Bollywood’s evolving Holi celebrations, on camera and off it

Remember Mother India? Yes, the same 1957 movie which popular lyricist Javed Akhtar says is the origin of every Bollywood movie to have come after it. The movie had a Holi song, called Holi Aayi Re Kanhai, in which the whole village beats Birju (Sunil Dutt) black and blue because he allegedly touches a lehenga-choli clad village girl and forcibly plays Holi with her. Turns out, Birju was not even at fault because it was the girl who had been teasing him all along.

Cut to 2013, the year Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani in which Naina (Deepika Padukone), sporting hot pants, is seen sipping bhanag, singing a song full of double meaning lyrics, with steps suggesting an alleged ‘bhabhi’ losing it over the jeans-clad man. Don’t even get us started on the steps they use to portray this bhabhi, watch it carefully for yourself the next time you enjoy the video.

That’s how the portrayal of Holi has changed in Bollywood in the past 60 years, and we can’t blame the makers, because cinema is a mirror to the soul, and if that’s how the audience has matured in all these years, it doesn’t make any sense to keep following the same track of ‘coy’ girls and ‘high’ boys.

Another thing that has changed in Bollywood is the way Holi has been celebrated by our actors in their real lives. Here is a brief look at Bollywood stars enjoying Holi in their personal lives.

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