Say Ki?

Let's get this straight. I like chola batura as much as I love masala dosa. No discrimination there. I lived four years in Delhi, and have had absolutely wonderful Punjabi friends throughout my life. They are an enterprising, enthusiastic, colourful, endearing and unquestionably family-oriented people, and I say that with all sincerity.

But I genuinely believe they've been dragged pretty much against their will into Bollywood. And, to borrow the Eagles' legendary line - they can check out any time they like, but they can never leave.

I was in the 10th grade when Daler Mehendi arrived on the scene and Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol first professed undying love to each other in breathtaking sarson ke khets in DDLJ. I would like to believe I have an average person's flair for languages, but despite all the years of musical and cinematic education about soniyes and makhnas, I still don't get the lyrics of half the songs playing on TV these days.

Maybe Sanjay Leela Bhansali forrayed into Gujarat and Bengal with Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas, respectively, but those films stand out precisely because they're the only ones in recent memory not set in Bombay, Delhi or Ludhiana. After all, people in Bangalore, Hyderabad and (horror of horrors) even Chennai have a working knowledge of Hindi these days. At the very least, how about including those emerging dialects?

Actually, I may not have to worry too much. It looks like Hinglish is taking over as the second language now in Bollywood. I can't say I think "Mausam yeh awesome bada" (Kidnap) qualifies as particularly poetic, but "Aur kaise koi soch le everything's gonna be ok?" from Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na was nice enough. Even the ads have some pretty neat compositions in Hinglish - like the one for Maggi Cuppa Mania (sort of like Cup-o-Noodles):

Taste ki kahani
Just add garam paani
And then, carry on jaani!

Ok, main tho chali to do something else. Fir milaan ge.