#HappyInIndia: Bollywood, Tendulkar, Rajini - Making India Happy
India is 68 on 15Aug. The Quint lists what makes us #HappyInIndia. Sachin, Rajini, Bollywood- Our list matches yours?
advertisement
India is all set to turn 68. Infuriating, chaotic, corrupt. Yet there’s plenty about India that brings a smile to our face as well. In the next five days, The Quint will list 69 things that make us #HappyInIndia.
Here are 14. Enjoy!
#1 Holy Cow
Omnipresent and Holy. Life-giving. Fixed Deposit Schemes named after them - Kamadhenu! Squatting rights to the middle of every Indian road. We ignore traffic signals BUT happily hold up traffic to feed & pray to Gau Mata. Us guys and these Gais - we Rock!
#2 Rajini
Yanna rascala, he’s Rajnikanth, the baap of James Bond and Ethan Hunt. Mind it! The cinema didn’t create Rajnikanth. It was Rajnikanth that created Cinema.
#3 Bhains Ki... Aankh!
Indians have moved way beyond the mediocre, and over abused F word. We have our own picturesque shudh desi gaalis. Trust us, the impact is way more than any effing angrezi abuse.
#4 Chai Pe Charcha
At chai ki tapris, at roadside dhabas, at Kolkata’s addas - a lot can brew over a cup of tea. Or even over a cup of filter kaapi or coffee. And the ‘Tea-pical’ Indian knows that.
#5 Sachin Aala Re!
The Master Blaster’s ability to bludgeon English, Aussie, South African (and of course Shoaib Akhtar!) bowlers into abject submission went hand in hand with India’s arrival on the world’s stage.
Sachin Tendulkar dominated without arrogance. The team player who excelled individually. Who carried a billion hopes effortlessly with a smile. The God of Small Things!
#6 Jugaad
When we’re too broke to replace what’s broken? We try Jugaad! Paint, nail, stitch, join, stick, patch, re-invent!
#7 Dad Ki Maruti
The Maruti 800 revolutionized Indian roads. It came to symbolize our aam aadmi middle class asmita. If you’re an ‘80s child you would fully understand the nostalgia of the Maruti 800. Even if you drive a far bigger SUV today.
#8 Kutte, Main Tera Khoon Pi Jaoonga!
From Yeh haath mujhe de de Thakur to Mogambo khush hua! to Rahul! Naam toh suna hoga... Bollywood’s totally filmi dialogues do totally define the Indian film genre. Even Obama loves them - Señorita, bade bade deshon mein... you know what I mean! And it didn’t end with Javed-Akhtar and Kadar Khan, fully filmi lines are being written even today - Ek baar maine commitment de di, phir to main khud ki bhi nahi sunta!
#9 Kuch Meetha Ho Jaaye
We didn’t dare pick Jalebis over Rosagullas, or Kalakand over Gulab Jamun, or Petha over Barfi and risk riots. The nation is ‘Mithai-Crazy’, and the degree of innovation, finesse and nuance we’ve achieved over the centuries simply breath-taking. Mooh meetha karna - a wonderful tradition, linked to every occasion. Unhealthy, sure. But we are like that only. Whatadelight!
#10 Big Fat Indian Weddings
Drama, Emotion, Joy, Comedy, at times even Violence. The Big Fat Indian Shaadi has it all. The rona-dhona, extra loud music, the drunken uncles doing snake-dance, the unhealthy food, the blingy aunties, the surreptitious boozing... the family blockbuster hit that never fails to entertain.
#11 Democrazy!
Logjam in Parliament, Bedlam in Assembly. Yet we Vote. To Dharna is our Dharma! Freedom of Speech and Expression guaranteed to every last practicing Indian. We love being the world’s largest Democrazyyy!
#12 Joint Family
We squabble, litigate, celebrate, pray, ring in new-borns and mourn deaths - all as one YRF or Barjatya style Indian Joint Family. Not many places left in the world where three (even four) generations muck in under one roof.
#13 The National Anthem
Tagore’s great gift to the Nation. Our National Anthem. There are always goosebumps when we stand with our friends, family, teammates or colleagues to sing it. The words Jana Gana Mana make us soar, make us one.
#14 Beating Pakistan
Cricket, Hockey, Kabaddi, at the LOC, or even on Twitter... jeetega to sirf India! That Pakistan has never beaten India in a World Cup Cricket match is worn proudly on the national sleeve - Mauka, mauka! Anyone who thumps Pakistan is a national hero (Sehwag’s 300 in Lahore), anyone who gets thumped (read Chetan Sharma) is never allowed to forget it!
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)