Monday, June 21, 2010

More on Brazilian Jhatkas and Matkas

A couple of months ago, I'd written this post called 'Indian' Bahu, Brazilian Beefcake and Bollywood Jhatkas (click here to to read that post, if you haven't) Strangely enough, that post seems to have been read pretty widely ( a fact I got to know thanks to Feedjit - the comments on that page are far and few to warrant such a claim)

The other day, I finally I got my flatmate L to send me the link to a lovely montage of all the Bollywood songs she knew. The way she says it, its Kadjrareeeee, Kadjrareeee...and a host of others. To my glee, this link came with the scenes from the Brazilian soap the songs were picturised on. I found it hilarious. 

Point to Remember: None of the actors are Indians, they are all Brazilians who speak shuddh Portuguese. India is still the land of exotica and of course the Kama Sutra. When you watch the clip, notice the exaggerated jhatkas and matkas and of course our own special Sharmila Tagore eye makeup with a Brazilian twist.



I also chanced upon a figure skating team from the US performing an Indian number on the ice skating rink. They won the championship with this performance. While many of my friends critically claimed that their movements looked grotesque, I couldn't help wondering how difficult it must have been to choreograph such a piece to Indian music and try to pull something like that off. India suddenly seems to be the flavour everywhere.In a sense, expanding Indian soft power across the world.

Like the English laud our attempts to speak their language with our own style and quirks, I guess we must give the foreigners a chance to try out our dance and music, cuisine and culture in their style.

Live and Let Live, What Say?

27 comments:

  1. HAHAH.. thoroughly enjoyed the clip...feels so funny to see foreign faces dancing on Hindi songs :)

    Thanks for sharing...

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  2. heeeeeheeeeeeehe... thats a funny one D!!

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  3. Lol...there's a few 'Bollywood dancing' classes here as part of community colleges...run by people wiht non-Indian names. I am not a fan of dancing of any form (two left feet) and haven't checked it out but it might be funny too... :P

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  4. Lol ! If you wouldn't have written it here,no one could have guessed that the thespians are from Brazil.
    It will be really wonderful for us Indians to see our style penetrate into the world.



    (Thanks for the comment you left on my blog.It was really one of the most constructive comments I've ever received)

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  5. Thank you LP..Everytime I open the post, I also watch the video one more time. Its definitely a laugh a minute..:)

    Zubin: Check out the figure skating one..or did I email that to you? Not sure

    Psych Babbler: I went for a hata yoga class conducted by an English lady. I couldn't do my breathing exercises right because I was in splits hearing the way she used to pronounce Sanskrit words like MoolaBandha and stuff..Hold your nose, look up in the air and try to say Moola banda.. ;)

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  6. Apoyando: My pleasure..I like your style of writing and the topics you tackle..:)

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  7. You are right! we should allow foreigners to experiment with our culture and of course jhatkas, especially when we have 'adapted' noodles, Pizza and more to our tastes!
    That was a hilarious clip:)

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  8. LMAO!!

    A considerable population in developing countries watches Bollywood. However stupid our Bollywood movies are, they still portray the dream life of somebody who is having a lot of hardships in his life. Even if it's just for a few hours, these movies make them dream.

    Also most of them think of India as it is shown in movies. Some of the questions I have been asked by Europeans and South Americans.

    "Does your driving license covers driving Elephants as well?"

    After watching K3G- "Do you have a house like that too?"

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  9. Zephyr: Do check out the link to the figure skating video too. It's awesome...

    Anfield: Do you have a house like that too, I have heard often...More often is Do you people sing and cry or laugh and dance like in the movies...How do you respond to that??!!!

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  10. Ekta Kapoor can shift bag and baggage to Brazil.

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  11. Its like the exchange of dance forms and item numbers between countries and thankfully the economics of such an exchange is yet not under the purview of the government! :P

    We have the salsa, samba and belly dance which, i think, are pretty popular in India!

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  12. waah.. nice video.. .. its such a mixture of so many dance forms...
    byw i really love the look of ur blog.. great going gal..

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  13. i did hear about some Indian kind of TV serial being made their ...........but this......hahhahahaaaa......OMG...i fell off my chair...... :D

    mast part....though the Pandit was looking a bit not Indian ....but everyone else......can easily fake as Indian nationals..........

    and yea i have seen the kajrare on figure skating too......i loved that video too.... :D

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  14. India is going places ?
    The other day I saw a clip of the first dance in an American wedding, and guess what they were doing the bollywood dance.
    Did see some bollywood dance in the programme "so you think you can dance"

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  16. Shared it with my kids :) It was really funny!! The dance at the end and this guy sitting royally and watching... I thought we will see the lamps when he tries to kiss her - or atleast she will try to run away - after that no body could believe they were even remotely Indians :)

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  17. Purba: Could you see the making of a Komolika or someone as vampish among the Brazilian vixens?? ;)

    25Bar: This World Cup for sure is Brazil Yay Yay

    Nishant: You wouldn't believe the number of my 'puritanical' friends who mock the efforts made by foreigners to assimilate with our culture - be it in the way they dress or even ape our dance and songs

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  18. Shashi: Thanks..:) Welcome to my blog

    Hitesh: Like I had written earlier in another post, can you imagine how popular sarees are in Angola? Its seen as being posh to wear a saree to a party..

    Haddock: Thank you for the visit. I think the increasing popularity of Indian dances and the way they are becoming a big hit in world culture is appreciable.

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  19. Indian Homemaker: Do check out the other link in the post too. It is a very popular video on youtube currently.

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  20. Well seen a few hollywood movies without any Indian characters but still Indian themed weddings. Couldn't believe that the video had a brazilian cast

    A day may come when flavors and colors of bollywood fails to capture men's hearts, but it is not this day. When 3 hours of films fail to restore a long lost social order but it is not this day. This day we dance, we dance to hold all that is dear. Brace yourself men of the west.(I am bored so I made this)

    OK I am NOT good at impromptu remaking of LOTR quotes

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  21. haha... looks very nice to see the brajilians in this form .... a very good post

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  22. No doubt that India is an exotic and mysterious country for the westerners the proof being many soaps,movies,books and even western media......The western celebrities must have some credit for promoting such image....Beatles,Heidi Klum,Maddona to name a few...And indian music and dance is really popular abroad...Not a surprise if you hear some bolly remix in pubs...and punjabi pop is a rage in britain :)

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  23. Definitely a-turn-on are these seductive coy passion filled love scenes, in comparison to the ready to strip ones of H'wood...the childish innocence of lovers as against lust blatantly shown...we are fed up with it but it sure can be refreshing for them!The Shashi Taroor video says just this...how come we are not proud of it till the 'goras' pick it up?
    ...Enjoyed the post as always. I really hope you are going to write a book...I love your writings so much.

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  24. Yeah WJ: Loads of bhangra rap and what not in UK..But I was more surprised by the fact that the Latin Americans have become charmed..and their colonies like Angola in Africa are currently going through an exotic India syndrome. I was asked in England if I was the princess of some erstwhile princely state...So many years on, there are people who still believe in that 'exotic India'

    Nalini: I guess the Eurocentricity of world affairs and even big bucks recognition is the blamed for this syndrome. Like the Sitar and Yoga, when the goras came here to take it abroad,it became fashionable to say This is Ours...:)

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  25. Very interesting post. We get too little international flavour on indiblogger - your posts are always a refreshing change.

    Do check out my post here. I promise it’ll be funny :)

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