By The Gorgeous Palah Chingu
I am for once, considered myself as a feminist (mind you, I am more on a beginner level as i am still learning and educate myself about it). I disapproved anything that objectifying women sexually. I hated seeing anything that associate with women subjugation. I read a lot about how women being treated unfairly at certain countries. It is in my deep interest to champion in women education one day and hopefully I can accomplish that before I die. However, I am facing a dilemma between my deep interests on championing women rights with my liking of item songs. This two does not go well together apparently. Item songs or item numbers apparently has little or no connection with Bollywood films but they are been featured in the film as a marketing strategy to attract more audiences. This is to ensure people watching the film even it is for the sake of item number/girl. When people buy full price ticket just to see item number/girl, You can imagine what usually they sell in it? Of course, they sell the image of a very beautiful girl, wearing seductive clothes showing the voluptuous body and a dance song with an addictive and crazy beats.
This is what I deem as my guilty pleasure. I hate it when I see any advertisement using every inch of women body for the sake of profit. Item numbers are one of the marketing elements in Bollywood industry. I suppose to condemn it but I didn’t. The reason I didn’t is I fucking love Bollywood films. The movies they produced are suits to my taste. Well, if you live in Malaysia and see how Malay movies are made of, you will understand why I rather choose Bollywood. Apparently I am not alone. Ruby loves item songs as much as I did though we did have different taste in music. Fatma might not share our craze on the item numbers but nevertheless, she still loves Bollywood films.
The first item song I came across is Chikni Chameli. That was the time I have a huge crush on Katrina Kaif. I will sit in the corner, staring at my laptop, ravaging Katrina’s body with my eyes repeatedly until I got bored with it. My second favorite item song is Munni Badnam Hui that featured in Dabangg. Malaika maybe too thin to suits my taste but the song is worthy to replay. I lost my count how many times I listened to it but I really love it. I know it also one of the phenomenal songs in India at the time it was released. Third Item song is MashaAllah in Ek Tha Tiger film. The song kind has an Arabic fusion in it. That’s why I love it and of course again, Katrina Kaif. I just wish that there would be only Katrina Kaif version of MashaAllah. Not that I don’t like Salman Khan, I just wanted Katrina more on screen.
The rest of the list is my favorite item numbers:
4) Fevicol se- Dabangg 2
You may like it or you may hate it. It has absurd lyric but i am obsessed with this song. I even make it as my ringtone. I don’t know why but I guess Sajid and Wajid really the geniuses in making item songs. They had both element of naughty and catchy in the song.
5) Allah Duhai Hai – Race 2
The combination of Atif Aslam and Vishal Dhadlani is so powerful. The chorus part is what makes me addicted to the song.
6) Laila Teri Le Li – Shoot out at wadala
Mika singh make me crazy about this song. Sunny Leone, she can’t dance but what the heck, she’s gorgeous (and you rarely saw a porn star featured in bollywood song).
7) Do Dhaari thalwar- Mere Brother Ki Dulhan
What I like about this song is how Katrina and imraan chemistry wonderfully works. Ali zafar also brings out humor as he can’t control his facial expression when his ex-girlfriend also one of the item girls in the song.
8) Ting Rang – London Paris New York
Ali Zafar might not be hunk enough to be in the typical bollywood’s item song, but what he had in this song was more than enough. Bollywood rarely used a guy as the main character in item songs but there are certain film makers who dare to defy it and be distinctive.
9) Sheila Ki Jawaani –Tees Maar Khan
Sheila is the first one that revolutionizes the use of woman’s name in the item songs. That’s when after Sheila, Munni, Laila and others followed the same theme. The dance routine in Sheila marked Katrina as one of the item girls in bollywood
10) Chammak Challo – Ra One
I’m sure most of you know this song. If you think this song is not addictive, than surely, you totally had a different genre of music.
For 11-16, I have no comment. I just love the song after I listened to it so I decided to include it in the list.
11) Dilli Wali Girlfriend – Yeh Jawaani Hai Dewaani
12) Dum Dum – Band Baaja Baarat
13) Babuji Dhere Chalna – Salaam e Ishq
14) Aa Ante Amala puram
15) Dhoom Machale – Dhoom 3
16) Rum & Whisky – Vicky Donor
Honorary Mention:
Nobody remembers the film. I am not being a condescending for saying so but it is true. Dil se had a crappy ending but this song truly lived on until now. Those who were born on 1990-2000 will forever remember how the song swept other countries even Malaysia. My friend and i kept singing Chaiyya Chaiyaa even we did not know what it meant. It was frigging awesome. This was my first encounter of item number that I don’t even realized until now. The dance scene on the train was indeed memorable.
Three Chinguz - Reviews & Rantings 