They’re a little older but judging from their escapades in Bollywood Babes, the sequel to Bindi Babes, the sisters aren’t all that wiser. Narinder Dhami brings back the whole gang, the girls’ friend Kim, who has been trying to become more assertive and their classmate George, who’s still a pest. Of course, we have Auntie, their father’s sister who came to live with the family after the death of their mother, and Mr. Arora, the girls’ hunky teacher. Even though their plans to marry off Auntie to Mr. Arora (and get rid of Auntie in the process) backfired in Bindi Babes, the girls aren’t discouraged. When they see that Auntie has joined the school’s PTA and has to meet Mr. Arora every week, well, there’s still hope that Cupid will do his thing and soon.
Coppergate Secondary School students are getting a new building but the project has been delayed due to a lack of money. “Fund-raising” has become a very bad word for anyone associated with the school but when Auntie suggests a Bollywood-theme for a school party to raise money, the sisters are starry-eyed. No, not at the prospect of meeting film stars, but perhaps the romantic party theme might nudge Auntie and Mr. Arora together. When the girls volunteer to help put on the party, there are more than a few people who are suspicious. But the girls have a surefire plan to make the party a hit. They have just leaned that Molly Mahal, a famous Bollywood actress from yesteryear (the 1980s), has moved into the neighborhood to “reclude” (that’s what recluses do) they are overjoyed. Why, it’s so simple. They’ll ask Molly to be the guest of honor at their school party and the donations will roll in. And, if their successful party planning impresses Auntie enough to cut them some slack at home, so much the better!
Of course, things are never that simple for Amber, Geena and Jazz. Before they know it, Molly Mahal has moved in with the girls (she was only supposed to stay one night), taking over Auntie’s room and clothes, Auntie is banging pots and pans threatening to murder someone (one guess as to who) and their father—their father!—is tongue-tied and ga-ga over Molly (how were they to know Molly was his favorite actress when he was a teenager?). Worse of all, Molly still hasn’t agreed to be the star attraction at the school’s Bollywood party.
It’s the little things, once again, that make this such an enjoyable read for any age group. The girls, says Amber, do talk about their mother now a little. It still hurts but it’s easier than before. They are also trying to get along with Auntie now. It's like watching the sisters as they grow up with each book. Bollywood Babes is as hilarious as the earlier book with some of the humor coming from the hare-brained schemes of the girls, but mostly it is the dialogue between the sisters and their friends that made me chuckle, imagining them yelling at each other or agonizing over their latest misadventure. Dhami sketches each of the characters skillfully and uses dialogue so well —it’s as if you’re watching a movie and not reading. In fact, I think the Babes book would make a wonderful TV series.
Oh, does Bollywood Babes have a happy ending? How could it not? It's Bollywood.
Bollywood Babes
Narinder Dhami
Delacorte Books for Young Readers
2005, 224 p.