This Tom’s thumb is on Lagaan

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">eight years before tom brook, the presenter of talking movies on bbc, went to new york, he visited india as a hippie. having explored the country, with a detour to nepal, a million memories have lingered on. but no, they''re not about films. "i have this thing about smell. that''s how i remember places i visit — new york, to me, is the smell of jet fuel at kennedy airport," says brook.currently in the capital to promote hollywood years, a set of ten documentaries showcasing the life and times of some of hollywood''s most charismatic figures, he continues in the olfactory tone, "although i came to india way back in 1972, the minute i landed in delhi, i could smell the essence of burning wood, a scent which has stayed with me over the years." with a nose to sniff out the good, the bad and the ugly of films in his show talking movies, brook claims that <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">lagaan</span> might well have a chance of making it at the oscars. "the best foreign film nomination is the toughest category to judge," says brook, who claims he learnt the art of reading the mind of academy members from a voting member himself. "unlike other categories, members are required to see all five nominations for best foreign film before they can vote. so, <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">lagaan</span> will have the attention of those final few who would watch the other four runners in the race as well. it will all boil down to how well sony classic pictures, who have acquired <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">lagaan</span>''s foreign rights, publicise and campaign for the film. and lest we forget, they are the same people who were behind the success of <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">crouching tiger hidden dragon</span> last year," he says. "the competition for lagaan, as i see it, will come from <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">amelie</span> and <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">no man''s land</span>," brook adds. among other things, tom brook wants to run a special story on <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">lagaan</span> on talking movies. "that will be great. i hope i can touch base with aamir khan in the us." as of now, he is busy with the special oscar series on his show and with <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">hollywood years</span>, which will hit the small screen on march 2. pinocchio-like, of course, it''s his ability to sniff out the action which keeps him busy nosing around the world! pankaj.kapoor2000@indiatimes.com </div> </div>