Everyone wants to play Munni

Bollywood has always been synonymous with song and dance.  It is also the unique selling point for Indian films the world over, the latest rage being Malaika Arora gyrating to Munni badnaam hui song, which is also referred to as ‘item numbers’.

As film maker Vipul Shah puts it, “Special songs or ‘item numbers,’ as they are called now, have always existed in Bollywood. The only innovation is that it is now included in the marketing mix.” The song gets even bigger when a big star is associated with it.

Says Bipasha Basu,  the actor who’s said to have heralded the item number trend in recent times, “I realised what fun item numbers are when I did one for No Entry. After that all the numbers that I have done have become huge hits, but the biggest being Beedi Jalaile from Omkara. If Gulzarsahib and Vishal Sir come together then you will surely see me doing another Beedi,” the actor grins. 

Reportedly, the demure looking Vidya Balan has also succumbed to the item number lure for Santosh Sivan’s Urumi. The actor, apparently, has taken to learning belly dancing just for that song.

For Sameera Reddy, who’s done an item number for forthcoming release the reasons are different. “I made an exception only for Priyan Sir’s film.” Even Katrina Kaif will be seen shaking a leg with Akshay Kumar in an item number in Farah Khan’s Tees Maar Khan. Priyanka Chopra is the only one who maintains that item numbers do not interest her. This trend is not just restricted to Bollywood beauties. Shah Rukh Khan, who did a special item number for Farah Khan’s Om Shanti Om, went on a special diet to flaunt his six pack abs in the song Dard-E-Disco.

Film-maker Madhur Bhandarkar says, “Item numbers are promoted in a big way on channels on TV and that means publicity. It also fetches them (actors) shows abroad and performances at award functions. But just having a raunchy item number is not going to make your film a success.”