The NYT reports that Disney is exporting High School Musical to the land which thinks it invented musicals about underage love. Here’s the pseudo-Punjabi version, ‘Aaja Nachle,’ which isn’t ashamed to steal from the best. The skirts are more modest, the legs more covered, but let’s face it, Bombay blew past that Rubicon long ago and waved goodbye in the rear-view mirror.

Consider “Bop to the Top,” the title of a song from the first movie. In India, one of Disney’s most important foreign markets, the phrase was changed to “Pa Pa Pa Paye Yeh Dil,” which the company said roughly translates to “the heart is full of happiness” in Hindi. A Hindi translator contacted by The New York Times said: “It’s sort of like a Duran Duran song. The words sound sexy but mean nothing.”

The climax of High School Musical 2 comes in “All for One,” an ensemble number about friends sticking together. In India, the title became “Aaja Nachle,” which all agree means “come dance along.” [Link]

To save money, the company is re-importing the Hindi version:

According to Nielsen Media Research, more than 1.5 million children age 6 to 11 watched “Aaja Nachle.” Even in a foreign language, children “can feel what they’re saying…” [Link]

And what Bombay is teaching America’s young is the much the same as ABC tarty ‘Family’ channel: flaunt it. Not that I’m complaining, mind you, but if I had a daughter…

The American version: