my bollywood inspirations
Have you guys heard this mashup of “Agar Tum Saath Ho and Maahi Ve?” OOF . It’s so incredibly beautiful, and it has definitely become my new favorite. I love the pairing of Jubin Nautiyal and Prakriti Kakar’s voices. Not to mention the amazing arrangement of traditional sounds and violin in the background. This sonatic experience truly takes me home, a warm and rich feeling. I just need a good cup of masala chai to go along with it!
I mean do you ever just listen to Desi songs and begin to cry (or maybe just slightly tear up for the men) because of how beautiful the words and meaning are. I mean, even just the sound of the language itself is beautiful. I love the way that Urdu flows from the tongue and pours into my ears, it feels so enriching. I am certainly grateful to be Desi, brown skinned, and born in a culture that carries so much depth and richness in it.
i will say that Highway is an incredible movie, which is where the song “Maahi Ve” is originally from. I love that Bollywood has begun to create more films about real social problems in our culture. Ranging from mental health, rape, kidnapping, or female empowerment; it is finally time that we begin to address these concerns and make a change. We need to normalize the conversation because our voices have been silenced for far too long. We should speak up and be proud of who we are. In Urdu, the word “bol” means to speak. I believe that us South Asians should BOL, and be Brown Out Loud. Let’s put the “bol” in Bollywood….okay I’m sorry. I’ll stop with the cheesy jokes haha.
There are few Bollywood movies that I believe truly capture the scenic and breathtaking geographic beauty of the Indian sub-continent. I believe that Highway is one of them. The visuals are heartwarming and i’m glad that I have a means to experience this beauty even if its through a camera lens. Back in our day, (I know I’m not that old haha but still) we didn’t have films like these. It was always a damsel in distress scenario in almost every Bollywood film. So Highway is a step in the right direction.
Honestly, even having Coke Studio in Pakistan is a blessing. Growing up, I always had a passion for singingI loved singing but I truly had nothing but movies to sing along to. So Coke Studio changes this formula in a way and provides a good balance between popular Bollywood and classical music. I took four years of chorus in highschool, where I would since Christmas carols and really outdated ballads that I could never really connect with as a Pakistani-Muslim. So I find it insanely beautiful that there is an entire production dedicated to Desi artists, singers guitarists, pianists, and producers because we’re told at such a young age to ignore our passions for art and focus on our studies. However, seeing people achieve that unspeakable dream, genuinely makes me happy and I hope that one day I can sing on that stage one day too. ;)
- eęsu