Dhurandhar, led by Ranveer Singh, has transcended cinematic boundaries. The film has now become a widespread cultural phenomenon. Akshaye Khanna's viral dance to Bahrainian rapper Flipperachi's song FA9LA, the Aditya Dhar directorial has pretty much ticked all the boxes. But another standout is the resurgence of Doodh Soda, sparking a pop-culture wave.
Significance Of Doodh Soda In Dhurandhar
In Dhurandhar, the Doodh Soda sequence marks an important chapter of the film. The particular scene introduces actor Gaurav Gera as a middle-aged man, named Mohammad Aalam, running a juice shop in the main market of the Lyari neighbourhood in Karachi, Pakistan.
This stall acts as more than a prop. It is a cover for Aalam who is actually an Indian spy living in Lyari for years. His shop acts as a secret meeting point for Ranveer Singh's Humza Ali Mazari who has arrived in Lyari for a top-secret mission. This is where Indian spies exchange information and devise plans in plain sight.
Mohammad Aalam, an Indian spy, disguised as the vendor, captures attention with his quirky dialogue referring to Doodh Soda, "Darling, Darling, Dil kyu toda. Peelo peelo, Aalam soda."
This brief scene makes the location and the drink integral to Dhurandhar's narrative, highlighting that sometimes it's the most unassuming spaces, like the Doodh Soda stall, which often hide the most consequential secrets.
So, What Is Doodh Soda
Dhurandhar's Doodh Soda sequence might have put the limelight on the humble beverage, but the drink has been a part of India's culinary landscape for ages.
To put it simply, Doodh Soda is a mixture of milk and lemon-lime soda, such as Sprite or 7-Up, two contrasting beverages that ideally shouldn't even be blended. Yet, it has been relished in countries with a humid landscape for generations.
During peak summer months, this creamy and fizzy drink becomes oddly refreshing as the carbonation cuts through the heaviness of milk, making it light on the stomach. However, the taste depends primarily on the ratio, as too much soda can make the drink curdle, while too little soda turns it cloy.
Cultural Importance Of Doodh Soda Across Countries
Do you know that Doodh Soda is a drink older than independence?
Long before branded bottled soft drinks were a thing, roadside vendors used to sell Doodh Soda across undivided Punjab. Its popularity dates back to the North India before Partition, where dairy products were found in abundance and soda fountains (machines dispensing soda) started getting popular in colonial-era cities. The fountains, typically run by local hakims, experimented with flavours including rose soda, khus soda, lemon soda and eventually, milk soda.
But it turns out that Doodh Soda's origins lie in our colonial legacy. The combination of soda and milk was first created in Victorian England. It reached undivided India through the British Empire.
After the Partition in 1947, Doodh Soda became a staple Ramzan drink in Pakistan, served at iftar to restore hydration after the fast, sometimes adding Rooh Afza syrup to the mix. Meanwhile, in India, the drink found prominence in local communities and markets.
At present, in India, Doodh Soda is commonly relished across parts of Punjab, Old Delhi, Amritsar, and in Pakistan's Lahore and Karachi.
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