Disco Dancer-Prabhu Leela ki Jai Ho

There  are  movies,  then  there  are  movies of  “Prabhuji” and  then  there is   DiscoDancer. If  i ever had  to pick one movie  of   Mithun  Da,  that  signified  his  transition  from  a  mere  actor  to the  cult  godly  ”Prabhu Jee”  status,  it has  to be this. Disco Dancer  was  released  in  December  1982 to  considerably  less hype  and  not  much  expectations.  Amitabh Bachan was  still  the  Shahenshah,  with  Namak Halaal, Khuddar, Satte Pe  Satta, all rocking  the box  office, though  the  clash of  titans  between  AB  and  his idol  Dilip Kumar , Shakti , one of  AB’s  best  IMO,  underperformed  at  the  box office. Mithun  was not  yet  in  the big  league,  seen more  as a  “poor man’s  Amitabh”, but he  created a kind of  niche image  Gunmaster G-9  image of  his  own  with  movies  like  Suraksha,  Saahas,  Wardaatat  the  same  time  working  in  other  genres  like  rom com( Shaukeen),   social dramas( Hum Paanch), thriller  flicks( Dhuan).   Director  B. Subash   had  a  couple of  rather  forgettable  flicks  prior  to  this, and  the  heroine Kim was  one of  those  numerous  80′s   starlets,  seen  in  side  appearances.  And  while  Disco songs  were  popular  in the  80′s,  i  still  recall  Bappi’s   “Disco  Station” in  Hathkadi,  not  many  were  willing  to  put  their  bets  on a  movie  that  seemed  to  revolve  entirely  around “Disco”.

When  Disco  Dancer was  released  at  fag  end of  1982,  i  was  around 13,  a  High School  in  Vizag,  a port  city down South,  where  the only  Hindi  movies  that  ran  well  were  those of  Amitabh Bachan.  Neither  did  the  stills  of  the movie  look  anything  great  at all, and  not  many  were  really  willing to give it  a chance.  It  seemed  to  end  up  the  way  most Hindi  movies,  usually did  in my  place,  run  for  a couple of weeks, and  then  get  shifted  to  some other  seedy  theater.  The  initial  talk  was nothing  too  great,   though  the  songs  had  become  popular.  And  then  it  started.  Slowly  people  started  to like  the  movie,  no  actually  not  just like it,  they  went  crazy  over it.   Every  scene  in  the  movie  began to be  discussed,  i knew  friends of  mine  who knew  not  one  word  of  Hindi,  and  yet  they  saw  this   more  than a dozen times.

The  movie  became  one  of  the  very  few  Hindi  movies  that  ran  for  more  than  100  days  in   Vizag.  But  more  than  the  numbers  and  records,  it  was  the  fact  that   Disco  Dancer became  a  kind of  cult  phenomenon.  It  cut  across   all  barriers  of  class, caste,  religion,  race  to become a universal  favorite.  There  was  my  friend,  convent  educated,  who  mostly  watched  Hollywood flicks,  ended up  watching  this movie 20  times,  and  knew  the  songs  of  this  by  heart.  At  other  end,  there was  my  servant, who  knew  not  a single  word of  Hindi,   but  who  would  religiously,  watch  this  movie, whenever  he  could.   The  songs  of  this  movie  became  the  first  choice  of  those  who  were  eager to  show  off   their  singing  skills  or  dancing  skills  during  school  functions, and  Mithun Da’s  hairstyle  became  the  next  in demand  across  saloons.   Conversations in  school  inevitably  began  with “Have  you  seen  Disco  Dancer?”, and  if  you  happened  to  say  no,  you  would  get  the kind of  look,  making  you  feel   you had  just  landed on Planet  Earth straight  from Mars.   “I am a Disco Dancer” blared out  from  every wedding,  pandal,  shop,  saloon, public  gathering  fair. “A for Apple, B for Ball, C for Cat”was  passe,  first  time  came across a  new  alphabet

D  se hota  hai  Dance
I  se  hota hai  Item
S se  hota  hai  Singer
C se hota  hai  Chorus
O se  Orchestra.

Now while  schools  did  not  officially  switch  to  the  above  alphabet,  school kids  all over  began to  take to it.

Disco  Dancer  with  our  Kaka  Jee( Rajesh  Khanna),   singing  on the  streets  of   Bombay,  along with  the  little  kid  Anil, “Goron Ki  Na  Kaalon Ke,   Duniya hai  Dilwalon Ke,Has ke  Jiye, Has Ke  Mare”.   Basically  that  was  the  first  time  i had  heard of  that “Pewwww” sound,  yeah  i  mean  thats  the  only  way  i can  describe that  sound,  patented  by  the  patron Saint of Indian Dishko  Music,  Swami  Bappidananda  Maharaj. Actually  credit  should be given to  Swami  Bappidananda  Jee  for   patenting  the  exclusive  formula  for  Indian Dishko  music,  it  would be  something  like a lot  of  “Pewwws”, and  noises  going “Turiya, turiya, turiya”  or  ”Kuriya”  or “Puriya”  in background,  and  on  screen something  like  big  strobe  lights,  babes in  satin shorts  or  mini  skirts,  all  engaged  in  some  kind of   rythmic  gymnastic  exercise  that  was  yet  to be invented,  and  in  midst  of  it  our  own  “Prabhujee”. As  ”Prabhujee Jr”  and  his  dear Momma  continue  to  play  on  the  streets  of  Mumbai  for  their  ”Do Waqt  ki  Roti”,  a sweet,  young  rich  girl  likes  the “Pewww”  ”Pewwww” sound  and  invites  Junior  to  sing  again.  Its a  mystery  though how  with  just  a drums, the “Pew”  sound  still manages  to  come  out, but  then  again  i  guess  such  are  the  wonders  of  “Prabhu Leela”.

Anyway  little  girl’s  rich  Daddy, Oberoi(  Om  Shivpuri) is  not  amused  with  all  those “Pewwwwww” sounds,  and  the  funda  of “Duniya  Dilwalon Ke”,  when  it  actually  should belong  to  “Daulat  Wallas” like  him. Also i wonder  why  the  bad  rich  guys  in  Hindi  movies   are  always  Oberois,  Singhanias, Singhals  only? Anyway  now  it  is  apparent,  that  since  Oberoi is  the  Daulat  Walla,  since  he is  Om Shivpuri,  he  can’t  be  a Dil Walla,  but  more  than  that  he  turns  out  to be a  real  Kaminey.   In  order  to  teach  the  Mom-Son duo  for  disturbing  his  peace  with  all  the “Pewwwwww” sounds,   he  frames  them  for  the  theft  of  a  plastic toy  guitar no  less. Ah  the  Maa- Beta  angle,  now  while  Hindi  movie  Maa’s  always  care  for  their  beta’s,  the  Maa  here  actually  takes  the “Ma Ke  Haath  Ka  Khaana” saying literally,  hand  feeding  him  as  a  kid,  and  even in  prison.  But  then “Maa Ke  haath  Ka  Khaana” still  continues   even  when  Prabhujee  is  18,  and   during  a party, in front  of  the heroine, again  its  ”Maa Ke  Haath Ka  Khaana”.   Sigh,  and  to  think  that  my  Mom  was  always  asking me  to grow up  and  eat  properly  with  hands, life is  not  just  fair.   To  get a better  update  of  the “Maa Ke  Haath  Ka  Khaana”  funda,  check  this here.

Anyway  after  comming  back  from  prison,  cries  of  ”Maa  Chor, beta  Chor”  are  heard, and  Maa-Beta  decide to leave  big,  bad, wicked,  heartless  Bombay  for  Goa.  Not a  bad  deal,  considering  that  ”Prabhu Jee”  has  fun doing  what  he likes(  singing and  dancing),  getting  paid  for  it,  and  yeah  his “Maa Ke  Haath  ka  Khaana” as a  big  bonus,  seriously  what  would  any  of  us  not  do  for  such a  life.   So  ”Prabhujee”   is  enjoying  a happy  life  in  lovely  Goa,  singing  wedding  songs,  even  serenading a  fat  woman  who  has  married  a midget.  And  all  the  other  time,  he  practices  “Disco  Dancing” in  Ekalavya  style,  this  time  his“Guru  Drona” being  a poster of  “John  Travolta”  in  the  famous  ”Saturday  Night  Fever” pose,   a poster  that  often  sold  like  hot  cakes,  during  that  time.    Thankfully   though,  Travolta  has  never  seen  Disco  Dancer,  had  he  seen it, one  does  not  know  what  kind of  Guru  Dakshina he  would  expect.

On  the  other side of  town, in  Big  Bad  Bombay,  the   Bad Rich Man’s  kiddos  too  have  grown up.  The  sweet, young  girl  is  now  a  hot  pants  wearing  snooty, snobbish  miss,  Ritu( Kim),  but  its  Bad  Rich Man’s   son Sam( Karan Razdan)who  is  now  the  reigning  ”Disco  Champ”.   Karan who? Well he  was  the  guy  who  played  Priya Tendulkar’s  husband  in Rajni,  and  of  late  has  come  out  with  some  masterpieces  in  the  ”Soft Porn sleaze”  genre,  like Girlfriend, Oops to name a  few. So  our  desi  ”Rock Disco  star”,  jives  to  the  sounds  of   “Koi Yahan Aaha Naache, Naache”(  yeah  I  know  its  inspired  from “Video  Killed  the Radio  Star”,  but  leave  that for  another day).   Actually  it’s  hard  to  decide  which  is  worse,  Sam’s  dancing  that  looks like a  cross  between  a  totally sloshed  out  guy  lumbering on the  street  and  some one  suffering  from a bad  ear  infection.  But  if  we  are to believe  that  Sam  is  indeed  India’s  version  of  ”John  Travolta”,  what  is  worse  is  asking  us  to believe  that  he is  the  kinda  guy  over  whom  ladies  go  crazy,  to the  extent  that  two  women  keep following  him  for  autographs, and  then  add to it,  he  manages  to  get  a babe into  his sack  every  night.  It is  at  such  times  of  Ghor  Kalyug,  that  one  raises  a prayer  for “Prabhujee”. Anyway  see  this  to  believe  it.

Sam’s  manager   David  Brown(  Om  Puri),  is  clearly  not  amused,  can’t  blame  him, considering  any  1 would be pissed off  seeing  Karan  Razdan  ”dance”  and    then on top of  it,  watch  him  snuggle  out  with  every  available  female  on  the  couch.  When  Sam  is  furious  with  David  for  interrupting  one  of  his  ”couch  snogging”  sessions, and  blows at  him,   he  walks  out  vowing  to  find a  new  star.  Aah  the  moment  which  all “Prabhujee” fans  have  been waiting  for.   And  it  comes  when  David  sees  ”Prabhujee”  dancing  under  the  Goa  street lights, blinking  like  a  disco lights. Actually  something i  generally  noticed  in  some  of   the  notable  ”Dishko”  songs  of  the  80′s,  hero  dancing on the  street, and  street  lights  glowing  like  some kind  of  strobes,  yet  to  see  such  kinda  lights  anywhere  though.   David  is  in  bliss,  he  has  seen “Prabhujee”  up  close  and live,  the  chosen one.

So  now  Prabhujee   is  all geared  up  to  sing  at  his  first  show, and who  should be heckling  him.  Its  that  sweet little  childhood  pal  turned  snooty snobbish  rich Miss,  in  hot  pants,  leading  a bunch of  hot  pants  wearing  babes, booing  ”Prabhujee”.   Lovely  bit  of  dialogue  here,  Rich  Miss   throws a  slipper  to  Prabhujee,   Prabhujee  catches it, and  then says “Throw  another,  will be  getting  a pair”.  And  thenPrabhujee goes  “Eeah Oooh  Aah, Aah Ooh Ahaa, Zara  Mudke,  Mila  Aankhein, Aaya Hoon  Main  tere  Liye” with  ample   dosages  of  ”Kuriya, Kuriya”   and “Pewwwwwws, Pewwwwww” in  the background.  And before  you  can say “Grease”,  the  audiences  are  swaying  to  ”Prabhu’s  Disco Leela”,  which  involves  among  other  things, rolling on the  ground, kicking his feet up in the  air.

And voila  before  ya  know  it,  the “Prabhu Jee” legend  has  begun.   “Will  ya  sing with me”, “Yes”, say the crowd.  ”Will  ya dance with me”, “Yes”  say  the crowd.  And  then  Prabhujee  gets  the  audience  into  the  alphabet  recital “Say  Deee,  Say  Iiiii,  Say  Yessssssss,  Say  Siiiiiiii,  Say  Ooooo,  Dishko, Dishko” and  then  the  affirmation of  the legend “I am a  Disco  Dancer”. The  start of  the  ”Prabhu Leela”,  the   beginning of  a  new religion,  the  creation of  a cult, “Jai  Ho  Prabhu Leela Ki”.

“Krishna  Dharti  Pee  Aaja  Tuu”, intones  Prabhujee  in an  all white outfit,  with  large  wings,  band around his head, truly  looking  like  some  mythical  character.    In  the  meanwhile  though  Rich Bad  Dad  is  not  pleased,  Sam  has  become a junkie,  and  to  make  it  worse,   daughter  dearest, Ritu  has  actually  fallen  in  love  with  Prabhujee,  and  after  a failed  attempt  by  his  lackeys,   Vasco  and  Bollywood’s  favorite  phirang  baddie, Bob  Christo,  Bad  Guy  comes  up  with a fiendish  plan  to get rid  of  Prabhujee, by  fixing  up  a guitar  with  5000 Volts, to  kill him  with  a shock.   Actually  a pretty  dumb guy,  considering  that  even  current  can do nothing  to  Prabhujee, he  is  God after all.  However  Mama  dearest  now,  makes  the  ultimate  sacrifice,  touching  the  deadly  5000 Volts  wala  Guitar,  leaving  Prabhu Jee   devastated.  Without  “Maa  Ke  Haath Ka Khaana”, Prabhujee  loses  interest  in  music, and his career  goes  down.   But  then  considering  ”Prabhujee”  can  never  lose,  he  sure  regains  it  back,  and  the  how  has to be only  seen on  the  screen,  just  to  understand  why Prabhujee  is well  Prabhujee.