Manguide 5: Bollywood Pin-ups

No Om Shanti Om babe on the list?;)

Enjoyed the article. I have yet to meet a man who didn't care for Jolie. Got a reasoning for that?;)

i like mallika and don't say that not many will like her coz she is honest,talented and fun to listen too.

thas is ridiculous. how can someone say about the likes and preferences of other men. its very personal and individual.

i adore aishwarya and i just dont agree to an alphabet of your analysis. i think she has the most xpressive eyes which invoke in me all the emotions and feelings.

i always wish her to keep smiling and giggling, but i know she is also a womenand has been through some real ugly incidents. but she came out respected by all and thats make her special.

i may or may not like other actresses, but that does not mean i can judge or categorise all. they are different and loved by fans for multiple reasons.

the reason i love ash may not be same why some one else love her.

stop penning such crap for shameful income.

Ash is the worst acrtress she cannot even speak properly

Lighthearted and plenty of humor in your article Ideasmith (which I guess was sadly lost on Bhavdeep here).

Its interesting but I haven't met any guy who liked Kareena Kapoor either...and about 70% of them say she is a bit too manly for them (large face, scowl, seems snobbish were some of the the other reasons etc)! Surprisingly a lot of the guys I know don't like A.Rai either. They all say she seems fake and her smile never quite makes it to her eyes. But they all love Sush, Bipasha and Rani (guess the Bengali ladies really have it going for them!)

But you know what, even the youngies that I know make adoring references to la Dixit's 100 watt smile :)

its very sad that people love oppertunities to criticise and degrade public figures who they dont like for some reason or the other.

i fail to understand y cant we accept that to each his own. who are we to say for other people.

first aishwarya and now kareena. she is free spirited and this quality is loved by many. thats y she is so adored and is famous.

everyone has a special feautre that make them special.

if you cant praise or respect someone, who wre you to disrespect them. how personally do you know them to make judgememnts about their personality?? its sad that you think reel and real life is same.

and people like Adit are the ones responsible for the degradation of our nation. cant think beyond regional and religious disparities.

WHy cant you hypocrites ever stand for INDIA as a nation??

Shame on you....

Yes very correct Bhavdeep! Since Aishwarya Rai is synonymous with national pride I am a religious extremist-national traitor for thinking she is fake. I have no idea why the government does not invest more money and time against preventing online commentators from saying such stuff about Ms.Rai. It would most definitely benefit national integrity and other such pressing matters of national interest.

The one thing that the Indian government has been only moderately successfully doing is stepping on people's freedom of speech....but you are right they should do a better job of not allowing people to express themselves especially if the subject of critique is our beloved Ms.Rai.

Jai Hind.

:)

I cast my lot with Madhuri Dixit and, yes, I have a poster from Aaja Nachle (given to me by the projectionist at the theatre where I saw it). And, by your psychological reckoning, that makes me... a fabulous lover? a brilliant judge of character? one sick fuck? all of the above?

Mads quite aside, and without disputing for a nano-second that many of the Bollywood babes are objectively hot, is it just my culturally insensitive foreign provincialism that finds the overall Indian ethos of prudish, asexual, auntie-ism an autonomic anti-aphrodisiac. Isn't a bit tricky to get turned-on by a woman with whom, if you play out your adolescent fantasies in anything reasonably resembling a real-world Indian context, would involve major jumping-through-hoops and very minor, badly-performed sex?

How's that for a provocative question? Bring it on Sanjay(s)! Tell me what a racist I am. How sexually liberated India is beneath a surface that is impenetrable to one as thick as me. That the Kama Sutra was written in India (Really? Who knew! When did everyone lose their library cards?). That women would be more sexually expressive around me, if I were only as cool and attractive as you.

I'm particular interested in Dee's take, since she seems to have her finger on the pulse of modern Indian sexuality.

Zeenat Aman...end of discussion.

Mark, there is an entire subculture going on right under our prudish noses. Did you know that the debonair blog is ranked as one of the highest in the online world? And there are sites where regular middle class desi crowd have put up sexy pictures of themselves- bits of boobies showing, hairy panties pics (shudder), kissing pics, sex pics etc

The urban middle class dude wants to be a macho man who makes his wife have multiple orgasms.He wants to stop pre-ejaculating, he wants to be an athlete in bed, he wants to go to National Market and get those big sized condoms; in this post Socialist environment he wants it all - a bigger dick, drive a Scorpio or inova, the orgasmic wife, kids in international schools and a big house in a gated community.

Sounds like a Republican doesn't he? But thats what the desi upper middle class dude is - swashbuckling dude wearing bumble bee dark glasses. Unfortunately its still all about him though he may be willing to blow his wife but I seriously doubt thats an improvement.

I am not big on this neo-liberal culture, not that I want to go back to Socialist Samantha fox pin up days either but when the topic of sex comes up it still is a man's world in India and women apart from the few 'liberated' hussies continue to act like coy martyrs in bed;)

BTW the availability of cheap dvd players has been a boon for the lower urban classes. They now drink at home, watch some porn and have plenty of two minutes sex with their wives;)

Thats my overgeneralized impression;)

Madhuri did a whole lot of rape scenes in her 80s movies as did other heroines but thats another story altogether;)

Where is Vidya Balan?

I think that's smart commentary, Dee. The sexual repression is, largely, driven by male feelings of inadequacy. (And perhaps not incorrect feelings, who can say!) But women have been absurdly complicit.

Indeed, it's funny that I even use the word I use the word "women", because I like to joke that India is the country where there are few women; most go from girl to Auntie overnight -- that night being their wedding night. The alacrity with which women in their 20s and 30s play-act their way into these debilitating gender roles -- willingly desexualizing themselves -- is part of the problem. And, notwithstanding the predominance of male culpability in the whole, pathetic scene, this doesn't help the fantasy-factor I referenced in my comment.

As with anything, there are exceptions that prove the rule. Yet I don't find them in the typical post-socialist materialism where one might first look. For example, the seemingly sexed-up youth culture of the metros, with young women wearing tight, low-cut jeans and (for India) somewhat brazen tops, seems utterly ersatz -- to the point that it feels as if the women don't fully understand the social implications of their otherwise conscious fashion choices (or in any event, are prepared to immediately disavow them if called on it). It looks like imitation, without comprehending what it is they are imitating.

I suppose this lack of authenticity explains why a subtle gesture, such as a well-worn ankle bracelet, can still affect a smoldering sexuality, especially when viewed in the context insane fashion dialectic of prudishness or western sluttiness.

Which, of course, brings us back to Madhuri...

@ Deepti: To be honest, I'm not yet sure what to say about a guy who likes Deepika since I can't even see why they like her! All I can think is that she's Bollywood's hottest new flavour just like Vidya Balan was last year and others before her. It's probably too early to tell though. What say?

@ reader: :-) I'm glad to know someone sees those things. Personally I loved her act in 'Pyaar ke side-effects'.

@ Bhavdeep: Ah, what shameful things we do in the name of money! The funny thing is some of us do this even without getting paid for it. You really haven't figured out the concept of 'satire', have you?

@ Exde: I agree. But if her fans are to be believed, she doesn't need to speak.

@ Aditi Nadkarni: *Sigh* I ought to change my last name to Sen or Ghosh! :-p Oops, yes, however could I miss out on the 100-watt-smile Dixit? She was (and continues to be) really something else.

@ Mark: I'm not sure. I think Madhuri has a kind of unfathomable appeal that combines girl-next-door charm with diva persona in just the right measure.

@ bob: Quite delectable but not much in the way of an actress, no? But yes, no one's denying the 'aap jaisa koi meri zindagi' lady has oodles of oomph!

@ Chandra: For practical reasons I had to keep this article within manageable length so I only picked the ladies who've been top-of-mind for a considerable length of time. In my opinion Vidya Balan is just a fresh-faced flash in the pan, recently displaced by the Padukone lass. But that's just my opinion.

@ Mark: Your conversation with Dee goes far above my head so I'll generally keep out except to say that sexuality is understood differently by different cultures and India is a country of multitudinous cultures - not just in terms of religion and caste differences but even the urban/rural divide is so marked enough to be nearly different cultures altogether. Proceed with your discussion please, it's interesting.

mark and dee

on the spot comments ;)

and there are two posts in them comments. please write and submit

Funny piece. Btw, I agree on La Dixit: there was a collective sigh from the men in the london theatre when the very first Aaja Nachle trailor was released (think it was for Tara Rum Pum). The trailor just showed her from the back with the famous thumka and the entire man-population went aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, MADHURI!

On the other hand, have to say there is something about Zeenat Aman to which men respond instinctively. Even ones who are about 15! Always wonder what is that "something" she has....

Skin, Anamika. Zeenat has golden skin. That combination of silky hair and silky lustrous skin and ripe breasts is completely irresistible. Combined with that, Zeenie baby has a "soft" body. Soft but not over-ripe like, say, Bindu. Zeenie makes you wonder what it would be like to have her naked under your body.

(phew. I'm sweating)

t, I think Mark should write one. Me? I am suffering from temporary amnesia. Did I say all that?;)

Like Mark said given that I am a married desi Auntyji well into her thirties with two kids I shouldn't be saying such nasty things.

Very entertaining article. A great way to start the morning! The Kapoor babe incidentally, has me equally flummoxed. I think she is very good. A live-wire with an electric screen-presence, yet I am still to come across a male fan. (Saif ofcourse I must add, apart from not being in either your acquaintance or mine is also not considered a man by many. His 'manly' interests OTOH are legendary).

Me thinks your 'ghas-dalofy' theory is spot on :).

Incidentally, I dated a guy last year who had many intellectual pretensions, but his favourite - Aishwarya Rai. I should have read your article before :)

Cheers

Dee:

How can you fob this off on me? Auntie-ji or no, you are the one with the perspective and keen-eye to dissect this one. I'm just a non-desi for whom the predominant culture of sexual repression works even better than intended: I can't even get-it-up for these babes whose whole raison d'etre is to arouse.

Then again, maybe we've already said what needs to be said... or it can be said on another day.

Cheers,

MBJ

p.s. There was a link in my first comment (that didn't come through) to a more complete explanation of why Mads rocks:http://memestreamblog.wordpress.com/2007/12/22/mad-about-madhuri/

People need to to leave Ash alone. Let her be what she is. She doesn't seem bothered about being anybody's pin-up or pin-down. If your idea of real woman is some dusky bombshell who keeps pouting and heaving incessantly or someone who adopts a baby girl but drops her boyfriend every month then it's your problem, not Ash's. She's not a statue. She talks,walks,breathes,perspires as and when it is required. Doesn't overdo anything just for the heck of it. She's always been a strong career woman but never neglected family life both before marriage and after marriage. I guess the dignity with which she carries herself, the lack of juicy quotable quotes from her, being protective about her personal life etc doesn't go down well with a lot of people which is why they start talking nonsense about her. A lot of my male friends don't like her but fortunately they don't give such poor excuses.It's just that they have the hots for someone else. But many of them don't like the other ladies also. Their comments on them which I couldn't help agreeing with -

1.Sush Sen : Only kids can trust her. Men can't! Today on, tomorrow off.

2. Bipasha Basu : Overt display of sexuality.Pretty unidimensional in that sense.Can't hold any conversation other than sex,body etc.Looked so scary in the No Entry song (this was the funniest).

3. Mallika S : Will someone tell this female that wearing little clothes and having unrealistically big bobs don't make you sexy?

4.Rani M: Total Behenji.Makes a mess out of herself if she tries to be glamorous. Tara Rum Pum anyone? And what's up with her and married men. Clung on to Govinda when her career was down in the dumps. Soon moved on to Adi Chopra once inside the Yashraj camp.

5. Ms. Kapoor : Yes she's is a firebrand but a very unitelligent one at that. Ms.foot-in-the-mouth. We like only "intelligent firebrands", a rare species. Dumped Shahid for Saif?? What next? Saif for Dev Anand?

So we can see that everybody has their strengths and flaws. Nobody is perfect.

@ Anamika, Deepa Krishnan, Deepti: :-D Why hide admiration? A thing of beauty really is a joy forever, gender irrespective.

@ Ritu: LOL, much sympathies. I've dated a few of that sort myself!

@ Niharika: Thank you, teacher. Uh, did you notice that the post was classified under 'Satire'? And since you're obviously so miffed over Kareena dumping Shahid, might I remind you of a certain Mr.Vivek Oberoi and an aforementioned green-eyed diva?

Deepa, thanks. And phew....Never thought of it like that re: Zeenat Aman. My absolutely coolest uncle had her as the "pin-up" back in the 1970s so in my head she is linked with ideas of being cool, chic and intelligent.

I was going through some old 70s and 60s flicks and realised that while various actresses - including Sharmila Tagore - wore bikinis, swimsuits and other sundry scanty clothing (often far less than starlets today), Zeenat Aman made those clothes look effortless and natural.

I think thats where the "attitude" kicks in rather than the actual body. Funnily enough when she did Koffee with Karan, she named Sushmita Sen as the one she thought was most like herself. Again - I think its the attitude - something that some men love and admire while others run scared of (see some of the comments above). ;-p

IdeaSmith: them A.R fans are best left alone. They are as dramatic in their pro-A.R zeal as A.R is in her acting. Not to mention they lack the sense of humor that the object of their adulation demonstrates in oodles every time she giggles giddily during interviews and talk shows making even the most serious of discussions sound flippant.

Re: The Zeenat Aman subject, one can't help but mention the other glam diva of the time, the late Parveen Babi. I've always really liked Parveen Babi. She has a sense of mystery and her eyes were just gorgeous. She has an almost muse-like quality. In fact in some snapshots Bipasha reminds me of Parveen Babi. Doesn't look like her but it may just be their countenance or sensuality. I'm not sure. I wonder what kind of a man would fall for a lady with such a mysterious past and such a troubled history.

@Niharika : you did not tell us what your male friends think about Ms Rai (or was the first paragraph about 'strong career woman + family woman' etc. their thoughts?).

P.S Wasn't the entire purpose of this exercise was to give us single ready to mingle gals some rudimentary tools to fathom men?. It's about us not them baby :).

Incidentally, I have a major grouse too. What is wrong with Dev Anand I ask? If I were Kareena I would head that way directly. They don't make it like em any more.. sigh!

Jokes, apart, it is a light-hearted piece. Enjoy it.


@ Anamika : Zeenie Baby rocks. I would dig any man who digs her. OK no.. I would dig a man who digs Nutan.. but that category is extinct so I shall settle for Zeenie Baby :)

@ Aditi : Parveen Babi and Zeenie Baby had a lot in common. I always confused them as a kid. Though I agree Parveen was enigmatic and vulnerable. Her end almost seemed pre-ordained.

ritu:

don't be so dismissive...

nutan was very graceful

very!

you are right about zeenat ana (and sush in that quote)

and you too adi about parveen

Niharika's comment is a clear example of how women are expected to fit every requirement and how women are the harshest critiques when it comes to other women: they have to be intelligent and strong-willed but not too picky about their men, they have to have boobs but not too large, they should be pretty and stick to one boyfriend (!!!) but cannot be the "behenji" types, they should be glamorous but not too sensuous and should wear just the right amount of clothes (not too less, not too much). Whew!

If nobody is perfect Niharika then that should include Aishwarya as well, right? We should be allowed to point out her flaws as well, right...just as you listed those for the other Bollywood ladies.

And whats with the "Leave Ash alone" campaign. If it bothers you so much don't read it! Look at some Aishwarya wallpapers instead will make you feel better.

God, it's no use talking to the anti-Ash group!

Poor males who like Ash! No self-respecting woman would date them after reading this super-credible satirical piece. They better start liking dusky bombshells and their pouts and heave-ho.
Yes,yes,those who like Ash are dramatic, have no sense of humour, don't understand satire,blah blah. They don't understand the need for rudimentary tools to fathom men. They don't know how to write nonsense about people in the name of light-hearted piece. They don't deserve to live on this earth. They along with their object of adulation need to be exiled to Mars. The world be a better place to live in then. Satire experts won't have to think about & write some light-hearted nonsense about Ash and thus can save some mental and physical energy. BTW, why am I wasting my energy here? Let me to go to sleep.

Chhee...Bipasha. I don't like her. She's so ugly and manly. Looks like a sl*t. I don't find her however hard she may try - wear a bikini or display her jism.
Mallika - Worst sex-symbol on earth. Yuck !
Kareena - Such big face and hips. Huge jawline like that of a dead shark.
Sushmita : being picky about men is okay but this is oposite. Dating any and every man that comes her way and changing them every month. Bhago!
Rani Mukerji : I don't dig girls who dig (pun-intended) married,wealthy men.

But I love Parveen Babi- real sensous.
I love Ayesha Takia too - so chubbily cute.
And Aishwarya Rai - real beauty and elegance. Killed me with her stunning avatar at Cannes this year in those sexy gowns.Ummmmm....delicious.
Nutan -very graceful indeed. I diiiiiig her.
Priyanka Chopra : This one's sexy alright !
Vyjyanthimala : Classic beauty and what a dancer. Hothon pe baat dabakar hamara hi muh band kar diya !

Niharika/ Bachchan Pandey: Writing under multiple nicks is grounds for being banned. Posting comments under multiple nicks does not strengthen your position. All it does is tells us that you are simply unable to accept conflicting perspectives especially when it comes to Aishwarya Rai.

[multiple nicks]

[Edited: Multiple nicks. Niharika, your IP address is logged and thats how I know they are multiple nicks]

Niharika: nobody has to tell me. I can see your IP address which is logged when you leave a comment. You have used at least 3 nicks: sanjay saxena, niharika and bachchan pandey.

Ritu: agree totally. This is about us...but I went off Dev Anand post-Guide. But nothing beats him in the 1950s "noir-ish" stuff - Nau Do Gyarah, Kaala Paani and Jaal being my tops! :-)

Agree with digging any guy who digs Zeenat Aman - on the other hand if we are going back to Nutan, always thought Tanuja had more "oomph" although Nutan was more graceful. But personally think Waheeda Rehman beats everyone else hollow!

Strangely enough I liked Parveen Babi but never nearly as much as Zeenie. There was something too fragile and brittle about her (in retrospect). You're right - the end seems preordained.

Waheeda Rehman has my vote too.

Exquisitely beautiful, she was totally charming and courteous in real life as well. She acted with ease and a natural conviction. There has been no one to match her.

I saw Waheeda Rehman last year at Resham Bhavan Tea Centre. Silver-haired now but yet with lovely smooth skin, she carries herself with dignity and grace.

@ Niharkia says

"....BTW, why am I wasting my energy here? Let me to go to sleep."

>>> Good idea :). You can dream of Ms Rai that way.

@ Anamika : Aha another fan of Uncle Dev. That too of the Nau Do Gyarah era. And that too not a grandmother(I assume!) The world is not that bad a place I must say:). I think post Tere Mere Sapne, Dev Anand is totally avoidable. But he was so 'with it' in the 50s.

I agree with your assessments about Tanuja, I think she and Geeta Bali were two sadly under-utilised actresses. Nutan OTOH was in a class by herself. Graceful, elegant, eloquent and a very good actress. A woman of substance. I guess in today's day and age Tabu would be a good parallel for her and Kajol for her mom Tanuja.

@ Anamika, ushnishas: I was a great fan of Waheeda Rehman till some time back. For the same reasons. An impeccable repertoire of films, great acting, great dancing, very graceful, very elegant. However, off late I find her too scowly. She's wonderful when she is sad, but very inhibited in happy situations. But I can understand where you are coming from. I was there not long back. :)

@ Temporal: Good to see you(as a male member, I assume) raise your hand for Nutan. I was ecstatic to see Bacchan Pandeyji and Saxena Sahib also join the fray, but now unfortunately they all seem to be schizophrenic remnants of Ms Rai incognito. So you are left as the sole flag-bearer for Nutan. But in your honour I shall modify my original stance from 'extinct' to 'almost extinct' :). Needless you say, to qualify you have to have all 32 intact, hair still on the head and white hair less than 10% of total hair density.

@ Anamika: It certainly is more about attitude. In fact I like to say that good body language is more important than a good body.

@ Aditi Nadkarni: I didn't really like Parveen Babi much; I thought she looked too made-up. But her story is a tragic one and no doubt those eyes contained a lot more than was visible on screen. And I think a lot of men would fall for that. I don't mean to self-plug but I've written about the Pin-up Lolita at my other blog XXFactor. And LOL LOL to your last comment!!

@ ritu, temporal: Old is totally gold and all that? :-)

@ Seema: Oh, let them stay! Their comments are way more hilarious than my post!! :-D

@ Niharika: Goodnight.

@ Bachchan Pandey: What, you're still awake?

@ Sanjay Saxena: You really aren't very sleepy, are you?

@ ushnishas: My vote as well. The lady still looks lovely!

@ Ritu: Kajol seems to have inherited Tanuja's spunk, hasn't she? I miss her brand of fire on screen.

Ritu: Think Waheeda Rehman suffered a major trauma a few years ago when her husband died. She seems to have lost that twinkle in her eye since. But when you've spent a lifetime being glamorous and elegant, a few scowls at this stage should be acceptable.

Re: Dev Anand - yes, definitely an Emergency-era kid me, but with a passionate love for Bollywood. Agree on the fact that he is pretty much a write off by the 1960s. Have you seen early Guru Dutt - the "noir" stuff? Aar Paar being the tops there...Waheeda in an early "negative" role, if I remember right...

Strange with all the names being tossed in the mix, there isn't a single vote for Madhubala? Am a major fan of not only the final Mughal-e-Azam beauty but of the brilliant comedienne from her Kishore Kumar days!

My aunt used to say for her "mohe panghat pe nandlal..." song (first appearance in the film) in Mughal-e-Azam: "jab meri dhadkan ek second ke liye ruk jaati hai to bechare ladkon ki kya halat hoti hogi..."

My fav's had always been Zeenat and Raveena. I am not sure if I like anyone in the current crop, and definitely not Rani Mukherjee.

Deepti, #10, that's a sweeping generalization you make there! And what about the women?

Uptight, Snotty, dying to be on the third page socialites in love with Ganjam and all that Italian designer jazz. Howz that Leduiz?;)I did say my overgeneralized impression.

Niharika(multiple nicks notwithstanding), I too like Ash. She may be a dutiful bahurani. But when she steps out to stun everyone at Cannes, the whole world follows her dutifully including her in-laws & hubby.

[it is trolling]

"Niharika" has posted 2 comments
"Bachchan Pandey" has posted 2 comments
"ChinChin" has posted 1 comments
"Robin" has posted 1 comments
"Sanjay Saxena" has posted 1 comments

[Alert: Niharika using multiple nicks] Ash Rai is a mannequin. Yuck ! I like Seema Biswas. I would like to marry a girl like her.

[Troll Alert & Multiple nicks: Niharika, Robin, Sanjay Saxena, Bachchan Pandey, Arshad, ChinChin]

Hmmm...Seema Biswas! Clever choice buddy! Me likes Karnam Malleshwari, P T Usha and Anju Bobby George. Among actresses just love Tun Tun and Rohini Hatangadi.Would love have a woman like one of them.

@ IdeaSmith : I am unabashed sucker for vintage stuff. Give me a Zeenie Baby over Bipasha Basu and Nutan/Tanuja over Kajol anyday :). Kajol definitely has Tanuja's easy flowing charm. Not as evolved in the acting department IMO.

@ Anamika : My 'scowly' observation was of Waheeda Rehman's performance in her old films not her persona as of now. What I liked before, I find laboured now. e.g her depiction of freedom and adandon in the Guide song 'Aaj phir jeene ki'.

Madhubala.. I never understood the brouhaha over her somehow. She was essentially a bimbette. I can understand guys liking her, but doesn't hold my attention :)

Guru Dutt and Noir... I love all that stuff. The film that you mention was Waheeda Rehman's first - CID. She plays a vamp. Directed by Raj Khosla.

I always thought there was something vulnerable and sweet about Madhubala's smile. In the song "pyar kiya to darna kya" which became a cult number for rebellious lovers for years to come she did show a rare hint of fire and bravery which wasn't obvious in the roles she was usually cast in. But of course thats my opinion :)

If we are speaking of old heroines my personal favorite has to be the dusky Smita Patil with an understated, dignified sensuality. I've also had men surprise me considerably by going for the outspoken and witty Shabana Azmi or even the doe-eyed Deepti Naval. The women from that maverick period of cinema were I think in a whole other class of their own. That was the true revolutionary phase for Indian cinema and Indian women as well. (the 80s)

How come no one's mentioned Rekha! :)

[Edited: Multiple nicks]

adi

whatzzher name in rudali

[Edited: Multiple nicks]

T its Dimple Kapadia I believe you are referring to.

yeah adi....thought of dimple when you mentioned smita

now am digressing

but some actors immortalize a character

:)

smita patil, YES!!!

@ Aditi : Vulnerable, sweet and empty-headed, that is nothing but the tagline of a bimbette :).vulnerability though I agree is a desirable trait, both in men and in women.

Smita Patil was smouldering! She went away too soon. Shabana came across as a more 'head' person.. refined and articulate as opposed Smita who had raw appeal. DN did not make much impact. Though I do have great childhood memories of all those 80s films like Chashm-e-baddoor etc.

Rekha: She was too cultivated for my liking. Very wannabe :)

But one has to conceed that the actresses and actors of the bygone era were real men and women. Things are too assembly line now, despite so much going into the 'look' of a character they all look the same!

Dimple is gorgeous.
Utterly ravishing to look at, she can tackle ANY role. What a tragedy that her best years were not utilised in acting, as she was married to Rajesh Khanna, who maltreated her grossly.

Madhubala was used as a money-spinning machine by her family. She was exquisite, and sexy in every fleeting expression. ONE smile of hers could send any male into a happy daze.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKWBpLkLfNY with Dev Anand

Her dance (fully clothed)in "Phagun" brought back admirers by the thousands to see the picture again.

Ritu: Thanks for the info. CID it was and now see your point...funny, but Waheeda Rehman did scowl a lot even in the early flicks. Solva Saal - she spends most of her time being grumpy. So one does wonder.... :-)

Re: Madhubala, not sure if she was a bimbette or not but her comic timing was brilliant. I wonder if she has suffered from a Monroe-style pigeon-holing where her "light" roles became a way of writing her off as a bimbette? Having said that, anyone of her old comedies with Kishore Kumar brightens up a dull day for me.

Oh and the funniest tribute to Madhubala: I know someone who named their favourite horse after her!! :-)

Btw - what of Hema Malini? She had the best legs in the industry!

did Hema ever reveal her legs in any movie? I don't think she wore a swimsuit in any film.

I once saw an old movie called "Dastaan" with Suraiya and Raj Kapoor. There was an actress called Veena in it. She had tremendous presence and acted superbly.

Another beautiful actress is Suchitra Sen, from Bengali films, who was seen in "Mamta" and "Aandhi." Impressive and charismatic.

Hema didn't need to...check out all her "banjara" skirt song sequences. Even the final song in Sholay - the woman has legs that are MILES long and absolutely shapely! Must be all the hours of dancing.

I thought Hema wore those odd pajama things the heroines all used to wear under their dance skirts.

Anyway that gorgeous figure is all South Indian genes. Look at those beautiful bronze Chola figures, you'll see from where those legs came.
And the narrow waist! and doe eyes!

I like Singapore and Malaysian Airlines hostesses, especially when they bend down in front of my seat to remove/insert trays from the food cart. And most straight guys would be lying if they said they don't try to look in that direction when that happens.

[Please stick with one nick]

Ledzius:

IdeaSmith's brave new scientific hypothesis, expressed with great comic panache, is that one can do a morphology of masculine paradigms by correlating a man's Bollywood starlet preferences.

Your comment validates some much older sociological thinking: (1) left to their own, a group of men will always sink to the lowest common denominator and (2) that objectification of women remains a favorite male pastime.

Your comment -- which can be paraphrased, "Me like tits!" -- doesn't really advance the discussion, though it may have been naughtily thrilling for you to share that remarkable piece of information with us.

Sure, it's harmless enough in this context. But it is disappointing nonetheless to see the enthusiasm shift from silly play-along with IdeaSmith's brilliantly nutty scheme to a full-blown adolescent circle jerk.

I know, I'm a kill-joy. Sue me.

Cheers,

MBJ

Ritu:

""Rekha: She was too cultivated for my liking. Very wannabe :""

That's probably because you did not see her very first film (or one of the firsts), "Sawan Bhadon". She was a disaster! She cultivation was cultivated much later!

Anamika: yes indee, Hema had great legs...although personally I could not stand her (in movies I mean!)

Smita was tops!

[Trolling]

Why are you deleting all my comments?? Is there any freedom of speech here?

kuchh to troll kahengey
trollon ka kaaam hai kahanaa

just as it is the editors job to eliminate trolls....

[Please take a day or two and familiarise yourself with the comment policy]

[Deleted only for consistency's sake]

I like Lalita Pawar . Her smile makes it to her eyes. There's a touch of vulnerability in her. She's smouldering. They don't make 'em like her anymore, sigh !

deletion of my comment #69 is consistent with the comments policy! not complaints. just compliments about the efficacy of the editors.

Incidentally, my aunt is a great fan of Karan Johar who she believes is the real,sensuous (wo)men. She never used to miss any episode of KWK and said -" jab meri haalat aisi ho jati hai usey dekh kar toh bechare ladko ka kya hota hoga".

coincidentally, sashikala was my aunt

Sashikala aunty has a fan here. She had a lot of common sense, sorely missing in her later generations. Her sex appeal lies in her common sense which she demonstrated very early in her career. Where have such women gone?

...