tracing the historical roots of Shashi squee

The credits in the opening of Katha (1983) are all in Hindi, so I'm not sure whom to thank for this cute exchange between spunky Jojo (Veeni Paranjape Joglekar) and shifty Bashu (Farooq Shaikh).



She continues (in English) "Sooo handsome, sooo mature."


This is at least the third film I've seen that uses Shashi as a benchmark for handsome (Ganga aur Suraj, Pyaar Ka Mausam), and I think the only star I've seen referenced as often for this purpose is Shahrukh.* That's a good cultural context question: who else is popular shorthand for particular qualities?

* If Shahrukh and Shashi ever did a film together, my brain might explode. That might be the only excuse for Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi's omission of Shashi in the otherwise Kapoor-filled "Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte." How fun would it be to do a whole song like that based just on the Kapoor family!

Comments

Pessimisissimo said…
I found Sai Paranjpye's Katha to be pretty delightful. Farooq Shaikh (as the smarmy Vashudev), Naseeruddin Shah (as the quietly decent clerk Rajaram), and Deepti Naval (as Sandhya, the woman Rajaram loves but who is swept off her feet by Vashu) all give excellent performances. The neighbors in Rajaram and Sandhya's chawl are also vivid characters, and Paranjpye's script is full of small, telling moments. Any chance you'll give us a full review?
I liked it a lot too. I hope to review it tonight or tomorrow - I was so amused by that exchange that I had to stop mid-movie to share :)

I'm not nuts about an element of the exchange between Rajaram and Sadnhya at the end, but other than that, it's an adorable film.
Anarchivist said…
My head would explode too, but in a good way.

I think that's possible.
bollyviewer said…
Handsome and mature! His looks do seem to figure in a lot of his movies - in Kalyug for example, Subhadra (Supriya Pathak) gushes over his looks and tells her enraged fiance (Anant Nag) that the woman who marries him would be very lucky, indeed! But this is the first example I've seen from a movie that does not have him in the cast.
Anarchavist - Definitely possible.

bollyviewer - Oh my stars, that's true! How had I forgotten that! I need to own a copy of that movie anyway and this is the perfect excuse: research!
Shellie said…
hissssssssssssssssssssss...
BOOM!
Bobby Sing said…
Hi Beth,

The movie "Katha" is also there in my list of "Movies To See Before You Die"

And thats how I reached your fabulous blog.

Loved reading your reviews.

Would like to introduce myslef as an avid bollywood lover and blogger on the same.

I invite you to my website which has loads of info on Bollywood movies, music and even more.

Its www.bobbytalkscinema.com

You have to visit it once to see the work and serious researches being done there.

Frankly speaking i would like you to help me reach more similar minds by adding my site in your Blogroll as that will be really great.

And i will be waiting for you comments on my site and works.
Cheers!

with warm wishes,
Bobby Sing
www.bobbytalkscinema.com
shell - BOOOOM! :)

Bobby - Thanks for coming by! I look forward to investigating your site!
Anonymous said…
Beth,
I don't understand why are you nuts about the element of exchange between Rajaram and Sandhya?
Please consider when movie was made(in earlier 80s) when India was still catching (or maybe is still catching up) to western ideologies.Sex before marriage was considered taboo and it had to potray that message. It is not judging anyone, it is giving message that don't get fooled by fake display( in short, all that glitters is not gold). The writers do not want us to think Rajaram is taking on a partner that would be generally seconds but it shows that if some1 loves some1 , then all their mistakes and past should not be taken in consideration. I would think Rajaram is potrayed as ideal lover.

But again everyone is open to their interpretations.

Take it easy .:)

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