Best Indian (Tamil) Song in awhile...

[Ramza]

Now, everyone heard of Daler Mhendi's "Tunak Tunak Tun."

Ladies and gentlement, have you seen Prabhu Deva's "Kalluri Vaanil"? If not, you need to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRmqZRPgK1w&mode=related&search=

The bits of research I've done on Indian pop, particularly that from this guy's publisher (Ayngaran), this is apparently pretty typical stuff. Male/female duo doing crazy dances and singing crazy stuff to a hyped up beat.

I...LOVE...this!

I just think there's something special behind it that goes beyond that shallowness of pop culture. Maybe I'm just looking for something that's not there, but to me it's a quick look at how mezmerizing something foreign can be.

Watch it.

Ramza

[Dincrest]

This is a pretty typical indi-pop "filmi" song.  Indian movies, typically those produced in Bollywood and Chennai.  Catchy, colorful, filled with loads of dancing in beautiful mountainous locations.... oh yeah!  It's formulaic, but why mess with a good thing?  People eat that stuff up.  

See, the thing with Bollywood movies is that they're all about escapism.  Who cares if it makes no sense, as long as there's lots of colorful song-and-dance numbers, pretty people, fight scenes, boy and girl running around a tree...  Let's face it, real life in India isn't pretty.  There's filth, corruption, hardship, all that, so the people go to the movies for that ultimate escapist fantasy.

Pat- you have to see the movie Bollywood Calling.  Excellent movie about an American actor who gets a part in a Bollywood film.  

(However, in Kerala- a Malayalam speaking state in southern India, their filmmakers specialize in the dark, gritty, award-winning films that talk about the filth, corruption, hardship, and the dark side of Indian life that people don't want to see/be reminded of.)