From the New York Times:

India's New Partnership: Bollywood and Hip Hop

The rapper once dubbed “America’s Most Loveable Pimp” by Rolling Stone makes his debut in India this summer, with a guest appearance on the title track of a highly anticipated Bollywood movie, “Singh Is Kinng.” The movie is set to open in August, but the title song is already in heavy rotation on some radio stations in India.

A fusion of hip-hop and bhangra with a simple chorus (“Singh is Kinng, Singh is Kinng, Singh is Kinng”), it features Snoop Dogg giving “what up to all the ladies hanging out in Mumbai” and rapping about “Ferraris, Bugattis and Maseratis.”

Snoop Dogg wears a Sikh turban and an ornate long coat called a sherwani in a video of the title song, which was shot this year in Chicago. Geffen Records owns the distribution rights to the song in the United States and Canada and may release it later this year as part of a compilation.

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Western musicians have come to India for inspiration and new sounds for decades, but finding an enthusiastic audience among the country’s billion-plus population has not always been easy for modern musicians.

I thought this was a telling sentence. The author of the article seems somewhat baffled that India isn't busy buying up Ashlee Simpson and Daughtrey instead of that weird 'native' music (which the author has probably never heard). Introducing American hip hop to Bollywood could be interesting and would hopefully bring about better tracks that Abhishek's Bluffmaster "rap." I know I would love to see M.I.A. work in Bollywood and Hard Kaur has done some great tracks this year, but they are both Indian even if it is by way of the UK.

The one thing the author didn't mention was how images of American hip hop have already worked their way into Bollywood. I'm not a fan of the scantily clad ladies grinding up against a male singer, which is taken right from the MTV hip hop video. And I'm not a fan of the money flaunting, which is also taken right from MTV.

If Bollywood does open it's arms to more American hip hop, I can only hope that they pick the stuff that has some real musical or social value - artists like Andre 3000 of Outkast - instead of more of the same, vacant thug life/champagne/stripper stereotype nonsense.

Are there words to express the loathing I have for this video? Yes - Thank you, Onion AV CLUB:

Well, at least Urban Outfitters will have a new song to play on loop at all of their locations now, because that's exactly what this song sounds like: background music for a retail chain that specializes in faux-vintage t-shirts.

Natalie Portman, I know you think that you are smart because you went to Harvard. However, I don't know how you got through four years without running into a single person who could tell you that dressing up in blackface and mocking Hindu gods is not okay. Also, sweetie, that video is NOTHING like actual Bollywood. Mmm...'kay?

*sigh* I suppose there will always be that segment of the population who feels that not speaking English simply hilarious.

Am I the only to find this offensive? I want to hear Kal Penn's take on this. Write an op-ed, please, okay, Kal Penn?

I knew I would need a Hollywood is stupid tag.

From the Big B's blog today:

Farnaz Shama, from Pakistan has serious reservations on Abhishek marrying Aishwarya. Well, firstly its too late for you to consider or remark on this issue. Secondly, as parents we did not choose for our son. Aishwarya was his choice and therefore ours now. She is my family, my daughter. You may differ with her in her work her profession, but if you will cast aspertions on her personally, i will defend her, fight for her and not tolerate this kind of talk, as i am sure neither would you, were someone to speak ill of a member of your family.

*cheers*

Yes, I am totally obsessed with Amitabh's blog. He hasn't quite figured out how to use this Network of Tubes yet.

I was thinking about Bunty Aur Babli this weekend as my best friend was in town. She doesn't quite get the whole Bollywood thing. She's mostly just politely baffled when I try to explain about things like Amar Akbar Anthony or DDLJ. So, I was trying to think of good introductory Bollywood films for people who are used to seeing Western style movies - i.e. realistic, single plot, single genre, with songs that more or less fit the plot.

Bunty Aur Babli would be a great film to introduce people with, I think. It has some meta-jokes/references, but you can appreciate the movie without understanding them. Rani and Abhi have great chemistry, too. Hum Tum might be good, too, or something like Jab We Met. And then work up to the Khiladi series!

One of the things that I've noticed since starting to watch almost exclusively Bollywood films is that I've come to find Hollywood actresses unbearably thin. My friend and I went to see Forgetting Sarah Marshall, which was hilarious, by the way, and one of the previews was for a new Dane Cook movie. I commented on how frail Jessica Alba looked in the last Dane Cook movie and my friend was surprised! She didn't think she was frail looking at all!

( Comparison Pictures: You Decide. )

No wonder my body image has improved so much over the last few years....