Nov 23, 2006 10:25 PM
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Now now… what an interesting topic and I am the first one to inaugurate this....and who else can write on this better than “Mumbaikars”. After all the word “tapori” itself is a Mumbaiyya word denoting hmmmm … eh…. well…. Errrr… Can anyone help?
OK let me try to explain what is tapori. Tapori is someone who stands on the road… No no not auto rickshaw or bus. He is a person – don’t take “he” as gender specific please – OK He is a person, who does not have much work. Hold on, not us !!! not us !!!. He actually ties a hanky around his neck. Omigosh, not the bus conductor…eh… He folds his pants three-fourth. No no no no not Raj Kapoor in Shree 420. He… he whistles. Aiyayooo, not the traffic policeman, please. He speaks very loudly and roughly and has a typical accent. Politician?? Huffff puffff I give up.
Tapori is tapori. Period.
Oh but finally, thanks to Wikipedia, I get this information
“Tapori literally translates into vagabond or rowdy in Hindi. Street thugs in Mumbai were perhaps the most notable taporis. Their unique style of speaking Hindi was called tapori language. They also had a unique style of dressing, which they called as tapori style. Tapori culture though resented by many is widely imitated by many as humorous or comical. It has found acceptance in Bollywood films. They are the equivalent of gangsters in Hollywood films. Their style of speaking Hindi is a mixture of many languages spoken by people in Mumbai. It has words adapted mainly from Marathi , and some from Kannada and Tamil. It also has a few Hindi words spoken by people of Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh due to heavy migration of these people to Mumbai city.”
Phew. I hope now its all clear.
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You ask me why would anyone adopt taporism? So listen to this..
Yaron suno zara Haan apna ye kehna
Jeena ho to apun ke Jaise hi jeena
Gadi Bangla nahi na sahi na sahi
Bank balance nahi na sahi na sahi
TV Video nahi na sahi na sahi
Suiting shirting nahi na sahi na sahi
Inki tumko kyoon hai fikar, jeeyo jaise mast kalandar
(Listen friends to what I say - If you want to really live, live like us!!! We dont have bunglow, or bank balance, Suiting shirting or TV Video. But we dont care, we live life kingsize!)
Aamir Khan at one of his best performance till date. Film Rangeela opp Urmila Matondkar. His performance was very endearing as a silent lover. He plays the role of a tapori with conviction and with all the glamour/accent/ishtyle :)
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But then how would you react if you came to know that a tapori has got a degree in MBBS!!
M Bole to bole to bole to bole to
M bole to master main master
B bole to... Bindaas Doctor
B bole to.... Bemisaal actor
S bole to.... Shana Character
( M stands for Master, B stands for Bindaas, B stands for a great actor and S is for shrewd character)
This song from Munna Bhai MBBS shows Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi dancing after Sanjay Dutt gets into the medical college ofcourse using all the illegal, immoral tactics possible :) The song uses all the jargons used by a tapori! A movie certainly not worth missing. Sanjay Dutt at probably one of his best performances till date.
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Beware!! if you try to take any panga(get into some problem) with a tapori... he will say
Main to raste se ja raha tha
Main to bhel puri kha raha tha
Main to ladki ghuma raha tha
Raste se ja raha tha bhel puri kha raha tha ladki ghuma raha tha
tujhko mirchi lagi to main kya karoon?
(I was walking on the road, I was eating bhel puri, I was walking with my GF, If you are feeling irritated, what can I do about it?)
This song does not use any tapori language but any song that has Govinda dancing can surely be categorised as one !! He has everything that makes a tapori. The looks, the accent, the dressing ishtyle :) Hence any song with Govinda can be marked as Taporish!
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OK How would a tapori sulk when a girl he likes doesnt respond?
Apun bola tu meri laila (Cousin2?) ;)
Wo Boli fenkta hai sala.
Apun Jabhi Sachi Bolta Hai
Aye Usko Jhoot Kai Ko Lagta Hai
( I said that you are my juliet,
she said that I am lying,
When I try to say the truth,
why does she think I am lying?)
Not to be left behind by Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh too entered the arena of taporism. This song was sung by him in the movie called “Josh”. The song showed him whining for his love while his sister, Aishwary Rai ( yes sister!!!) consoles him. Shah Rukh is fine in this role, however he is better off in his sophisticated pathani suits!!
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Finally Mr Roadside Romeo gets his beloved. So how would he invite her for a date?
E kya bolti tu, E kya main boloon,
Sun suna, aati kya Khandala,
Kya karoon aake main Khandala,
Ghoomenge Firenge, Nachene Gayenge,
Aish karenge aur Kya?
(Hey, what do you say, hey, what do I say,
Listen!! shoot!! coming to Khandala?
What will I do in Khandala?
We will loaf, roam, sing, dance
and enjoy, what else? phewwwwwww)
This was again filmed on who-else-but Aamir Khan and Rani Mukherjee in the film Ghulam. I think he is one actor other than Sunjay Dutt and Govinda who can carry that role of tapori with ease. He is loveable in that role and inspite of his rowdiness, you just cant hate him.
Incidentally this song was sung or rather recited by Aamir Khan himself.
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These were some of the tapori songs that I remembered. Let me know in case I missed any ( I am sure I would have)!!!
So, whether Opal gets kissed, gets wild and gets a life or not, a tapori gets the degree, gets his girl and enjoys his life 8-)
