Oh Ho, Bollywood!

The Khela Awards: These are real!

You know how I have this love-hate relationship with Bollywood? Yeah, basically I’m in a detest can’t-stand-you frame of mind with Bwood right now. It just doesn’t fail to irk me every few weeks. For starters, this happens to be the worst time of the year: award season. Great. So now, we’ll see over a dozen award ceremonies which will display the same shindig over and over again. Vidya will bag the best actress awards while others will split between Ranbir and Shah Rukh Khan – depending on which award function he hosts and so on. Bollywood ke raajneeti ka kya kehna? And then the dances, the clothes, the controversies, blah blah blah; it’s just such a hassle. Uff! Yes, in this aspect, I’m a hater. I hate on Bollywood award functions. In my opinion, they all should be banned. It’s no surprise Aamir Khan prefers to sit at home rather than attend any of these useless shows. This is the one time I prefer the west and their award functions over our lackluster ceremonies. At least there’s no nonsense with them. The stars attend wearing elegant clothes (no paan chewing, chappals wearing or tieless heroes here), win awards, speak for a quick minute and bounce. They last all of two hours. Anyone else find them uber super boring?  

And if that isn’t enough, here’s the latest on John Abraham and his new beau Priya something-or-another. Apparently, the very hot Abraham fell for his new girlfriend while he was seeing Bipasha. I just have one question: so what? Whoever said Bipasha was the ideal girlfriend? Everyone knows she was out painting the town red with a number of guys from all over the globe. And all this, by the way, while she was with John Abraham. So if her eyes, mind, body and lips can wander, why can’t his? C’mon people, we live in a chalta hai world. This should hardly be controversial.

Then there is all this hoopla over Sonam Kapoor dropping the F-bomb on Twitter. Okay, so I don’t love the girl, but are you kidding me? To all those of you who are sitting and judging her for using the word “fuck” (yes I said it, sue me already), I suggest you really stay at home and lock yourselves in your closet. It’s fine if you don’t use profanity but why is it a big deal if a wannabe actress says it? Normal people who have regular jobs use it on a minute to minute basis, no issues there. Please don’t even sit and tell me that just because she’s a celeb, she can’t use it. Sonam Kapoor is not washed in milk. She used a word which every judgmental person out there has used at one point in time. Nor does the Kapoor girl claim to be the ideal citizen or a role model, and if you regard her as your “idol” then really you need help anyway. This is the first time, and last time, I’ll side with Sonam Kapoor, but grow the eff up people.

Next week we’ll be “treated” to Karan Johar’s adaptation of Agneepath. I’ve been called a KJo hater— which I am, I’ll admit it. And thus, this is one film I am not at all looking forward to. The music so far has been rather average and I’m a bit worried about Hrithik in this film. I know he’ll do his thing but even then, comparisons to the great Amitabh Bachchan are inevitable. However, the real reason to watch the film seems to be Sanjay Dutt. I’d watch out for him— this film is going to change his stance in the industry; that’s my prediction.

With that I’m all Bollywooded out. Shutter down, dhukhaan bandh.

A is for Rebel

I’m a rebel. Not by nature, but by reason. As a young girl, I conformed to situations and society around me. I lived in a community that was close-knit and made up of conformers. People who stepped outside the circle were ousted and frowned upon. You just simply didn’t want to be an outcast. It was uncomfortable– and this I tell you from firsthand experience. However, as I grew up, I began to see that this was not a way of life for me. I saw myself conforming. In the bargain however, I saw myself compromising with my ideals. After a while, it just didn’t work for me. I couldn’t stand another day of being compliant. So I decided that I had had enough. Enough of fitting in; enough of being a clone, a slave to society. And I did just that. It took time and guts to sit and defy the status quo at different points for different reasons. But now more than ever, I have no qualms in dancing to my own beat (Bollywood please).

Today however, during a conversation over lunch, I realized I wasn’t alone. Every month my house is hit with a new book that causes deep discussions. This month it happens to be Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. The book follows the life of Draupadi and her life as a wife of the Pandavs. Anyhow, how does this relate to being a rebel? Well, Draupadi, it happens is one of the most eminent female characters of the Mahabharata. But her life was one that is different in every sense of the way. In many ways, she too had to rebel and revolt against social norms. This too in a time where women were made to be model citizens who stood by their husbands and sacrificed for a number of insane reasons. She however, was married off by mistake to five brothers, was nearly disrobed while her husband’s stood and watched. Draupadi wasn’t afraid to call all the men out on their injustice towards her. To rebel in those days was hardly appropriate. But she did it. The result? The great Kurushetra war. Now if she wasn't scared, why on earth should I be?

But my reason for rebelling is not intentional. I don't want to start no war, trust me. But at the same time, I don’t deliberately go out of my way to piss people off just because it could potentially scandalize them. Okay fine, sometimes I do. But really, most of the time, it’s just a clash of ideals and opinions. I have a different mindset; one that is non-judgmental, too modern, ahead of time even which most of the time people don’t understand. And that is ultimately why it seems like I’m rebelling. But being a rebel doesn’t mean I’m wrong. It just means I’m zara sa, hatke, different. And that works for me cause I for one would hate to be just another ladki. It does have its downfalls. For starters, you get called names which are simply put, not nice. And then of course, people aren't really cool with being associated with an "outcast". But in my mind, if you can't handle the heat, then step right back.

In many ways, I'm a rebel with a cause. My cause: to prove that it's okay to be different in every way, shape and form. The idea of conforming and agreeing with social norms doesn’t cut it for me. I simply cannot be yet another person who somehow manages to agree with what the rest of the world consents with. I’d rather live a life of solitude in the Himalayas then. So if the rest of the world wears blue, catch me in red. I need good reason to follow the crowd. Otherwise, spare me. I walk the other way.