Aaja Nachle: Greatest Lesson for Bollywood

The verdict is in: Aaja Nachle has failed. This is definitely a wake-up call for Bollywood.

First of all-- the reason Aaja Nachle failed was because it had a poor script, lack of strong character development. It was filled with cliche dialogues, too many songs that took away from the story, and great actors that were completely wasted.

The thing is-- this movie could have been monumental. A 45 year old single mother (Madhuri Dixit's character) was the protagonist, a rare feat in Bollywood. The film was not another Mother India or any sort of Bollywood tragedy where the actress is crying the whole time or is faced with extreme injustices-- it was supposed to welcome an era in Bollywood where producers would make films that could stand with a female as the lead in mainstream masalas.

But, this didn't happen. And as this movie fails, people are labeling it as a failure for Dixit, for whom this film was a comeback. The problem in actuality is that, although the concept for the film was fresh, nothing else was. Along with Dixit, there were at least four other mainstream actors and three mainstream actresses. This is a typical Bollywood technique-- fill the movie with surprise guest appearances and other stars to make it more marketable. The film wasn't a failure for Madhuri-- but for Bollywood's mainstream masala formulas.

Many are using this film as an example of Bollywood's glaring problem of how to deal with actresses that are too old to be love interests but too young to be mothers of 20- some actors. Aaja Nachle was an attempt to try a new "formula." But the problem rests with this idea of a "formula." The film was horrible because of the script and the addition of more than four love stories and many more subplots in the film. It should not be viewed as a Dixit failure, or a queue that Dixit should be done with Bollywood.

Aaja Nachle shouldn't make the industry shy away with having older women as protagonists in mainstream cinema-- but it should make Bollywood realize that the same routine techniques for hits that have been used throughout the 1990's and 2000's will not work. Aaja Nachle was one of the most anticipated films in Bollywood for 2007 because of Dixit-- nothing else. That being the case, Bollywood needs to stop following the "formula" and be more innovative.

Time for Controversy Again!

Aaja Nachle, a film which I have been looking forward to, released today. In true Bollywood style, it is already knee-deep in controversy.

The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Mayavati Kumari, has decided to ban the film from the state. In the title song of the film, there is a reference to Dalits (untouchables) which she found offensive. Because of this, she banned the film from the state she leads. "[It] is not only objectionable and humiliating but also unconstitutional and, therefore, the screening of the film has been banned."

The part of the song which she (and many others who were protesting in Delhi) found offensive was:

maine galati kari thi, meri nathani padi thi - 2
ke sone mein usako ranga gayi, mein rangaake atariya pe aa gai
mohalhe mein kaisi maara maar hai, bole mochi bhi khud ko sonar hai

Which translates to:

I made a mistake, I colored my nose ring gold, and came on the roof. There were fights in the area to see me, and even the low caste shoe makers would call themselves goldsmiths.

To understand Mayawati's decision, one must know about her background. She herself was an untouchable (a dalit), and often cites how successful she has become, despite her background. The party she represents is Bahujan Samaj Party, a party which is known for representing the lower caste. Her victory earlier this year made her the first untouchable woman to become the leader of a state, and her campaign was largely grassroots and attracted upper castes, lower castes, and even other religions.

The line from the song was not smart on the part of the lyricist or the filmmakers, because they are all in powerful positions, and made a regressive statement about castes in India. But, banning the film was not the way to go.

The film should not have been banned. The portrayal of (or the lack of) Dalits in Bollywood needs to be changed, altogether. Instead of banning the movie and creating controversy over one line in a Bollywood film, Mayawati should have simply used this as an example of how the very concept of the caste system needs to change and make progressive decisions as the leader of the most populous state in India. Bollywood shouldn't be her focus.

And, India is still a democracy. If Mayawati bans this film, is it possible for the BJP to call for the banning of the movies they don't approve of? (Trust me, I shouldn't even go there.)

The treatment and portrayal of Dalits and untouchables in India and even in Bollywood needs to change now-- along with the portrayal of other minorities. The line in Aaja Nachle should be discussed, recognized- but not banned.

She's Back!!

There is much buzz in India (and now everywhere else) about a certain Bollywood actress, 42, with two kids, making her comeback after six years.

Yes, Madhuri's back! And it seems like everyone is excited (even the International Herald Tribune). What's significant is, in the very much male-dominated world of Bollywood (where most films have the actor in the lead role, where most actors get paid twice as much as actresses), Madhuri Dixit is returning to the film industry after having an illustrious career, after marriage, and at the age of 42, a very uncommon age for the female lead of a commercial film.

So maybe this means that women are getting more respected in Bollywood. With movies like Corporate, Dor, and Farah Khan, maybe we'll be seeing more mainstream films with better roles for women.

Or it could just be a phase. But let's hope for the better!

For now: check out the song that put Madhuri on the map!

So Long Europe, Hello Banaras!

In the 1960's, A film called "Sangam" was made and was one of the most popular films of that time. In fact, it is still remembered and cherished today. One of the reasons for its popularity is-- it was the first Bollywood film to have a been filmed in Europe.

Since then, whenever the actress dreams of dancing with her lover, or when a couple goes on their honeymoon, the scene goes straight to some beautiful location in Europe. In fact, Yash Chopra, master of romantic films, received an award from the government of Switzerland, acknowledging how many scenes he has filmed in their country.

But this type of foreign fascination is dwindling in Bollywood. Last year, the film "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna," which was filmed purely in New York, received mix reviews and was the least popular of the director's films, which in the past have always reeked of American-European obsession. The films that succeeded last year took place in rural India, New Delhi, or Mumbai.

If you take a look at the next big releases for this year, such as "Taare Zameen Par" or even "Aaja Nachle," which is in fact about an Indian returning to her country from America, both take place in India. The best movies and the biggest successes of 2007 were all located in India as well, some in small towns, others in Mumbai or New Delhi, including two films that were filmed primarily in the holy city of Banaras (not including Chak De India-- but that's a different story-- they went abroad for a hockey tournament, not to dream).

Speaking for myself, I definitely won't miss the lead couple running through fields of flowers in Switzerland. Dancing on a rickshaw is much more fun.