Sunday 17th June 2007

It is nearly midnight as I begin writing this post. Got in from Sheffield eight minutes before 11pm. Quite a nice relaxing day, we left at 9.30am and got into the steel city around midday. We then had tea and cake at my sister’s student flat. My Dad, Uncle and youngest sister went into the city centre, while I watched the first part of the Eastenders Omnibus on BBC1. I should have gone with them but was not really in the mood for walking around the town centre. Some thirty minutes into the soap, I feel asleep. I woke up as my relatives returned from their shopping expedition. We then watched the closing part of the Falklands Ceremony before watching the second part of Eastenders Omnibus I had seen Thursday’s episode but not Friday’s. Then just before 6pm we all headed off up the road to Butler’s Balti House. It formerly had been a tea room. A very nice restaurant with excellent sharp service. After tea and ice cream in the lounge downstairs we headed back to Wycombe. It was my turn to drive. My sister had driven the 307 back from Birmingham a few weeks ago, so it was only fair and I did not mind. My Dad instructed me to stop at the next services, after we had been on the M1 for just over thirty minutes. I had been struggling to find music to listen to on the journey down. Radio One were playing dance music, not ideal for a Sunday evening drive home. Magic was not available and I could not pick up any of the local stations at all. I used the opportunity of the stop at Donnington Park services to re-tune the radio. It switched to BBC Radio Nottingham and the opening of a song played. Harry Harish was the DJ and he played the song in full, no interruptions or silly voice over (I love you BBC!) We had actually heard this song, almost exactly twelve hours earlier at the Esso Turnpike petrol station, when I had checked the tyre pressures. Kejal on Sunrise Radio, had talked all over the introduction, even though at the end, she said she wanted to play the song in full, in dedication to all the father’s for Father’s Day. Although technically speaking the song is not related to the day, the lyrics do seem to fit. What am I talking about? While I may not be a fan of Bollywood now, back in the mid Eigthies I was hooked. In 1988 I was perhaps in the middle of my phase glued to these three hour epics. Times were changing as well, we were moving out of the action era into a more story based, substance based picture making. In any case, I digress. Aamir Khan starred in his first picture, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (which poetically translated means “Dazed & Confused”, literally translated means “From Doomsday To Doomsday”). It was a movie I watched with great fondness, even though now I recall very little apart from the opening number. “Papa Kehte Hain” (My Dad Says) which was also the first hit for my personal favourite playback singer Udit Narayan. So you can understand why it was played twice (if not countless other times across Asian radio network today!). In a case of history repeating itself, Udit’s son, Aditya performed the song, when taking over a new talent singing contest show over on India television. I updated the Wikipedia page with a YouTube link but it has been removed by the powers that be. Thankfully I can bring you the link myself. Also, for those non Hindi speaking among you, the translation can be found here. The song from the movie (excellent quality) can be found over there. Once again, I apologise for the rather cheesy lyrics but it was 1988 and it was a young Bollywood film. A complete rip off of Romeo & Juliet in fact, but don’t tell William!

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