Karimabad – Indian Connection
Indian influence is obvious here
India is just a bordering country, but the history of hostility between India and Pakistan makes the relation between the two countries interesting. As we all probably know, the language of both countries, Urdu and Hindi, are 90% similar. Urdu has more Persian and Arabic originated words, and Hindi from Sanskrit. But both languages are mutually intelligble. Though, the scripts are different.
The influence of India is very huge in Pakistan, this is unquestioned. Everybody can sing the gigle of Aashiq Banaya, the new popular Bollywood movie, even though that this new film may not reach the villages of Pakistan. “Mujh se Saati Karogi? (Will you Marry Me?)”, Salman Khan’s newest movie, is a famous sentence anywhere here in Pakistan. And it became a laughter when we use this sentence to tease the others. The people in Karimabad, far away from anywhere, stuck their satellite dish to Indian channels. And guess what, a very plain TV drama, Vuh Ranehwali Mehlon Ki (She is Native of Palace)- A story of a beautiful girl from rich family loving a handsome boy from a poor family, is so sticky that all people in my hotel can be stucked in front of the TV box. The TV series, with a strangely attached background music and sound, somehow offer the dream of love marriage (of which most Indians and Pakistanis dont enjoy, due to the culture of attached marriage), the enjoyment to see beautiful girls and handsome boys, and as what the cook guy in my restaurant said, “they have bara dudh (big breasts)”. After watching this TV series, I felt somehow Indonesian boring TV series a little bit better.
After mastering a little bit of Urdu, sometimes I can understand the movies and news on TV. And the stories offered are quite monotonous (as most have guess). But I really love Bollywood movies. Yesterday there was a premiere show of “Chocolate”, was taken in Britain, and it looks completely Hollywood except that the stars are Indians.
The similarities of history and culture may stick Pakistanis to Indian cultures. How about Pakistan culture in India? As I remember watching MTV India in Mumbai, there are quite a lot Pakistani rock bands and rap singers which are popular in India. “They dont have market in Pakistan,” said a Mumbaiite youth. Indeed, the traditional community in Pakistan might not be open enough to accept this kind of music. But these Pakistanis have quite a big market in India.
I love Bollywood music and the whole format of their movies. “Sometimes”,the music is terrible. Always the films are explosive of energy. Whenever i see a Bollywood movie playing somewhere, I dream of being back in India. Indians can be full of Passion and extremes of expression. That shows in their films.
Bollywood movie takes at least 3 hours. I couldn’t bear with it.
I’ve been thru this, stuck for an hour everyday in front of TV, and guest what.. i’m watching Korean drama series. Just believe me.. never start to watching first series of drama, or you’ll never could left it off for the rest of your life :))