Editor’s Note – Love is NOT a Bollywood Movie
Posted on 24 May 2009 by NPopal
By: Nahid Popal
As I was strolling down the halls of AUAF, I stopped for my daily glance at the bulletin board. To my surprise, there was a recent addition there that was quite interesting. An article with no name, no title, that was just a few paragraphs long, was pinned on there. As I read Mr. Anonymous’ rant, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud a few times. It was hilarious, it was true, and most importantly, it was a problem that many girls faced on campus. I decided to use my investigatory skills and discover the author. After I had found him, I asked for permission to publish his few paragraphs of wisdom, and he agreed but wanted to remain anonymous. Without further ado, here it is:
I am no fan of Indian movies; having grown up watching them I have come to few conclusions. Some are alarming, others are not, but their overall effect on their viewers is socially harmful. As of late, the movie business in Bollywood has shifted aiming at a broader audience by finding more beautiful actresses in dresses that get tinier by the day. Yet their movie making formula is still the same. A guy, a girl, and an obstacle that stands between their love. Whether it is the family, or a villain whose sole goal in life is to keep them apart, the obstacles all have one thing in common; they are surpassed.
Parents and media watchdogs in United States are always quick to jump the gun on the latest release of a movie, music or video games due to their effects on kids. Unfortunately for us in the 3rd world Mullahs, Brahmin and shamans have lost much of their audience, who were, at times, the voice of reason. We need to ask ourselves, what are the effects of these innocent silly movies where the people break into songs and dances? What is the target audience, and the peripheral audience? What are its effects on these peoples?
In a conservative country such as Afghanistan where there is little inter-gender contact, the effects of Indian movies are dire. The youth especially, as they begin to conceive their feelings and emotions for the member of the opposite sex, as love. People should separate their feelings and desires, and begin to perceive the world as it is, not through a Bollywood lens.
Young boys and girls are confused about their feelings for the opposite sex member. When their societal responsibilities come into the picture i.e. arranged marriage, their dreams and desires of the fairy tale love are destroyed. More often than not, reason overcomes them; others are not as fortunate as they begin to enact the hero or a heroine in the similar situations.
The sad part about reality is that it is not identical of Indian movies. The obstacles in life will not be overcome by doing something drastic and dramatic. Leave the acting to the actors.
Next time you fall in love, does the person walk in slow motion, does that warm song play in you mind? Ask yourself this; is this an Indian movie or real life?
Tags | bollywood movies, love
to clarify, my last comment refers to the article, not the comments.
well said.
I am very bassy in this days, otherwise I will response for all of about my comments. I wish I will join to the AUAF Free Press as soon as possible. See you soon all.
she is inspired by an hindi movie
hahah
@xxx: I am inspired by any Indian movie, any love movie, any movie, any love, any life… Yes, you’re right, I am the inspired one…
kia baat hai!!, your Great Rasouli, I agree with U!
Any way, great Work of you both !
hey zartasht, i am the editor of this paper…. and im sorry to say i cant get you a definition. thats kind of impossible. its up to you to discover what “love” is on your own. everyone has a different experience, a different feeling, it would be ignorant to tell you to feel a certain way.
anywhho, i was really offended by your comment:
“mostly girls in campus are cause of such event and they are the first victim of those tricks”
im sorry, but you cant put most of the blame on the girls. how are they the cause of these events? they dont ask for attention, the boys just give it to them. if they keep to themselves, they are called “poke”. if they talk, they are considered bad. its a catch-22. you just walk by a boy, and he starts to think hes in love with you. even if you have not talked to him or even glanced at him. so tell me, is this the fault of the boy or girl? like you said, girls are the VICTIMS.
i admit, in some cases, you are completely right. girls are to blame sometimes, but 90% of the time, it is the boys who seek out the girls. maybe you arent spending much time on campus.
toba toba. zamana karab.
Hey everybody!
Why do you guys think that a relationship such as you, Zartasht, mentioned among boys and girls are wrong. Hey! This is life, real life! You can’t live in a separated society. I couldn’t find the wrongs of when a boy (in the cafeteria of AUAF!) talks to a girl. Or, I can’t understand, why a boy can’t think he is in love with a girl, or vice versa. I don’t know why are you guys so against of your feelings. Sense is wrong. Sense is lie. Sense is awful. Sense can only measure the value of dollar. It knows no other values in the world. But, feeling doesn’t lie. She is the truth. She is the fact. You cannot ignore that. She is existed. She tells you how to live, how to breathe, how to love…
All over the world, every one have their own definition from love, as well in Afghanistan the people, more than ever the young have their own definition from love. Remember that, as I said young, it means girls and boys. Girls think that Love is house, car, money and other substance but they forget the other elements of love as well as those are behavior and ethics. Although boys think that love is dating with tenth girls in an instant. As we see in our campus: a girl goes to cafeteria with a boy and come out with another as well as each of those thinks that, they are fall in love. Other than, we know that isn’t the fact. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any definition as of such love. In addition, their families have faced with lots of problems that their daughters and sons with their instant love created for them. In my opinion, mostly girls in campus are cause of such event and they are the first victim of those tricks. As a result, students in Afghanistan particularly in our campus with their non-definition love confuse me in definition of love. I honestly, request from the editor of this press, please please and please find me a definition from AUAF Campus love, otherwise I will dig up my believe from love and fall in love.
Watch out for another article on the above topic
Graet conclusion npopal!
hey guys, where did this talk about religion come from? lol, dont worry, am actually working on a religion piece, will put it up so you guys can argue some more about it. hahaha
anywho, after reading all the comments on this page, i think we can all come to the conclusion, that everyone perceives love differently. its not up to us to judge whether someone is really in love or not…only they can truly understand their feelings.
@Nahid: Thanks for that. I agree.
You are the best, Kakail!
Well Abrahim, I don’t think anyone should have any problems with what religion you follow or for that matter anyone else does. I asked that question because next time when someone addresses you regarding any matter, it will give them a better understanding of how your percieve things.
Now is that a bad thing to do?
@ Abrahim…
Well now that you have publically declared that you are not a muslim, can you be a bit more specific about your religious orientation.
Dear Kakail: This is, to me, is more something personal, and, I am not so interested in discussing it with and in public. What I said was just an example and a possibility.
Love in Bollywood is better than AUAF.
@ Kakail – Why u won’t belive on that? Time will lead u to belive when it is too LATE.
Abrahim: What I mentioned is right based in Islam rules and procedures. What do u think those who do not believe in God knows well what love is. Do you think when they fall in love and the way they are doing before getting married is called a true love. In fact,I am talking about Love which is in Islam, because we are muslim. There is a huge difference between love which is in Islam and love which is in other relegous. And yeah as u asked who told me this. Love is not something that someone else learn u. Love is a feeling, those who do not have feeling, who never knows what a true love is.
No. What you mentioned is not right… I mean the way you argue that is not right. You first say I am right. Why are so confident?! Why don’t you think there could be some other possibilities. Dear Wahid, you’re a student, and you are supposed to think more critically about things. You are not supposed to accept things at once, or, draw rules out of your thoughts.
They way you argue: you say, “we are muslim…” how can you say that? How did you figure that out that all people in the world are muslim. Well, I am not. You see that, you are even wrong here in Afghanistan.
Being a muslim might be good, might be bad… But I am not talking about, here, about Islam. I am talking about Love. Anyone who is called a human, I think, have the capacity to be fallen in love.
What is the true love? The question is this. OK, here, we arrive to a point to discuss. Everyone has his/her own definition. Many of them could be right.
What I am talking about is, let other not-muslim people also think and fall in love!
@Abrahim / Wahid,
There’s no such thing as love dudes. Stop fooling yourself. Can’t you see all who have commented on this topic have got different ways of defining it which definitely means it is infinitismally subjective.
@ Nahid,
Sorry, I had written more or less a book yesterday in response to your comment but my computer froze and I couldn’t write it again. Hopefully we’ll get a chance to impose each other’s ideas.
@ Wise Man…
I won’t believe. even if you were the last man on earth, that you are an angel.
hey fellows, let me tell u that I’ve been witnessing right here in AUAF which some boys want to misuse girls, meaning they come in with the some soft words like ‘I Love U and even I will marry U after Graduation from AUAF ” but their main point is to misuse them till they need them and eventually they will leave them alone with numerous life-long negative memories.
One more thing, there are some boys that keep loving some poor girls because of their evil egoes and showing others that the girl is mine……………… <>
Well, In my opinion falling in love is not something that we know before we fall in love, and that is not something like to choose someone and say oh I Love her/him. A true love doesnt come to everyone. It comes for those who really love Allah and who feels what love is when he/she falls in love that is a true love. As Maryam said, nowadays everyone is looking the appearance and say it is love that is completely ridiculous. Love is an incedence which comes without telling you, and you never think about appearance or something. At that time only your heart lead you what to do not your mind. That is a special feeling that we can’t explain.
@Wahid: What do you mean? You mean those people who don’t believe in God cannot be fallen in love?! What is this? The Rule # 4 of Newton?! Who told you that? How did you figure it out? Through what procedure? Based on what pre-assumption?
You know, I am not talking about a lie which is called here “appearance”. I am saying that some loves could be started just from appearance and ended with that appearance! We can not question them till the “sincerity” is there…
Second, I am never in a habit of condemning “Nowadays”. Even I have been always admiring that with all flaws, with all negative points as well as good points. I don’t say I have a brilliant habit, but, I am sure, it’s a good thing. Because, it causes you have always a positive viewpoint towards “the earth”: because it is the meaning of life…
@Maryam:
Why do you think falling in love just for appearance of someone is not legitimate enough for a person to be called a “Lover”.
Many of love stories of our common histories have started by a single smile, view, smell, name, hair, feeling, whatever…
We should not put limit on conceptions. Falling in love is a unique state which could happen for anyone. And, it could be varied as people are varied…
I didn’t say appearance is not important at all. It is somehow important, but it should not be the only thing to matter. Unfortunately, nowadays, it is the only thing which matters. And, that is not right.
wow, Kakail, you’re a little pessimistic…don’t you think?
love exists, but it is not the way it is portrayed in bollywood movies. in bollywood movies, almost all the time, the men fall in love with girls they have never spoken to but “loved” solely for their appearance.
that’s just a disgusting point of view on love.
getting to know a person, accepting their flaws, and then worrying about a persons looks. this is the order i wish it could be, but unfortunately, it is not the case.
Yeah, Nahid You are right.
I think not only in Bollywood movies, but also in real life people fall in love ( Or it is better to say that they think they fall in love) because of someone’s appearances.
Appearance is the only thing which matter to them, and this is absolutely disgusting. No one is going to be pretty/ handsome till death. ” Good appearance” is not going to remain very long, nor is the love which is for it.
@Nahid:
I don’t say I disagree with your point of view. Neither, I can’t say I think your point of view is the only way people fall in love.
Love is not something so simple you can draw a picture of in a single way. It is as complicated (as I assume you think so) as humans themselves.
(Just for avoiding any prejudice) I must say that I am not a fan of Indian movies. But, however, I don’t condemn them. In order to understand them, you should go deeper into the past and today culture of India. I think, first, it is not mere the matter of Love. They deal with many aspects of Indian lives, to name, “poverty”. Second, Love can be varied in various ways. Indian ways, with the exception of all luxuries of those movies, could be a unique of way of Love, in itself.
I am not a fan of Indian movies. But, I admire, however, that cinema which has been successful to attract and retain near to 1 billion people, in India and throughout the world.
Take care
Snap out of it lads and lasses, there’s no such thing as Love.
Yeah, I know but, your Idea was the best,
thank you
hey ahmad faisal,
this topic isnt mine, it belongs to “Mr. Anonymous” so to be honest, it didnt really cross my mind…he deserves all the credit hehe
but thanks for the encouragement!
Oh my God!
Nahid, your topice become famous in these days
why this topic crossed in your mind,
but, your great!
oh yes, on a side note, nahid i really like your “editors notes”. they are the most interesting things (along with the photo of the week) to look at on this paper
thanks a lot
Wow, there are so many different viewpoints on this subject. I guess everyone has some experience about this topic.
Listen, here are the facts: everyone has their own definition of what love really is. We cannot control that and I dont think as a society we can honestly blame hollywood or bollywood for everyones poor choices.
It is true, I have met plenty of girls on this campus who have complained about being harassed, but you can’t blame the boys. Like the author of this article said, these boys/girls have little or no interaction with the opposite sex so once they are within contact with each other they do not know how to act.
The idea of “love” and “lust” are blurred into one meaning. When, in actuality, they are on two different sides of the spectrum.
and “xxx”, honestly, use your brain a little, what is the difference between harassment and love??? WOW, if you dont know the difference then i feel sorry for you. Harassment is annoying a girl and sharing your feelings for her, following her home, staring at her, sending UNWANTED emails. None of these are okay to do. Love on the otherhand is the opposite. its WANTED. its a MUTUAL feeling. it means that the other person has to share the same feelings as you.
and by the way, what Ahmad said was great and very romantic (haha) but i do not think that such a love exists between anyone. those are fairytale loves or the kind of love you read in books.
“Love is not a feeling, it is an ability”
What is true love?
We may never know what is true love, for I still do not believe in it. However, people feel it, for when they are together, in love, it is true and pure.
Holly vs Bolly (wood)
Logically, ture/pure love is best when in confines of marriage, not to mention Halal. This enables the smallest societal unit, a nuclear family (mom, dad, daugter /+ son, sorry G.W) to flourish, healthily . As well as getting rid of the social problems that comes with non-marital relationships. Hollywood does put up another lens. However they’re money making formula is a bit bigger. There are other movies than just love stories, and fake punch sounds. That is not to mention the very large “xxx” industry. To answer, not defend hollywod, hollywood is a buffet of entertainment. The last Hindi movie i watched and did not predict the ending by the first minute was “Eart” and “Water”.
From what is observable of this article, the Afghan youth needs to realise the effects of Bollywood on their day to day life. Bollywood will burn in hell for what they are doing, and so will the large movie conglomerate in Los Angeles.
ohh and by the way guys, when a person(girl) say “lol” , it does not mean “lots of love”
Hanzo, should we differe harasment from love? If yes, what will be the difference points of them?
i think Ahmad has the best post. He is right. When we say that we “love” someone, it should be after we have known them for a while and have a clue about their character/personality. The Afghan version of “love” is based solely on appearances.
I do not agree with this because beauty does not mean everything.
@xxx, Ahmad is right, you are an idiot. your argument doesnt make any sense. of course there isnt any research indicating that 100% of the people do this, but it is still a major concern at our university.
ok, i think i wrote enough.
Hey Popal,
for somehow you are right, we are here to get education not to fall in love with someone. the word love is mutual and it should not end up harrassing and it is not an easy word that can be bestowed to someone.and we are Muslims and then we are Afgans so we should consider our culture and religion too.
we should follow whatever our religion and culture says, the students should not use the environment of this University in a negative way. the students should have great respects for each others and live in a peaceful atomosphere.
A Lotta comments when it comes to Love!! hu hu hu!. I think all the people here who have made comments, have fallen in love or had thought that they have fallen in love. so they have tasted love alittle bit. but i agree with they guy who said that there are alot of people who fallen in love with a girl with whome they have never telked. witch i belive to be a very fragile relationship as the cupell know each other more.
??? ???? ??? ?? ??? ????? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??? ? ?? ?? ?????? ???? ???!!!!!
Very true Mr.Anonymous. The youth has a mixed feeling on love “filtered through a bollywood lense” I must add it is even filtered through a HOLLYWOOD lens at times!
Hey Nahid!
I am perfectly agree with you and I am aware from such kind of events at our university.But, I dont care about and I dont want to waste my time for such kind of useless things.
anyway, Nahid you are the best I know you are a brave girl keep trying, we are with you
LOL!!! Ahmad, are u marking or judge someone based on his/her question????
Your definition of love is so opportunistic and is against the common sense of love’s meaning. Love someone unconditionally and do not expect something to return. Try loving for the sake of love.
I respect author attitude, but it has not any logical base. Is this piece of writing based on a quantitative or scientific research or just author’s belief? Are 100% of Afghanistan’s love stories due to Indian Movie?
Again, what is true love?
It is true I have seen many young people especially in Afghanistan, when they watch Indian Movies they imitate only negative points not positive points. When they see the beautiful girls they go and act like hey SUCH KAHO MAIN TUMSE PYAR KARTA HO they never think that if they dont know something about the girls how they proposed them. That is all because of the Indian movies.
Well done Nice
i’m sorry to say this but “xxx” is an idiot. how can he ask “so, what is true love?”
True love is knowing someone. knowing their good traits and their bad traits. true love is accepting that person for who they are and not judging them based on their appearances. true love is knowing that the person you love is not perfect but still loving them anyways.
in order to do all this, you actally have to TALK to the person. I have many friends on campus who come up to me and tell me that they are in love with a girl but haven’t even spoken to that girl yet. how is this love? what if after talking to them, they realize that the girl is not a good person, not the person they thought? it makes no sense at all. but i do have to say, whoever wrote this article is 100% right
like owais says, “hi5″
Hey Nahid!
your are so serious,
When I was a kid, Indian movies made sense and they fascinated me. However, now that I am a grown up, and have a sense of logic, Indian movies make no sense. They bore me. I feel sorry for our culture as a whole, and on top of that Indian movies are just another unfortunate thing happening in Kabul, mainly. I appreciate the author of this article for their concern over wellbeing of our youth. Keep it up!
hi 5
I totally agree.
So, what is true love???
haahhahhaahahhaahahhahahhahahahahahahahahahahahah
hahahahahahahahahhahhhahahahahahahahaahahahahhaah
hahahahahahahahahahha
ahahahahahahahaahahahahahhaa
this is too funny.