The days of old ~ Bollywood

I have not watched a Bollywood movie in almost twenty years and while I do not feel like I am missing much, occasionally a simple song will send a wave of nostalgia through me, creating a longing for the old country.

The old country and the days when we went to the cinema not to see one movie, but two of them back to back. Wednesday at noon, Saturday at noon and at 6:00 p.m. was well. This was the only form of entertainment we were allowed and as a result the women would line up about an hour before a scheduled showing to get their tickets. We always dressed our best, for the young men would stand outside to watch the women and to see if there was a chance that one of them would turn up alone, giving them the opportunity to sit next to her and ‘chat’ her up. But, alas, none ever did, because to do so would have been to risk her reputation.

Looking back, I cannot believe that I sat there, sometimes with my mom and aunts and other times with my friends, for four hours at a time watching a movie in a language that I did not understand. While I cannot believe it, I can still feel that fuzzy warm feeling that I had then when I sat and watched the hero and heroine sing and dance their way to each other’s hearts.

As I sit now watch on youtube Hema Malini and Feroz Khan sing their way across the Afghanistan desert and Netu Singh and Shashi Kapoor sing along in the car, my heart feels light. The women were beautiful and sweet, the men handsome and charming. I remember the drive-in in Paramaribo where we went as a family and sat quietly as we watched this movie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0vsraYJtbY and many many more like it. And then there are the songs from ZAMAANE KO DIKHANA HAI which to this day I still adore.

The draw of Bollywood then was that it was clean and provided an escape from the everyday hardships. The movies were so romantic and beautiful. And no matter what happened love will conquer all. Fairytale on film.

This is old Bollywood, when the movies were clean or nudity, sex or anything sexual. The violence was limited and you could sit there with grandma and grandpa and know that none would be embarrassed.

I think I’ll go to the cinema tomorrow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj1Rn--wz6w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S875u8jFWYk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3YTBozxlm8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmRVZhnZtCc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDK40H5oX-k&feature=related

Hema Malinie

Feroz Khan

Shashi Kapoor