Epiphany

I had a dentist appointment on Friday 19th June at 2:30pm.. was late and landed at 2:45pm so had to wait. I passed my time by watching t.v. in the waiting lounge which had channel [V] on. Earlier when I had gone India TV was giving breaking news about ghee making in Delhi having animal bones. I saw that for about 15 mins (saying the same thing repetitively) .. really these Hindi news channels (please do not snort and say another pseudo Indian Hindi hater but really..) especially the great India T.V. ... takes the crown, the cake everything ... but this post is not about that .. You know I wrote the blog then and there in the waiting lounge but in my mind of course and thought what if with the all the techie GPS, blue tooth, wifi enabled phone I could have written my blog and posted it then there on the net.. well for the well connected .. but this post is not about that either.. 

Back to channel [V].. now that the standoff between the multiplexes and the producers is over, got to see to new songs and trailers of the latest films. First there was Bebo (Kareena Kapoor) in a song called Bebo from Kambahkt Ishq (KI). Looking ravishing in clothes and a figure to die for as they say .. ( I wont die or will die in the process of gaining that figure but rather not try) but I wasn't looking at her I was looking at Akshay Kumar. But I couldn't look at him properly as an old aunty and uncle were there too and I felt uncomfortable with Bebo serenading no, actually seducing Akki in the bedroom wearing skimpy ..no not skimpy ( they are the clothes remix albums models wear) but short dresses looking good and the song was not vulgar (though the music and lyrics are nothing to write home about) and it wasn't completely sensuous because as usual Akki was being funny. But still I felt uncomfortable and couldn't look at the t.v. for a long period of time. Though the couple were watching alright. Then came on the song from Love Aaj Kal (LAK) starring Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone. The song was called Twist and it was a usual party song with very similar beats from one of the songs of Billu Barber (oops no only Billu ..I hope nobody sues me !! ) who says you cannot copy your own work ( ask us researchers one paper .... no more secrets about that ) but hats off Pritam da !!!! The song was also not that great. But still Saifoo (faux pas again sorry Bebo, Chote Nawab ) was dancing with semi clad dancers in a disco. I closed my eyes with almost a swear that how long will this continue. Then 'Shortcut the con is on' with Arshad Warsi and Akshaye Khanna, again a promotional with foreign dancers. Then a sleazy number from Paying Guests. Ughh... so I thought I would have no relief either from my dental or mental pain. But then came the song from a film Anubhav starring Sanjay Suri and Gul Panag . A sad song but a bad one no pathos either in the lyrics or music (according to me sad songs are the most beautiful lyrics wise at least),  otherwise comfort level wise it was fine. Followed by songs from Sankat City another con movie with an ensemble cast of Kay Kay, Chunky Pandey and then from a film called Runaway seemed a gangster movie with unknown cast. Then Shahid Kapur came on with Aai Pappi and everything was right in the world !!!!! 

Now for the epiphany or epiphanies. Its a new word i have just learnt. It has origin in the festival of Epiphany. ( it means sudden intuitive perception of reality by commonplace occurrence, link given below.) 

Epiphany no. 1 - There are five categories of movies being made in HiFI (Hindi Film Industry that is ) these days. First is the high quality production wise , high budget films like KI of LAK which are colourful , beautiful, snazzy and mostly romantic films that too dramatic kind not romantic comedies of Hollywood variety. Then con movies are on the rise which basically are about underdogs or losers  getting everything in the end, or rather should say films about the underdog which mainly say that going the beaten path does not help and a little con is required. Slapstick comedies or sex comedies if you like PG which well, they do have a audience. Then there are the small movies or as lately called as multiplex movies in terms of grandeur not in terms of story or acting. Some really good movies have seen the light of day, but still some bad films come from that stable too in the name of art movies. And finally bad movies called C grade ones like Runaway or Deshdrohi but the source of good entertainment ( pun intended). 

Epiphany no. 2- We do not listen to songs these days we watch them. "Twist" and " Bebo" are ok songs but will definitely make it to the charts despite the fact they are only good to watch rather than to hear to. 

Epiphany no. 3- The most profound one. Why was I feeling uncomfortable because they old couple had no perceptible problems, well I guess when people start talking if something embarrassing comes on t.v. then its a sign. But nothing of the sort happened, maybe the case of the tooth pain being considerable was there. But I could and did watch these kind of songs in the mess with people of my age or  at least in the same 10 year band because PhD. makes you ancient very soon in ..well don't ask. But still remix videos still made me uncomfortable not because they are vulgar because they are but they are downright pathetic in terms of music , video everything. But I thought who was I to comment rather act so moral ? Was I joining the ranks of the so called moral police ? Does growing old makes you closed and narrow minded. No I thought I can watch Bebo looking good because she does it well and I always have someone with her to look at !! But I cannot watch bad, sleazy videos. Then it hit me that these moral police kinds , those who spout ethics and Indian culture are uncomfortable with all the change happening around them and cannot accept change. They club Bebo ( my buzzword today) and lets say Minsk together which is unfathomable and appalling and they cannot handle this uncomfortableness. They have to do something about like when you feel guilty about something you blame the other person and that too before somebody even has the chance to discover the crime. So out comes the diktats and moral code of conduct, which says I cannot wear jeans to college in Kanpur, cannot marry outside my caste, cannot change my religion by my own choice, cannot hold the hand of my beloved in public; cannot make a film about widows in Banaras. Agreed that there has to some semblance of propriety but let me breathe !!!!! And to say that Indian culture and society was always marveled and celebrated as the most open where it has imbibed so much from other cultures it is difficult to say what is original or taken. 

Then someone changed the channel maybe he felt the same ..uncomfortable or wanted to hear the news or  .. he was undecided because he was still surfing when I went to the doctor's chamber. So no more of pop sociology or psychology or culture studies or moral science. 

(Written- well started on Friday itself completed today. My first prose blog and realised that it is not easy to write I took 2 1/2 days to finish. )  

Happy Father's Day especially to Dad !!!! 

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/epiphany