Along with pet dialogues like “Ma, main paas ho gaya,” “police ne tumhe chaahon taraf se gher liya hai,” and several more of such gems, Hindi cinema, for the longest time, has employed themes, props, and symbols that appear so frequently that they can be termed clichés. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. For the larger part, Bollywood clichés are fun, farcical, and have a sense of familiar comfort to them. Listing out some of my favourites.
Are you even a bona fide filmi accident victim if you don’t have a cross bandage patti on your face?
Is it even Bollywood-style debauchery if there’s no VAT 69 for company?
Are you even a filmi TOP SECRET file if you don’t scream so?
Are you even a Bollywood don if molls haven’t fed you grapes?
Are you even an aadarsh baalak if you haven’t been reading books about great personalities?
Are you even a reliable filmi witness if you haven’t testified bhagwaan ko haazir naazir jaan kar?
Are you even a filmi father if you haven’t tried to buy off true love with a blank cheque?
Are you even a filmi scientist if you haven’t been tormented by baddies for your ‘secret faarmoola’?
And are you even a baddie if you don’t have an eye scar?
Then there’s the Bollywood rowdy who must trash a रेहड़ी.
While discussing these clichés, several Twitter pals came up with their faves.
Are you even an important businessman if you haven’t signed ‘kuchh zaroori kaagzaat‘? – by @hypnosh
Are you even ‘bitiya rani’ if you don’t wear absurd clothes and talk to the pesky hero in condescending tones? – by @saini_shakun
Are you even a real character in a Pran film if you were not addressed as ‘Barkhurdaar’? – by @anandakelaa
Are you a lawyer if you haven’t been called mere faazil dost? – by @deepagahlot
And finally,
*NSFW Warning*
Is it even a villain’s lair if there’s no erotica adorning the walls?
Bonus:
Is it even a chase scene if there’s no Sandhu truck involved in it?
Flashback Bollywood 