Ever wondered about those wonderfully hopeful words that seem to find a place in nearly 50% of all Bollywood films? I am speaking, of course, of the several references to the "Saat janam" or seven lives that all men and women are entitled to. "Humara saath is janam ka hi nahi, saat janam ka hai" (Our relationship isn't just for the duration of this lifetime, but for all seven" or "Main is janam mein tumhara nahi ho saka to kya? Agle janam mein tumhara ho kar rahoonga" (What if I can't be yours in this life? Come what may, I will be yours in the next one)
The strange and hilarious thing is that all of these are pregnant with the assumption of there always being an "agla janam" or next life. What if there isn't? What if you're actually sitting there going on and on about how you have six, five, four, three, two or even one life safely stored away somewhere, oblivious to the fact that - uh oh!- this IS the seventh one?? Last. The end. El fin. Tamaam.
How come we never get to hear any other numbers? No one seems to say, "teen janam to ho gaye, ab sirf chaar janam ka saath baaki hai" (three lives have been spent and only four remain)
For once, I would like to watch the heroine kick the hero in "the place that god created only to be treated nicely" when he makes any references to a subsequent life and say "Bewakoof! Shut up with your agla janam pagla janam! Your quota is finished!!"
I mean, really! The cat can't always have nine lives can it?!!
And then one day, it will be outraged to find that it has been respectfully transported to heaven. When it purrs in protest - "Wait! There must be some mistake! I am not supposed to be here! I am supposed to have nine lives aren't I?!" - a voice will answer : "Sorry love, weren't you keeping count? That was actually the last one."
