Beef Vindaloo

Pottermania has reached a part of India that few would ever imagine it to reach. In Gobargaon, some 6 km east of Patna, Sita Jha is preparing for a role of a lifetime. Come 2009 and she will star as Shylera, a witch in the service of Lord Voldemort in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Jha was selected out some 460 women who had been branded as witches by fellow Biharis and were ready to burnt at the stake. The remaining 459 “witches” were duly burnt at the stake after Jha’s selection.

Mary Wingerbottom, the head casting director for the new Potter film said, “The second I heard that Biharis were burning women for being witches, I knew I had to be there. This was a unique opportunity to cast a real life witch and bring some sort of authenticity to the fantasy series.” Jha, who is unable to comprehend any modern language known to man merely smiled at this reporter and muttered something under her breath. The crowd that had gathered around her dispersed within seconds which led Wingerbottom to believe that Jha had just said, in her native tongue, that she had soiled herself with excitement.

For the Potter series, which has grossed in excess of $1 billion worldwide, this is a first. Actor Daniel Radcliffe who plays Harry Potter in the films was beside himself with excitement. “I am beside myself with excitement,” he said, “completely gobsmacked really. Who would have thought that they still burnt witches. Fantastic! India is a fascinating place. I can’t wait for her to meet my mates over at Diagon Alley.” When informed that Diagon Alley wasn’t real, Radcliffe appeared flummoxed, to say the least.

But none can deny that this is a chance of a lifetime for Jha. For someone who can not comprehend the language, it would be challenging, to say the least, to don the role of a hated, if somewhat obscure witch in the popular series. Wingerbottom though disagrees strongly, “She wouldn’t really be acting you know what I mean! It would be all natural for her, wouldn’t it!” While it is still premature to speculate on whether Jha would pursue acting as a full time career option, one thing is for certain, given her lack of English skills, she would have no trouble getting either a US or UK citizenship.

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