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(Updated in May 2003) To find a longer, more "scientifical" version of this text, click here. Yes, I confess, I like a kind of entertainment that is notorious as one of the most trivial on earth: Indian movies! Not the few artistic exceptions that you can see in European cinemas and that sometimes even win prices (although I've got nothing against them). No, the ones that make me shriek with pleasure are "popular" films. Those products of the biggest film industry in the world where you get 3 hours full of love, tragic, laughter, fights, death and DANCE. Yes, a real movie from Bollywood (=Bombay + Hollywood) always contains the whole, full life. You don't understand Hindi? Well, who does? OK, about half of all the people on this planet (says my "Teach yourself Hindi"-Book!). But it's not really necessary. Most of the stories follow the good-bad and boy-meets-girl pattern, the actors don't hold back with expression and most of the time there is a rather hectic bustle going on which allows every amateur with a little fantasy to understand what's going on.
Very obvious pelvis movements are quite common and the overall impression is not really elegant. But really fast! No wonder: after about 2 or 3 dance steps the scene is cut - no problem for the actors to hop around like mad. There are also many costume changes through a dance number.
The absolute pleasure for me are dance scenes that are taken in the Swiss mountains (they can't turn them in Cashmere anymore due to the political problems). Here's a heroine in a colourful saree singing next to a chalet, there's a couple dancing in the street while a yellow car of Swiss Mail is passing by... And then there comes the fatal moment where the absolutely cracked idea gets into my mind that I could do this too... Have you ever seen these stickers "Don't try this at home"? Well, they are not on the videos! That's why I walked down to my trusted video shop, some music cassettes in my hand which I bought on my last trip to India and looked around for a matching video (in this case "Bandhan"). After watching the film with pleasure and nearly having a crush on Salman Khan, I sat down with lots of paper to try and write down the choreography... It took me 3 hours (for 5 minutes of dancing!) and a lot of swearing to do it. Why can't these Indians do anything slowly? If you're involved in any kind of Indian music or dance, you know what I mean. Meanwhile I sorted the thing out and worked on it a bit. I founded a dance group, the Masala Girls, at two dance shows in 1999 to the immense pleasure of our audience. And as we will organise another show this year in November, I decided to give it another go and teach the girls a second dance (Saajanji Ghar Aaye) for a show in November 2001. Because one thing is clear: it's hard work but a lot of fun. OK, now you've read a lot about Indian films and of course you would like to see one yourself! How to do it? One way is to get to know people from India/Sri Lanka/Pakistan... They not only keep the Swiss restaurants and hotels running, they're also nice persons - and maybe they will lend you a video tape. The other way is to look around if there's a video shop (maybe also an Indian takeaway) in your area with Indian tapes. Have fun!
Classes for
Indian film dance with MEISSOUN Sources and more information:
Pictures: The scene shots of Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! and Hum Saath-Saath Hain are used with the friendly permission of Rajshri Productions Picture of Masala Girls by Ambros Marzetta |
