Snake Myths Bollywood, Indian TV And Even Hollywood Has Peddled For Years

Bollywood’s grasp of medicine, science and the laws of physics has been tenuous at best. Unlikely and scientifically impossible things are constantly happening in our films; things that unintentionally cause us much hilarity among the watching public. Snakes in Bollywood are the same. They are always portrayed as ferocious, all knowing, powerful creatures with magical abilities rather than the rather stupid, deaf, writhing reptiles they really are. Please tell me you haven’t been taken in by these many snake myths Bollywood has pushed down our throat for years:

Snakes like milk

They don’t. They like rats, centipedes, eggs, other reptiles and small and sometimes larger mammals. If you offered a snake milk based on what Bollywood taught you, he is most likely to have spurned your offerings outright.

Why such movies?

This movie, Doodh ka Karz should not have been made for so many, many reasons. (Sign)

Snakes like music and are compelled to dance to it

Mostly they are deaf and their audible cues come from vibrations. If the snake charmer made the snake ‘dance’ this is only because the snake is following the strange side to side movement of the ‘been’ in some alarm! Wouldn’t you be alarmed if you had this guy staring at you like that?

Snakes are faithful to their mates

Not only that, there is all janam-janam ka saath as well, Bollywood will assure us. There have been reincarnation films centred around snake-rebirth. The fact is however that snakes are reasonably free with their favours and will mate with several different partners during their lifetime.

You mustn’t kill a snake because…

You mustn’t kill a snake because the mate with come and hunt you down and kill you. The first part is true, don’t kill snakes; a vast majority are harmless. But if you're not doing it because you're afraid that grief stricken, vengeful reptile will come and get you, get real please. 

Snakes and humans can get it on

No, no they can’t! Though Hissss isn’t strictly a Bollywood film, there have been numerous films about the ‘Vish Kanya’ (snake/girl/woman/hottie) falling in love with a mortal, assuming mortal form and getting all hot and heavy and then going back and forth as required.

Apparently there is a ‘mani’ in the snake

In the movie Naache Naagin Gali Gali (I kid you not there was such a film) the baddies want the mani in the snake’s head (?) and so are after this writhing snake-man creature. This theme has repeated itself over the years.

Snakes grow to that size

OK so that is actually Hollywood trying to hoodwink you, don’t believe them either! And don’t worry! If you're an adult, an anaconda will probably ignore you in favor of smaller human prey. 

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