Golmaal:A Masterpiece

Some of the best movies to come out of the Hindi movie industry are comedies. It was a practically unknown genre in the 50's and 60's where comedy was probably part of the movie, rather than being the core of the movie. Hence we had some great comedians like Johnny Walker, Bhagwan etc., whose role was to provide lighter moments in otherwise dull emotional dramas. There were exceptions though, in the form of Kishore Kumar movies, like Chalti ka naam Gaadi, but, that was once in a while.

Later, the industry realised that comedy was heavily saleable. So full time comedies made an entry. I can't really recollect which was the first full blown haasya chal chitra... but there are quite a few: Golmaal, Chupke Chupke, Bhooth Bangla, and lots others.

Among the comedy movies, Golmaal stands out as one of the most amazingly funny movies ever seen. Simply put,its hilarious. Amol Palekar(Ram Prasad Sharma) is a happy-go-lucky and intelligent chap who, for getting a good job, has to shed his natural attitude and become a serious person. All this to impress his boss, Utpal Dutt(Bhavani Shankar). When Utpal Dutt sights him at a hockey stadium, Palekar has to manufacture a non-existent judvaa bhai(Laxman Prasad Sharma alias Lucky) and the movie takes unexpected twists and turns as Amol Palekar, in both of his Avatars, run into Utpal Dutt. We have a fictitious mother who comes in to further complicate matters. All in all a complete comedy with some unforgettable dialogues. Sample this:

1) Utpal Dutt (UD): (taking an interview): Pele ke baare mein kuch keh sakte hain aap??
Amol Palekar (AP): Jee haan sir! Per capita income of the backward tribes of Maharashtra par unki tippani bahut prashansaneeya thi!!!!
UD: Aap kiski baat kar rahe hain??
AP: Profesor Rele Sir, Mashoor Arthashaastragn!!!
UD: Arrey.. mein Pele ki baat kar raha hoon... mashoor football player Pele! P-E-L-E Pele
AP: Haan kuch din pehle ye zaroor suna tha ki kuch hazaar paagal unke darshan ke liye Calcutta airport pahunch gaye the.....
(AP has to prove that he is a serious chap with no interest in anything else accept his education and work)

2) UD (to his daughter Bindiya Goswami(BG): Tumhaari shaadi usse nahi hogi jisse tum pyaar karti ho balki usse hogi jisse mein pyaar karta hoon.
(UD says she willmarry Lucky and no one else)

3) AP (after his interview and the sacrifices he has to make to please UD): Log tho apne pair par kulhaadi maarte hain.. maine tho kulhaadi par hi pair maar diya!!!

4) Dina Pathak(DP)(She acts as the fake mom)(to UD): Hamaare khandaan mein sab judve hain, Meri maan aur unki behan: Ganga Rani, Jamuna Raani; Mein aur meri behan:Kamla aur Vimla:aur mere behan ke bete; Ram PRasad, Laxman Prasad.
(All this crap invented on the fly without blinking an eye!!)

Usually there is a tendency of comedy movie to peter out and become dull at the end. But Hrihshikeshda had other ideas. The police station scene where Om Prakash thinks Utpal Dutt is a known sumggler(Pascal D'Souza) and later apologises him and compares ther likenesses with that of judvaa bhais was a brilliant touch.

The movie has some good songs, beginning with the title song, that sets the tone. Aanewala Pal is a master piece, a must hear!!

For all those ppl who haven't watched this movie, please do!! I promise u, u wont regret it!!


--Avi

I am back!!!

Sorry, folks, for the longish delay
Its not as if I had nothing to say
But the profession kept me at bay
due to which there was no other way
than to put a check on my blogging foray

But today there is a ray
for I have a jobless day
so I can make a lot of hay
by utilizing the matter that is grey
while the going is gay

My blog has worn a blank look
not unlike an unfinished book
but now, every corner and nook
by hook or by crook
will be filled by something I cook

So, folks, keep visiting my page for more
open will always be its door
it would be anything but a bore
for humour would form the core
for any posting hencefour!!

--Avi

Dialogues and Muhavras... Contd...

I was given a blasting for using American English and not the queen's English for this blog. So, in order to avoid one more blasting, I resort to Queen's english for the next edition!!

Muhavra/Dialogue 11: Milk's milk;Water's water : Imagine a situation where Prince Charles complains to the Queen that he suspects Diana of being unfaithful. He may claim that he is gonna hire a sleuth so that it becomes Milk's milk and Water's Water!!! Makes perfect sense nahi??? :)
Hindi Equivalent: Doodh ka doodh;Paani ka Paani

Muhavra/Dialogue 12: I have caught you with colorful hands When Charles eventually sees her with another guy, he confronts her and mentions about these colorful hands. :).. He also would then go on to say Dialogue 13.
Hindi equivalent: Maine tumhe range haathon pakad liyaa

Muhavra/Dialogue 13: I will make your living illegitimate: This, he would say as soon as the triumph(while uttering dialogue 12) in his eyes is replaced by anger... "since your affair is illegitimate, I may as well make your life illegitimate!!!"
Hindi equivalent: Main tumhara jeena haraam kar doonga!!!

Muhavra/Dialogue 14: I want to read-write and become a big man. I want to stand above my own legs: Stepping outside the British royalty's realm, this is a dialogue uttered by most heroes once they are outta college, or just had a fight with their fathers and have gone to their mother for consolation. Any guesses for the Hindi equivalent? U will get a specially autographed copy of "Learn Hindi in 21 days" by Salim Bhasha!!! :)

Muhavra/Dialogue 15:In far village, when child cries at night, then mother says, sleep, sleep son, or else chatterer will come : The movie sholay, is known for not just the story line and performances, but for some brilliant dialogues as well. It was a trend setter, as far as dialogues go... its dialogues have been adapted in many many movies, For example, take Andaz Apna Apna..... Aamir Khan to Shakti Kapoor..... "Meri maan kahaa karti thi.... ki Amar bete, so ja.... warna Gogo aa jaayegaa!!!".. Watch the movie if u haven't.. its a classic!
Hindi equivalent: Door kisi gaon mein, jab bachcha raat ko rotha hai.. to uski maan kehti hai,,, so ja bete so ja... warna Gab-ber aa jayegaa

Muhavra/Dialogue 16:That day when your hands will be yellow, on that day I will take D'Cold: A marriage is usually an event in Hindi movies which showcases a mix of all emotions, and this is one such senti dialogue which shows how desperate a father/brother is to get his daughter/sister married.
Hindi Equivalent: Jis din tere haath peele ho jaayen, main chain ki saans loonga!

Muhavra/Dialogue 17:Its the question of the sinful stomach: One of the main reasons why I sit and code and not keep writing blogs for the rest of my life..... the question of my amazingly sinful and huuge tummy!! For anyone guessing the Hindi equivalent: A free uncensored DVD of the movie Paap(with some clips from the movie Jism as well) personally autographed by John Abraham!!

Muhavra/Dialogue 18:Whose stick, his buffalo Theres a very entertaining Shammi Kapoor song, one of those rare ones that hv been sung by Manna Dey fr him... It goes "Mere Bhains ko danda kyon maara"... Shammi Kapoor dint know that about this saying, that is why he probably sang a whole song questioning why his bufallo was sticked!!! :)
Hindi Equivalent: Jiski Laathi uski Bhains!!!

Muhavra/Dialogue 19:One robbery, then an aggressive chest?: For guessing the Hindi equivalent of this, you will get a fellowship at the School of the 7 bells at Bogota, Colombia!!

Muhavra/Dialogue 20:Inverted thief, scolds the policeman: This is a very popular proverb in Hindi... I hv distorted it quite a bit, and the meaning isnt quite the same in English, but thats what happens with verbatim translation!! :)
Hindi Equivalent: Ulta Chor Kotwal ko daante!! :)

Thats it for today... sorry for all the errata in the previous blog.. and yes, I am serious abt all the prizes I have mentioned in this blog.... so go ahead and crack its!!!! :)

--Avi

Muhavraas and cliched dialogs: An English analysis

Proverbs (or Muhavras, in Hindi) are something that is popularly used in movies by the dialog writers to lend force to the situation of that moment. The usage has been so heavy now, that along with popular Hindi dialogues, many of these proverbs are clichéd big time. Me and a pal of mine, Vinod, spent the whole day researching into these proverbs, and the results of translating these to English was really amusing. My next few posts would be results of this research!!!!

Muhavra/Dialog 1: We are the contents of the same plate : This is used to indicate if 2 persons/ beings are very similar, either by looks/mindsets etc etc… :)
The Hindi original??? Hum sab ek hi thaali ke chatte-bhatte hain!!!

Muhavra/Dialog 2: The plate from which you eat, you also hole the same: This is used to indicate that a person not only takes advantage of somebody’s goodness, but also destroy’s that person in some way….
The Hindi equivalent?? Tum jis thaali se khaate ho, usi me chchedh karte ho!!

Muhavra/Dialog 3: Boss/Master, I have eaten your salt: This dialog was immortalized in the movie Sholay. The retort to this dialog is also equally famous:”Now eat tablet!!!”.
The Hindi equivalent??? Sarkar, maine aapka namak khaaya hai!! Ab goli kha!!!!

Muhavra/Dialog 4: Dog, vermin!! I shall drink your blood: This is of course immortalized by our very own Dharam paaji… His son carries the rich tradition of this canine platelet consumption by *ing in stereotyped 1-hero-bashes-100-villains roles!!
Hindi equivalent??? Kutte, kamine, main tera khooooon pee jaoonga!!!

Muhavra/Dialog 5: I will choose-choose and kill one-by-one: This too has been immortalized by Dharam paaji and Sholay…
Hindi equivalent?? Eke k ko chun-chun ke maaroonga!!!

Muhavra/Dialog 6: Get out of my vision!! I will not give broken penny from my account: This is the most oft said dialog by an irked dad on his son. Dad could be irked for lots of reasons, mainly the son loving someone dad doesn’t approve of. But I am sure this dialog would be there at least once in 4 out of every 5 movies.
Hindi Equivalent?? Door ho jao meri nazron se, main tumhein ek phooti kaudi bhi nahi doonga!!!

Muhavra/Dialog 7: In our house, Laxmi has entered in the form of daughter-in-law: Need I say more….. clichéd to the core!!!
Hindi equivalent??? Laxmi hamaare ghar bahoo ke roop mein aaa gayin hai.

Muhavra/Dialog 7: Launderer’s canine, neither of house, nor of workplace: This is a proverb used to indicate someone of mixed/unknown origin(I think, aint so sure).
Hindi equivalent?? Dhobhi ka kutta, na ghar kaa, na ghaat ka!!!

Muhavra/Dialog 8 : For the one who lives above, there is delay, but not darkness : Used to indicate that one should never give up hope, another standard dialog for anyone in an elderly role.
Hindi equivalent?? Uparvale ke ghar der hai.. andher nahi!!

Muhavra/Dialog 9 : When the one above gives, he tears of the roof and gives: This is a dialog that usually comes at the end of a movie, usually uttered by the gentleman/lady who uttered the Dialog 8!!!
Hindi equivalent?? Uparvaala jab deta hai, chappar phaadke deta hai!!!

And finally, the mother of all clichés to round up today’s installment
Muhavra/Dialog 10 : Keeping in mind all witnesses and proofs, in accordance wirh Article 302 of the Indian Constitution, the court sentences the criminal to life imprisonment: Need I say anything? Any person who aspires to act as a judge in a Hindi movie, is expected say this dialogue even in his sleep!!:)
Hindi equivalent?? Saare gavahon aur sabooton ko madd-e-nazar rakhte hue,adaalat, taazi-raat-e-hind dafa 302 ke antargat,qaidi ko umr qaid ki sazaa sunaati hai

More to follow in my next post!! If readers want any proverbs/famous dialogs translated, please leave a note!! :)

--Avi

The first test: A Pakistani perspective

After the rather easy win in the 1st test, the Indians have taught the cricketing fraternity quite a few lessons, especially the fraternity belonging to the other side of the border.
The PAkis could do well to take some lessons from this game. Here are a list of 7 commandments, which should hopefully help them:

1) Thou shalt not play "gracious host". Thou shalt only play cricket: It is all fine when it comes to socio-political situations, but in a cricket arena graciousness should be left thrashed. The stadium is a battle-field, nothing more.. nothing less.

2) Thou shalt not take the "India Shining" Campaign too seriously: Don't take the Feel Good slogan to heart. It is just a gimmick by the ruling party and is a way of garnering votes. It does not mean that you should help India shine. You are under no obligation to do that for the Indian politicians.

3) Thou shalt not behave like good neighbors : You have never been good neighbors, please dont change yourselves in a cricket field of all places in the world.

4) Thou shalt not get intimidated by Sehwag, or his Maa for that matter : Sehwag is just another Indian batsman with probably 2-3 shots more in his kitty than the others. Lay the bait on him, feed him with hittable balls. He will surely get out. Take lessons from Fleming, if you can.

5) Thou shalt take the catches that come your way : Need I elaborate on this? Ek catch dropped.. fine, 2, okk... but 6?? You are talented cricketers dudes..... remember that.

6) Thou shalt not give Kumble more respect than he deserves : Just because Jayaprakash gave him 10 wickets, doesnt mean he will repeat it every test. Put him in his place, and the rest will follow.

And lastly
7) Thou shalt no get bogged down by the names in the Indian lineup : Cricket is as much a mental game as it is physical. The Indian batting does boast of really big and talented names. But remember, they are all human. You have the bowlers to give them trouble, so please do so!

The first test is like your first board exam. It sets the tone for the rest of the exams. The tougher person shall rise after a bad start, and the complacent person shall falter after a good start. So each team should decide the course to take, and hope we have a great humdinger of a test series.

--Avi