Time to scoot!
The good ol’ scooters seem to be becoming quite a favourite prop in Bollywood these days
For years now, riding a bike has been shown to be a symbol of raw masculinity in Bollywood — powerful and assertive, while the scooters spoke volumes for the family man image. So, it was hardly surprising to see our heroes prefer making a style statement on their bikes. However, in recent times, filmmakers seem to have developed a fascination for the scooters ever since they were rediscovered successfully on the big screen. And it wasn’t just actor Kareena Kapoor who was seen riding one in 3 Idiots (the heroes Aamir Khan, R Madhavan and Sharman Joshi did it too), since then it’s the heroes, who are now more often seen riding these long forgotten two-wheelers. Shah Rukh Khan was shown riding a scooter in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Ranbir Kapoor in Bachna Ae Haseeno, as was Akshay Kumar in Action Replayy. Imran Khan rides one in Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, and more recently, Sharman owns one in Ferrari Ki Sawaari while Shahid Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra’s film Teri Meri Kahaani had the humble vehicle make a cameo. Bittoo Boss is another film that had Pulkit Samrat ride one alongside his onscreen girlfriend who also rides a scooty.
Offering an explanation for Bollywood’s obsession with the bike’s poorer cousin, filmmakers say that much has to do with the films being based in the North where scooters are still popular. “They lend a natural flavour to the depiction of the smaller towns and are a great prop as they offer a novelty factor as well,” says one such filmmaker, while another one adds that they stand out from the rest, and also speaks volumes of the character riding it.
“It’s no more considered feminine or the hero considered any less heroish if he’s seen riding one. On the contrary, the hero riding a scooter shows how comfortable he is in his skin,” says trade analyst Komal Nahta, adding that in some cases, the scooters have also been used to depict a certain era like in Action Replayy or a certain culture like in Bittoo Boss.
Even when it’s not exactly a requirement, the scooter’s increasingly making a cameo. “Yes, because they are not as common on our roads, so they lend a fresh and new look to the film, enhancing the visuals. And each time it gets noticed, which is what works in the favour of the film,” adds filmmaker Supavitra Babul.
The good ol’ scooters seem to be becoming quite a favourite prop in Bollywood these days
For years now, riding a bike has been shown to be a symbol of raw masculinity in Bollywood — powerful and assertive, while the scooters spoke volumes for the family man image. So, it was hardly surprising to see our heroes prefer making a style statement on their bikes. However, in recent times, filmmakers seem to have developed a fascination for the scooters ever since they were rediscovered successfully on the big screen. And it wasn’t just actor Kareena Kapoor who was seen riding one in 3 Idiots (the heroes Aamir Khan, R Madhavan and Sharman Joshi did it too), since then it’s the heroes, who are now more often seen riding these long forgotten two-wheelers. Shah Rukh Khan was shown riding a scooter in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Ranbir Kapoor in Bachna Ae Haseeno, as was Akshay Kumar in Action Replayy. Imran Khan rides one in Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, and more recently, Sharman owns one in Ferrari Ki Sawaari while Shahid Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra’s film Teri Meri Kahaani had the humble vehicle make a cameo. Bittoo Boss is another film that had Pulkit Samrat ride one alongside his onscreen girlfriend who also rides a scooty.
Offering an explanation for Bollywood’s obsession with the bike’s poorer cousin, filmmakers say that much has to do with the films being based in the North where scooters are still popular. “They lend a natural flavour to the depiction of the smaller towns and are a great prop as they offer a novelty factor as well,” says one such filmmaker, while another one adds that they stand out from the rest, and also speaks volumes of the character riding it.
“It’s no more considered feminine or the hero considered any less heroish if he’s seen riding one. On the contrary, the hero riding a scooter shows how comfortable he is in his skin,” says trade analyst Komal Nahta, adding that in some cases, the scooters have also been used to depict a certain era like in Action Replayy or a certain culture like in Bittoo Boss.
Even when it’s not exactly a requirement, the scooter’s increasingly making a cameo. “Yes, because they are not as common on our roads, so they lend a fresh and new look to the film, enhancing the visuals. And each time it gets noticed, which is what works in the favour of the film,” adds filmmaker Supavitra Babul.
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