Wednesday, January 16, 2008

*** Phoren I Am NOT! ***

It all started when I first told my friends-"I love Hollywood Movies (!)".The moment the last word bid goodbye to my lips,all the eyes around me felt the twitch in their muscles,brows furrowed,eyes piercing ;one of them shot-"Style maarta hai.Angreji films dekhta hai,hayen !!!" This made me dig a grave then and there and I paid the homage to the list of my favourite movies which I was about to read out.That was the last time I "disclosed" my sins of watching hollywood flicks and even greater a sin of listening to their music !

(India is a country where quite a number of people go Ga Ga over Italian and phoren fashion but there are a few Desh Bhakts who think and claim that Gucci was the son of an Indian Jute farmer who was kicked out of India just because he was found adulterating khadi with silk (and thus murdering the Swadeshic Textile Industry !).This is India with a moral brigade strong enough to force Archies stores to stay open 364 days a year but on 14th February.They can sell all sorts of cards throughout the year but 14th Feb is a strict no-no.)
Now where was I?Oh yes, stop me if I start veering off the micro-level of my circle of friends.I spent most of my "hormonal" years in the not so metropolitan city of Bhubaneswar ,where listening to English music is considered as an Ishtyle factor and English Movies were met with shrieks and apprehensions at my home.But things have changed and no more suspicious eyes if they find me browsing through the Angreji Channels.
But I understand,they are not to blame and not even the society I complain about.The first movies that came alive on the screens with characters chit-chatting in English had shades of "blue" and were released in theaters infamous for there highly "unsocial" motion pictures (More moans than dialogues!!!).But the unwanted but stealthy intrusion of the western culture in our civic enclosure have things rolling for enthusiasts like us,we have got "clean" movies released in even cleaner theaters !
(But I still haven't figured out why do the Indian counterparts of our Angreji actors always end up making a passionate and sweet kiss look vulgar and obscene ?Answers? Anyone but Emraan.Please)


Some of my friends,who think that being Angreji is Ishtylish have taken up to mugging up the lyrics of the famous English songs,just to hum them in a not so clear way so that it gets almost impossible to figure out the mistakes and sometimes even the song itself !
.

Now dear friend,who is asking you to cover yourself with this fake western blanket which has got so many holes in it through which I can clearly see a capped Himesh Reshamiya "nose"ing out a crescendo close to your ears.If you love bollywood then what's the problem?Music is music.Like you prefer Chinese to Vadaa ,the same way I prefer Shaun to Sonu Nigam .You want to know more about Western music and flicks ,then do it,no one will stop you.But please don't show it off in a cheap way?Don't try to push the pizza down your throat if your heart craves for a dosa?Listen to what YOU want to.
Ab yeh mat kehna-"Ishtyle maar raha hai..."

I love their music but does that mean that I don't love my country or that I don't love my culture?Now what is that?Everyone has likings and dislikings .I am a human like you are so I have my sets of likes and dislikes.So where's the point of me not loving my culture.Koi samjhaao inhe !!!


5 comments:

We, The People said...

Well, definitely a good start and yes, a fact well laid out...commendable piece of work :)

but then, how does this relate to this month's theme 'Politics'???

Going forward, do mention that a particular post is out of context, if you intend to do so anytime.

and hey! No offence meant ;-) chill. keep writing.

soumya mukerji said...

:) Sorry, but I think this is very much to do with 'We, the People'!

gypsy said...

Well.....an issue not so talked bt...

Abt ur ques abt actor counterparts of Hollywood actors....kissin.....once a n actor said in a TV show....i quote him...

"You find nudity on western channels but vulgarity on Indian".....which is worse...we all know!!!

Keep scribblin!

Unknown said...

Ooops ! I didn't notice the theme...Sorry.Mistake won't be repeated.And thanx for your encouragement.
Seeking Pardon from all :-(

@Thanx Soumya.Yup.You got it right ;-)

@Thanx Sinner...a lot.

Sorry again .

Unknown said...

Which is worse?