The Origins of Bollywood

I have solid proof that the plots and the extensive drama in Bollywood all comes from Sanskrit Drama. Don't believe me? This is one of the most famous plays in Sanskrit Literature written by Kalidas, one of the most notable Sanskrit poets and playwrights ever.

Abhijnana Shakuntalam: A sage (Sage1) is enticed by a nymph (Beedi jalaile jigar se piya, jigar ma badi aag hai!) and as a result, they have a daughter. Sage1 is furious that his izzat was lootoed by a celestial nymph and goes away leaving the child behind. Nymph can't take the little girl with her to the heavens and so, she is left abandoned in the forest. Sage2 comes and sees the little child and decides to take her home. Nymph-child grows up to be as enticing and lovely as her mother.

20 years later: A handsome king comes to the forest for hunting. He sees the nymph-child who's now a beautiful nymph-child-woman and promptly falls in love with her. (Tujhe dekha toh yeh jaana sanam, pyaar hota hai deewana sanam, ab yahan se kahan jaaye hum? Teri baahon mein mar jaaye hum!) They get married in the Gandharva fashion (which basically means they have sex without letting anyone know that they are "married".) A few days later, he has to go back to his kingdom urgently. So, he gives her a ring as a souvenir and promises to come back to get her. (Can you picture a Shahrukh Khan saying: Yeh anguthi meri aur mere pyaar nishaani hai! Ise sambhal ke rakhna. Main jaldhi vapis aaunga aur tumhe mere saath le jaaunga.) Why he can't take her with him at this point is a pointless question to ask. Like you don't ask any logical questions in Bollywood, you don't ask them in Sanskrit drama either.

Sage3 comes to visit the ashrama. Nymph-child-woman is busy thinking about the King and doesn't see him. He is enraged and curses her that the person she was thinking of will forget all about her. She is scared and explains her situation to him. (Aisi kadi saza mat dijiye, Gurudev! Main bas apne pati ke baare mein soch rahi thi! Pata nahi kaise honge, kis haal mein honge, khana khaya hoga ya nahi! Kripaya mujhe maaf kar dijiye!) He concedes to lessen the punishment and says that when the King sees an important souvenir that he had offered her, he will remember everything again.

Nymph-child-woman leaves the forest to go to the King. All the plants and animals are sad to see her go and give her farewell presents. (Picturing a song here?) But when she comes across a lake, she loses her ring in the water. She reaches the King's court and the curse kicks in action. He fails to recognise her. She comes back. (Tujhe yaad naa meri aayi, kisise ab kya kehna? Dil roya ke ankh bha aayi, kisi se ab kya kehna!)

A fisherman finds the ring inside a fish's belly, recognises the royal symbol and goes to the King. As soon as the King sees the ring, he remembers everything (Mujhse yeh kaisa anarth ho gaya, bhagvan! Main use kaise nahi pehchaan paya?) He immediately goes back to fetch the Nymph-child-woman, who now has a son. And they live happily ever after.

See what I mean?

I have several examples like this one which will prove that Bollywood plots originated in Sanskrit Drama (Vikramorvashiyam, Mrichhkatika - to name a couple.) An interesting topic for a paper or a conference, methinks. :P What do you think?

*Image courtesy: Google images

Update!

Firstly, I'm sorry I haven't posted for so long! I won't even bother with the excuses. However, here are the updates about what's going on in my life:

• I'm back from N Ireland and it was gorgeous!!!! S even said that it was more beautiful than the Republic of Ireland. We had rented a car and so, we just drove along the east coast of N Ireland and even though it was grey and rainy and foggy, everything looked so amazing, I can only imagine how it would be when it's nice and sunny!
• Secondly, since the boy who was subletting his room to me for the summer is now here, I had to shift out from my room (Notice how it's "my" room, not his :P) and into the small guest bedroom. Packing up 12 months of your life is not easy. This room is so small, there is no cupboard and there are 2 suitcases and a box occupying my floor space. So, I have nowhere to walk. I jump into the bed immediately after getting in the room. Now, someone is coming on Sunday to live in this room and so, I have to move out of this room as well. Sigh. I'm tired of living out of a suitcase already. 
• I watched a really good production of As You Like It in a local theatre with a bunch of my house-mates. I will try and post more details and a review on the blog, just in case it ever comes to a theatre near you. :)
• I attended the Aamir Khan interview with a bunch of friends! He's absolutely delicious! But apart from that, he was really charming and answered all the audience questions quite well. :) I wasn't disappointed at all! :) And then, we saw Peepli [Live]. It's a good and well-made film. If you haven't watched it yet, you should. 
• Speaking of watching Bollywood films, I finally watched Raavan and O.M.G. It's AWESOME. I mean, I expected it to be good because it's Mani Ratnam. But, I was a bit put-off by negative reviews to be honest. I finally watched it and whoever thinks Ramayana is a big, black-and-white tale of good versus evil, watch this for the other side of the story. I mean, there is always a possibility of that, isn't there? I grew up listening to tales from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. But I seriously doubt if I'd like to tell my children the same bed-time stories. Simply because it distorts your views and opinions completely.
• It's getting colder. It's getting darker earlier. Leaves are changing colour. It depresses me and I'm leaving at the right time. :) I can't wait to get back home! 
• I made an Italian meal for Sara, JD and Rose (my friends from the Bollywood module) yesterday since Sara is leaving soon. And I made a perfect Risotto. So, I'm quite proud of myself. :D :P I also made a spicy martini, deadly cocktail. I was tipsy after just one glass. :P And I had 3 or 4. :P I still managed to clean up everything well so that the land-lady doesn't have a problem. Yay! But we had a lot of fun. We all talked mostly about boys and porn. Ok, too much information. But, Rose made us all talk to her partner and since we were all drunk, we made inappropriate statements and finally, he told Rose to be safe in the house full of crazy, mad women. Ha! I like it when men feel threatened by us. :P

Ok, I think that's all for now. I shall write soon, with pictures from N Ireland and of Aamir Khan! :D Until then, au revoir! 

Noooze!! :D

::jumps up and down screaming:: NOOOZE, I HAVE NOOOOZE!!! :D

Ok, toning that down a bit, Fellas, I have NEWS. Notice the capital NEWS?? Shall I tell, tell? Ok, here goes, ::takes a deep breath:: I. Am. Going. To. Meet. AAMIR KHAN!!! Gotcha! :D Tis true, tis true! He is going to be in a city near my city to promote Peepli and the National Media Museum there is selling tickets to go and see Aamir Khan talk to a Bollywood professor and researcher from Manchester (He is a really big name in the Academics too, if anybody has heard of Rajinder Dudrah.) There will be time for question and answer later too! And, I and *some of* (ahem, you know, I'm talking to you) my other friends from our Bollywood class have booked tickets too. So, come 22nd September and wheeeeeeeeeee!!!! I'm going to see Aamir Khan with my own almost naked (coz I'll have my glasses on) eyes! :D For 20 years, when I lived in Mumbai, I didn't see a SINGLE actor/ actress. I've sighted minor celebrities like Band of Boys or Neena Gupta (does anyone even remember them?) at college festivals. But never a real celebrity sighting. And I don't even consider myself as someone who'd swoon over a celebrity sighting. I mean, they too will bleed when pricked, right? But, I think if I ever see Hritik Roshan, (maybe Shahid Kapoor, I'm not so sure), Madhuri Dixit or Amitabh Bacchan, I'll probably have the same reaction I've been having about Aamir Khan. Maybe a bit more for Hritik Roshan and a bit less for everyone else.


Dude, Aamir Khan!! I'd NEVER expected this to happen! I do truly, genuinely think he's an excellent artist. Every film of his, from Andaz Apna Apna to 3 Idiots has something awesome going on for it. Ok, maybe not so much the 90's films like Ishq, Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahi, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak etc. But that's because the films in the 80's and the 90's were like that. Besides, he was so new. And even these films, I know, are enjoyed by a LOT of people. I do happen to know some Ishq and QSQT fans. I'm sorry to say, I'm not one of those. But anyway, his later films from Ghulam and Sarfarosh to 3 Idiots - all of them rocked (with the possible exception of Mangal Pandey! :P) Rang De Basanti and Taare Zameer Par make me cry every single time I watch them. And I even wrote a whole paper on Lagaan for my Bollywood essay assignment, I love his work so much! And of course, he has flawless marketing schemes. That man reeeallllllly knows how to market his stuff. So much talent! I'm really lucky to have this chance of actually seeing this man in flesh and blood and hear him talk about intelligent Bollywood stuff. Yaaay! :D This is all because I came to this university and met all these awesome Academics and generally, did a lot of networking. I do absolutely love this uni. :D

Ok, in other big news, I have booked my tickets to go home!!!! :D I'll be in Mumbai in exactly 2 months time! :D I can't wait for 20th October to come and take me home, baby!! :D (June, does that make you happy? :P)

*Pictures courtsey Google.

Free Booze (Music :P)!!!

Since we, here at Bookshelf, promised you all a party and free booze, we must fulfil that promise or else people will think we're a lousy party-thrower! (I mean, people probably might think that anyway, but meh! Might as well have fun trying to party than not try at all! :P) Sooooooooooo, welcome to our new place!! :D Hope you enjoy yourselves! :)

Here's a collection-of sorts of some famous Bollywood sharabi-type songs! The best one in the history of Bollywood has to be this:

Mungda has got such a sexy groove in it, any party with daaru and this song has to rock! ;)

Another one of my favourites, featuring the delectable Shabbir Ahluwalia and other not-so-delectable-regularly-but-quite-mouth-watering-in-this-one men:

Oh, I hate to admit this but it definitely seems like there is something about bad boys that attract women! Never did I like Tushar Kapoor except in this film. He generally looks so humdrum, like you know, daft, insipid and listless! But in this one, quite good, even though not Oh-My-God-he's-so-hot good. Hmmm, food for thought: maybe I have been single for so long because I get bored easily and only a smuggler or a murder can give me the excitement that I look for in my life and relationships! ::shudder:: 

Oh, this is a party and we should let go of scary thoughts and focus on some bad music but good drunken dancing! Thus, two more videos:

(Alright, since I'm having problems uploading the other video, here's the link for it!)

And since it is about drinking, I think Devdas should definitely figure in this post. Even though he was a complete loser and that film doesn't have any shake-your-booty type music, I think you can dance for at least a minute or two to this song. Oh, and Madhuri Dixit is *SO* pretty!!! There are a few women for whom I might consider changing my sexuality (but that is a topic which deserves a whole post for itself!) and Madhuri Dixit, especially when she is dancing, is definitely one of them!

And since we talked about Devdas, I HAVE to mention DevD. Otherwise there would be no sense left in this world! Btw, DevD is also, along with Om Shanti Om, the best man-made invention (that is correct, man-made invention) ever! And, in this song, just look at Abhay Deol, looking all seksi seksi while chugging his alcohol as if it is juice! Ah, what poetry is that frame! And the best part of the song is Paro, dancing in happy knowledge that she wasn't meant to be with that loser. One of my friends, Sara, happily pointed out the bewildered expression on Paro's husband's face and said, "Dude, when we get married, our husbands will look at us with exactly the same expressions!" Hee, fun, no?!! But so true! Incidentally, that was the day we were playing drinking games and revealing a lot of secrets to each other!! But again, THAT day definitely deserves a whole post (or maybe, even two) of its own! 

Did you see the brilliance in that?!! Man, I can live Dev D ANYTIME!!!! Now, that's a collection of (mostly) ghaat Bollywood songs I can dance on when I'm drunk!! :D Ok, so, just as a parting shot, here (video uploading problems again) are a few songs by a band called The Booze (an excellent band really!!) Hope you enjoy it! :) 

Bas, Yunhi (Just like that!) ;)

I realised, I've been writing too many "justifications" lately and decided to relax a bit...So, here goes: Random things about me which you probably didn't need to know but now will since you're reading this...bas yunhi!

1. I've recently updated my food blog and now, it looks all cool and professional chef-types blog! Yay, I rock! :P
2. I have also, FINALLY, mastered the art of eating with chopsticks!! :D I POLISHED off my Thai fried rice yesterday, down to the LAST grain of rice, with my chopsticks! Yay again!! 
3. I started following a few new blogs and realised we have awesome bloggers in the world! Especially, June and Vampire Doc here. Hehe, very funny! Go, read! 
4. My house ALWAYS smells of catpoo and fish! :/ I don't think our landlady eats anything other than fish. And even though I'm friends with the cats, it's impossible to go into the kitchen without scrunching up your nose because of the fish and catpoo smell! Hmph. Oh well, hardly 3 more months more to stay in this house before I go back home, baby!! :D
5. I've been using the expression "Home, baby!!" way too many times for it to be considered normal! BUT, in my defence, I'd be going back home and back to my beloved Mumbai after 13 VERY long months! So, I'm allowed some over-excitement. :P
6. For sometime now, I've been thinking of changing my blog name to something funkier. Any suggestions?
7. I HEART BOLLYWOOD!!! :D I've never seen anything more brilliant than Om Shanti Om in my life!! (Take that bewildered and aghast look off your face and stop judging me. ::pause:: Now.) I have a special relationship with Bollywood, where I love to hate it and hate to love it! (S, my lovely Yankee friend, tells me that if you purely love Bollywood, then there is something seriously wrong with you. The only way you can love Bollywood is by hating it. And I think she has pretty much nailed my relationship with Bollywood. Does that make any sense to you? Because I think it's perfect!) Oh, and this should come as #1. I don't know how I didn't put it before frivolous things like catpoo and fish smells! 
8. I'm just doing this list because I read somewhere that lists have come back in fashion in Blogworld. Hmm, which makes me wonder because I'm generally not the sort of person who follows fashion. Comfort is more my style.
9. I don't like being kissed in the morning without having brushed my (and him, his) teeth. 
10. I would very much like to write fiction except that I'm VERY creatively challenged! :( But, because I have made this promise to the sacred God of chick lit and to myself, I WILL write THAT one book at least at some point of time in my life. 
11. A boy I have a little crush on said he likes the way I write!! :D :D :D Now, I write the way I think and talk. So, if he likes the way I write, it means he must like the way I talk! Which means, he'd want to talk to me more and thus, hang out with me more! Oooh, finally, some excitement in my life after MANY months of being single! ;)
12. I totally made the last one up but I wish it were true! *sigh* :P

Ok, since I wrote about non-worry like and very cool things, I feel awesome right now! :D Happy blogging, world!