Lutt Le Gaya
by Shashwat Sachdev
Yet to see the movie but I love this! Heard in NC at my little cousin’s engagement party.
eleven things tagged “bollywood movies”
Merry Christmas from 1970s Indian Santa Claus (youtube.com)
Features two late legends, Sanjeev Kumar (Santa) and Kishore Kumar (singer). Not sure who advised the former to strike a “BRO WHAT’S EVEN GOING ON” expression throughout the song. Wondered what became of the kids in the video. Assuming they were ~10 at the time this movie was released in 1974 they…
Worlds Beyond the Stars
Dil Se, written and directed by Mani Ratnam, is one of my all-time favorite movies. I still consider its soundtrack to be A R Rahman’s greatest work. It’s just magnificent stuff. When I was 15, I remember seeing the movie’s trailer1 and being awestruck by this haunting background song2 that didn’t…
Dhamaka
(2021)
Absolute shit that was thrice as long as it needed to be. A total waste of my time and Amruta Subhash’s talent. When I was done, I wished I’d spent my evening watching every available video on the Island Boys on YouTube.…
Rating: F
Dil Se
A most beautiful, graceful, and sublime rendition of one of my all-time favorite songs. Lovely, lovely stuff 🙏❤️ (via Deepu) See also: Worlds Beyond the Stars…
Another jingoistic saffron shitshow a la “Padmaavat”1. Quite the visual spectacle: like walking through a racist and revisionist Amar Chitra Katha. Saif Ali Khan’s Uday Bhan is the only interesting character. Of noble Rajput blood, he succumbs to eating crocodile meat, sexual assault (of chaste Hin…
Rating: C+
Article 15
(2019)
A wafer-thin afterthought of a plot undergirds an important and harrowing commentary on the history, pervasiveness, and evil of the caste system in India. Excellent cinematography and performances by Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra as Jatav, and Sushil Pandey as Nihal Singh.…
Rating: A-
Baghban
(2003)
Jaspreet Singh on the awful abandonment fantasy beloved by desi parents (starts around 1:10.) Here’s the entire shitshow of a movie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPGXj4e8imE Yakeen maan-na, Baghban dekhne se pehle mujhe idea bhi nahin aaya tha ki maa-baap ko nikaala bhi jaa sakta hai.…
Rating: F
Manmarziyaan
(2018)
Watched with Paaji. Third Anurag Kashyap and Amit Trivedi film. Superb. Maybe a little too drawn out at times (gotta fit in all 14 tracks of that sweet Trivedi score) and was dismayingly Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam-predictable towards the end. “Gray Waala Shade” (with the accompanying opening scenes) i…
Rating: B+
Romeo Akbar Walter
(2019)
Completely predictable plot and twists, ridiculous ending, cookiecutter songs (features the laziest, dullest, ‘You composed it the day before it was due didn’t you?’ qawwali I’ve ever heard.) Fantastic cinematography. Sikander Kher is great. Got a lot of digital errands done whilst watching it, so…
Rating: C
Johnny Gaddar
(2007)
Watched with D and M. Good thriller. Dharmendra was great. Was made aware of Neil Nitin Mukesh jokes.…
Rating: B+