5. You Don’t Mess With The Zohan: Jimmy Jimmy
With some real bad reviews and ratings from critics and commoners alike, this 2008 satirical caper did not offer much, apart from some intermittent guffaws. The Adam Sandler starrer saw him as an Israeli army commando, who, after having had enough of the warfare, leaves for the US to become a hairstylist. The film written by Sandler had dry humour and crass comedy. But one good thing that did stand out amid all these lows was Bappi Lahiri’s disco number ‘Jimmy Jimmy’ from the 1982 film ‘Disco Dancer’ featuring Mithun Chakraborty, towards the end, in a fight scene. That was some solace!
4. Remember Me: Saanson ki mala pe
This 2014 romantic movie, with the terrorist attacks of 9/11 as its backdrop, had Robert Pattinson and Emelie de Ravin in the lead. The film, a tale of love and loss sees Pattinson’s character affecting the lives of people he loves in a surprise ending. In one of the scenes, the young couple visits an upscale desi restaurant on their first date in NYC; and as Tyler orders chicken tikka masala and Ally requests her dessert to be served first, one can hear the legendary Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s rendition of ‘Saanson ki mala pe’ playing in the background. Apart from the ending, this scene, too, came in as a surprise for the audience!
3) Inside Man: Chhaiyya chaiyya
The 2006 heist movie starring Denzel Washington, Clive Owen and Jodie Foster was one taut thriller that was appreciated the world over. The racy screenplay, edgy narration and Owen’s portrayal of the mastermind behind the slick bank robbery earned the film a rating of 7.6 at IMDb. What refreshed us more in the film were the opening credits, where the hit number ‘Chhaiyya chhaiyya’ from ‘Dil Se…’ is heard in the background. A. R. Rahman’s, Shah Rukh Khan’s and Sukhwinder Singh’s fans were probably the first ones to spot their favourite song in an American production.
2) Deadpool: Mera joota hai Japani
If 2016 saw any good superhero movie, it was Ryan Reynolds’ ‘Deadpool’. The ultra-suave anti-hero, clad in latex, with a morbid sense of humour was portrayed by Reynolds with aplomb and his fans across the globe fell in love with the mercenary-in-red. Just after the quirky opening credits finish rolling, Deadpool is seen in a cab with a desi driver, Dopinder at the wheel. It is then that one gets to hear the evergreen Raj Kapoor song ‘Mera joota hai Japani’ on the radio from ‘Shree 420’. That was probably one of the reasons, which led many desi fans to the theatres to catch a glimpse of the wisecracking superhero.
1) Moulin Rouge!: Chhamma chhamma
Long before most other films in the list actually made it to the list, Baz Luhrmann had already been there and done that in 2001! Indians couldn’t contain their excitement when they first saw Nicole Kidman in fancy attire, atop an elaborately-decorated swing, dancing to Alka Yagnik’s ‘Chhamma chhamma’ from ‘China Gate’, on their television screens. Though not many have had the good fortune to watch the two-time Oscar-winning romantic musical on the big screen, this one piece of Bollywood number, right before ‘Diamonds are a girl’s best friend’, did wonders for Indian cinephiles.
