Bollywood

India wouldn't be India without the glitz, glamour, shimmying and shine of Bollywood, and for me no trip to India would be complete without a visit to the movies!

My vacation this time around couldn't have been better timed with 2 major new blockbusters being released simultaneously to coincide with Diwali (Hindu new years).

Indian cinema has come a long way since the days when males and females couldn't touch and the scene of a half eaten apple being passed between the lips of a male and female caused shock and outrage. These days theres no end of suggestive dancing and writhing around in wet clingy saris, all to a funked up Hindi soundtrack with hoards of backing dancers. And the competition between the movies is fierce.

This year, in the red corner we have 'Om Shanti Om', a parody of 70's Hindi cinema led by India's top male actor, Shah Rukh Khan, otherwise known as 'King Kahn'.


And in the blue corner, ' Saawariya' , directed by one of India's greatest, but with a debutant cast.







Not being able to understand the script does not take aware of the enjoyment of the 3 hour movies. The plots are always the same (forbidden love and/or good v. evil) and with more and more 'Hinglish' being worked into the dialogue the storylines are easy enough to follow. Anyway, you don't go to see a Bollywood film for the plot, but for the heckling and shouting at the screen, the singing and dancing, costume changes and chai intervals!

With its songs on permanent shuffle repeat in every taxi, cafe, station and downloaded to every mobile phone 'Om Shanti Om' definitely seems to be the strongest contender in this recent match and its without a doubt become the soundtrack for my trip. Despite its songs constantly buzzing around my brain nothing breaks the ice better in a jeep full of Indian's than knowing the songs playing on the radio and giving them enormous pleasure as I sing and sway along to the tracks!

xx