Decoding Bollywood!

July 7, 2018 I cannot remember watching a movie recently, where the story is centered around the female protagonist, who does not make an appearance until 45 minutes into the movie. Despite not being there in almost a third of the film’s runtime, it is commendable how Meena Kumari gave her career defining performance in Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam. Based on a Bengali novel of the same name by Bimal Mitra and directed by Abrar Alvi, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam is a poignant tale of a woman’s longing for her aristocratic husband’s attention. Produced by Guru Dutt, the movie is about Chhoti Bahu (played by Meena Kumari), an unlucky young woman married to the younger son of a Zamindaar, Chhote Babu (played by Rehman). The movie is an agonizing tale of a woman’s craving for her husband’s time, who spends his time away from home at ‘ Kothis ’ – drinking and making merry. Chhoti Bahu’s husband and his family see her demands for his time as unreasonable and deem it to be her move to control h

July 3, 2018 Any discussion on ‘Parallel Cinema’ in India is incomplete without the reference of director, Govind Nihalani’s 1983 socio-drama, ‘Ardh Satya’. Co-produced by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), Ardh Satya became a landmark in Indian Cinema, for its gritty performances, sensitive handling of social issues and high-quality cinematic craft. When I began watching this movie, the only thing I knew was that it had Om Puri and Smita Patil in the lead. Not even the slightest inkling of the premise or the plot. And, to be honest, I had huge expectations from the movie, owing to the hype surrounding it. But, I must admit, I was left a bit disappointed. The movie is set in Mumbai, on the backdrop of Police and their high handedness. Sub Inspector Anant Velankar (played by Om Puri) is an upright and honest cop. Due to his honesty, righteousness and not conforming to the ugly police-mafia nexus, Velankar is always reprimanded by his seniors and holds a medio

Movie no 19/100 June 27, 2018 Mumbai has played the muse for a lot of filmmakers over the years. From ‘Life in a Metro’ to ‘Wake Up Sid’, directors have romanced Mumbai, showing its vivid lives and myriad moods. Making her debut as a director, Kiran Rao, also dramatizes the endearing shabbiness of this city and shows it to us through the lives of four starkly different characters, joined by an unexpected connection. Munna (played by Prateik Babbar) is a slum-dwelling Dhobi (a washerman), who aspires of becoming an actor. To make his dream come true, he works hard, dabbles at odd jobs and works out with his limited resources in his tiny shanty. Among the people that he works for, he is drawn close to a rich NRI Banker, Shai (played by Monica Dogra), who returns to India on a sabbatical, to take up her passion for photography. Shai meets a noted painter, Arun (played by Aamir Khan), at one of his exhibitions. She gets instantly attracted to him, but the recluse that Arun i

June 18, 2018 Movie no 18/100 When I began writing this post, all I could feel was pain – gut-wrenching, blood-boiling and excruciating pain! That is the most prominent emotion that director Vikramaditya Motwane evokes through his 2010 dark drama, ‘Udaan’. A close-to-reality flick, Udaan is an agonizing story of a father and his relationship with his children, devoid of any love or compassion. Rohan (played by debutante Rajat Barmecha) is a class twelve student, studying in a boarding school in Shimla. Owing to a misadventure with his friends, he is expelled from the school, forcing him to return home after eight long years. 8 years in which he had neither seen or spoken to his father – who considered paying his fees and sending a token letter every year as his sole responsibility. Upon his return, he discovers that he has a 6-year-old brother, Arjun (played by Aayan Boradia), from his father’s second marriage after his mother’s death. The gloom has just begun to seep in

June 15, 2018 Movie no. 17/100 The movie that I am attempting to decode in this post, featured on the list of Best Indian Classics, compiled by Time. Director Vijay Anand’s 1965 drama, ‘Guide’, with Waheeda Rehman and Dev Anand in the lead, was a poignant tale about human emotions and ambitions. The movie traces the journey of a tourist guide, and how he metaphorically turns into a beacon of light, that ‘guides’ others reach their destiny. Set in a fictional city, Raju (played by Dev Anand) is a sought-after tourist guide with great equation with all and sundry. Rosie (played by Waheeda Rehman) is an aspiring dancer born to a ‘ Khandani Devdasi ’ – a courtesan. To keep her daughter away from the despised profession, her mother gets her married to a much older and wealthy archeologist, Marco (played by Kishore Sahu). The marriage is in shambles from the word go – incompatibility, lack of compassion and bitterness made them a quarrelsome couple. Marco arrives with his wife

June 10, 2018 Movie no -16/100 Having grown up on Filmfares and Stardusts, I was always fascinated by the legends of Madhubala. Much before Madhuri Dixit became a rage for her devastating smile, it was Madhubala who was known for her infectious smile, breathtaking beauty and immense talent. And I got to see a glimpse of it, along with her impeccable comic timing, in actor-director Guru Dutt’s 1955 romcom, Mr and Mrs ’55. Starring Guru Dutt alongside Madhubala, the movie was a satirical comedy on the issues prevailing in a newly independent India, especially the passing of Talaaq Bill (Divorce Bill). Anita (played by Madhubala) is the 20-year old heir to her father’s riches, who is raised by her feminist paternal aunt, Seeta Devi (played by Lalita Pawar). Her aunt advocates for emancipation of women and considers marriage to be a tool used by men to curb the independence of women. On the other hand, Anita romanticizes the whole idea of love and companionship. Much to Seet

Movie no – 15/100 June 8, 2018 After watching a movie with two superstars, Aamir and Salman, the next movie that I picked for my project stars Bollywood’s first superstar, Rajesh Khanna. Directed and produced by Shakti Samanta, ‘Kati Patang’ is a 1971 family drama and thriller, based on a novel by the same name written by Gulshan Nanda. The movie with Asha Parekh and Rajesh Khanna in the lead, was a musical drama, with dollops of melodrama and a generous pinch of suspense. Madhuri (played by Asha Parekh) runs away from the wedding her rich maternal uncle arranges for her. She meets her boyfriend, Kailash (played by Prem Chopra), and realizes that his motive to marry her was purely for her uncle’s wealth. Dejected, she returns to a desolate house to find her uncle dead, presumably out of shock and the shame that his niece inflicts on him. Cursing her fate, she bumps into her childhood friend, Poonam – a young widow with a baby, who is on her way to meet her in-laws for th

Movie no. 14/100 June 6, 2018 Rarely does it happen that a mindless comedy, which almost went unnoticed upon its release, gains a cult status over the years. One such mad caper was the 1994 comedy, ‘Andaz Apna Apna’, starring Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Karishma Kapoor and Raveena Tandon. Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi after a gritty and serious ‘ Damini ’, Andaz Apna Apna was a laugh-riot, that had over-the-top characters and hilarious dialogues, which have become a part of every millennial’s vocabulary. The movie took three years to make and release, grossing an average collection at the Box office. But, it remains one of the best comedies that starred two unabashed and unapologetic actors – Aamir and Salman, much before the stardom struck them. Amar (played by Aamir Khan) and Prem (played by Salman Khan) are two lazy unemployed men, with the sole aim of becoming rich and famous, without working hard for it. While Amar tries to use his street-smart ways to devise ponzi sch

Movie no. 13/100 May 29, 2018 Interestingly and unintentionally, I am writing this on the very same day that this movie completes  five years of its release! Since it’s been a busy week and I have a long backlog of movies to watch, I decided to watch a light-hearted movie after a long day at work! And what better than Ranbir Kapoor- Deepika Padukone’s 2013 superhit, ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’. After a coming-of-age ‘ Wake Up Sid ’, Ayan Mukerji made a mainstream romcom, but emphasized on making the relationships seem real and deep. Kabir Thappar AKA Bunny (played by Ranbir Kapoor) is a spirited college student, who aims to make a living out of travelling and interns with a travel channel. One summer, he along with his best friends, Avinash AKA Avi (played by Siddharth Roy Kapoor) and Aditi (played by Kalki Koechlin), go on a trek to Khipshi Pass in Manali. They meet their long-forgotten, studious and uptight schoolmate, Naina Talwar (played by Deepika Padukone) on the

Movie no. 12/100 May 27, 2018 Most often than not, movies which do the rounds at prestigious film festivals such as Cannes, get stereotyped to be intense, gloomy and dark. Director Ritesh Batra’s 2013 BAFTA-nominated movie, ‘The Lunchbox’ is a poignant love story, set on the backdrop of a bustling Mumbai and the demons the protagonists fight in their mundane lives. As a small film presented by half a dozen producers, this Irrfan Khan – Nimrat Kaur starrer stands out for being extremely real in its emotional depiction of love through letters. The movie opens in a typical cramped Mumbai household with the lady of the house, Ila (played by Nimrat Kaur), attending to her morning chores while chatting with her neighbor on the floor above, Deshpande aunty (voice by Bharti Achrekar). To get her disinterested husband’s attention, she tries to make her way to his heart through his stomach. Due to a goof-up by the famed Dabbawalas of Mumbai, her husband’s lunchbox reaches an aging

Movie no. 11/100 May 25, 2018 The next movie in my movie challenge is director Yash Chopra’s ‘Silsila’, starring Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Rekha and Sanjeev Kumar. A commercial failure upon its release in 1981, Silsila is known till this day for the casting coup that Yash Chopra pulled off – Rekha-Amitabh-Jaya in the same movie. Loosely based on the rumored extra marital affair of Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha, the movie banked heavily on Yash Chopra’s strengths – Picturesque locations, an extremely beautiful chiffon clad heroine, a passionate love track and superhit music. None of these could save the movie, though it attained a cult status over the years, much like another Yash Chopra love story, ‘ Lamhe’ . Shekhar (played by Shashi Kapoor) and Amit Malhotra (played by Amitabh Bachchan) are two brothers joined at their hip – they are thick as thieves and even bathe together! Shekhar, a combat pilot with the Indian Air Force falls in love with a demure, Shobha (play

Movie no. 10/100 May 23, 2018 A story set in the Hindi heartland, shot on location with characters that seem extremely real – sounds more like an Anurag Kashyap film. And, expecting the same elements from the Yash Raj stable seems unbelievable. But, debutante director Sharat Kataria’s 2015 sleeper-hit, Dum Laga Ke Haisha, was a welcome change. Starring Ayushmann Khurrana with Bhumi Pednekar making her debut, Dum Laga Ke Haisha brought back the flavor of Kumar Sanu, narrow Galis of Haridwar and reminisces of the 1990s. Set in the winters of Haridwar in 1995, Prem Prakash Tiwari (played by Ayushmann Khurrana) is a naïve 25-year old, who runs his father’s old cassette shop. He dreads English in class 10 examinations as much as his dreads his father’s ire, and somehow never overcomes the fear of either. Owing to his family’s pressures, he agrees to marry Sandhya (played by Bhumi Pednekar), a confident woman aspiring to be a teacher, but - slightly on the heavier side. What

Movie no 9/100 May 20, 2018 I remember reading a snippet that such was the modest budget on which Director, Shekhar Kapur, made his debut, that they could not afford Lata Mangeshkar for a second song in the film! Masoom, starring Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and an extremely cute child artist, Jugal Hansraj, is an emotional tale on mature issues of infidelity and parenthood. A screen adaptation of ‘Man, Woman and Child’ by Erich Segal, Masoom had dialogues, screenplay and lyrics – three of its biggest assets - written by Gulzar. A successful architect, DK (played by Naseeruddin Shah) and his wife, Indu (played by Shabana Azmi) lead a happy life, with their two daughters, a 10-year old Pinky (played by Urmila Matondkar) and 5-year old Minni (played by Aradhana Shrivastav). Their idyllic life is shaken when DK receives a letter from his long-forgotten school teacher, asking him to collect his ‘son’. A brief affair during a reunion with his classmate from school, Bhavana

Movie no. 8/100 May 9, 2018 For my 8 th outing in this movie challenge, I decided to revisit one of my childhood favorites, Director Mahesh Bhatt’s Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke. This romantic-comedy released in 1993 had Aamir Khan paired opposite Juhi Chawla, with a premise involving three difficult children. Interestingly, Aamir had not only acted in the movie but also co-written the screenplay. In a repertoire of serious and gritty cinema, Mahesh Bhatt has just two light-hearted films. The other one being Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahi . A young, college pass-out, Rahul (played by Aamir Khan) is made the guardian of his niece and nephews (played by Sharokh Bharucha, Baby Ashrafa and Kunal Khemu) upon the untimely death of his sister and brother-in-law. Not only is he forced into parenthood, he is also given the responsibility of managing his brother-in-law’s garment business. These kids are a menace and none of the maids he hires, survive their mischief and pranks. That is when the k

Movie no. 7/100 May 5, 2018 With the seventh movie in my movie challenge, I went back to the black-and-white era! I picked the  1955 blockbuster, Shree 420, with Raj Kapoor and Nargis in the lead. Directed and Produced by Raj Kapoor, Shree 420 is a social drama about the rich in the newly freed India exploiting the poor. It is a light-hearted take on the economic disparity that existed in our society, though it has considerably narrowed now. Raj (played by Raj Kapoor) is a poor Allahabadi who arrives in Mumbai to earn a living, armed only with a degree in BA and a medal of honesty. He is honest, hard-working and innocent when he arrives in the Maximum City, but soon, reality strikes him. He meets Vidya (played by Nargis), a young, righteous school teacher, who is the only bread-winner after her father is rendered wheel-chair ridden. After a couple of odd jobs and a parallel love track with Vidya, Raj is introduced to the world of glitz and glam by a sultry, rich con-w

Movie no 6/100 May 1, 2018 There are some movies which make you applaud the time, when our superstars had the liberty to shed their vanity. In 2004, after huge hits like Main Hoon Na and Kal Ho Naa Ho , Shah Rukh Khan ventured into an experimental territory that required him to get out of his comfort zone, something which his ‘Fans’ are not accepting lately. For my 6 th movie as part of the Bollywood challenge, I watched Shah Rukh Khan – Gayatri Joshi starrer, Swades. Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, the movie serves as a calling for people to re-connect to their roots and do their bit for the country. Director Ashutosh Gowariker creates an authentic village, Charanpur, set in Uttar Pradesh where a NASA returned scientist, Mohan Bhargava (played by Shah Rukh Khan) lands in search of his long-forgotten nanny, Kaveri Amma (played by Kishori Billal). A School teacher, Geeta (played by Gayatri Joshi) brings Kaveri Amma from an old-age home after her parent’s death. Charanpur, i