The Dubbing Fiasco

Fact 1 : India has emerged as a major market for major film producers all over the world.
Fact 2 : For 'Convenience' of the common Indian movie-going audience, these movies are either dubbed in hindi or subtitles are made.

KAHAANI MEIN TWIST : The dubbing artistes are *******s.

End result : We end up proving once again that an investment of $200 million can be wasted in a single go with a 'Made in India' tag.

I am just thankful that they didn't change The Lord of the Rings to 'angoothiyon ka devta' or 'Terminator' to something like "Waatlagaaaoo'. But other flicks like Tomb Raider (Sherni Number 1), True lies (Safed Jhooth), Dunston Checks In (Ek bandar hotel ke andar) and A Bridge to Terabethia (Jaadui Nagri Terabethia) could not escape. The subtitles were equally bad. I distinctly remember a sequence from Home Alone:1. There were nine kids in the house and the eldest girl was given the task of counting them up while going for a trip. After she counts, the dialogue goes something like this:

Father : Judie, did you count them all?
Judie (frustrated) : Five Boys, four girls and a pigeon on the peach tree.


The subtitles were:
Father : Judie, kya tumne sabhi ko gina?
Judie : 5 ladke, 4 ladkiyaan aur naashpati ke ped par ek bater.

This sort of kills the whole fun (although I agree that it brings in a new kinda fun). This has been extended to another degree now. Providing english subtitles to hindi songs, and thats even worse. I recently saw the video of the jagjit singh ghazal from the movie Jogger's Park. If you haven't heard the song, here's the link to the lyrics http://www.indiafm.com/lyrics/song/31543/index.html

Have a look at the hindi sub-titles.

The destination is very delicate,It's a journey of love... - 2
Beat slowly, Oh! My heart, -2
It's a journey of love....
The destination is very delicate,It's a journey of love...

Nobody should hear this tale, Ah! I am so scared... -2
But what shall I gain of it? -2
It's a journey of love..
The destination is very delicate,It's a journey of love...

It's not easy to tell, hiding it is also difficult -2
Oh my God! How difficult -2
Is this journey of love...
The destination is very delicate,It's a journey of love...

Ohhhhh...
The lights of heart have spread, please do come! Oh Darling!
Please do come!........... Oh Darling!
Highly worth being loved -2
Is this journey of love...

Funny? Then picture this last translation. What if the sub-titles guys decide to extend their efforts to rock songs.
Nobody can tell, and I was curious. So I came up with this translation of the timeless classic 'Time' by Pink Floyd. Here's the original lyrics http://www.lyricsfreak.com/p/pink+floyd/time_20108616.html

My translation

Tiktikaate hue, wo pal jo ek pakaauu din banaate hain...
Aap hilte hue apna waqt faaltu tareeke se bitaate hain
laat maarte hue ek zameen ke tukde par apne grihnagar mein
intezaar karte hain kisi vyakti ya vastu ka raaste dikhaane ke liye

dhoop mein pade pade thake hue, aur baarish ke liye ghar ruke hue
tum ho jawaan aur zindagi hai badi, abhi hai waqt maarne ke liye
aur ek din tumhe pata chalta hai, 10 saal tumhaare peechhe chale gaye
kisi ne tumhe nahin kaha kab daudna hai, tum shuruaati bandook chhor gaye

aur tum daudte ho, daudte ho suraj ko pakadne par wo duub raha hai
aur tumhaare peechhe waapis aane ke liye daud raha hai
suuraj to wahi hai ek tareeke se magar tu budha chuka hai
saans phool chuki hai aur maut ke ek din aur kareeb aa chuka hai

har saal chhota hota ja raha hai, kabhi waqt milta dikhta nahin
sujhaav jo ya to shunya hote hain ya aadha panna godi hui panktiyon ke
khaamosh bechaini mein latakte rehna to angreji tareeka hai,
samay chala gaya, gaana bhi khatm, shayad mere paas kuchh aur tha kehne ke liye...

Think About It.