Lost in Translation: Film Subtitles Gone Wrong and How

With typos and literal translations, filmi subtitles can end up being totally hilarious

Desi subtitles gone wrong!

I started watching Indian films not through exposure to Satyajit Ray or Mrinal Sen in a university cinema class but because of the website for the 2004 Bride and Prejudice, a film I was eager to watch because I’m interested in adaptations of Jane Austen novels. The director, Gurinder Chadha, had put up a list of Indian film conventions that she was playing with or winking at in her film, and as I read about them I thought “These movies sound amazing! Why have I never seen any?” Searching for information online quickly led me to the forum BollyWHAT, which had lists of recommended films for newbies.

“This bondage is the bondage of love,its the intercourse of many births.”(Karan Arjun, 1995) (Via FB)

The Paagal Subtitle tumblr grew out of my general love of words and language. My job involves a lot of writing and editing, so I am well aware of the power of the typo.

I mean, yes, of course, the subtitle, but the eyebrows are what cinch it.

This tumblr is proof that I’m still not able to understand Hindi well enough to watch films without subtitles, so I am not throwing stones at anyone’s language abilities! But these errors are much more exciting than mine – and they’re accompanied by glamorous stars and backup dancers.

Here are a dozen of my favorite paagal subtitles of the last few years. Some of these I saw in films myself and others were sent to me by friends.

1. Alaipayuthey

“My dear! Kill me by becoming a child in the bed room” (Tamil film Alaipayuthey)

This is a prime example of the phenomenon of “What in the world was this dialogue actually trying to express?!?” What predilection is it encouraging (or condemning)?

2. Bhanu Goenda Jahar Assistant

“Again it started? Again it started?” “What happened?” “Corollary.” “Corollary?”(Bengali film Bhanu Goenda Jahar Assistant)

This is a very simple typo that makes all the difference, although I do like the idea of drama-queen mathematicians clutching their hearts in the throes of discussing theorems.

3. Mardaani

“I am surrounded by duck heads!” (Hindi film Mardaani)

Another one-letter typo—but which letter?

4. Chotushkone

“You’re not made of fish and blood!” (Bengali film Chotushkone)

This would be funny anyway, but of course the regional stereotype about Bengalis makes it even better.

5. Baji

“Give me two packets of incest sticks and a match-box.” (Marathi film Baji)

Anyone who writes for school or work is afraid of making typos like this.

6. Teesri Aankh; Shesh Anka; Andha Atit

“And the lair starts sweating.” “Shut up! You scoundral, you lair!”“Perhaps you’ve considered me a lair, absolutely bad man.”(Hindi film Teesri Aankh; Bengali film Shesh Anka; Bengali film Andha Atit)

“Lair” for “liar” is probably my very favourite fillum typo simply because the villain lairs in some films are so fantastic that they really should be characters themselves, in addition to being the spot where liars congregate.

7. Aurat

“You strut like a masochist.” (Hindi film Aurat)

I had to stare at this one for a long time before wondering if they meant “macho man”?

8. Ardh Satya

“Jotsna. You are making a mountain out of a mole.” (Hindi film Ardh Satya)

An even more impressive feat than starting with the more pedestrian molehill! I like to think this happened because the subtitle-writer was in a hurry to get to the next dialogue.

9. Jalsa

“Don’t play with nonchalk as wearing a belt like Jackie Chan..” (Telugu film Jalsa)

What you think you hear and what was actually said are not always the same thing.

10. Tanu Weds Manu Returns

“The train arriving from Delhi...is arrived at plate farm no 5.” (Hindi film Tanu Weds Manu Returns)

Unlike “nonchalk,” I can imagine what a plate farm might be, but I do not know why this film’s characters would be anywhere near one.

11. Holiday

“According to the post modem report.” (Hindi film Holiday)

A sign that everyone is truly in the wireless age?

12. Thilagar

“You said you are vegetarian; but you ate me slowly.” (Tamil film Thilagar)

This is by far the most popular subtitle I have ever had the good fortune to find; once a friend submitted it to my tumblr, it got passed around Twitter and Whatsapp by the thousands.

(In addition to watching movies and imitating dance routines very poorly, Beth Watkins works in the world cultures museum at a big university in Illinois, has a very fluffy dog, and likes to read and knit, both of which are hard to do while watching subtitled movies. She can be found on Twitter at  twitter.com/bethlovesbolly and her blog www.bethlovesbollywood.com)