If you have been scrolling across platforms recently, then a certain Brazilian telenova would have surely propped up on your screen. While it is understandable that one may not be able to make much out of the language, what would have stayed back instead was a dance sequence featuring Aishwarya Rai’s hit song Kajra Re from Bunty Aur Babli. Now, this isn’t the first time and neither will it be the last where one has seen such a crossover. Time and again Indian and International celebrities have been seen collaborating on various projects together and taking the Indian film industry to a global map. One of the unique features to distinguish Indian commercial cinema is its elaborate song and dance sequences which have complete stories of their own. The foot tapping beats, unforgettable vocals and meandering music composition, automatically makes one want to jump out of their comfort zones and shake a leg to the soundtrack; so much so that even Hollywood and the West incorporates Bollywood songs in their projects.
Whether one talks of the Indian Diaspora or the movie is essentially made for them, one cannot miss out on the opportunity of shaking a leg. Thus, here’s recapping 5 times, the West took inspiration from Bollywood song and dance sequences and made the scene more colourful and rhythmic.
One of the most memorable and surprising sequences was in the sit-com Big Bang Theory. A fantasy sequence between Indian–origin Dr Rajesh Koothrapalli (Raj) and his friend’s fiancée Bernadette, the scene has all the Punjabi beats and lyrics which would make one want to partake in the beats. Though the lyrics are in English, but its essence and the music all reflect true Bollywood style. Also, back in the day when this episode was aired, fans were positively shocked to see Raj, a quiet, shy guy, who can’t even speak in front of women, transform into a true Bollywood hero and dance.
If you are a Bridgerton fan and have followed all the seasons closely, then you could not have missed this orchestral rendition of Karan Johar’s Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham’s title track. It was featured during a pre-marriage ceremony and gave Indian fans of this highly popular series, another reason to rejoice.
An absolute surprise for all Indian fans of this Uma Thurman and Colin Firth movie was its several extended song and dance sequence borrowing from Indian music. In fact, the movie even had singers singing the song during wedding sequences and hired choreographers to make the scene come alive. One of the scenes from Accidental Husband features the very popular Hindi song Mujhe Rang De originally sung by Asha Bhosle and filmed on Tabu from the movie Thakshak.
Who would have thought that a superhero would be listening to Raj Kapoor’s Mera Joota Hai Japani in a car sequence in Deadpool in 2016? And yet this happened! Deadpool befriends a taxi driver, Dopinder, played by Karan Soni, who happened to have been listening to this song while riding the car. And so, one of Bollywood’s most nostalgic songs made it to the ears of a modern day superhero.
Not just India, Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna made the west dance to their famous song Sami Sami from Pushpa. The song was featured in a party sequence in Never Have I Ever where the leads Devi and Kamala sportingly and elegantly danced to its tune.
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