Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother and I became quite good friends while I was researching the Brothers Grimm. So every time Cinderella needs a coach, Fairy Godmother drops into town and comes over to visit yours truly. This time she finally asked me to make a wish – YESSS!!! I thought only of you readers, and asked her to screencap Scaramouche for me so that Stewart Granger in his full swash-buckling glory could be presented to you! But fairy godmother (FGm) told me to be selfish and ask for myself. Since she twisted my arm, I decided to let go and told her that I would really like to be a better person – both physically as well as mentally. As a huge movie lover my choices followed (of course) the models of movie-land. FGm said that she is tired of women wanting to look like Audrey Hepburn, Keira Knightley, et al and could I please choose something different? Of course! I could choose from Bollywood. So here’s my list that is just about ready to be mailed out to FGm.
Neetu Singh’s cuteness:
Please FGm, make me as cute as Neetu Singh so I can rock bell-bottoms and mini-skirts inspite of being a bit plump. She also looked like such a fun person to hang out with - all that bubbly charm…
You have to give me that beautiful, honey-sweet, sensuous voice that I may serenade my love with Chura liya hai tumne jo dil ko, nazar nahin churana sanam… (You have stolen my heart, but dont steal away from my eyes) in a voice that never grows old.
Helen’s dancing skills:
FGm, please give me the dancing genes of Helen so I can do classical dancing, cabaret, cha cha cha, shimmy or any other kind of dance and look deliriously happy doing all of these!
Aishwarya’s beauty:
Grant me the glamorous beauty of picture-perfect Aishwarya. Her face is like a marble statue with every feature carefully chiseled into perfection.
Sharmila’s style and dimples:
Give me the style, the charm and the dimples of Sharmila Tagore that I may make the most ridiculous bouffants look stylish, the most revealing two-piece bikinis look classy and when I flash those to-die-for dimples even females cant help being distracted.
Madhuri’s smile:
I want Madhuri Dixit’s million-watt smile. Now thats a smile that can blind and charm all in one go! Nobody with normal eyesight can remain unaffected by it.
Hema’s agelessness:
Let me age like Hema Malini so that I grow more gorgeous as I grow older and eclipse all the younger beauties!
Bipasha Basu’s figure:
Not for me Kareena’s size 0 figure. I want the full-figured loveliness that is Bipasha’s. And while talking of her, I wouldnt mind having her husky voice either.
Rani Mukherjee’s charm:
Now here’s a lady who can make the girl-next-door look glamorous and give the sexy babes a run for their money. I want her charm!
Madhubala’s presence:
She lights up anything she’s in – a bad movie, a black and white poster or even a rather boring costume drama. I can watch grass grow if she’s in it! Its her charm and vitality, not to mention her beauty all of which add up to a formidable PRESENCE and I want it, too…
There being more gorgeous beauties in Bollywood than I can accommodate on my wish-list, I’ll stop here. And lest you think I am going for external beauty alone, let me tell you that I do plan to ask FGm to build up my character as well! That list will take a lot more work though, and I would appreciate your inputs about what filmi female characters’ characteristics I should emulate.
Oh, FABULOUS post!!! I want all those things too if FGm is feeling v.v. generous! :-) Love it!
ReplyDeleteAnd could she throw in Geeta Bali's husband for me?
ReplyDeleteAnd also her pluckiness?
I think I want Shabana's smartness and zeenat's outspokenness, and parveen's looks!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, i might have to steal it off you now!
That is such a brilliant idea for a post! I love it! Like Rum, I am contemplating stealing :D
ReplyDeletememsaab, thank you, thank you! FGm says Geeta Bali's husband is in very high demand but your sincere and unwavering devotion gets you ahead in the queue - in your next birth the two of you will definitely be together! :-D
ReplyDeleteRum, hey I want that, too! ;-) You should certainly do a list of your own, if only to give the rest of us more ideas about what we want!
Shweta, thanks! Do steal - I'd love to see what you come up with.
Wonderful post! I want these too - and I second memsaab's wish ;-). That would be bliss *sigh*.
ReplyDeleteAs far as character goes, I'd settle for something like a combination of these: Rekha in Umrao Jaan - very dignified, despite it all; Hema Malini in Sita aur Gita (the twin whom Sanjeev Kumar falls for)- so much spunk! - and yes, probably Nargis in Mother India too. That character has so much grit.
Bollyviewer, your list takes the cake and the raisins and the nuts. When Fairy God mother delivers the goods, you'll just tear the screen apart.
ReplyDeleteIt's a lovely, lovely post. Waiting to read the characters one.
Great read! I think all females who watch Hindi movies wish that they posses each and everything you have listed here
ReplyDeletedustedoff, FGm says Shammi is already taken, but she might create a clone for you!
ReplyDeleteHema in Sita Aur Geeta will definitely be added to the list. I love Hema, and she's been one of Bollywood's spunkiest heroines. Nargis was probably spunky too, but Mother India always provokes the most negative reactions in me - I'd have liked her better if she'd taken a cynical and self-serving rather than idealistic route after all her suffering.
Banno, thank you! The character one will take some writing as non-traditional and strong female characters in Bollywood are few and far between.
Karen, welcome to OiG. I've wished for all this and more - Bollywood actresses from every era have been gorgeous. Hope FGm delivers on it, though! ;-)
Such a wonderful list! I wouldn't mind having Madhubala's charisma but I could leave aside her tragic life... :(
ReplyDelete(And excellent choice of Helen's dancing - those skills could take a lady far in life!)
It must be said though, Bollyviewer, that you don't need anyone else's sterling qualities--you have your own in spades!
ReplyDeleteAnd please thank FGm for my next two lives! I will be very good to him :)
lovely list, You are so right about Madhubala lighting up anything she's in. No one since her has been able to do that.
ReplyDeleteAs far as Rani, every time I see her in a film, her face is instantly replaced by her look in black. No idea why, it's weird. Any film, any form, black..glasses, stick, awkward walk.
Please don't emulate Rani hehe.
It's good you don't have Urmila Matondkar on the list - brings to mind what a friend always said "I smell radishes every time she is on the screen" :-)
Very interesting post. Looking forward to part 2. Did you mention Dimple ? or did i miss that part?
ReplyDeleteFilmi Girl, thank you! I wouldnt mind having her life either - if I could do all the things she accomplished in her young life, I wouldnt really mind dying young. :-D And yes, Helen's dancing - she was a great actress and lovely too, but her dancing was sublime.
ReplyDeletememsaab, Awww thanks so much.
The Comic Project, welcome to OiG. I love your blog, especially the Mr. India post.
Poor Rani... I am glad I havent seen Black. Wouldnt want to have her blacking out on me in some great movies! And lol at Urmila and radishes. She used to be pretty cute before RGV got hold of her.
Anonymous, thanks. I mentioned Dimple over at Rum's post. If I'd remembered in time, Dimple's hair would definitely have made the list!
Great post! I love all your choices.
ReplyDeleteThanks, DG.
ReplyDelete(Sorry to be so late! I have lost the ability to keep up to date with blogs.)
ReplyDeleteHmmmm. Hmmmmmmmmmmm. I think being Neetu is all I need. She seems so normal, plucky, friendly and so so groovy. And no one says an indignant "Ehhh, bhai!" while poking him in the chest with her finger like Neetu.
Beth, no comment is ever too late! :-)
ReplyDeleteAgreed that Neetu is a pretty complete package, onscreen and offscreen. Have you seen her on Koffee with Karan a couple of years ago? She's still the same chirpy, fun old Neetu!
Ooooh I haven't, but I must seek it out! I almost bought a copy of...what was it, Good Housekeeping or a similar magazine because she was on the cover, but then I realized I hate those kinds of magazines no matter who's in them.
ReplyDelete