Reflections – Get set for some more ‘dirty pictures’

By Bollywood Hungama News Network -

December 5, 2011 - 7:17 PM IST

Bhatts may be rueing the fact that they didn't think about it first!

Master of erotic-n-thriller genres, it was them who made Bipasha say 'Yeh Jism Pyaar Karna Nahi Jaanta, Jaanta Hai Toh Sirf Bhook, Jism Ki Bhookh'. Circa 2011 and their 'chela' Milan Luthria has beaten them in their own game by making Vidya moan seductively while getting all orgasmic in her very introduction scene for The Dirty Picture. Back then audience called Jism a 'dirty picture'. Today a film comes with its very title as The Dirty Picture and they give it more than just a nod of approval.

Reflections – Get set for some more ‘dirty pictures’

With Bhatts not quite taking it lying down, they have now done the unthinkable by almost signing porn star Sunny Leone for their very own Jism 2. Well, what can one say except just three words - 'Go For It'! Here is bringing in some 'reflections' on the 'dirty trend' ahead!

...and those were the days

I can't help but chuckle while remembering how kids were reprimanded when they sung 'Sexy Sexy Sexy Mujhe Loh Bole' (Khuddaar) a little over a decade and a half ago. Guess Censor Board pretty much heard a cry of protest from parents and soon 'Sexy' became 'Baby'. Anu Malik cried foul but Karisma Kapoor pretty much made headlines by being the first actress ever to have an entire song dedicated to her where she claimed herself to be the sexiest of them well. The taboo was finally off and though Govinda did his own jig on 'Meri Pant Bhi Sexy' (Dulaara), it was Ms. Kapoor who enjoyed her cute-n- naughty sex symbol tag.

Surprisingly though, 'sexy' stayed on to be treated as 'dirty' in Bollywood due to which no other mainstream actress ever did a song with 'sexy' finding a way in the song's lyrics. There were 'khatiyas' and 'behnois' and 'dhak dhaks' and 'gutar gutars' of the world making an appearance every now and then right through the 90s but no one dared to make a film which was unabashedly 'dirty'.

Of course there were the C-grade flicks checking out Reshma Ki Jawaanis and Kaatil Haseenas but to expect the likes of Madhuri Dixit, Raveena Tandon, Manisha Koirala, Urmila Matondkar and others of their ilk to go all the way was unimaginable. There were sexual innuendoes aplenty but most it was disguised as double entendres. Moreover, majority of family audience went 'uff, chee, kya hai yeh' at the very mention of films that carried such content which means to have a blockbuster out of a product belonging to Dada Kondke factory was out of question.

Tables have turned though

When Aamir Khan announced that his Delhi Belly is as vulgar as it gets, audiences clapped in unison as if it was a wrapped gift in the offering. Instead of turning away, they were only further attracted to it. After all, this was going to be Bollywood's first movie that promised to be as 'dirty' as it gets with no cuts or annoying beeps taking away the 'fun'.

'Fun' - Well, yes this was a key word here as the definition of fun has clearly changed for the audience right from the time Karisma went 'Sexy Sexy' to Imran going 'DK Bose'. While 'sexy' was offensive, 'DK Bose' was cool. If Karisma's moves were suggestive and fetched some flak, Imran's state of erection was straight forward (no pun intended) instead of being suggestive and ended up gaining applause. If one recollects Govinda's references to 'pants' then well, Vidya has gone miles ahead by declaring how as a woman she could well loosen the pants of many a men out there!

As for Sunny Leone, audience is already talking aloud whether pants would have a role to play at all!

This time around there is excitement, not outrage

Imagine if a few years back, a porn star would have made her intentions clear about getting into Bollywood! Immediate reaction would have been to dismiss this as a mere speculation. 'Aisa ho hi nahi sakta' could well have been a statement made in unison.

'We can have a model turning into an actress. We can have an item girl become a full fledged heroine. But a porn star stepping into the world of films? And that too in a mainstream Hindi flick? No ways, how could that be possible? Leave it, by no stretch of imagination can this materialise!'

However, today when Mahesh Bhatt announces that he is stepping into a reality show to sign in Sunny Leone for a film, two things happen. First and foremost it is time for some Google check with 'Safe Search Off'. 'Yeah, so 'she' is the woman they are talking about' is the call. Second, you switch on the TV and wait with bated breath to see if Sunny accepts the 'proposal'. Frankly, and even though this may be stated just for the sake of an argument, even Madhuri Dixit consenting to Yash Chopra for Aaja Nachle wouldn't have fetched as many eyeballs and attention as Sunny Leone has managed for Bhatt's invitation to a do a 'dirty picture'.

Oh yes, while these things happen and find widespread media coverage, no one - and read, no one - really comes out in protest and hits the streets. Gone are the days when there were 'naaris' who carried out 'morchas' for Karisma going 'sexy sexy sexy'. Today it won't be really far fetched to imagine campus crowds gather in support of Sunny and come up with a counter protest if someone strips her (no pun intended again) of her freedom!

Will there be ripples in the industry?

Of course one does expect some tears from within the industry though. After all, with the likes of 'outsiders' like Katrina Kaif, Jacqueline Fernandez, Nargis Fakhri, Amy Jackson and Lisa Haydon already giving quite a few 'desi girls' some heart burn, there are accusations of colonisation of Bollywood as well. 'She can't talk Hindi, walk Hindi or write Hindi, par yeh Hindi film kar rahi hai ' is one of the many vicious statements being whispered under the breath. In such a scenario, to have a cross industry actress - and that too from the business of porn - make her debut in a Hindi film could well be considered as an invasion that won't be welcome by many.

This means do expect a negative drive surrounding Sunny when she firmly and squarely gets serious about the Bollywood business. Not that Bhatts won't have a counter attack well in place. 'Innocent Little Sunny' has already been projected as this sweet girl who is making her own choices without being overtly bold or unabashed about it. Also, expect her to shed a tear or two (if not clothes) if in-house protests become a little too uncomforting for her a few months down the line.

For Vidya, The Dirty Picture was an image changing exercise as she went a level up when it came to holds-no-bar body display. As for Sunny, it would be tough for her to decide the distance she wants to cover when she begins her Bollywood sojourn. On the other hand, a certain Emraan Hashmi could well be wondering if he could drop all his sequels (Murder 2, Raaz 3, Jannat 2) and barter them for all for one shot at Jism 2.

For those who are still wondering about the direction that Bollywood is heading towards, what with a porn star being a mainstream leading lady then well, here is quoting Rajat Arora who gave an unforgettable line to Naseeruddin Shah in The Dirty Picture:

'Public samaan dekhti hai, dukaan nahi! Aur waise bhi jab sharaafat ke kapde utarte hain toh sabse jyada maza shareefo ko hee aata hai'.