Bindi Babes and Bollywood Babes
By Narinder Dhami
Random House, 2005

Review by Pooja Makhijani
From Kahani Winter 2006

“Our story's got something of everything… It’s got singing, dancing, action, romance, a baddie and three beautiful heroines,” says 10-year-old Amber Dhillon, one of the three Bindi Babes (Random House, 2004). She and her sisters, Jazz, 11, and Geena, 13, are the prettiest, most-popular, best-dressed girls in their London school. Their mother recently passed away, but they are dealing with it quite well, thank-you-very-much. So when a baddie…er, I mean, their Auntie… comes from India to live with them and cramps their style, the babes hatch a plan to get her out of their hair.

Auntie seems to meddle in everything. She has rules. She makes them go to bed at a decent time. And, worst of all, she limits the girls’ designer clothes purchases. No fancy jeans. No funky sneakers.

Argh! What’s a girl to do?

The Bindi Babes decide that the only way to deal with their problem is an arranged marriage - for Auntie.

Amber is right. Their charming story has a bit of everything: hilarious situations, weepy moments, and of course, a big fat Indian wedding at the end. Narinder Dhami, best known for writing the novelization of the hit film Bend It Like Beckham, has written a funny, frothy, feisty book that is just like a Bollywood movie.

Speaking of Bollywood, the sisters continue their story in Bollywood Babes (Random House, 2005). And this time, they have to deal with someone even zanier than Auntie!

While raising money for their school’s annual fundraiser, Amber, Jazz, and Geena stumble upon Molly Mahal, a washed-up Bollywood star who’s singing and dancing days are long gone. They decide that she would make the best guest-of-honor for their school function. And when they find out she is homeless, the babes feel sorry for her and ask her to move in with them.
Big mistake.

Molly puts their widowed father under her spell and drives Auntie bonkers. Soon, the girls are scheming to get rid of their house guest.

I didn’t think a book could be funnier than Bindi Babes. I was wrong. Bollywood Babes had me laughing out louder. Molly Mahal is an unforgettable character. She watches her 1982 movie, Amir Ladka, Garib Ladka (Rich Boy, Poor Boy) over and over again and steals Auntie’s clothes! Bollywood Babes is a delightful sequel.

In both books, Ms. Dhami gives readers a splash of Indian culture, a view of South Asians in England, a crazy, carefree adventure, and an observation on the serious things in life.

I can’t wait for the next Bindi Babes installment, Bhangra Babes, coming out in April!