This post is going to be added to more than any in the whole blog. Hopefully you can access it by the dropdown categories menu. We’ll try to keep ‘em current (and alphabetical) so we can limit the “WHAT?” aspect of our newer readers.
bakwas or bakvas — nonsense, rubbish.
beta or beti — son or daughter, respectively.
bhaisaab — Term of address for an elder brother. Bhai, itself being brother, the saab being used almost like “sir”.
bhang — A narcotic drink made of a mixture of milk, almonds, spices, sugar and marijuana. Proliferates more during certain holiday seasons.
bhangra — A very rhythmic music and a lively style of dancing, heavy on the drums. Example from Bride and Prejudice, here.
chak de phatte (Punjabi) — Used to be a war cry, now heard mostly shouted at the top of their lungs by Sikh guys at the wonderful, wonderful bhangra dances. It means, literally, “take up the floorboards” but is used more as “let’s bring down the house” or “let’s get the party started”. Best back up and put in bhangra, now.
chee — Hindi expression of disgust.
deewana — crazy or mad, usually used non-seriously in films. Similar to pagal, but with the sense that the person is crazy because of love.
desi — Of the homeland, native to India. So, non-desi is anyone else, aka, us.
dharm/dharma — religion or duty
dhoti — a men’s lower garment made of one seven yard piece of fabric, draped and pleated at the waist and between the legs into a very loose trouser shape.
dishoom — (us. plural) the sound made when a hero’s fist connects with his target or the sound of a bullet firing. Can be sometimes used for a specific cool, tough attitude. Amitabh, in Deewaar, has dishoom.
EFD — short for Emotional Family Drama, a genre of Indian film.
Eve-teasers — sort of self-explanatory, but a generic term for boys who whistle at or verbally harass usually helpless girls. The teasing has a sexual tone, and it may get physical, but that may have it’s own term, and hopefully, I will never know it.
falooda — a cold, sweet beverage popular in South Asia. Usually made with rose syrup and vermicelli and/or tapioca pearls.
filmi — Sort of self evident, but used mostly as an adjective, for a rather cinematic, overly dramatic attitude, as seen in the most play-acty of the films.
goonda/gunda — hired thug, usually underworld.
gora — white male.
gori — White female. That be we, whether we like it or not. 
hulchul — noise and commotion without much sense.
inquilab zindabad — Hindi, from the Persian, for “Long Live Revolution!”
item number — a song within the film, usually in a nightclub, and often not put in to advance the plot, only to advance the “item girl’s” career. Sometimes done as a “special appearance” cameo by a known star. Example SRK in the beginning of Kaal, was the “item boy”, in silver pants, no less.
jadoo — magic
jadugar — magician
jodi — pair or partner, as in a romantic couple.
kahani — story, and so, prem kahani — love story.
ladki — girl, and ladka is boy. Pronounced more to my ear like “ler-khi”.
lassi — sweet, yogurt based drink.
mela — fair or carnival.
nach — dance, in Hindi.
nafrat — hate
nahi! Nahi!! NAHI!!! — never! Never!! NEVER!!! or no! No!! NO!!! In Indian films, everything worth emoting over is best said thrice. Preferably, with audible thunderclaps.
nautch girl — female performer in a men-only atmosphere, like a nightclub or in days gone by in a brothel or a private manor home.
NRI — Non Resident Indian. People born in the homeland, but living abroad, and their offspring.
pagal — crazy or mad, usually in a casual, not serious way. Similar to deewana.
paisa vasool — worth the money spent on it.
prem — love (in Hindi), often the hero’s name in a romantic film.
Priyadawanism — personal slang for very very slapsticky, a la the work of directors Priyadarshan and David Dawan.
puja — a worship ceremony.
qawwali — usually an Islamic religious song, or one adapted from this tradition.
rhona-dhona — anguish, tears, gnashing of teeth. An angsty hulla-balloo. Can be used like the word melodrama, or fuss.
rudaali — professional mourner
sangeet — the musical evening held a day or so before the actual wedding celebration.
shaadi — a wedding and it’s surrounding celebrations.
tanhayee or tanhaai — loneliness
yaar — colloquial for friend, often used like pal or mate at the end of a phrase.
zamindar — wealthy landowner
That’s all we’ve used for now. I’m sure we’ll be back very soon.
Best of luck!
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Jenny Ketcham
julialmoore
Filmi-Goris 
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