Tag: Bollywood

I am Salman Khan – My version of the Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom

On By preeti somaniIn Uncategorized4 Comments
The sight of my 3 year-old son sing and dance to the tunes of the “Debanng” song hit me like an epiphany. It was as if the actor in him is tearing his shirt and dying to come out. And the deal got sealed when I started noticing his eye rolls, spreading of his hands (a la SRK style), and the projection of his voice. (Have you seen him scream?! How handy could that be when he’s looking out for his heroine in the woods!).

From that day on, I set on a mission. He will be the next Salman Khan.
Like a typical Indian mom, food is the first thing that was put into consideration. His daily diet plan which now includes (carbs, proteins, calcium, vitamin A to Z, and the right kinds of muscle-building fats) went into strict enforcement. The Bournvita jar got thrown in the bin, my munna (Note to myself: I better start calling him “muns”; Munna could just land him into “Bhojpuri” movies.) deserves Pediasure. (C’mon, the premium price must not be for nothing. Maybe they put better quality DHA in it.). Also contemplating whether I should go organic for him. After all, more the investment, better the ROI.
I’m also looking for a baby cream that will retain his fair complexion. Gone are the days of tall, dark and handsome. All the macho actors are gaining confidence through their fairness creams these days. And outdoor playtime will have to be squeezed to fit in power yoga (coz Kareena and Saif swear by it). Oh, so many things to worry about. But glad that posing for the camera will not be one of them. Thanks to those digital cameras, he’s so used to extended photo sessions that he can pose in his sleep now. Well, but the best thing is that part of the weekend will now have to be spared for frequenting the designer label malls. We’ll need that regular dosage of latest fashion and style into our lives.
And rest is all contacts. But not to worry, I’m already on the lookout for those filmi-types circles I can hangout with. If push comes to shove, we’ll need move to Mumbai..eesh Bombay.
(And If all else fails, there will be some reality show where he can beg, borrow or bribe his way into. And even if he’s not good at dancing, singing or whatever it is that he’s supposed to do, I’ll make sure he cries beautifully and looks good while doing so. I’m pretty sure that one of the movie celebrity judges will open her arms for him. Shh..but that’s a trade secret!)
But lately I’ve started noticing that my husband is unduly disciplined about playing cricket with him every night. Could it be that my husband is harboring a secret dream of making him a cricketer?!
Oh Lord, that could be THE CONFLICT of interest, I worry. After a lot of turmoiled thinking, I reconcile. Luckily for me, I do know a few cricketers who came to their senses and entered Bollywood eventually. Plus dont all cricketers end up acting anyway (for their advertising contracts)?! And btw, we’ll also need to keep that MBA from IIM-Ahmedabad as a 2nd backup career option for him. (His grandparents would be heart-broken otherwise.) Well, he can study for his CAT between the shoots/practice sessions if it comes to that.
So I’m scouting for his school admissions these days. Its frustrating that you have so many options,  but none for parents like me i.e. a school that would focus on overall personality development, along with equal emphasis on academics, sports, performing arts, social skills, and of course where he can make the right contacts for future. The only respite may be the after-school trainings and classes that he’ll be attending, as soon as he turns 4. Didn’t I see just a picture of Sachin Tendulkar with a cricket bat at the age of 3? He may already be late.
But I don’t understand why he keeps obsessing about airplanes and animals. What has that got to do with acting or cricket?
And for a fleeting second, a thought crosses my mind. ‘Am I living my dream through my son’s life?’ 
‘Well, maybe!..’ I say to myself, ‘but that’s what star moms do, right?!” 
 

Delhi Belly with a conscience

On By preeti somaniIn delhi belly, indian youth2 Comments

I have been resisting the urge to do a piece on “Delhi Belly”, but its been steering up a storm in my pysche as well as in this side of the globe. (The only contender thats giving “Google+” FB updates a stiff competition). So I let myself loose…In fact, thats the moral of the story, as I get it

The story is about 3 of the India’s 20+ generation  that live on their own terms, make their own rules and of course have no hang-ups about sex and shit(ty) talk. (Btw, I’m hoping someone is patenting the “3 guys Bollywood formula”. Nothing has succeeded like a “3 friends in a movie” in the recent past. I’m sure “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara” will only prove this point further.)
Nitin is the stereotypical fat friend, whose love for sensory pleasures is intact, but the means are always questionable. (i.e If you can’t have girls, pin-up photos would do. If you can’t have chicken tikka in a restaurant, germ-ful hawker-handed ones would do.). Whereas Arup is your quintessential “loser” guy. He’s talented but in a dead-end job. He’s lovable but heart-broken. (Comes in handy when the filmmakers need to make a parody.) But both Arup and Nitin’s characters are there to accentuate Tashi’s
(the clear hero amongst the three…with a gorgeous, well-bred, girlfriend, non-chalant attitude and a head that can think on its feet.). Their love for mess and desire to hang-on tight to their hostel lives is what keeps them together. Crude language and cuss words come to them as naturally as their daily ablutions that are so gloriously elaborated in the movie.

But scratching the surface beyond the crassness and the unabashed language, what is the story telling us? Its giving us a peek into the lifestyle of a certain young Indian generation, albeit with jarring nakedness.
Interwoven throughout the movie are subtle(like the conclusion to Tashi’s love triangle) and not-so subtle (like the disdain for the gifted Red Santro) endorsements of the fact that they have no qualms about prioritizing independence and individualism over money. While in the same vein, priortizing a comfortable life over love (as in Arup’s girlfriend case.).

True to their cool attitude, they subscribe to the school of thought where two-timing is ok, lesbanism is empowering, and even blackmailing is fine if the blackmailee is cheating on his wife. But this is contrasted with their sub-conscious yet firmer beliefs such as “Friendship is forever”, “Money is never more important than people in your life”, and “Follow your passion (whether its about the girl or the job)”.

So for all those who think that the movie has no messages…here’s one that I found hidden in the layers of laughter and cuss language. Its that independence, passion and friendships should not be compromised, whatever the cost. Thats only apt, considering the rut of rat race we get subjected to, after college. Thanks to Aamir Khan for showing it in a way the rest of the 20+ generation would relate to or enjoy.

And for the rest of us…its ok to let yourself loose once in a while. (i.e. not be embarrassed to laugh at the toilet humor).