather celebrate the Made-in-France Asterix comics. In "Asterix and the Magic Carpet", Watziznehm takes Asterix and Obelix back to his “Indian kingdom”, where they help him save a princess from becoming a human sacrifice to a rain god. That is as subtly racist as the English idea of stereotyping India as the land of the fakir with a rope trick. But then, the French are learning now that India is an emerging economy and an ambitious Asian power. We also heard a decade ago that the creators of a fresh series of the Asterix franchise were planning a new character in the Gaul village called Gandhix. That does not seem to have happened. It is not clear if that has anything to do with the rise of the Gandhi-family-baiting Narendra Modi in 2014. We shall let that pass. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

Cannes, chefs and Rafales: India ups its French affair in a torrid summer

Two French Rafales to take part in India's Republic day, French Air force's Lieutenant Romain Bresson has told our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal. These Rafales will travel to India from the UAE. Important to recall, last year, India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, was the Guest of Honour at the Bastille Day Parade in Paris. During that parade, Indian Air Force's Rafale Jets, part of the 101 Squadron from Hashimara, featured in the flypast.

French Rafales to take part in India's Republic Day

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