Item Number: Hi! I'm a Punjabi and Bollywood paints me true.

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Hi! I'm a Punjabi and Bollywood paints me true.

Arent we sick of stereotypes already, where just cause you're a Punjabi, you have to be an obnoxious dancer, start drinking at sunset and while you're at it, obnoxiously sing about it as well!

Ajay Devgan firstly, in my books would never pass off being punjabi, secondly - just a lot of 'WHY'S?!!!'

So here are two songs which talk about the orbit and it's ecliptic plane, how the earth completes it's rotation, as a result of which Suraj goes asth and its subsequent impact on punjabi's going mast!

What a revolution, I say!

Just to fill your thought bubbles:

Lyrics of song 1, Movie 'What the Fish' :

"Suraj asth hua, te baabe mast hua,

Phir kaake pairon ka, dance zabbardast hua!"

Lyrics of song 2, Movie 'Action Jackson (what the fish man!)' :

"Surya asth, punjabi mast

Na pilana punjabiyon ko naap tol ke,

Dilwaale hain, peetein hain yeh dil khol ke"

And anyway on one hand, we're shutting liquor stores, and declaring some states as 'Dry', while Bollywood continues to pom pom about how cool it is to be an alcohol soaked paapad! Why can't Punjabi's talk about 'Lovely Professional University' or 'Sarson da saag, make di roti' if you must, while on cliches.

Koorgi's and Punjabi's to me are brothers in spirit, though i have yet to see a Koorgi sing and dance about it in alcohol support groups.

2 comments:

UnknownNovember 25, 2014 at 11:57 PM
To start with being a Punjabi I know a lot of them and yes we do get mast with the Suraj asth.

In fact its not only Punjabi's who gets mast with the phenomenon. I drink at almost every Suraj asth and I have friends from around the country who are with me during getting mast. But I am not sure how would songs sound when it says Suraj asth aani Marathi mast or Suraj asth Bengali mast hobchi or Suraj asth Gujrati moja Maa I actually don't know for me perhaps its the beauty of the language.

Secondly, I don't know why but yes we like talking about alcohol and we are happy when we are consuming it. Songs on this topic to us are like what is Football to English. And this has been happening for decades now for eg. Our Legend 'Gurdas Maan Sahab' has been making songs like ' Apna Punjab hove ghar di sharaab hove'
Yaar Punjabi mera pyar Punjabi, Jatt Di botal naal badi purani yaari and many others.

Now for your Sarson DA saag and other LPU cliches actually the 'Legendary' movies like DDLJ, Jab We Met, YPD and many others OH! Humpty Sharma also went there for his love have over done it, soooo it's cool with us.

Last thing, if someone actually wants to know about this funda then please go to Punjab once and experience the Suraj asth there.
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Extra No:1November 26, 2014 at 12:58 AM
Thanks for clarifying that, there is NOTHING more to Punjabis then absurd amount of drinking and the Bolly cliches. I was hoping there was more we could associate Punjabis with but if that's your pride, then be it :)
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About Me

Ok, so I’m 5ft 9, about 139 pounds, big greenish brown eyes, long curvy lashes, a curvier body, soft curly hair and an electrifying smile. This impression exists in my head…and now in yours.

It’s not because what I look like makes me uneasy, but this is the number that I’d like to turn up in, someday.

Hence, the ‘Item Number’. A lot many maybe familiar with the term and all that it implies but for the ignorant read on…

I’ve always associated myself with the term ‘Item Number’ which however until recently was a phrase loosely used in Bollywood to describe a filler, a foreplay before the formidable act, a thesaurus for sleazy dance, an excuse for skin show (not always attractive).

All that is now the past. With cinemas growing sensibilities, the stigma attached to the phrase no longer exists and in fact, is now glorified by a list of A grade celebrities gracing the screen with their special performance, adding glam value to an otherwise submissive script.

However in spite of the recent but growing respect, the meaning of the phrase ‘Item Number’ has never changed for me. An item number is an exhibit out of the ordinary plot line, sometimes provocative yet necessary, it sometimes lends itself to the situation but other times it’s forced. It’s long enough to make you smile, but short enough leaving you longing for more. Sometimes special. Sometimes over the top. But never subtle.

I believe, if we search deep inside, we all yearn to be an item number (yes even you!)

It’s the longing to be special. To be provocative. To be able to tease ones boundaries. To be different. To be the one. To make people sit up and notice.

If only for an hour, if only for a minute or even a second.

When you hear the crowds cheer (even if it’s just in your head), respond to every appreciative/envious glare with a radiating smile from within, when you know the stars are shinning in this moment, only to make you look brighter, and you almost throw your hands up to the universe miming a big ‘Thank You’ that’s when you know you’re an Item Number.