Bollywood Archives - Page 36 of 37

Feeling Extra Patriotic? Look Beyond Border & Watch These Deshbhakti Movies Instead

What does patriotism mean today? Does it lie in adhering to the Constitution? Does it lie in fixing “anti-nationals” with a ticket to Pakistan? Does it mean #BoycottChineseProducts? We revisit a few loved films that redefine deshbhakti for this age.

Pranay Dewani March 7, 2016

Bollywood

Much Before Empowerment Became Mainstream, Mirch Masala Was a Film for India’s Women

Mirch Masala tells the story of a feisty village belle who becomes an object of lust for the new tax collector. Smita Patil’s Sonbai continues to inspire generations of women even today as she asserts complete sexual autonomy and agency over her own body.

Shakun Saini March 6, 2016

Bollywood

Lust Stories: What’s Stopping Indian Women From Demanding Sex?

In the Netflix anthology Lust Stories, Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee, Anurag Kashyap, and Karan Johar do the delicate dance between emphasising how “lust” is a forbidden emotion for Indian women and how despite this conditioning, women seem to know exactly how to recognise it.

Poulomi Das March 6, 2016

Bollywood

Shashi Kapoor: The Man With the Crooked Smile Who Made Everything Better

On a terrible day, watching a Shashi Kapoor film is like therapy. Sometimes, even a song is enough: One viewing of “Bekhudi mein sanam” is enough to pull me out of any bad mood that I may be in.

Shakun Saini March 5, 2016

Bollywood

How Rishi Kapoor, Icon of the Alternatives, Helped Me Discover My Sexuality

If Sridevi is the undisputed icon of queer India, Rishi Kapoor can be credited with demolishing the tight constraints of a male lead. Kapoor, with his chubby bits and rumply hair, rescued the Hindi film hero from alpha males, creating space for new normals.

Lightbug March 4, 2016

Bollywood

Cargo Review: A Universal Fable of Loneliness in Space Light Years Away From Indian Sci-Fi

The solitude of space is a universal, and by now, familiar tale (think Gravity or The Martian). Arati Kadav, who makes her writing and directorial debut is aware of that. But the universe of space in Cargo is unlike any other; it is rooted in the homegrown grammar of Indian mythology.

Poulomi Das March 4, 2016

Bollywood

“Teri Keh Ke Lunga”: The Evergreen Beauty of Gangs of Wasseypur Lies in Its Cult Dialogues

Eight years ago, Anurag Kashyap gifted us Gangs of Wasseypur, a gangster epic we could proudly call our own. Perhaps even more than the film’s masterful characters, it’s quotable dialogues have achieved cult status. Tigmanshu Dhulia makes “bhosdi ke” sound poetic while Manoj Bajpayee takes everyday cuss words and elevates them to something Voltaire would be proud of.

Amal Singh March 4, 2016

Bollywood

20 Years of Taal: An Ode to the Time When Music Made the Movies

To try and find an original song in Bollywood in 2019 is as fruitless as searching for survival tips in PM Modi’s episode of Man vs Wild. But as any ‘90s kid could tell you, there was a time when music made the movies worth watching. The soundtrack of Taal elevated the film into an unforgettable experience.

Kahini Iyer March 4, 2016

Bollywood

The Tashkent Files Review: A Life-Threatening Headache Presented by Alt-Historian Vivek Agnihotri

Vivek Agnihotri's The Tashkent Files keeps raising questions and presents multiple conspiracy theories on Lal Bahadur Shastri's death like an insufferable Quora thread. By the end of the movie, we’re back where we started – no one is certain how Shastri died or why Agnihotri continues making films.

Poulomi Das March 4, 2016

Bollywood

55 Years of Dosti: In a Country that Lacks Empathy, We Need More Films Like this 1964 Classic

On the surface, Rajshri Productions’ Dosti is an endearing tale of friendship between two plucky physically-challenged teenagers. But look beyond and the 1964 classic also speaks of the society we still aspire to be – empathetic, educated, and equitable.

Pragyan Mohanty March 3, 2016