Have Yourself A Merry Little (Bollywood) Christmas

Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Let your heart be light
From now on,
our troubles will be out of sight

Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Make the Yule-tide gay,
From now on,
our troubles will be miles away.
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Ralph Blane

Thanksgiving? Done! Christmas? In progress and this year with extra curry!

Last Christmas I spent my holiday chilling in front of the television/computer with hours upon hours of Bollywood movies. Now at first glance you might think Christmas and Indian Cinema are polar opposites right? After all Christmas is, at its heart, about Christianity and with only 2.3% of India’s entire population of 1,129,866,154 being Christian you’d also think there wouldn’t be many movies devoted to the miracle of Christ’s birth…and you’d be right!

Most of the movie characters are Hindu with a smaller yet still significant number being either Muslim or Sikh. This is representative of the county’s inhabitants so no oddities there. But I still sense a quizzical luck upon your faces – Why Bollywood specifically during Christmas?

Most of these features are three hours long and I’m so busy during the rest of the year now that I don’t have time to devote three hours to one movie let alone two or three. Also, because of cultural differences there is very little sex and violence. Times are changing and the Indian censors have had to change with it but for the most part the only sex you’ll see is an occasional kiss on the lips. And violence isn’t nearly as gratuitous as it is in Hollywood; most violent themes are reserved for violent films. And the abundant musical numbers never cease to satisfy the gay man in me! Add to that all the beautiful colors and these wonders are truly a feast for the senses! But what is the most important reason for my yuletide ananda? Most of the themes are about love! Romantic and familial love are the most popular themes but love of country and the Indian way of life are a close second.

So again, why celebrate the birth of Jesus with Bollywood movies? Why not? Sure, I could watch It’s A Wonderful Life for the millionth time but why would I when I have such an profusion of fun and family friendly movies to watch? All that dancing and singing and love just makes me feel happy to be alive and I’m alive because of God’s grace and because that little baby born in a manger so many years ago later died on the cross for my sins.

Didn’t think I could bring it home did you? Fooled ya!

Movies on my Christmas Must See list
Namastey London
Mujhse Shaadi Karogi
Hera Pheri
Dhoom
Dhoom 2
Chori Chori Chupke Chupke
Bhagam Bhag
Jaan-E-Mann
Mannat
Kal Ho Naa Ho: Tomorrow May Never Come
Jhoom Barabar Jhoom
Umrao Jaan
Hote Hote Pyaar Ho Gaya
Omkara
Silsila

Musical numbers from two of my favorite movies

Woh Ladki Hai Kahan from Dil Chahta Hai


Nimbooda from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam




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