Punjus, Bongs, some stereotypes and a donor
Just finished watching 'Vicky Donor', really a cool movie. The two-hour film was packed with layers of subjects, things that we normally don’t discuss or don’t find mention in mainstream movies. The main theme of sperm donation definitely had been great, and handled in such a normal, day-to-day manner that the film despite its unconventional subject would find acceptance among the conservative crowd too. I mean, I can see this film with my parents, and enjoy it as well.
Well, there is another reason why it would be so easy to watch it with my parents, i.e. the characterization and setting of the film. The heroine is a Bong and belongs to the Bong-dominated CR Park. The Bong family like so many Bong families in Delhi nurtures a dislike for everything North Indian, especially the Punjabi culture. Having seen and heard such discussions among the self-certified cultured Bong families, I could rightly say that the director did a commendable job of showcasing the clannish behavior of the Bongs, along with their deep-seated view about Punjus. Well, you can imagine the passion with which Bongs drill their culture into their kids that despite being brought up in a Punjabi colony, as a teenager, I had decided never to fall for a Punjabi munda. For me, every Punjabi guy had always been loud, opportunist, show-off, blatantly flirt and never committing.
So, just as the psyche of Bongs is presented in an accurate manner, the Punjabi characteristics and their opinion about everything Bong were also damn on the target. Yes, Bongs are ‘fattus’, well not all, but some definitely are, just like not all Punjus are ‘show-offs’. I loved the Punjabi mom in the movie, she is simply lovable in her ‘mufhat’ and ‘mast’ attitude. Her dislike for fish and declaring all Bongs being ‘kanjus’ and not ‘badde-dilwalas’ are really the echoing sentiments of almost all the Punjabis in Delhi. The director never forgot to subtly place some inane characteristics of Bongs in the movie, without which no Bong would ever be a Bong, these being – fish, Tagore, Mohun Bagan, Mamata Didi and the ever-so-classical Mankey cap (I insist on this misspelling, because that’s how it is pronounced universally by Bongs). The Punjus were not forgotten as well, and of course, the classical Bhangra, Ritu Kumar’s trousseau and the famous ‘Car-O-bar’ were all part-and-parcel of this cute entertaining film. I just couldn’t stop laughing my head-off watching the wedding scene, where a Sardar tries to teach a Bong aunty Bhangra, as he says, ‘bulb lo, use lagao aur thalle rakho, lagao aur thalle rakho’. A scene also reminded me of ‘Monsoon Wedding’, but then again, this felt much more real.
Overall, a nice and frothy movie, the bubbles of which would still tickle you even hours after watching it. Go for it!
Well, there is another reason why it would be so easy to watch it with my parents, i.e. the characterization and setting of the film. The heroine is a Bong and belongs to the Bong-dominated CR Park. The Bong family like so many Bong families in Delhi nurtures a dislike for everything North Indian, especially the Punjabi culture. Having seen and heard such discussions among the self-certified cultured Bong families, I could rightly say that the director did a commendable job of showcasing the clannish behavior of the Bongs, along with their deep-seated view about Punjus. Well, you can imagine the passion with which Bongs drill their culture into their kids that despite being brought up in a Punjabi colony, as a teenager, I had decided never to fall for a Punjabi munda. For me, every Punjabi guy had always been loud, opportunist, show-off, blatantly flirt and never committing.
So, just as the psyche of Bongs is presented in an accurate manner, the Punjabi characteristics and their opinion about everything Bong were also damn on the target. Yes, Bongs are ‘fattus’, well not all, but some definitely are, just like not all Punjus are ‘show-offs’. I loved the Punjabi mom in the movie, she is simply lovable in her ‘mufhat’ and ‘mast’ attitude. Her dislike for fish and declaring all Bongs being ‘kanjus’ and not ‘badde-dilwalas’ are really the echoing sentiments of almost all the Punjabis in Delhi. The director never forgot to subtly place some inane characteristics of Bongs in the movie, without which no Bong would ever be a Bong, these being – fish, Tagore, Mohun Bagan, Mamata Didi and the ever-so-classical Mankey cap (I insist on this misspelling, because that’s how it is pronounced universally by Bongs). The Punjus were not forgotten as well, and of course, the classical Bhangra, Ritu Kumar’s trousseau and the famous ‘Car-O-bar’ were all part-and-parcel of this cute entertaining film. I just couldn’t stop laughing my head-off watching the wedding scene, where a Sardar tries to teach a Bong aunty Bhangra, as he says, ‘bulb lo, use lagao aur thalle rakho, lagao aur thalle rakho’. A scene also reminded me of ‘Monsoon Wedding’, but then again, this felt much more real.
Overall, a nice and frothy movie, the bubbles of which would still tickle you even hours after watching it. Go for it!
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