Item Songs

                                               

Item songs or item numbers have become a part and parcel of every Bollywood movie these days. Looks as if the Bollywood flicks are all about these item numbers- All pump and show! The concept of these item numbers didn’t come suddenly out of the blue, neither did the item girls land in a jiffy from Mars. 

The concept already existed in Bollywood, camouflaged by one thing or the other. We saw yester years Bollywood actresses like Vyjayanthimala and Padmini demonstrating their moves on various item numbers- Though the precise term “Item Number” was nonexistent at that time!

You feel at times whether there is any logic or reason behind these item songs! Well, I have never seen an item number taking the story of a movie forward or taking the story anywhere for that matter. They don’t really contribute or gel with the plot of the movie. Still they exist and are bloody rampant these days as well. So if we take direction and the concept in consideration, the item numbers are not of any significant avail. There is no smoke without fire. Likewise, there must be some reason for the vast usage and presence of these item numbers in Bollywood. Well, there are a good percentage of people who come to watch the movie just because of its hit item number. People belonging to the lower strata of the society iron out there frustration through these numbers. It is like a great source of recreation for them.

Most of the item numbers or songs use local languages and the popular slangs. Thus, it becomes rather easy for the general mass to connect with such numbers. The element of vulgarity is becoming an essential ingredient in most of the item numbers these days. May be that’s a trick of the trade as well to make such numbers the “talk of the town”!

Here is an interview with an Item Girl-

The anchor- “Shall we begin?”

Item Girl- “Begin what?”

The anchor- “The interview”

Item Girl- “Okay….okay”

The anchor- “Well, you have gained so much fame in the recent past. You must be feeling proud!”

Item Girl- “Well, but I had to work real hard for this. I had to work day and night or may be night and night….err…err. ”

The anchor- “Okay. Hard work is always the key to success.”

Item Girl- “Yes- It took me several nights to become an overnight success!”

The anchor- “So, what is next. You must be aiming more things, more achievements.”

Item Girl- “Yes- I aspire to be a cheer-leader in the next IPL season. That would really be a dream come true.”

The anchor- “Okay, we wish you all the luck. But why are you called Item Girl, don’t you have a name?”

Item Girl- “We are called Item Girls, because we do Item Songs.”

The anchor- “But why are these songs called Item Songs?”

Item Girl- “They are called because Item Girls perform them!”

The anchor- “You don’t make any sense.”

Item Girl- “I am not expected to make sense. My songs don’t make sense either.”

The anchor- “Okay. Thank you so much for your time. No more on item songs, let’s call it the swan song!”

Item Girl- “Swan, what?”

The anchor- “Leave it, beyond you. Thanks, anyways.”

Rohan Kalia