rishi kapoor Archives

How the Meenakshi Seshadri-Starrer Damini Taught Me My First Lesson in Feminism

In Damini, which released 28 years ago, Meenakshi Seshadri plays a housewife who beats impossible odds in her quest for justice for a rape survivor, the family’s domestic help. In some ways, the movie is the origin story of a conviction that has defined my life and given it purpose — that women are not second-class citizens of the world.

Sonali Kokra July 10, 2016

Bollywood

Amar Akbar Anthony: Why We Need Manmohan Desai’s Diverse India Now More than Ever

In the world that we live in today, which is marred by discrimination toward minorities and a breathless demand for proof of citizenship, Amar Akbar Anthony’s secular universe almost seems utopian. It’s funny because Manmohan Desai’s portrait of India is actually the India that our ancestors fought for.

Runjhun Noopur June 19, 2016

Bollywood

Jaane Kahan Gaye Woh Din: Why We Should Have Kept the Legacy of RK Studios Alive

Built by Raj Kapoor, the man labelled the Showman of India, the iconic RK Studios will make away for apartments. Could we not have treated it better? Given it a new lease on life, possibly as a contemporary cinema history museum?

Alka Shukla June 15, 2016

Bollywood

What Kapoor & Sons Teaches Bollywood About Coming Out of the Closet

Shakun Batra’s Kapoor & Sons, was a brilliantly observed family drama. It also stood out from a sea of Bollywood offerings that stereotyped homosexuality, by having a gay character in the lead whose orientation is almost incidental to the plot.

Poulomi Das April 13, 2016

Bollywood

Rishi Kapoor: The Only Man Who Could Look Like a Rockstar in Shiny Pants and Oversized Sweaters

Rishi Kapoor did not need a larger-than-life character, as in Karz, to make it memorable. “Parda Hai Parda” is proof that Rishi could look like a rockstar in a sherwani and an ugly moustache, with nothing more than a few qawwals, some killer jumpy dance moves, and a rose in hand.

Runjhun Noopur April 7, 2016

Bollywood

30 Years of Chandni: Why Yash Chopra’s Love Letter to Sridevi is the Ultimate Male Fantasy

Chandni is the quintessential male fantasy in motion; except with Yash Chopra behind the camera, that fantasy translates as adoration and appreciation, instead of overt sexualisation. Every shot feels like a gentle caress, like the gaze of an admirer or a devotee.

Runjhun Noopur March 16, 2016

Pop Culture

Sharmaji Namkeen Review: A Fitting and Fun Ode to the Legend of Rishi Kapoor

Sharmaji Namkeen is a sweet, warm film that uses the charms of the late Rishi Kapoor to great effect. So much so, it’s probably the kind of film that acts as both a tribute, and a reminder of his affability.

Divya Unny March 5, 2016