Tuesday, May 10, 2011

moorakh mukhiyaa bhool kare aur bhugte saaraa gaao.n

Film : Mausam
Year of release : 1975
Spoken by : Harihar Thapa (Om Shivpuri)
Spoken to : Dr Amarnath Gill (Sanjeev Kumar)
Dialogue writer : Gulzar

Well I thought I must get this one in before Shahid Kapoor's Mausam releases :)

Though I am not partial to the 70s, I do feel that the quality of writers in that phase, will never be replicated. Rajinder Singh Bedi, Rahi Masoom Raza, Sachin Bhowmick, Salim Javed, Gulzar - all contemporaries! That is why neither the 50s nor the 60s nor the 80s and later appear as much as the 70s do on this blog. But on second thoughts probably I am biased :)

Mausam was a film based on AJ Cronin's 1961 story The Judas Tree. Kamleshwar is credited with the story, but then he did make substantial changes. Indian audiences would not have accepted Kajri getting married to Dr Gill. 

Amarnath is a medical student, who has come to Darjeeling to study. During one of his excursions, he slips over some stairs and falls. He manages to drag himselves to the nearest 'vaid' - Harihar Thapa. When Harihar hears how he slipped over the stairs, he comes up with this quip. The line is a reference to Amarnath's eyes (the mukhiya) whose fault leads to the entire body (saaraa gaao.n) suffering. 

"moorakh mukhiyaa bhool kare aur bhugte saaraa gaao.n"
"मूरख मुखिया भूल करे और भुगते सारा गांव" 

Friday, May 6, 2011

I am a dropout by choice sir.

Film : A Wednesday
Year of release : 2008
Spoken by : Anuj Sharma (Parth)
Spoken to : Prakash RaThoD (Anupam Kher)
Dialogue writer : Neeraj Pandey

This film will become of one of the enduring classics of Hindi cinema. Neeraj Pandey is one director whose second films is being awaited by more people than he himself is aware of. 

This line also shows how characters are changing in cinema. Prakash comes in to the situation room, where he finds a young boy standing casually. The boy is the hacker who assists the police on cyber crime cases. He is dressed in jeans, t-shirt and a baseball cap. Now savour this interaction;

Prakash comes in and asks his junior

"yeh bachchaa kaun hai"
"sir iskaa naam Anuj hai. hacker hai sir, cyber crime cases crack karne me.n aksar hamaaree madad kartaa hai."
"itnaa qualified hai ye?"
"sir vaise to college dropout hai lekin....Anuj"
"ye, equipment aur ye setup samajh me.n aa rahaa hai tumhaaree?"
"no sir. ye saare equipments outdated hai.n.aap log abhii bhii n series ke 3423 models use kar rahe hai.n, jab ki s series ko launch huye teen maheene se zyaadaa ho chukaa hai, I need some time. thoDaa vaqt to lagegaa."
"ye hogaa tumse"

At this point, Anuj's phone rings. He pauses to pick it up.

"hey babes! yeah. running late honey. will catch you in half an hour. ok. love you. see you."

And then he sighs and says "women" like some seasoned 40 year old would have. Now back to the conversation.
"sorry aap kuchh keh rahe the"
"ye hogaa tumse?"
"definitely. I am a dropout by choice sir."

In the link you can see this at 07:11 timecode.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

ahl-e-zabaan is cheez ko to.nd hee kehte hai.n

Film : Naram Garam 
Year of release : 1981
Spoken by : Seth Salaamat Hussain Khaan (T P Jain)
Spoken to : Bhawani Shankar Bajpai (Utpal Dutt)
Dialogue writer : Dr. Rahi Masoom Raza

The one scene that I will never forget in this film is the 'kusi beTii eee' scene of Utpal and Swaroop. But for the moment, I will let that be. The line on hand refers to a lesser known actor called TP Jain. If you have seen Angoor you will remember him as the jeweller who insists that he be paid since it is eleven o clock. But if you don't remember that, you might as well see this film. 

Naram Garam tried to recreate the Golmaal magic - Hrishida might actually have called it Golmaal Returns :) - but it did not work that well. But it was an enjoyable film nonetheless. 

In the film Utpal Dutt is a widower who suddenly develops the desire to get married (thanks to some astrological beliefs and incitement), but since the girl who he is marrying (Swaroop Sampat partly dubbed by Farida Jalal) is almost 40 years younger, he tries to keep everything hush hush. So the tailor who comes to take the measurement for the sherwani (played by TP Jain) is asked to lock the door behind him. The tailor is suddenly very suspicious (his look is a classic), but being a professional he stands his ground. While taking the measurements, the inevitable waist measurement happens. Salaamat writes down the measurement as 'tond' - a reference to the generous paunch. Bhawani protests, to which Salaamat retorts

'ab is cheez ko kamar keh kar allah paak kee tauheen to nahee.n kar saktaa naa huzoor. ahl-e-zabaan is cheez ko to.nd hee kehte hai.n"
"अब इस चीज़ को कमर कह कर अल्लाह पाक की तौहीन तो नहीं कर सकता ना हुज़ूर. अहल-ए-ज़बान इस चीज़ को तोंद ही कहते हैं"


Thursday, February 3, 2011

tareeqaa chhoDo saahab, baat Galat thaa

Film : Bobby
Year of release : 1973
Spoken by : Jack Braganza (Prem Nath)
Spoken to : Mr. Nath (Pran)
Dialogue writer : Jainendra Jain

The famous showdown between Pran and Premnath in the latter's brother-in-law's film made to launch his second son. Now can someone tell me why the Christian characters in Hindi films revealed their Christian names while with the Hindus you had to make do with the surnames. So Pran is Mr. Nath and Premnath is Jack Braganza. Wonder if in first standard his teacher called him Mr. Nath!  Picture this...

Pappoo - Present teacher, Munni - Present teacher, Ravi - Present teacher, Mr. Nath - Present teacher. Khair chhoDo, yeh qissa phir kabhee...

(Mr.) Nath has spoken in an insulting tone in an earlier meeting with Jack Braganza. Jack had gone to the Naths residence to discuss the alliance with his daughter. Nath had insinuated that Braganza had used his daughter to ensnare a rich heir like his son. Now Nath, under pressure from his son,  goes back to Braganza's house in a conciliatory mood. He says, 

"shaayad mere baat karne kaa tareeqaa Galat thaa"
"शायद मेरे बात करने का तरीक़ा ग़लत था'

Braganza however is in no mood for reconciliation. Still angry, he says

"tareeqaa chhoDo saahab, baat Galat thaa"
"तरीक़ा छोडो साहब, बात ग़लत था"

Kindly excuse grammar. Hindi film writers as you know loved stereotypes. So Madrasi will speak thus and Christian will speak thus. All this is predecided. So all the Hindi teachers of the world could not have made Jack Braganza say 'baat Galat thii'. Because the troika of Raj Kapoor, KA Abbas and Jainendra Jain had already decided that. 

Sunday, January 30, 2011

kisme.n itnee himmat hai, ki har raat bechain rahe

Film : Bazaar
Year of release : 1982
Spoken by : Salim (Naseeruddin Shah)
Spoken to : Najma (Smita Patil)
Dialogue writer : Sagar Sarhadi

I featured this situation earlier in this post. So you might want to read that too. But this one can stand on its own too.

Salim is a poet and he has desired Najma for long. After six years as a silent platonic lover, he applies to the object of his affection for upgradation to version 2.0. Since he is a poet and hence given to hyperbole, he tells Najma that he hasn't slept throughout the six years as he has silently smouldered carrying her love in his heart. A couple of days later, Najma calls Salim at his workshop and asks him

"raat to achchhee kaTee naa?" (referring to his sleepless six years lament)
"रात तो अच्छी कटी ना? "

and Salim comes up with another gem

"kisme.n itnee himmat hai, ki har raat bechain rahe"
"किसमें इतनी हिम्मत है, कि हर रात बेचैन रहे"

Monday, January 24, 2011

Jab aag jalegii sab haath taapne dauDenge

Film : Junoon
Year of release : 1978
Spoken by : Sarfaraaz Khan (Naseeruddin Shah)
Spoken to : Hafeez Khan (Benjamin Gilani)
Dialogue writer : Prof Satyadev Dubey and Ismat Chugtai

The upcoming Vishal Bharadwaj film Saat Khoon Maaf reminded me of the earlier film that was based on  a Ruskin Bond novel - Junoon (Flight of the Pigeons). Wonder why I did not feature it on the blog earlier?

The background of the film is the 1857 revolt and the events that happened in and around Delhi. Sarfaraaz was part of the battalion of which Mangal Pandey was a part. He is constantly ranting about the 'firangees' and their atrocities. He is also on a sort of recruitment drive for soldiers as he believes the British rule India was about to come to an end.  Sarfaraaz tells  Hafeez Khan (Benjamin Gilani) that they should also join the revolt, Hafeez is unsure and looks up to his cousin Javed Khan (Shashi Kapoor) for direction. But Javed is not present at that moment. Hafeez says,

"ham to aapke saath hai.n...agar Javed bhai...."

Sarfaraaz interrupts him and says,

"Hafeez, jab aag jalegii sab haath taapne dauDenge...Jaaved bhaai bhi..."
"हफ़ीज़, जब आग जलेगी, सब हाथ तापने दौड़ेंगे...जावेद भाई भी..." 

referring to the inevitability of the revolt spreading throughout the country. So true. On the eve of the 62nd Republic Day, I think about all those who literally lit that fire, because as Sarfaraaz said, there is no shortage of people to bask in the warmth of a fire which is already lit. The ones who actually light the fire are rare...As my boss used to say, 

"Many talk, few do"

So spare a thought for those who light such fires. And if you want to know what happens to them in the end (in case you haven't already guessed it) watch this movie. On second thoughts, do watch out for a fire that is lit. Much more simpler to run towards it...

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

aaj se tere bachche bhii raham ke qaabil ho jaayenge

Film : Agar...If
Year of release : 1977
Spoken by : Daver (Kader Khan)
Spoken to : Jangoo (Unknown)
Dialogue writer : Moinuddin

This underrated thriller of the golden period of Hindi cinema is surely lifted from some English film. I just can't figure out which one. Of course they let it meander towards the end - in classic Hindi film style. But it is still better than some of the films that are touted as classics.

Jangoo is Daver's henchman and he has slipped up badly in allowing one of the men he was tailing to be caught by the police. Daver is wild that his elaborately laid plan is being torn asunder. Jangoo realises that his time is up, and does what henchmen under fire do best - beg.

"mujh pe raham karo, merii beewii, mere bachche....raham karo..."
"मुझ पे रहम करो, मेरी बीवी, मेरे बच्चे...रहम करो..."

Like in volleyball, the dialogue is nicely setup for Daver for a great smash. And he executes it well enough.

He says,

"main sirf yateem bachcho.n pe raham kartaa hoo.n...aur aaj se tere bachche bhee raham ke qaabil ho jaayenge"
"मैं सिर्फ़ यतीम बच्चों पे रहम करता हूं...और आज से तेरे बच्चे भी रहम के क़ाबिल हो जायेंगे" 

Do I need to tell you what follows?

Unlike many other lines on this blog, it is unlikely that you would be able to use it anywhere. But I still wanted to feature this line.