aam kitnaa bhi baRaa ho jaaye rahegaa Daal ke neeche

Film : Jugaad
Year of release : 2009
Spoken by : Commissioner I M Gupta (Govind Namdeo)
Spoken to : Murli (Vijay Raaz)

This is a film with a great premise and some very good actors. It was based on the 'sealing drive' in Delhi in 2007. The producer of this film was ostensibly one of those 'law-breakers' who were running a commercial enterprise from a residential area. In this film, he tries to show himself as a victim. That is the greatness of the Delhiite. He will break all the laws and will further try to prove himself as the aggrieved party if anyone tries to enforce the law. So the producer tries to tell us that this entire country is hopeless corrupt and that his act was an innocent gaffe compared to the transgressions happening elsewhere. But I will rant about Delhi and its lack of ethics later. Meanwhile back at the ranch,

Murli is Sandiip's friend and colleague. He tries to ensnare the municipal commissioner Gupta by taking snaps of the man in what the media classically calls 'compromising position'. But the commissioner is one up on him. When Gupta has foiled Murli's ploy, he comes up with this line

"aam kitnaa bhi baRaa ho jaaye rahegaa Daal ke neeche"

"आम कितना भी बड़ा हो जाये रहेगा डाल के नीचे"

AankhoN dekhee makkhee niglee naheeN jaatee

Film : Lajja

Year of release : 2001

Spoken by : Hazaarilal (Govind Namdeo)

Spoken to : Nek Chand (Anjan Srivastav)

Lajja was actually a good film, which did not get its rightful due. All the female characters had names of Sita. Mythili (Mahima Chowdhury) is getting married. Her father-in-law is keen on ensuring the dowry is delivered as agreed. However, Nekchand (Mythili's father) is falling short by Rs 50000. A thief Raju (Anil Kapoor) who is hiding in Mythili's bedchamber overhears her plight and decides to help her. He goes and quietly adds Rs 50000 to the briefcase which is supposed to carry the dowry amount. Nekchand does not know this. When the money is handed over Hazaarilal, Nekchand is apprehensive that he would throw a fit due to the short amount. However, Hazarilal discovers that the amount is exactly as agreed. But one of the guests (who has been robbed by Raju) sees the money and recognises it as his own. This leads to discovery of the fact that Raju had been hiding in Mythili's bedchamber. All hell breaks loose. Hazaarilal wants to fish in troubled waters. Hence he demands more money to accept a 'tainted' Mythili as his daughter-in-law. As he puts it,

"aankhoN dekhee makkhee niglee naheeN jaatee"

"आंखों देखी मक्खी निगली नहीं जाती"

Of course, this is a famous Hindi proverb. But I have heard it for the first time in a Hindi movie in Lajja. And I quite like the way Govind Namdeo says it. It is one of Hindi cinema's better scenes. Do see this scene if you get a chance.

Of course, the line means that it is hard to accept something bad after you know about it. For example most of the restaurants in Delhi have dirty kitchens. But as long as you sit in air-conditioned comfort and don't see the kitchens you love the food. But if you happen to pass by the kitchen and realise how dirty it is, it is extremely hard to eat in that restaurant. As the saying goes

"आंखों देखी मक्खी निगली नहीं जाती"