Thursday, February 23, 2006

Bollywood and Me



Its not for nothing that people rate me at least at par to the Google search result on Bollywood. I have grown up on a staple diet of Bollywood potboilers and have a habit of relating almost everything real to something that has been captured in reel life.

Starting from the day I was given a name till today, much of what I do has been inspired by Bollywood. I was named Kumar Gaurav when I was born, the reason - Love Story, a Kumar Gaurav blockbuster was rocking the nation then. My Mom thought that it would be really cool to have her first born named after a superstar in the making. Unfortunately, Kumar Gaurav failed and so did my name. My parents later settled for a more sober, non-filmy, Anurag. Though she never agrees to it, I think Mom had that Rajesh Khanna starrer film Anurag in her mind when she rechristened me.
"Jaley ko aag kehte hain bujhe ko raakh kehte hain..aur jo Vishwanath ki jageh apna naam lagake dialogue boley usse Anurag kehte hain"

While kids my age listened to lullabies to go to sleep, I was fond of an abscure film, Saawan Ko Aane Do's songs. The day my second brother was born, I felt that our trio was complete - Amar, Akbar, Anthony. The only problem I had was that I did not find Amar's character very fascinating. Although I don't remember it now but I am sure I must have had a fight with God over this, Deewar style - "Khush to bahut hoge tum aaj..mujhe Amar ka ghatiya character dekar"

I got myself a new cycle when Jo Jeeta Wahi Sikander released and bought a Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahi cap to go with it. I also had that cycle race with my brother, I think we collided mid way and never completed the race. I thought of staging a "Main kaun hoon..kahan hoon" act after the collision but I guess Mom could read my mind - "Teri yaadaasht nahi khoyi?" The cycle is no more with me now but that cap still is!

I thought that Bollywood and I would part ways once I grew up and became more rational in my thinking but that never happened. Bollywood fever still has me in its grips. Even today if a friend seeks help I agree only because I can't help thinking of the on screen friendship shared by Amjad Khan-Big B in Yarana. If that man could sell himself for the happiness of his friend can't I shell out a few bucks or something?
"Tere liye dil kya jaan bhi haazir hai" .. Oh! what a crap!

I also have a habit of blurting these very filmy dialogues to wriggle out of sticky situations and believe me or not, it works. Sample these tried and tested one liners:
- "Tum mere andar jhaank ke dekh lo ki kya main jhooth bol raha hoon" - and the rest assured, you will be the most truthful person in the eyes of the other person at least for the moment.
- "Tumhare baare mein to pata nahi par shayad main apna ek accha dost kho raha hoon" - and friendship would bloom again.
(My fault then was that I had read a few 'personal' e-mails of one of my acquaintainces and was propogating the mail collection in our common close circle..and then it got leaked :( )

Bollywood has been very much a part of me always. Yes, most of the times they make these sloppy, idiotic, song-n-dance flicks which look all the same but still at some sub-conscious levels, a lot of us do get influenced by films. Some just run away to Mumbai to chase their Bollywood dreams while a few like me try to incorporate their influence in our lives.

"Aaj mere paas gaadi hai, bangla hai, paisa hai..kya hai tumhare paas?"

"..Mere paas CineMA hai". Hail Bollywood!

No comments:

AddThis Social Bookmarking Button

 
--- ---