Munni Badnaam Hui...

Now, this happened weeks before Dabangg released.
This movie was already getting a lot of attention and I was totally unaware of it. Everyone I spoke to, referred to the movie, Salman Khan or the item song by 
Malaika Arora Khan.

One fine day I happened to call a friend.

Dude: Hey.. Long time...
           Have you heard this "munni badnaam hui" song from Dabangg?
Me: Naaahaaa... Atleast ask me the formal questions first.. How are you? Wassup? sorts.
Dude: Ok.. How are you? Good? Great!! So now tell me..have you heard this Munni song?
Me: Nooo... what is so special about it? Is it that raunchy? I know Malaika must have looked amazing..
Dude: No, i haven't seen the song.. I am talking about music and lyrics..
Me: Achha.. No then i haven't heard them.
Dude: Do it RIGHT NOW.

I had no clue from where I could arrange for the song. I was in my office and I have no access to the lovely sites we normally access.
I could have if i  wanted to ;) but seriously.. I had no interest in listening to some "Zandu balm hui" crap.

After a few days, I happened to meet this friend. And no prizes for guessing what he asked me first, before everything else?

Dude: So, did you listen to the song?
Me: Nooo... I couldn't..
Dude: Here.. Sit..Take the ear phones. Listen to it right now.
Me: Now... Ok!!!??!!

I had no choice and I had no clue how the song would turn out.
And then for the next 6 minutes I went through the song deeply concentrating on the lyrics.
I realised I had so many moments of "Baap re".. "IIsssshhh"... "Shhhaaayyyy"... "Oye Hoye"...and all possible expressions.

I couldn't help but laugh out loud on sentences like
"Cinema hall hui, darling tere liye"

and I was astonished at the openness of the song as it said
"Popat na jaane mere peechay Saifu se leke Lambhu khada
Item yeh aam hui, darling tere liye"

So after listening to it, I didn't know whether i should praise it or criticize it. I was asked an intuitive response and I said..

Me: Cheap...
Dude: Really? Now let's listen to it again. Together.
Me: Again? (in my mind: WTF)
So the song started again.

Munni badnaam hui, darling tere liye
Munni ke gaal gulabi, nain sharabi, chaal nawabi re
Le zandu balm hui, darling tere liye
Munni badnaam hui, darling tere liye

(PAUSE)

Dude: So what do you understand?
Me: What's there to understand? The girl says that she's getting a bad name because of the guy she loves.
Dude: So..any further analysis.
Me: No..
Dude: Ok.. Let's listen further..

Shilpa sa figure Bebo si adaa, Bebo si adaa
Hai mere jhatke mein filmi mazaa re filmi mazaa
Haye tu na jaane mere nakhre ve
Haye tu na jaane mere nakhre ve laakhon rupaiya udaa
Ve main taksaal hui, darling tere liye
Cinema hall hui, darling tere liye
Munni badnaam hui, darling tere liye

(PAUSE)

Dude: Now?
Me: The Girl says that she is as awesome as the top actresses and she has everything it takes to woo guy and make him fall for her.
Dude: Ok..and?
Me: Despite the attention of so many people (jo laakhon rupaiya udaate hai), she is still stuck on this guy and she has got a bad name because of him.
Dude: And?
Me: It is more like Radha and Krishna Story where Radha is madly in love with Krishna
Dude: There you go.. AMAZING. Now let's hear what the modern Radha says about her Modern Krishna
Me: (smile)


Kaise anaari se paala pada ji paala pada
Bina rupaiye ke aake khada mere peechay pada
Popat na jaane mere peechay woh Saifu
Popat na jaane mere peechay Saifu se leke Lambhu khada
Item yeh aam hui, darling tere liye
Munni badnaam hui, darling tere liye

(PAUSE)

Dude: So while she has so many men after her, she still wants him.
Me: Who??  Popat?
Dude: That's what the modern day Radha would call her Krishna. Popat!
Me: Yeaahahahahaa..
Dude: Things change with time. Hai na?
Me: (nods)
Dude: So now the guy has something to say

Hai tujh mein poori botal ka nasha, botal ka nasha
Kar de budaape ko kar de jawan re kar de jawan
Honthon pe gaali teri aankhein dunaali re de hai jiya
Tu item bomb hui, darling tere liye
Munni badnaam hui, darling mere liye
Munni ke gaal gulabi, nain sharabi, chaal nawabi re
Le zandu balm hui, darling tere liye
Munni badnaam hui, darling tere liye

Me: Gross!!
Dude: It's Kalyug Sweetheart!
Me: Yes.. you are right. So We'd assume that Krishna, the modern day krishna accepts that indeed Radha is amazing. She has all the charm and can make anyone  go mad.
Dude: Yes.. And despite the hate that munni shows for her beloved(honthon pe gaali), there is immense love for that one guy alone.
Me: And for just him...bechari ....
        Munni badnaam hui..
Dude: Darling tere liye..
Together: Le Zandu Balm hui...Darling tere liye..

And we sang the chorus a few times until I actually fell in love with the song.

Later I wondered, does unconditinal love still exist? Like Radha loved Krishna? Is eternal oneness possible in today's time?
I was also amazed at the interpretation that my friend had and I felt happy that I at some level could make some positive sense out of the entire song.
The means of expressing love may change . Sometimes it sounds sweet, sometimes it sounds weirdly gross. It is beautiful, nonetheless, just like Love.