Happy Memorial Day! I am celebrating by unpacking boxes while a watch a guy set up my internet (because I moved!). And, since I have already worked soooooooooooooo hard this week (12 hours of moving yesterday! And that’s without unpacking a single box, just getting them out and in again), I thought I would throw some of the Monday Morning Questions over to you (although you can still ask me any question you want, of course).
My question for you is: What is the first movie star you remember really imprinting on? Not your favorite one now necessarily, but the one you remember from when you were really really young, the one you were obsessed with at age 5 (or 2 or 6 or 8)? I can tell you for me it was Cary Grant. I liked Fred Astaire movies, but it wasn’t just about Fred, it was Fred and Ginger and Edward Everett Horton and all the rest. But Cary Grant movies were just about Cary Grant. And then I got older and moved on to Danny Kaye, and then Frankie Avalon, and then Shahrukh forever and ever.
So, how about you? What was that very first movie star for you? And what is your current star?
And, along with answering my question, you can of course always ask me any question you want, just like any Monday. And just like any Monday, the only rule is that you have to let me answer any question first, even if you have a really really good answer. But once I answer it, you are welcome to jump in and join the conversation.
dontcallitbollywood 
There are special women only screening for Wonder Woman.
What are your views about it?
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It’s a nice business idea, there have been women only screenings of films for years, just like their have been kid friendly screenings and so on. When I was working at a movie theater, we had a women only screening of Sex and the City.
On Mon, May 29, 2017 at 7:07 AM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I have mixed feeling about it. WONder Woman is a feminjst icon and also its the biggest movie directed by a woman
But Wonder woman is also part of Trinity. She is not only a woman super hero. She is bigger than it. Guy fans are also waiting for her for a long time.
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Is Saab Bahadur playing near u?
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Last week I asked u a question,
What is most overrated and underrated movie according to u?
For me overrated ie K3G. Boring and full of gepgraphical error and underrated is Ghatak.
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Did u check Super Singh?
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It took 12 hours to pack and shift
Is it difficult to move in uSA? It never took me more than 3 hours to move from one place to other.
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I think we just have more stuff in the US. And heavier stuff, I live in a temperate climate, so I have to have twice as many clothes as you, for one thing, and the winter stuff is really really big and heavy. Plus, lots of upholstered furniture, rugs, all kinds of things like that. For me in particular, I have hundreds and hundreds of books, which make the move take a lot longer because they are so heavy. The movers can only take one box at a time instead of stacking them or doubling up.
On Mon, May 29, 2017 at 7:14 AM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Can be the case. I was always criticised my parents for living like a brute. I had less things. I didn’t cook food, I didn’t have TV. I always kept myself lite and mobile
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Also, I just remembered that girls have more stuff than boys. My friend told me that once. I asked her this question once. She also took entire day to move to new apartment
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Do u know that Roger Moore passed away? Or know who he was
Also, Powers Boothe is no more.
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Is it true that Gadar was bigger hit than Bahubali if we adjust inflation?
Note: I love Gadar. Dont insult it in any way.
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This is the funniest comment ever! What do you mean “I love Gadar. Don’t insult it.”? You need to keep an open mind -there are people who dislike Gadar (for eg. me, I never quite understand what makes Sunny Deol shriek and scream so much. That’s over-the-counter acting and emoting for me! Just like I am irritated by SRK’s over-the-counter hamming. That doesn’t mean others shouldn’t like Sunny or SRK. It just means I don’t like them. And by the way, I’m South Indian and did not like Angrej. Just saying… Peace!
By the way, hello to you Margaret. Thank you for revisiting the DDLJ movie summary.
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Hello back! and thanks for reminding me I need to finish off the DDLJ post I’ve got half-done.
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Hey ,
My comment wasn’t offensive to anyone. You don’t have to insult anyone. I only asked it as a simple question. I dont come here to insult anyone or anything.
My south Indian fan who is from Kerala, who has seen on Malyalam movies( which have best content in India) liked Angrej. She also told me that some South Indians can start riot for their fav films and super stars. I have seen you radical Bahubali fans. You people called me Anti National for not calling bahubali as better than Lord of the Rings or 300. I dont take ur comment seriously but I reply to everything
Yes, I like Gadar more than Bahubali. I never insulted Bahubali or Prabhas like u just insulted Sunny Deol. Watch his movies and u will know that he doesn’t only shout.
Everyone over here has completely different taste than mine. None of the movies that I like or actors I like are discussed here. They are infact mildly insulted. But I have been respectful to everyone.
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U surprised me last week by telling thay u are aware of Glory and who is Denzel Washington
Do u like Glory? If u like Glory, maybe I can post my review of Border over here
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If i post some videos, will u he watching them?
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Probably not. I have other readers to respond to and other posts to write, your videos are interesting, but they are time consuming to watch.
On Mon, May 29, 2017 at 7:28 AM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Thats not good.
It has been more than a month, when u last saw my videos. They are on an average 4 min long
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What do u think about following article
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/life-style/-sikh-characters-mostly-misrepresented-in-b-town/401073.html
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Interesting in that it shows how the Hindi industry is continuing to pursue the northern audience more and more, maybe a sign that it finds the southern audience impossible to reach?
On Mon, May 29, 2017 at 8:46 AM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I dont think that it is the case. SOuth was always hard to penetrate. Language barrier was stronger earlier. Bollywood did try to hire kamal Hassan and Rajnikant. North was always bigger market. I think that presence of good movies in Punjab can be the reason. Gippy and Diljit have a strong fan following in North. There were people who went to Phillauri only for Diljit.
If you notice that hero was always north Indian. But Punjab was mainly stereotyped, used for only locations.
I read somewhere that Bollywood movies collection is going down because of emergence of regional cinema.
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I am waiting for ur reply on Gadar question and overrated movie
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I think I did reply to those?
On Mon, May 29, 2017 at 8:56 AM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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No u didn’t. All I had was an insulting and out of place comment from some anonymous guy
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Oh, I thought I had! But I was responding literally as my internet was being installed so maybe the responses didn’t go through.
Overrated underrated: Bajirao Mastani and Jaan-e-Mann
Gadar versus Bahubali: Bahubali is still in theaters so it is hard to answer. One thing that I do find interesting about Gadar is that, since it did so well in single-screens and rural areas, that means the profits reflect 10 times as many individual tickets sold as the same profits for a film that did well in multiplexes.
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Gadar was quite big at that time. I was only 11 year old at that time. I like Gadar more than Bahubali. No surprise there
Why do u think Jaan e man is underrated?
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I don’t think it is the greatest movie of all time or anything, but it had some really great performances and songs and an interesting script and all kinds of good things in there. And yet it tends to be lumped in with Joker and Tees Mehr Khan as just all time terrible films.
On Wed, May 31, 2017 at 8:07 AM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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U set bar very low for Bollywood. Tees Maar Khan and Joker are not the only terrible films. For me , Jaaneman is better film than Tees maar khan but that is not saying much
It has so much forced and irritating comedy. It was a really bad movie. Not only “not the best movie ever made”.
I call Ghatak underrated because people dont know much about it. But those who have seen this movie like it.
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I have tried some hand at blogging.
Here is my first blog
https://kinginthenorth349.wordpress.com/2017/05/29/angrej-a-good-movie-that-proides-a-glimpse-to-indian-culture/
I request everyone Moviemavengal, Joyomama, Margaret, Angie to visit it and give their views
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You made me want to see the film, because of your description of the wedding scene. I do enjoy the highly choreographed dance numbers, but find the more “authentic” ones more interesting. I also usually do not reject a movie just because of the genre, except for horror/thriller films with excessive violence. Some romantic films are excellent, some are terrible. Some violent horror/thriller films are also excellent, but I do not need the nightmares they give me and have learned to avoid them.
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Feeling happy on my first positive review. If ever became a writer and won a prize, I will thank u
If, Angrej was only a love story, I would not have seen it. But I loved the authenticity. A lot of things reminded me of my childhood. In this movie, u will also find folk songs that are sung in traditional manner. Village is authentic. It is made up of mud houses
Amrinder Gill looks like everyday hero. He looks so normal. He is not big bollywood type hero. Even his hair is unkept.
Sargun mehta is also great in this movie. She looks beautiful but also not bollywood beautiful.
here are some video songs to give u an idea. I haven’t met anyone yet who doesn’t like Angrej. Even people from South India like it.
Also, I forgot to mention songs. They are also great. I think u can enjoy them even without understanding Punjabi Amrinder Gill is perhaps best Punjabi singer and actor right now. He is a better singer than even Diljit.
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There is a translation of one song in English
What if u left the great love we had
What if u will wear ring of someone’s else name
I will console my heart, spend days by dying a little bit
I will spend my life by mising u
I hope that u watch this movie and like it. U like typical Bollywood movies. You can be the first one to dislike this movie. But one must keep fingers crossed. I will abondon the idea of blogging if people dont like this movie
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U dont like violence? Does it mean that u dont like Die Hard, Rambo, Terminator, Gladiator, Saw, Logan, Deadpool, Game of thrones etc?
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I have not seen any of those, though I have read the entire Game of Thrones series. Strong visuals of violence give me nightmares. People are different — thank heaven — and it helps me to know myself.
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U haven’t seen all these movies? These are my favourites. Rambo was the first Hollywood movie that I saw. I loved the action scences, how Rambo destroyed every thing in his sight. I loved the speech of Rambo in first movie. I loved the way he cried. I call Logan as the best movie of the year so far. It is absoluetly brilliant movie. It goes full destruction mode. Even Dead pool cant make fun of it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_SyrpYk-Ik&t=136s.
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And Game of thrones is absoluetly brilliant. Not only because of Gore and sex but also brilliant acting. It is must watch for anyone. My friend didn’t watch TV shows. He asked me about GAme of Thrones. I told him how i felt. He watched Game of thrones and he loved it. He told me that this show is addictive. My other friend watched 60 episodes in 2 weeks. I was fascinated by a character named Arya. I have decided to name my daughter after her.
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Congrats! I suggest, if you want more people to read it, try posting links on other websites as well, or other discussion boards where people talk more about Punjabi film.
On Mon, May 29, 2017 at 8:49 AM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Okay. I will give a try. There is only site that give some sort of news over Punjabi movies. I think I will do it.
Also, I want to discuss Hollywood action movies too over there.
How did u like my review?
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Also, u didnt answer
why do u think that Salman Khan will be better than Sanjay Dutt in Rocky?
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There is nothing more to talk about, if you think Salman isn’t a good enough actor, then that is kind of the end of the discussion. I think he is, you think he isn’t, not much to be gained by talking about it.
On Mon, May 29, 2017 at 9:01 AM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Did u watch Logan?
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No, it is now available for purchase in America, but not for rental. It should be available for rental in a few weeks.
On Mon, May 29, 2017 at 9:06 AM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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A must watch movie. Not for someone who doesn’t like voilence. If you like violence, then this movie is gem. Even Deadpool cant make fun of it. Hugh jackman can actually become first superhero to be nominated for oscar. It is deep, emotional and full of action.
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So, to answer your question. My first favorite movie star was James Stewart. I still think he was an amazingly versatile and charismatic actor. I probably saw him first in some cowboy movie, which were very popular when I was a little girl. My first actor crush, however, was Laurence Olivier, whom I saw LIVE in Becket on Broadway when I was about ten or eleven. I had no idea how old he was at the time (around 52), and had never heard of him, but his portrayal of Becket was so vivid and his energy so palpable that it forever changed what I expect of “great” acting. His backstory is somewhat similar to SRK’s, in that he did not come from a theatrical family and had to earn his stardom.
My current favorites, in no particular order, are Shahrukh Khan, John Lithgow, Meryl Streep, Morgan Freeman,and Viola Davis. (Favorite = I will watch anything they make, regardless of reviews).
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Did u watch Ghatak?
I like the actors u mentioned apart from Shahrukh Khan.
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Not yet; I did watch Jeet last week, but am saving my reaction for Margaret’s Wednesday thread. So you will have to be patient. 🙂
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Nooo. Finally, a movie that i could discuss. Finally, I can make a contribution apart from writing questions that people wont even read or posting reviews and vidoes which no one will see.
It is my first chance to not to be an outsider and not laugh at reviews.
It is difficult to wait. We are Punjabis and we are not known for patience. We can discuss in parts
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I am a German-American from Nebraska, and we are not known for our emotionality or wordiness. But Perhaps I will try for a longer review my own website, so we can indulge in discussion there!
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Destry Rides Again? Or Winchester ’76? Those are the two Stewart Westerns I really really like. If it was Winchester ’76, I’ve got an article somewhere in my archives talking about how he forever changed the film industry with that film, because he took a cut of the gross instead of a flat rate. He wanted to make Winchester ’76 and Harvey, and the studio didn’t think either film would work, so he gave up on a salary and took cut of the gross instead, and then they both ended up being hits and he made lots and lots and lots of money. Anyway, I agree! He is an amazingly versatile actor. although, he can’t really pull off a musical hero. He was in a movie with Eleanor Powell and had to serenade her with “Easy to Love” and it is not the greatest. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbyOCKU16gI
I am less up on Lawrence Olivier, but my sister and I did have a brief period of being obsessed with The Divorce of Lady X.
On Mon, May 29, 2017 at 9:33 AM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Based on the dates, I would guess it was Broken Arrow (1950), which I remember seeing at the Drive-In. I would have been around three. My favorite films of his are Philadephia Story, Rear Window, and the Man who Shot Liberty Valance. So different!
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That’s a really tough question. I don’t think I have a clear-cut answer to that. I had like three favorite movies (Nuvve Nuvve, KKHH, and Vasantham) which I watched over and over again but I didn’t have like a specific actor who would make me want to watch any movie with them in it. Until I was like 15 years old, I didn’t really have a favorite actor. Whenever someone would ask me who my favorite actor was, I would just say that I like everyone. But I’ve always liked Mahesh’s movies growing up. I would watch and enjoy movies like Murari, Athadu, Okkadu, and Pokiri on TV growing up. And I’ve seen every one of Mahesh’s movies in the theater since Khaleja which came out in 2010. I loved him in Dookudu but I still wasn’t a full fledged fan. When I saw 1:Nenokkadine in 2014, everything changed. I was so blown away by the movie and I was surprised that a star like Mahesh made this kind of movie in Telugu. That movie made me a fan of Mahesh, and the first thing I did when I went home was I tried to find out what his next movie was and when it was coming out. Until then, I never used to seek out information about movies. Infact the only reason I went to 1:Nenokkadine in the first place was because my mom had said that there was a new Mahesh Babu movie and apparently it was good. I hadn’t seen any trailers or songs and I didn’t even know who the heroine or director was.
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It is so neat that Indian movies can be the kind that a little kid will watch over and over, and an adult. That’s not really related to your answer, but I find it fascinating that you had one Hindi and two Telugu films that were complete appropriate for a little kid to watch. And in America, it would just be some Disney film or something else that is clearly child only.
I also think it is really neat that you came around to Mahesh not because of what he actually did in the film, or not only that, but because he was willing to help the film be produced and promoted and released and all in the first place. Not just his onscreen presence but his behind the screen actions and encouragement of creativity in the industry and stuff.
On Mon, May 29, 2017 at 10:59 AM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Right! I find that really cool about Indian movies as well. One of my favorite things to do is to rewatch movies that I liked as a little kid and see if I still like them now. Though a lot of the movies held up for me, I would often realize that I didn’t understand half of what was going on in a movie when I was younger 🙂 . But growing up, I loved Disney films too. My favorites were The Lion King, Bug’s Life, and Finding Nemo.
I’ve got to admit that Mahesh also looked really good in 1:Nenokkadine 🙂
But seriously, I never expected a Telugu movie to be so different yet have the commercial elements like the songs and the romance. I was really disappointed when the movie ended up flopping.
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I’M SO OLD!!!! Finding Nemo came out when I was in college.
As you know, I am also completely in love with 1:Nenokkadine 🙂
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Lol 🙂
I love reading your review of 1:Nenokkadine! You just sound so excited.
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I don’t think I straight out mentioned my favorite current stars but they are Mahesh Babu, Varun Dhawan, and Naga Chaitanya. These are the actors for whom I would watch any movie in the theater for. I actually went to Dilwale about two weeks after it came out just so I could finally see Varun on the big screen. The next tier of stars that I really really like would probably be Suriya, Nani, Dhanush, Nagarjuna, and also Shahrukh.
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I was never really obsessed with any actor till I was in my teens.Strangely I never disliked any particular actor either.I just watched whatever was available and that’s it.I had a short crush on Remington Steele (not Pierce Brosnan) in my teens.Of course then I discovered Shah Rukh Khan and poor Mr.Steele never stood a chance of winning my affections again.
Now on to the question of the day. Who is your favorite villain? You could sympathise with him while despising his actions.And no, he can’t be an anti-hero.So Amitabh,Vinod Khanna and Shah Rukh Khan are immediately disqualified.
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Shoot, I really want to say Don! But that’s disqualified. So, without choosing Don, hmmm. Well, Mogambo is tempting. So entertaining! Saif in Omkara too, so complicated.
Oh! I know! At least, I know for today, I can’t promise my opinion won’t change tomorrow. But for today, Anil Kapoor in Tashaan. Because he starts out kind of funny and then very slowly as the film goes on you see that he is both terrifying, and legitimately evil. But he is still funny too. It’s not like that first impression was a mask he put on, that was himself too, when he is out of his depth and trying to be Western he comes off as funny. But when he is in his own element, he is in control and powerful and evil.
On Mon, May 29, 2017 at 11:53 AM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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One name came to my mind, when I read your question – Patrick Swayze. Dirty Dancing had been my most rewatched movie until I discovered bollywood and K3G and Veer-Zaara.
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There is a Dirty Dancing remake, Holiday, but I’ve heard it is really not very good.
On Mon, May 29, 2017 at 12:13 PM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I have watched Holiday! And it’s terrible, plot is similiar, but it doesn’t have even 1% of Dirty Dancing magic).
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Oh good. I mean, good that I am not missing anything by not having seen it.
On Mon, May 29, 2017 at 1:52 PM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Angie, Patrick Swayze is my first favorite movie star, too! I was more like 8 or so when North and South the miniseries first aired. Through high school I really thought I would study the Civil War in college and be a historian because that miniseries and the books jump-started my interest. And then Dirty Dancing really cemented my love. I had the poster on my bedroom door and everything. I loved him so much that last week my dad e-mailed me special because he saw there was going to be a remake on ABC (based on the Twitter response I deleted it from my DVR without even trying). Through high school, college and beyond and still today, Daniel Day-Lewis is one of my all time favorites.
My current favorite star is hard to pick. For many years it was Hrithik Roshan with the occasional obsession with other Indian stars like Shahid Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Imran Khan, Arjun Kapoor, or Arjun Rampal. And also a few Hollywood guys, too, like Richard Armitage, Tom Hardy, Tom Hiddleston.
I really don’t have a favorite male star in any movie industry right now…which is sad:( Maybe Idris Elba and Alexander Skaarsgard for Hollywood? Maybe Abhishek Bachchan for Indian movies…I’m really just hoping for a big career upswing for him soon.
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I forgot about Daniel Day Lewis! I saw Last of the Mohicans in class when I was in high school and became obsessed for about two months. But only with him in that one role in that one movie.
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I also fell in love with DDL because of Last of the the Mohicans. Then my love was cemented after In the Name of the Father…one of my favorite movies of all time. His “Irish trilogy” of My Left Foot, In the Name of the Father, and The Boxer are all wonderful.
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I also didn’t really imprint onto an actor until Daniel Day Lewis, who burst onto the scene with My Beautiful Laundrette and A Room with a View simultaneously when I was in high school. If you’ve seen both movies you know how different the roles are, so he is the first actor I recognized as an actor, rather than just a smoking hot man (although he is that as well). I used to see everything he was in, although I missed a few recently because of the difficulty of seeing them in Japan. Loved him in Lincoln though.
Favorites now are Ranveer, Ranbir, Iirfan, Rahul Bose, Konkona, Anushka, and Vidya; in non-Indian films: still Daniel Day Lewis, Richard Jenkins, Mark Rylance, and Carey Mulligan.
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I forgot mention Colin Firth! Shame on me. He was the second actor I tottaly fell on. I remember even the exact moment when it happened (like Margaret with DDLJ and Shah Rukh) I was watching Pride and Prejudice, but only because I was bored and there was nothing else in tv (yeah I was young and stupid) and suddenly there was a scene when Mr Darcy and Elizabeth are in the same room. He doesn’t say a word, just looks at her but I could read all his feelings in his eyes . I was like “This is the best actor ever. I want more”. and from that moment I was counting days till next episode. I still love Colin.
Then, when I discovered bollywood, I felt in love with: SRK, Akshay, and Sunil Shetty.
But now there is only one actor that make me watch any movie without hesitation – Madhavan. Shah Rukh had this privilege, but has lost it thanks to movies like Chennai Express, and Dilwale (and partialy Jab Tak Hai Jaan even if he was superb in it)
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The first two actors I remember liking are Shah Rukh (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai being the first Hindi movie I remember watching on TV), and Prithviraj, simply because he had starred in the first movie I remember watching in the theatre (Nandanam, also Prithvi’s first film).
But my first actor-crush was Suriua. I first saw him in the Tamil Ghajini, which I watched after I saw the Hindi one. But it was while watching Vaaranam Aayiram when I was 13 that I fell madly in love with him. He still is my biggest celeb-crush.
Oh, and there was also a period of Ranbir-love during the time between Rockstar and Ye Jawani Hai Deewani, but that evaporated completely when I had the misfortune of watching Besharam.
Then there was a brief Varun period, a Fawad period and now finally I am in Prabhas mode. 😃
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We are sisters in misfortune! I also saw Besharam. And, like you, it pretty much knocked the YJHD love right out of me. And nothing since then has really brought it back. Ranbir was great in ADHM, redeemed himself as an actor, but I’m still not swoony for him. And I doubt Jagga Jasoos is going to make any difference either.
and once again, I need to watch that movie! Gautham Menon, Suriya, that should be easy to remember. Right now, I’ve got a review of Maya Bazaar lined up, and then Robot, and the Janatha Garage, so it will be a long time before the review goes up, but maybe I “cheat” and watch a Telugu movie this weekend even though I am ahead of schedule on those.
On Mon, May 29, 2017 at 1:29 PM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Totally agree about the Ranbir-love never returning back. Even I liked him in ADHM, but still…… Btw, VA is a Tamil film 😊
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Gautham Menon is mostly Tamil, right? I picked the Tamil versions of Achcham Yenbadhu Madamaiyada and Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa because I wanted the “real” ones, or at least the ones in the language the director is most familiar with.
On Mon, May 29, 2017 at 2:22 PM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I think he is a part Malayalee, but his films are usually in Tamil. Though I personally like his films, he usually receives a lot of flak for using too much English in his films. But maybe that’s why I like them, the English usage in the dialogue makes it more relatable for me. I remember when Vinnaithandi Varuvaaya came out, there was this one line which is still poked fun at by Gautham haters – “She’s a one way ticket to heartbreak city.”
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Can I slip into this connversation? 🙂
Vaaranam Aayiram was one of very few tamil movies I have seen, and it make me stay away from this cinema for years (till I felt in love with Dhanush and watched 3). It’s not because it’s bad movie, no, it’s good, and Surya was great, but I wasn’t ready for so intense and long story. I wasn’t used to this kind of narrative. I had a hangover for few days after I have seen it, and I decided that tamil movie are not my piece of cake.
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Same! I’ve been a Suriya fan ever since I saw Vaaranam Aayiram a couple years ago. I also loved him in Singam.
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I must confess that I haven’t seen any of the Singhams. But I did love him in Ghajini (despite the hideous outfits in the songs), 24, Sillunu Oru Kaadhal (I love the romantic Suriya more than the action one 😊). Glad to meet another Suriya fan! I remember you said that you like Dhanush too?
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Actually the reason I like the first Singam so much is because of the romance in it. The romantic track is quite short but it does make the movie a lot better. I don’t love the sequels as much as the first movie but I do appreciate that they continued the story, characters and most importantly, the romance.
It’s been years since I saw Ghajini. I barely remember it because I saw it back around the time it came out and played on tv; I was probably like eight years old back then. How could I forget 24! It’s one of my favorites and my first Suriya movie that I saw in the theater. I honestly didn’t really like Sillunu Oru Kaadhal. Bhoomika was really annoying. But I do like New York Nagaram! Have you seen Aaru? It’s another action movie but I think the romance in this movie is also really nice.
Yeah, I do like Dhanush! I think my favorite Dhanush movies would be VIP and 3.
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Now I have to watch Singham and Aaru! Especially now that I have a fondness for Anushka. I still find their pairing odd though. She’s really tall and he’s a bit short 😊
Have you seen Ayan? It’s an action movie but I love the songs!
24 was my first Suriya film in the theatres too!
VIP and 3 are my picks too. But to be honest, I like Dhanush in everything he has done post 3.
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Singam is better than Aaru. Yeah, their pairing works out. I think their hight difference is only visible in the songs.
I do like Ayan, but only in parts. I really like Vizhi Moodi as a song and the picturization is really cute, but the other songs haven’t really stuck. Aadhavan is not as good of a movie as Ayan but I love the songs in that movie more than the songs in Ayan.
I actually don’t think I’ve seen any Dhanush movies that came out before 3. Have you seen Maari? It’s an action movie but it’s romance is interesting.
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I also have a few questions for you.
1- How did you get into Indian films?
2- How and when did you start watching South Indian films?
3- Who are your favorite actors in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam? (I know about Hindi duh!)
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1 – I have always been a film person, and when I started college, I spent every weekend going around to the art movie theaters in town and seeing foreign and classic and indie films, whatever was out there. One weekend, one of the theaters was playing DDLJ and Kandukonden Kandukonden. I was more interested in KK, because of Sense and Sensibility, but my roommate at the time was Desi and she told me that she loved DDLj so I should see it. I made it almost halfway through without falling in love, but then that moment at the train station when SRK says good-bye to Kajol just about killed me, like literally I am sitting in the movie theater in tears. And that was it for me, I was a convert. Luckily, I was going to a college that had a ton of Desi students, all my friends and everyone on my floor of the dorm was Desi. So they turned me on to rediff.com to catch up on gossip and gave me long lists of movies to see, plus I was in a city so I could go to the stores and rent anything I wanted. By the time I graduated, they were asking me for advice and information because I had become so obsessed.
2. Like I said, the same weekend I saw DDLJ, I also saw Kandukonden Kandukonden. So I guess that was technically my first southern film. And then I saw Jeans, because of the soundtrack. And Roja and Bombay, however you want to count those. But that was it, I purposefully held really firm against southern movies. Because I had spent so many years learning absolutely everything about Hindi film, and I just couldn’t face starting over. Or the challenge of learning about not just one, but several totally new industries. And then Bahubali came out and MovieMavenGal said I HAD to watch it. So I did, and fell in love with Prabhas and watched a few more of his films. And then OK Kanmani was on Netflix, and I loved the soundtrack, so I saw that. And then MovieMavenGal told me I HAD to watch Ohm Shaanti Oshaana, and I completely fell in love with that movie, which sent me down the path of binging on Malayalam.
The thing is, I can’t do anything by half measures. Like, for instance, this blog. If I am blogging, it’s not going to be a for fun thing every few days, the standard I am setting myself is what I see on professional websites. So, in the same way, once I officially was watching Southern films, I really really wanted to watch them. Learn the actors and families and watch the classics and try to understand the history. I still have a long way to go, but I think for only having started 2 years ago (more like a year and a half for Malayalam), I am doing pretty good!
3. Telugu: Prabhas or Nagarjuna. Mostly Nagarjuna. Malayalam: Nivin Pauly! Or, if you force me to choose between Mohanlal and Mammootty, Mohanlal. Tamil: I am still agnostic. Which is good news for you, it means there is still a chance Suriya could win me over!
On Mon, May 29, 2017 at 1:48 PM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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1- It’s good that you started with the good movies in each language. I am a Malayalee who has grown up on a diet of Malayalam, Tamil and Hindi films. I started watching Telugu films when they were dubbed in Malayalam (Allu Arjun was, and is a big thing in Kerala). But I only started actively watching Telugu films since I saw Eega. When I told my family about your blog, they couldn’t believe you and Moviemavengal weren’t Indians. I had to show them your About page to convince them 😃. I really admire your knowledge on Indian film.
2- I see that Rahman had a BIG role in getting you into Tamil.
3- Nice choices! For me its Prabhas and Allu Arjun in Telugu, Suriya and Dhanush in Tamil, and Dulquer, Nivin and Prithviraj in Malayalam. And Mohanlal between the two. And Hindi – SRK of course!
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Rahman combined with all my desi friends 🙂
His songs travel so much, even people who were only casual movie watchers and wouldn’t ever consider watching a film outside their language will listen to his songs in any language. At least, in my experience. So I had people recommending soundtracks to me, and then I got curious to see the movies they came from.
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I too, have a question. I read yesterday that Rangoon and Half-Girlfriend have been screened in Poland. It was only in some cinemas in biggest cities, but still. Both movies are terrible. And my question is: which uncoming movies would you recommend to be shown in countries like Poland, Czech republic etc (with no indian immigrants, just white people enjoying hindi cinema)
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It’s hard to pick good “white people” Indian movies, as I think of them. Because the really really good stuff, the newbies can’t handle. Like, I don’t think Raees would necessarily do that well in Poland because it has so many culturally specific elements.
The films I really wish would get more play overseas are the Malayalam films. The style is so similar to American and European art films, there would be less of a shock for the audience and they could more easily appreciate them. Or I would vote for the other end of the spectrum, stuff like Dabangg, completely fun and over the top and enjoyable.
It’s those middle of the road films that are just no good at all, neither fish nor fowl. You come out thinking “Indian films are just less-good Western films with songs” instead of appreciating them as something entirely unique.
On Mon, May 29, 2017 at 2:08 PM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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LOL I think the same about malayalam! When I watched Kick in tv few days ago my first thought was “Man, they should show Ohm Shanti Oshana instead of this crap”. And I was thinking the same thing yesterday while reading about Rangoon 😉
SRK has a lot of fans in Poland and that’s why Raees was shown, and Fan too.
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Angie,
And there’s a unique relation Malayalees have with Poland…
Probably the most iconic Malayalam film dialogue of all time (with subtitles) –
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Thanks for sharing. I wanna watch entire movie now 🙂
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I think it was last Monday or the Monday before when I mentioned a behind the scenes video of Bahubali and promised to translate it. Alas, as I warned, I’ve hardly had the time to do that. I got the first two or three minutes translated so far. 😦 So, in response to a request then, and for anybody else who might understand Telugu, I am giving the link here. It is called Bahubali Adbhutalu (The Wonders of Bahubali): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGi9soHEaO0&t=251s
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Thanks Moimeme! I remember that parts of this interview were attached to the TV telecast of Baahubali 1.
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I totally agree with some of the names that have already been mentioned! Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart and Patrick Swayze are definite classics, and I would add Gene Kelly to that list, as well! In terms of Indian film, I’m definitely an SRK fan, but I also ping pong between Fawad and Ranveer/Ranbir, as well!
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Gene Kelly, of course. Have you noticed how many Indian choreographers are Kelly fans? I find many more references to him than to Astaire.
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Hmmm good point! I always have that mental image of Astaire in tails, whereas I always think of Kelly (elegantly) stomping in Singin’ in the Rain. Perhaps the Kelly style is more so the style Indian choreographers wish to emulate? Now I have to hunt down your article on the La La Land/Vennilave dancing!
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that makes sense to me! Kelly was all about the color and the spectacle, Astaire was all class and restraint.
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So you know how I’m a fan of both Mahesh and Varun. Well apparently, Mahesh’s next movie is supposed to come out for Dussehra this year. They haven’t announced an actual date but Dussehra basically means September 29 which is also the release date of Judwaa 2. Even though we are four months away, I’m still thinking about which movie to watch first. So if you were in a similar situation how would you decide which movie to watch first?
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well, when I’ve been in this situation, I always wait until the last minute and then decide based on reviews and/or showtimes. Usually with these double releases, one of them is clearly the “winner” once the early reports start coming out. And if there is no clear winner, or if you are enough of a fan that reviews make no difference to you, I just go as objective as possible and decide based on convenience. Which film has the best showtime and the closest location.
On Mon, May 29, 2017 at 8:53 PM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I’m going to watch both movies regardless of the reviews, preferably on the first day. Even though it’s waayy too early to decide, I think I would go to Judwaa 2 first. I ended up watching Badrinath Ki Dulhania on Friday morning and I was one of 6 people in the theater. I’m sure a Mahesh movie would be full even on Friday morning, so I’d rather go later in the day.
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Late to the party. I like many actors and actresses, but the actors I imprinted on in childhood (I like that phrasing!) are: Leonard Nimoy (as Mr. Spock), Spencer Tracy, Humphrey Bogart, Harrison Ford, Bud Cort (Harold and Maude is still my favorite movie ever), Tim Curry. Then a long break where no-one in particular got added to the list. In the 2000’s I became moderately obsessed with Hugh Laurie–in all his incarnations but especially Bertie Wooster and House. For the last two years it’s been all-Shah Rukh, all the time.
Shah Rukh actually reminds me a lot of Humphrey Bogart–not classically handsome, bit of an odd build, underrated in terms of real acting, very charismatic, good at dark, humorous, dramatic, and romantic roles. If I ever meet him I’ll tell him so. 🙂
My question to you and other commenters. Do you “imprint” on same sex actors? There are a few actresses who I find so gorgeous and charismatic that I love to watch them just to look at them. They all have a similar look. Ingrid Bergman, Isabella Rosselini (mom and daughter of course), Rachel Ward (such a shame she hasn’t done well long term), and now Madhuri Dixit.
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I think the only time I remember being really obsessed with an actress was Eleanor Powell. And a little bit Doris Day. But, for me at least, it wasn’t/isn’t a same-sex versus different sex thing, but more that actresses just aren’t given the kind of center-piece roles that actors are, in any industry. A Cary Grant film is totally and completely a Cary Grant film. But you can’t really say the same for most actresses, they just aren’t given the opportunities.
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Do check out this article from Supriya Menon, wife of Prithviraj. Think this is her first article after marriage. She was a BBC correspondant before marriage.
http://m.huffingtonpost.in/2017/05/30/in-malayalam-cinema-a-women-s-collective-takes-aim-at-the-gende_a_22115045/
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Interesting idea, that women need to form their own protective group within the industry because no one else is taking care of them. It brings me back to one of my 101 posts, I think on women in the industry, and how there is a real safety barrier to them working on films. With no work/life divisions, it can be hard for women to find a safe way into the industry. Not because the industry in particular is unsafe, but because India public spaces as a whole are unsafe. And working in film requires you to be traveling late at night, frequently the only woman in a room, under the thumb of a male superior, etc. etc.
On Tue, May 30, 2017 at 1:09 PM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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