Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr! It’s cold outside where I live and being in some warm weather near a swimming pool sure would be nice. All I want for Christmas is THAT pool! No chance of that, so I’ll be happy to write about it instead. I think you’ve seen this pool if you’ve watched your share of Bollywood films. It took me a while to get hipped to this pool. I like pools anyway, and the sight of them always makes me smile, so I was extra surprised to realize that this pool started showing up in a lot of Bollywood films.
When I’d see it I think “THAT pool again!” I would nominate it for best supporting background architecture if the Filmfare Awards had such a category. I will heretofore refer to the pool as THAT pool, not to be confused with The Pool. THAT pool is easily identified by the fancy arched diving platform with dual step approach. I know I’ve see THAT pool in Dil (1990) where Aamir Khan and Madhuri Dixit’s characters danced around it and announced their engagement. I am almost sure I saw it in Hum Aapke Hain Koun…! (1994) where Salmaan Khan dove off the cool platform into the pool and splashed around in it with a flirty girl.
So the other day while watching Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin (1977) I saw it again! I thought “THAT pool!” and got around to finally screen capping it. Here we see Kajaal Kiran grooving around the pool. Unfortunately I didn’t get a closer image of Kiran so that you could see that she’s wearing funky platform shoes, and that those pants are leather. I merely captured her groovy spirit. This is how I’d look if I found myself at THAT pool. I’d be dancing around it whipping around my scarf too.
If you have some images of the pool, I’m sorry, THAT Bollywood pool, send them this way. If you have seen it in a Bollywood film tell me which one. It would be nice to establish a filmography of THAT pool.
UPDATED 7.26.11
Thanks to Beth Loves Bollywood we now have full information on The Pool!
Never noticed it- I will keep an eye out from now on! Its bound to show up in more movies I am certain.
Wow, sita-ji. Good observation. Makes me wish it was summer time instead. 🙂
That pool or the pool, I want ‘cold’ for Christmas. It’s still summer time here.
Nice post, Sitaji. I hope you get lots of replies, because there’s no way google is going to help you with this one. You can’t search for THAT pool! I love a bit of detective work, and I’ll certainly look out for THAT pool from now on. I’ll let you know of any sitings.
Haha! That’s like *that* staircase in Jab We Met, Vivah, and… Oh, bunches of corporate settings in Bollywood movies lately.
Shweta,
Thanks for your commitment to look for THAT pool. We’ll all work together and get a solid filmography on that thing!
Nicki,
I’m sure you’ve seen it with all the movies you’ve seen and just didn’t realize it. Ditto on the summertime wish. 🙂
Banno!
How dare you covet the cold temperatures of the USA! Yes, I understand the grass is always greener. I should fly you over to shovel my sidewalk and driveway in -20 below wind chill temperatures. Would you like THAT Banno? Would you? Just playing. 😉 Not sure which is better anyway; to be too cold or too warm. Thanks for the comment.
Joss,
LOL on “there’s no way google is going to help you with this one.”Thanks for your detective work friend!
Anjnabi,
I think I know the staircase you speak of since it’s in the work setting it’s against a wall, glass on the side. It’s not like the lavish home central staircases, right? I think THAT staircase may have been in “Life…In a Metro” too. I leave for my first trip to India in a couple days and I’ll write a post about it; anyway, for part of the visit I’m staying with a family in their home. If there’s not a huge central staircase ala Bollywood, I’ll be outraged! 😉
Here is your pool in the song “Main Hoon Teri’ from” from the Hema & Dharm starter ‘Azaad’.
karen!
VAY! That is THAT POOL! I really appreciate the link and the close up shots of the pool’s fancy diving platform. So this number is from 1978’s Azaad. Now you’ve got me curious about that gazebo/cage too. 🙂 I must see this film as it has a nefarious character played by Prem Chopra, sporting a medallion and an open shirt just like he’s pictured HERE. Am I attracted or repulsed by Prem? I still don’t know. I think I’m both.
I know it’s in Chor Machaye Shor (Shashi, Mumtaaz), and here it is in Maha Badmaash with a little something in the foreground http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBgj1HkRUcg. I will consult my archives for further evidence.
[…] a big Bollywood star, so I have to post about it. I saw The Pool (2008) (not to be confused with That Pool) last week at an art house theater, so I’m not surprised that I was shushed. Here’s how […]