Before Subtitles

footnote to bollywood everywhere

how did the Ethiopians understand the language? especially the ones that go "Kuttay, Kameene Main tera khoon pee jaaonga.."?

seems they have it very easy these days, the movies come with subtitles (which could be really interesting)

But in the old days, they had a person who stood at the back of the hall, and shouted out rough translations.

would have loved to see him(or her) translate the songs (maybe padosan? "ek chatur naar....")

Out of the Box

When you think "out of the box", it is beyond the ordinary, but when you buy something "out of the box" it is ?

Bollywood everywhere…

Have been discovering the worldwide following Bollywood has in bits and pieces, here n there – like a full time French TV station broadcasting just Hindi songs…like the old time Bachan fans (big b) from Japan, and Russia…like the YouTube video spoofs of Hindi songs done by college kids here…

What makes it so popular? Well, here was one reason I did not think of…in Ethiopia, they have movie halls that show Hollywood movies, and then there are some that show everything else, including Bollywood. And its way cheaper to watch a Bollywood movie than the Hollywood ones. The result? An “aam aadmi” there knows and follows everybody from the Bachans to the Rajnikant's and Vijay’s of Kollywood !! To say the least, the wife (my secret agent for all news Bollywood) got the shock of her life while talking to somebody more educated than her on the latest gossip !!

Bottom Half again !!

Dont know how many years more i will keep seeing this, but then, it is all about tradition, the strict dress code, the green grass.....it is that time of the year again....ESPN2 is broadcasting the "Gentlemen's Bottom Half" all day.....

Beeer?!

Up in victoria island, asked for what's on tap at a pub, and got this - race rocks, rockcreek, big rock XO, dead frog nut !!

Overheard: New Plates

Overheard at a Kitchenware store:

Boy: MOM, why do we keep buying new plates?
Mom: Because we keep dropping them Johnny!