“Really? You listen to Bollywood music when you are by yourself?”
People have been asking me that question for as long as I can remember. Some with shock, some surprise, some not as direct, some more direct than that --I’ve been fencing with the idea of “Bollywood is your type of music?” for more than a decade of my life.
It is my type of music. I’ve grown up on a staple diet of all things Bollywood, or the Indian Hindi film industry, for those of you who prefer to call it that. And I’ve been dealing with the fact that people will judge me, in various degrees, as soon as I say that.
Because though I do listen to Western music and though I do have some staple favourites there, if I’m alone in my room or really upset or really happy, I’m more likely to take refuge in Kishore Kumar or Yesudas than I am to tap into Simon & Garfunkel. Nothing against Sound of Silence. I love that song. Same as I like Bridge Over Troubled Water. And Lenny Cohen. And the Beatles and Bill Withers and so many many others. I even listen to Coldplay and Shakira and even Megadeath once in a while. When you have kid brothers and grow up in an India of the 90s and MTV, you listen to everything.
But my real comfort zone lies elsewhere and that has been the source of surprise and concern for so many people, I thought it was time for me to write this post. Also because I just got reminded that Bollywood is celebrating a 100 years of entertaining us. What better time?
Why surprise? Here’s the back story. Bollywood is pop, Bollywood is in bad taste, Bollywood is not deep and if you’re an urban teenager, Bollywood is definitely not hip.
It is cool to go watch Ang Lee movies, it is good to know of Scorsese. It is intellectual and deep to watch Hrithik Ghatak and V. Shantaram. It isn’t that cool, important or intellectual to watch Raj Kapoor movies, or even Yash Chopras’. Because it is all “dhoom dhadaka, naach gaana.”
But here is my question, is it really all mindless entertainment that has no deep meaning? I am not an expert, but here’s my attempt at logic. I read Tagore and Shakespeare and Premchand with equal love. Notice, I said love. I enjoy reading them, and I try to learn from them. Surely, you won’t say I don’t have any ability to grasp depth and understanding at all?
Ok, so if you’re ready to give me that leeway, here’s my question for you, especially if you’re among those who have, at some point, wondered why the girl that spends time reading “heavy books” also listens to Bollywood.
Have you ever listened to those songs closely, or watched those movies intently? Don’t fight me on “are you saying Bollywood is all sensible”? Of course not. But then, what is?
Keep obvious trash and inanity aside, and now think, have you ever really listened to them closely? If you have, do you really think there is nothing deep or motivating or soothing about Hindi pop music?
When an Amitabh Bachchan says, “nasha sharaab mein hota toh, naachti botaal,” is that not deep?
When a pair of separated lovers sing “Sarhad insaanon ke liye hain, Socho tumne aur maine, kaya paaya insaan hoke…” does it not make you wonder?
When you are down and depressed and hurt, I bet listening to “Kuch reet jagat ke aisi hain, har ek subah ki sham huyi. Tu kaun hain, tera naam hain kya? Seeta bhi yaha badnaam huyi” not make you feel a little better. Try it.
Too poignant and mushy for you? How about “ bela chameli ka, seja bichaya. Soye gori ka yaar, balam tarsey”?
No, there is no cleavage show in that song. Yet, I dare you to find me a more bold, non mushy song sequence. Of course, taking into account how it has been shot and fit into the movie. We are, after all talking about the film industry.
There is a reason why Bollywood has been around for a 100 years. If it were really all frivolus naach gaana, that would not be possible. The law of elimination would have guaranteed that.
And it’s not all old and long gone. They’re making magic every day, right from singing “har ghadi badal rahi hain roop zindagi”, to saying “Usey musalsal kar bhi aao, wo jo ruki si raah baaki hain.” Only, we need to listen.
So the next time you raise your eyebrows at people who say “Bollywood is my type”, think about this post. Maybe, those eyebrows won’t rise as high.
Oh, and let me know what your personal favorites are. I'll enjoy comparing notes.
