Thank you so much for reading and subscribing to Cold Takes by Boju Bajai. This will be our last edition before we go off on our year-end break. We will be back in your inboxes on the 8th of January 2023!
It’s time to wrap up 2022, which means our first annual Boju Bajai listicle is here. We’ve prepared it with the help of so many of our listeners and readers, who sent us their favorites from 2022. A big big thank you to everyone and please cheggit out!
Between all the work, some travel, and lots of procrastination, there were some amazing books, movies, series, and music we managed to make time for. And hopefully, very many years from today, when we reminisce about 2022, these are some of the things we will want to re-read and binge-watch hola.
1. Extraordinary Attorney Woo, Netflix: This Korean series follows the life of Woo Young-woo, a brilliant young lawyer on the autism spectrum. She challenges stereotypes, while also winning cases ranging from fraud to in-family fighting. This entertaining series made us cry, smile, and made some of us really want to switch careers.
2. Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh: A fascinating book about women’s participation in the labour force, gender norms, the changing role of women at homes and workplaces in India. What sets this book apart from book on similar themes is that it goes beyond the statistics of the labour market, and finds a common link between all these women, and their stories through Shah Rukh and his movies. So of course we finished reading it in two days! This award-winning book by Shrayana Bhattacharya has to be one of the best non-fiction we’ve read in a looooong time.
3. Old Enough, Netflix: Errand hating, and children loving bojus couldn’t have asked for a better reality show, which combines both these elements. This Japanese show follows kids as young as three-year-old running their first errand – from picking up grocery items to dropping off clothes to the neighbhorhood drycleaner – and all the trials and tribulations along the way. And yes, we shed tears of joy at the end of every episode, when the little ones went running victoriously to their parents telling them how they are now ‘old enough’ to help out with errands at home. What’s not to love about cute, chubby Japanese kids struggling to remember grocery list items! Also, we remember someone saying that there should be a version of this show, but for South Asian men.
3. Monica O My Darling, Netflix: The last time we played an entire Bollywood album on loop seemed like a lifetime ago, until Monica O My Darling came along in November. We’ve been hooked to this mad crazy album, which pays an ode to the retro sound, and how! Achint Thakkar’s music takes us back to a different era, reminiscent of the 70s and 80s. As one reviewer aptly put it, the soundtrack is the main character of this black comedy movie!
4.Herne Katha: If you live on the Nepali internet, chances are you’ve probably come across the heartwarming stories produced by the talented duo Bidhya Chapagain and Kamal Kumar of Herne Katha. They bring stories from all around the country about individuals and communities. If it weren’t for these wonderful Herne Katha documentaries on Youtube, we would’ve never known about the everyday life stories of so many fellow Nepalis.
5. The White Lotus, HBO: If comedy-dramas with unexpected plot twists and sharp satire about inequality is your thing, then you have to watch The White Lotus. This series manages to encapsulate so much about the times we are currently living in, raising uncomfortable discussions on class, privilege, race, consent, without ever being preachy. Another fantastic addition to the ‘eat the rich’ genre!
6. Kumari Prashnaharu, Durga Karki: One of our favorite contemporary writers, Durga Karki, has done such an amazing work in her first book. She brings to life stories about Nepali girls and women like us, whom we see so rarely in our literature. We are grateful that a book like ‘Kumari Prashnaharu’ exists, because now young Nepali women finally have characters like them in books, which center around their lives and the pains of growing up.
7. Renaissance: It’s Beyonce dijjyuu’s world and we just dance to her tunes. And what tunes there are in her latest album Renaissance! This is the kind of pulsating music and life affirming lyrics about putting ourselves first, we had been waiting to dance at LOD after being home for two years. Also, jorr sey bolo ‘You won’t break my soullll!!”
8. Quickstyle dance videos: There are wedding dance videos, and there is THE wedding dance video by Quick Style. And boy, oh boy, can those boys dance! The joy and fun in this video is just so contagious. No wonder it’s been viewed over 93 million times! As bojus who love weddings and dancing, we hope that someday we are able to recreate this attti daami choreography in our nata naatinis’ weddings.
And here’s a list with recommendations from our dearest listeners and readers.
