The 80s seem such a distant country and yet this is the decade in which I was a teenager and consequently it still feels so alive. How much in the past the decade is however brought home to me when I see a movie like Chashme Buddoor or listen to some of the better songs of the decade (leaving apart the fugly mainstream Amitabh-Jeetendra flicks). One of my favourites is Makhdoom Mohiuddin's Phir Chidhi Raat (he also wrote Gaman's Aap ki yaad aati rahi). Gloriously it is on youtube.
Watching the movies, I also miss the "ethnic chic" that characterised the better part of the 80s (see for example Supriya Pathak's clothes, the gajra, the parandhi in the clip). It was an expected backlash against the bouffants, pale lipsticks, printed saris and general ugliness of the 70s. This was also the decade of the Festival of India - the first time many of us would have been seen Teejan Bai's Pandvani at least on TV - and the tail end of this phase must surely be the sweetness of Surabhi that documented major and minor cultural aspects of India. Surabhi of course had the cute Renuka Shahane who managed to successfully co-ordinate short hair and very ethnic gear.
Watching the movies, I also miss the "ethnic chic" that characterised the better part of the 80s (see for example Supriya Pathak's clothes, the gajra, the parandhi in the clip). It was an expected backlash against the bouffants, pale lipsticks, printed saris and general ugliness of the 70s. This was also the decade of the Festival of India - the first time many of us would have been seen Teejan Bai's Pandvani at least on TV - and the tail end of this phase must surely be the sweetness of Surabhi that documented major and minor cultural aspects of India. Surabhi of course had the cute Renuka Shahane who managed to successfully co-ordinate short hair and very ethnic gear.
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