Decoding Bollywood!

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