Saturday, November 8, 2008

Humko Tho Yara



Finally another video. I got kind of disheartened for a while, as it seemed that YouTube was removing all my clips... maybe there's another video site I can use, but hopefully this clip will stay up for now.

Here's a twisted variation on a fairly standard Bollywood trope - the romantic romp through the countryside. This is a staple of Bollywood films - somehow the lovers always find a way to wander out into the picturesque hills and meadows for a syrupy romantic ballad. In this song, "Humko Tho Yara", from the 1977 movie Hum Kisise Kum Naheen, there's a twist - you'll notice the disturbingly large bottle of whisky revealed as Kaajal Kiran runs off after the silly bit of dialog with Rishi Kapoor. I can only guess that the presence of alcohol is the rationalization for the wild picaresque that follows.

First Rishi engages in a bit of passive-aggressive horseplay, using his tie to pretend to strangle himself, and, when that fails to elicit sufficient sympathy, playfully whipping his partner with it. Charming, eh? But Kaajal escapes and is soon causing all kinds of mayhem, from disrupting a bicycle race to disrupting calisthenics exercises - complete with an absurd toreador interlude with sped-up footage of a brahma bull.

This is what happens when you let a sweet-talking rogue get you drunk, kids. If you make it to my Bollywood night next weekend at the Argus Lounge, keep that in mind in your dealings with Visa, the bartender.

Bollywood and Oh So Very Much More, Sunday November 16th

Join me in my never-ending search for the forgotten gems of Bollywood... and more! Come on down to the Argus Lounge, where I'll be playing vintage Bollywood hits and their contemporary "reincarnations", Tropicalia, Italo-disco, German pop and other magical music. Sample one of Visa's tongue-tickling beverages and enjoy the music, and as always, a selection of my favorite Bollywood movie excerpts on the big(-ish) screen for your amusement and edification.

ALSO please note the earlier scheduling (8-10PM) this time around. And karaoke afterward, always fun.