Indians are used to their prime minister quoting age-old scripture or, at the most, Urdu poetry in their speeches. Pop culture references have rarely been a part of the prime ministerial lexicon. That is, until, Narendra Modi made his way to New York’s Central Park last September. At the end of his speech to a huge crowd at the Global Citizen festival, after having embraced Hugh “Wolverine” Jackman, Modi declaimed the famous words from Star Wars: “May the force be with you.”
Now US president Barack Obama has the chance to return the favour. Obama’s visit to India, the second of his tenure, features all the pomp and circumstance expected of such a high-profile arrival, particularly since the president comes as the chief guest of India’s grand Republic Day celebrations. But despite all the protocol involved with this, Obama will get lots of chances to embrace Indian pop culture.
Obama is, of course, no stranger to pop matters. This is the President who turns up on late night comedy television shows in the US and has been featured in comic books. He’s already alluded to his understanding of Indian culture in his first day in New Delhi.
He told the press corps at Hyderabad House, after concluding bilateral talks with Modi, that the Indian prime minister had been welcomed at New York’s Madison Square Garden “like a Bollywood star”. Over the course of the day, he said that the White House needs more chai pe charcha events, and even that he would have liked to try on a Modi kurta.
On Tuesday after his chief guest duties are over, Obama will get a chance to add to his pop cultural embrace with a town hall meeting in Delhi’s Siri Fort auditorium. Reddit users decided to take the opportunity to give some advice to the US president on what Bollywood he should finish his speech with, in an answer to Modi’s Star Wars reference.
Here are a few ideas.
1) From Mr India, neobaba suggested:
“Obama khush hua!”
2) Sholay, of course, makes an appearance thanks to thisisshantazz:
“Tumhe kya laga, Obama khush hoga, shabaashi dega?”
3) As does DDLJ, via bangalorerohan:
"Ja India , Jee le apni zindagi"
4) Shahenshah would be quite appropriate for the US president, as syriantowel suggests:
“Rishtey mein to hum tumhare baap lagte hain, naam hai Obama.”
5) Superfulcrum imagines Obama as a Dil To Pagal Hai SRK.
“Obama... naam toh suna hi hoga.”
6) You can’t have Bollywood references without Andaz Apna Apna, and thurki does the honours:
"Dono dost ek pyali mein chai peeyenge…"
7) But there’s more to mine there, as Mogaji gives you Crime Master Obama:
"Aaya hun toh kuch leke hi jaaunga! Thakkitaki thak!"
8) A lot of people think Obama should quote Amitabh Bachchan, as pa.one does with Deewar:
"Aaj mere paas paisa hai, bangla hai, gaadi hai, naukar hai, bank balance hai, aur tumhare paas kya hai?"
9) Bhujia has a simpler more recent suggestion from 3 Idiots, one that Obama could actually use.
"Aal iz well."
10) And kidsmaker also keeps it recent, with an Om Shanti Om spin:
"Ek chutki tel (oil) ki keemat, tum kya jaano Modi babu"
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Now US president Barack Obama has the chance to return the favour. Obama’s visit to India, the second of his tenure, features all the pomp and circumstance expected of such a high-profile arrival, particularly since the president comes as the chief guest of India’s grand Republic Day celebrations. But despite all the protocol involved with this, Obama will get lots of chances to embrace Indian pop culture.
Obama is, of course, no stranger to pop matters. This is the President who turns up on late night comedy television shows in the US and has been featured in comic books. He’s already alluded to his understanding of Indian culture in his first day in New Delhi.
He told the press corps at Hyderabad House, after concluding bilateral talks with Modi, that the Indian prime minister had been welcomed at New York’s Madison Square Garden “like a Bollywood star”. Over the course of the day, he said that the White House needs more chai pe charcha events, and even that he would have liked to try on a Modi kurta.
On Tuesday after his chief guest duties are over, Obama will get a chance to add to his pop cultural embrace with a town hall meeting in Delhi’s Siri Fort auditorium. Reddit users decided to take the opportunity to give some advice to the US president on what Bollywood he should finish his speech with, in an answer to Modi’s Star Wars reference.
Here are a few ideas.
1) From Mr India, neobaba suggested:
“Obama khush hua!”
2) Sholay, of course, makes an appearance thanks to thisisshantazz:
“Tumhe kya laga, Obama khush hoga, shabaashi dega?”
3) As does DDLJ, via bangalorerohan:
"Ja India , Jee le apni zindagi"
4) Shahenshah would be quite appropriate for the US president, as syriantowel suggests:
“Rishtey mein to hum tumhare baap lagte hain, naam hai Obama.”
5) Superfulcrum imagines Obama as a Dil To Pagal Hai SRK.
“Obama... naam toh suna hi hoga.”
6) You can’t have Bollywood references without Andaz Apna Apna, and thurki does the honours:
"Dono dost ek pyali mein chai peeyenge…"
7) But there’s more to mine there, as Mogaji gives you Crime Master Obama:
"Aaya hun toh kuch leke hi jaaunga! Thakkitaki thak!"
8) A lot of people think Obama should quote Amitabh Bachchan, as pa.one does with Deewar:
"Aaj mere paas paisa hai, bangla hai, gaadi hai, naukar hai, bank balance hai, aur tumhare paas kya hai?"
9) Bhujia has a simpler more recent suggestion from 3 Idiots, one that Obama could actually use.
"Aal iz well."
10) And kidsmaker also keeps it recent, with an Om Shanti Om spin:
"Ek chutki tel (oil) ki keemat, tum kya jaano Modi babu"