Meri Pyaari Bindu—Mera Pyaara Bubla

To: muqaddarkasikandar1977@hotmail.com

Subject: Mera Pyaara Bubla

Bubble Wrap,

One of the many reasons we all love the movies is because they mirror some special moments of our life. Sometimes, we see ourselves in a character in a film as they are so relatable. Abhimanyu Roy, or Bubla, from Meri Pyaari Bindu, is one such character for me. In the last few weeks, I have watched Meri Pyaari Bindu, again and again, because watching the story of Bubla gives me a feeling of calmness and comfort. 

Abhimanyu is a writer of pulp fiction novels with titles such as Guitarphobia, Chudail Ki Choli, Dracula's Lover, and Awaara Dhoban. His books contain an ample amount of horror and sex, like the films of the Ramsay Brothers. It has been three years since his last book, and he struggles to write his next one. He writes a love story and finds inspiration in his childhood friend, his crush, his ex-girlfriend, and his only pyaari Bindu. He travels to his home in Kolkata, where he sneaks into Bindu's house, finds some old belongings of hers, and starts penning a story on her. 

There is an early point in the film when Abhi carries Bindu. This literal aspect of carrying Bindu like baggage portended the figurative aspect of Abhi carrying Bindu in different forms all his life. He remembers every little detail about her, not just because he is a writer, as writers have to focus on the details of their characters, but also because he still has feelings for her. It has been many years since he heard anything from her, but he has still not completely moved on, even though he has been in relationships with other women. 

In the past, as it was in Rockstar, Jordan learned that a broken heart is an inspiration for creating music. Toote hue dil se hi sangeet nikalta hai. In Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Ayan becomes a famous singer when he channels his pain of heartbreak and his unrequited love to create music. Abhi's art creation feels different from Jordan's and Ayan's (or, for that matter, Noor's in Fitoor) in the way that though he might be heartbroken, too, there is no feeling of bitterness and pain in him. In his books, he might create women characters that feminists would not approve of, but it does not feel that they are his way of getting back at Bindu. Also, as we often see, Bindu does not bring any major change in Abhi, and she does not help him 'find himself.' He had always wanted to write, and he writes a story, perhaps his best one, on and for Bindu. In this aspect, Abhi's art felt closer to Sid's from Dil Chahta Hai. After Tara reads Sid's closed personality so beautifully, she asks him about his favorite painting. He says he has not yet made one. Later, he creates his finest painting on and for Tara, which he later gives to her. In that way, Sid expresses his love for the woman he dreams about and gets the closest he can get to touch her. Abhi expressed his love for his pyaari Bindu by writing a story about the two of them, where the character Abhi gets to be with the character Bindu in the end, something that could not happen to him in his real life. He gets to create his own story, and he shares it only with her, not with anybody else. 

Bindu is not really perfect. In fact, in her own assessment, she calls herself a disaster. Earlier, Abhi told us that she had not completed anything. As a school kid, she dressed as a bhanwra—a bumblebee—for seven days and then threw the costume away to move on to a new thing that excited her. She never held onto things for long. Fittingly, there is a tattoo of flying birds on her leg that could well explain her personality. She never settled on a thing, a place, or a person. In a later scene, Abhi's mother gives her a piece of necklace after Abhi proposes to her, but she feels suffocated wearing it. She does not want to wear it and get caged by the responsibilities of life, at least at that point in her life, and she will do so when she feels like it. There is a point in the film when she tells Abhi that whenever she felt happy or sad, she used to go and hide in her house's attic. It was her area of comfort. Abhi is that attic for her. Chhat vala kamra. A place where one keeps all their old memories that are no longer needed. A place that is full of nostalgia. Abhi and Bindu first met at that attic when they were kids, where she gave him her earphones and told him that this would change his life. Years later, they again meet at that same attic where Abhi meets Bindu's daughter, and he shares his story with her. The house with the attic is being sold, and it is going to be their last meeting at this attic that holds a special moment in their lives.

Though the film is about Abhi's Bindu, one can't help but feel immensely for Abhi. He personifies what love feels like. He has been there with Bindu whenever she needed him. As a kid, he even gave his exam sheets to her. He feels jealous of her boyfriends but learns to live with it. When Bindu goes for an audition, he goes along with her and offers her alcohol when she is feeling nervous. All his life, he had a big crush on Bindu. Everyone around him knew; she also knew, but he never told her. When he finally convinced himself, he uses a silly crossword puzzle to tell her. He spent six months rehearsing for his perfect proposal. In a heartwarming scene, he closes his eyes when Bindu touches his face, and he can't control himself after that. He starts dancing as if he is in some heavenly abode. The way he smiles when he tells us about his Bindu is so infectious, as if we can really feel what is happening to him. He even goes to the extent of foregoing having sex with his current girlfriend to be with Bindu (really!). He knows that Bindu is using him, but he does not mind; he can't do anything about it. Because to him, Bindu is better than everything in the world. I always smiled when Abhi looked at Bindu or talked about her. I would love to have a friend like Abhi. It was poignant to see him dancing in the rain along with his Bindu, maybe for the last time.

Sometimes, I think it was only for the better that Abhi and Bindu did not end up together. Who knows if they will end up like Rishi and Maya from Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna or Kabir and Natasha from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara? Only a few people get to be with the person they love. We always don't get everything we want in life. This maturity in the film shows that it is alright to move on after trying your best to get something you want. The relationship, even though incomplete, will always remain special. In this aspect, Abhi and Bindu were much like Rahul and Rianna from Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu. I was also glad to see that Abhi makes other girlfriends. He does not become a Devdas and goes on to do the things that he always wanted to do. There is so much heartbreak for Abhi, but at the same time, it feels that he will be fine. I want to cry with him, but not for him. Ayushmann Khurrana is amazing in the film.

My favorite scene in Dil To Pagal Hai is where Pooja makes a recording for Ajay, pouring her heart out for Rahul. Somewhere in the recording, she says, "Rahul ke baare me main tumhe kya bataun. Kahan se shuru karun. Bas itna samajh lo ke us jaisa maine aaj tak koi dekha hi nahi." Since cassettes also play an important part in this film, I could hear Pooja's voice when I was thinking about this film. Meri Pyaari Bindu is Abhi's recording for Bindu. In Dil To Pagal Hai, Rahul changes the ending of his play to get the answer he wants, and Nisha also tells him that a love story should always have a happy ending. Here, too, Abhi changes the ending of his story to get the end he wants, and also because happy endings sell better. 

There is a stage in the film where there is a problem with Abhi's cassette, and he goes to Alok-Da to get it repaired. Alok-Da tells him that certain combinations in life are wonderful alone but miraculous together. RD Burman and Gulzar. OP Nayyar and Asha. Kishore Kumar and Rajesh Khanna. Abhi and Bindu are not destined to be miraculous together, but they both are wonderful in their own way. And, sometimes, that is more than enough. I really hope that Abhi finds the happiness he so deserves. Till then, I will make a mixtape of my own, not my favorite songs, but the songs that have played a special role in my life. I am sure there will also be one from Meri Pyaari Bindu.

Teri Pyaari Bindu

Books In Movies:

Abhi's father reads Leon Uris' Mila 18

Abhi's books—

Awaara Dhoban

Dracula's Lover

Guitarphobia

Das Kabin

 

Chudail Ki Choli

Dialogue of the Day:

"Pyaar karna bahut log sikhate hai, par afsos us pyaar ko bhulaate kaise hain, yeh koi nahi sikhata."

—Abhi, Meri Pyaari Bindu