For All Hearts
Bollywood's Style
Copied this from twitter. Handle’s name is included to give them due credit.
This past week Swedish Public Television featured ‘Love Story’. Most of us watch them on computers, so it can be played on demand, without any ads.
Suddenly I was reminded we are in the month of Love.
Strange, because in Sweden there is no commercial craziness associated with Valentine’s day, like it is in the US or even the UK.
In Sweden Valentine’s day is called ‘Alla Hjartans Dag’ (All Hearts Day). So people can wish anyone. Its not restricted to romantic love.
It is meant for everyone. All age groups, friends, neighbors, and roommates.
For all hearts.
Meaning for all those who have loving hearts and are not afraid to feel.
And even though Valentine’s day is a pretty new addition to the Indian market, it is really sad to see Indian television saturated with advertisements and sales related to Valentine’s day.
We had heard about it when we were growing up, but there was no mention of the day on television before the liberalization of Indian economy in the early 1990s. Nor was it ever talked about in any Bollywood movie. But after the 1990s, it is almost imposed on the public.
Quite sad because Bollywood (as I would assumed other film industries in India) celebrated all kinds of love. Songs and themes were dedicated to all kinds of love. Parent-child, student-teacher, guru-disciple, friends, siblings, fellow country men.
Sometimes all different kinds of love were included in one movie or even one Bollywood song.
Here, I share one such song. I have never seen the movie (Border), which is based on 1971 Indo-Pak war.
Before you read or watch the clip, drop your judgement and ease into the world of Bollywood, where it was important to include all nine emotions in every movie, joy (hasya), fear (bhayanaka), anger (raudra), love (shringar), courage (vira), sadness (karuna), amazement (adbhuta), disgust (vibhatsya) and calm/peace (shanti).
This song depicts soldiers missing their home, villages, friends, mothers, and lovers. They dance, they sing, they share their longing. The song titled, Sandese Aaate Hain, Hamein Tadpate Hain, Meaning Messages Arrive, They torment us—won quite a few awards.
Messages arrive
They torment us
Letters arrive --They keep asking -
When will you come home?
Write, when will you come?
This house is lonely without you
This Valentine do something for someone to acknowledge them. Don’t even mention its Valentine. Leave extra tip, a cone of icecream for the homeless guy, a rose for the old neighbor. A nod to recognize those around you.
Make it truly a day for any heart.
Parts of lyrics (in English) and the clip from the movie are shared below. If the clip does not play in your country, please type Sandese Aaate Hain, I am sure you will be able to get it in youtube.
If the dancing and sentimental soldiers seems illogical, I have added another clip from Republic Day Parade’s rehersals (2021). You can see Indian Navy drumming and jamming to a Bollywood Song.
So the Bollywood song is possibly not that outlandish---
Have a happy Valentine’s day, do something for someone else and something for yourself.
It is all Hearts Day after All.
Read these bits and parts of the song so you can read that though it shows soldiers on the screen, that this is truly a love song.
Messages arrive
They torment us
Letters arrive
They keep asking us
When will you come home?
Write, when will you come?
This house is lonely without you
The people with love in their hearts - my friends
Have written to me
And have asked me
In our village
The shade of the mago tree
The old peepal tree
The thundering clouds
The fields of wheat
The green grounds
The ocher climbing vines
The swinging vines
The swaying flowers
The bursting blossoms
And the streets of the village have asked me
When will you come home
Write, when will you come
This village is lonely without you
O passing wind, please
Will you do me a favour
Go to my village
Give my greetings to my friends
give this message I'll come back I'll come back
Once again to my village
Under the same shade
To my mother's veil
To the peepal tree of the village
To my beloved
The promise that I had made,
I'll fulfill that
I'll come back one day
Click here for the Bollywood song, Sandese Aate Hain
And watch Indian Navy Jamming to a Bollywood Song