Get High on Life the Bollywood Way

There's been a lot of anti Indian sentiment on the islands in the last couple of years. Yet, our cinemas are owned by a (local) Indian company and whenever there's a Bollywood movie on I see a lot of locals standing in the queue. The fact of the matter is, there are plenty of similarities to our island way of getting high on life.

Bollywood movies are definitely my drug of choice and have the additional advantage that you're not going to have the National Drug Enforcement Agency knocking at your door.
The Indian sub-continent has blessed us not only with yoga and the Bhagavad Vita, but has given us another path to enlightenment: Bollywood movies.

Hindi films are heartwarming and can be an insightful guide to getting high on life. Here are some of those ways that I have learnt from Bollywood movies:

Socialize with friends

Friendship is a recurrent theme in Bollywood movies. Enjoy the company of good friends or go out and make new friends. Feel alive with the buzz of stimulating discussion or a good night out at the club. Some people enjoy leaping in the air together. Whatever your cup of chai is, make sure you drink lot’s of it.

Commune with natureLook around you and take in all the smells, sounds and tastes of nature. Bollywood dance scenes are filmed in beautiful locations all around the world, including our very own Seychelles. Sit quietly in a tranquil spot and watch the sun go down. Or stay up all night long and see it coming up over the horizon. It’s great fun to surrender to the power of the desert as well.

Be sexualSex is never (and a kiss rarely!) shown in a Bollywood movie, but there are plenty of very sensual scenes, which have a feeling of sacredness about them. A classic shot which is hardly ever missed is the wet sari scene. An alternative would be the wet T-shirt you're coming out of the sea scene. Otherwise, just have a rollicking good time. Sex is good for you.

Laugh your head offLaughing releases endorphines and makes you feel good. It also lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormones and boosts immune function. There really is no need to join a laughter yoga club; just find things to laugh at. Life itself is pretty amusing. Don’t worry if people are shocked at your tasteless sense of humour. Nothing is too sacred to laugh at. Including subtitles.

Exercise to the maxIn Bollywood movies, motorcycling is a popular sport. If you can’t find cool enough shades to indulge in this strenuous exercise, find something similarly exhilarating and cool like kite surfing or swaggering up and down the beach.

Enjoy a good mealBollywood mothers and aunties are always offering food. After all, their adult children still have to grow. This food must always be accepted and enjoyed. Never ever refuse. This doesn’t mean pig out to your heart’s content. According to the dictionary, to savour means: “derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in”. Savour your food and don’t spare the condiments.

Dance at the drop of a hatBollywood teaches you that you can break into song and dance whenever and wherever you please. Choose a piece of music that makes you feel happy and alive. It doesn’t have to be new age or classical sitar music. Instead, try this Hindi version of Pretty Woman. Alternatively, dance to the tune in your head; I've seen quite a few happy gentlemen in town who do this.

Fall in loveIf you have a partner, do new things together to recapture the heady feelings you had in the beginning. If you’re single, look around for a “suitable candidate” to have a crush on or to flirt with. Bollywood’s advice: If you’re a woman, be coy. If you’re a guy, be lovingly commanding. There’s nothing better than a little loving interaction to give you a rush of positive feelings.

Have a weddingThis is the ultimate high (and admittedly pretty rare here in Seychelles). You get to do most of the above as well as live happily ever after. Or not. Just like real life, a good Bollywood movie is never predictable. Sometimes, the groom gets blown out of the sky right after the wedding on his way to some important business meeting. Or the bride gets killed in a car crash.

You see. You never know what might happen, so you might as well get in as many highs as possible. It’s all about enjoying the moment to the fullest. And keeping those NDEA guys away...

What's your favourite way of getting high?