Happy Monday! And we will be happy today! Not that you should feel guilty if you are still feeling down about yesterday’s news, but I am going to work to make this a happy place today where you can come and be lifted up.
This is where you get to ask me anything you want, like “what is the happiest song you have ever seen?” or “which movie star has the cutest puppy?” or other vital issues like that. Just keep swinging back all week as you think of things you want to ask.
Now, important question for you! What are you looking forward to this week?
I have so much to look forward to! We just got a cucumber in our produce delivery, so today I get to have a cucumber sandwich for lunch. I finished The Blue Sword over the weekend, and it was just as good as Emily promised, so now I get to look forward to reading the other book in the series. And on Friday I have to drive home from the lake house, which is a downer, but I get to listen to my Saavn mix of good songs on the way, so that is something to look forward to also.
Bonus question: what song always makes you feel good about the world?
Here’s one I forgot about, never even seen the movie but I stumbled on this song on a songs DVD and I just love it, “Meri Zindagi Mein Aaye” from Armaan.
dontcallitbollywood 
I’m looking forward to my sister’s birthday. It’s on Friday. She is not very excited for it, but her daughter and I are counting days. I hope she will like the presents.
What song always makes you feel good about the world?
Malare
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Happy birthday to your sister!!!! that is exciting. Other people’s birthdays are so much fun to plan for, especially when you are planning with other people. I hope you and your niece got to have lots of fun conversations.
On Mon, Jun 15, 2020 at 8:26 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Hi, Margaret! I’m looking forward to getting out and weeding the garden while the weather is a little less hot and humid in the DC area. I feel so virtuous afterward and it’s relaxing to go sit in the yard and see how nice it looks.
What ever happened to the space movie with Sushant? What ever happened to the astronaut biopic that Shah Rukh was, then wasn’t part of? What’s up with space movies generally in Indian films, and how does that link up to India’s ongoing investments in space exploration and science?
Song that makes me feel good about the world, because it’s a happy melody and shows a series of small nice things happening to a poor guy who moved to the big city–becoming a bookkeeper for a theater troupe, discovering his tribe, and discovering he may have a calling in acting. Semi-autobiographical. From the movie Aandavan Kattalai, Vijay Sethupathi, of course.
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This is the kind of weather that always makes me think “I could totally garden! I should do it!” and then I fail. But it seems like I could, it seems like it would be so enjoyable to go out there and put my fingers in the dirt.
That whole space movie period was so strange! there were like 5 that were all announced, and then only two came out. Shahrukh’s space movie was only rumored, not announced, but it was strongly rumored and then it went away. Maddy is still trying to get his space movie out there. Sushant’s disappeared. There were two down south that were supposed to happen and I think only one of them did. And then Mission Mangal and Zero were both kind of space movies. My personal guess is that space was in the news, Gravity had just come out, and the Mangal Mission happened, so a lot of filmmakers got excited. and then they realized how punishingly expensive a space movie is and it fell apart.
Awww, your description of that song makes me want to watch the movie!
On Mon, Jun 15, 2020 at 9:07 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Sadly it’s only streaming on SunNxt–and I can’t remember if it has subtitles or not on there. It’s on Einthusan but without subtitles. I had to go old school to watch it, download from Einthusan, then find a subtitle file to run with it. It really is a shame that DVDs aren’t a thing anymore for most Indian movies.
This is one of the 2 performances that Film Companion gave Vijay a spot for in their “100 performances of the decade” last year, along with Super Deluxe. Like many “smaller” Tamil movies–it has a wonderful ensemble vibe.
I didn’t super love Aandavan Kattalai on first watch because it has a couple of annoying stalkery/courting a woman under false pretenses tropes. But the second time I feel like the woman gets her own back, and Vijay repents fully. But I know you are not a big fan of plots involving dishonesty in love, so you may not care for that either.
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Any suggestions on 90s masala movies to watch that are just fun and happy? I am taking a mental health day and need a movie to watch while I organize my bedroom. I have been on an Akshaye Khanna kick and just watched Laawaris, Kudrat, and Himalayputra and am completely in love with Laawaris. Have you seen it? If not, you really should. The women in it are great, especially Dimple and most importantly, her hair is fabulous.
Song that makes me feel good about the world: Yuhi Kat Jayega Safar Saath Chalne Se
Because the journey does become easier when we are in it together (translation of the title).
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Jaanwar! Main Khiladi Tu Anari! Bal Brahmachari (that’s more hilariously bad than Masala)! Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai! Hamesha! Ishq!!!! Rajkumar! Mann!
On Mon, Jun 15, 2020 at 9:31 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Thank you so much for the recommendations.
Never seen Jaanwar, it always looked kind of gory but if you recommend it, I will watch it.
Main Khiladi Tu Anari is amazing and also so gay. I love Saif-Akshay chemistry. Bal Bhramachari I watched based on one of your previous posts and yes, it is ridiculous. I have seen both JPKHH and love Salman with the kid. Salman is just so good with children. Also, a rare Twinkle movie. My sister also LOVES Hamesha and I love Rajkumar so we have seen both movies far too many times. They are in my rotation of happy ridiculous movies to rewatch. I am going to skip Ishq and Maan. The second half of Ishq annoys the crap out of me and I really just don’t like Maan.
So, Jaanwar it is.
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Okay, Jaanwar is slightly gory, But in a ridiculous Masala way! Karisma’s dances are some of her best ever, Akshay looks hot, the action scenes are hilarious, and there are “attack dogs” that are clearly friendly labrador puppies who are very confused by all these people shouting at them.
On Mon, Jun 15, 2020 at 9:57 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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HA! Sounds like exactly what I need in my life right now. I am excited to read your review of Professor also.
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Jaanwar has also great music.
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Dulhe Raja! Or Hero no. 1 at a pinch.
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Thank you! I haven’t seen either in a very long time so I am excited.
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Aunty no. 1 is also pretty good if that’s new to you!
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Yeh Dillagi is one of my happy movies, just pure fun and joy and great songs.
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Oh I enjoy that one a lot too! Kajol is just so adorable in it.
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This song always makes me happy no matter what mood I’m in (no surprise it’s a wedding song). It’s from the Pakistani movie ‘Load Wedding’, a movie I think you would love, Margaret because it’s very happy and positive and the story is great and it’s free on YouTube with English subtitles!
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Ooo, free with English subtitles! you know how to tempt me!
On Mon, Jun 15, 2020 at 5:09 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I should say that it is on the social issues side and there is an attempted suicide scene in the first half, nothing bad or anything, so if those are not something you want to see now then watch it later. But yeah, overall a movie that left a positive feeling to me when I watched it. Sorry, I just remembered the scene now and not when I reccomended it.
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Who can be sad watching these two dance? No one!
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Yes! And in SNEAKERS! All comfort and freedom and fun.
On Mon, Jun 15, 2020 at 5:28 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Question: this is for the DCIB collective, I’m going to be stuck in a car for three days with my husband and sons (7 and 10 years). There will be streches of time when I’m sure they’ll be occupied with their devices, but I need back-up. Audiobooks? Maybe something in the Three Musketeers neighborhood, but accessible to the youngest? Other ideas (ANY ideas) also welcome!
Our little routine of getting outdoors every morning gives me something to look forward to. We’ve rotated between soccer in a local field, and frisbee at a small park once it re-opened, and now that it’s warmer they’re on their scooters or bikes. Today they both fell and scraped various body parts, but I don’t know, it’s kind of a relief to have to deal with normal kid things like bickering and band-aids instead of all these existential life and education quandaries.
My happy song is a Sai song too. Love this part of Fidaa, love her character and attitude, and love the line about Varun being so tall you need a ladder to kiss him.
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Car trip with youngsters:
Horse books? You’ll be driving into horsey country. I think around that age my Mom read aloud Black Beauty and Smokey the Cow Horse to us on car trips, and we read The Black Stallion books to ourselves. Also, have you tried old radio shows? The Shadow, The Lone Ranger, stuff like that? You can stream or download them from all kinds of places and they might be a good thing to listen to in the car as a group. I’m not part of the podcast world, but I am sure there must be podcasts aimed at that age too, something you could listen to together and all enjoy.
The only park near my parents apartment is still closed. One of the things I really look forward to when I go back to my place on the weekend is being able to walk to all the different parks around me. Even if I don’t actually do anything once I am there, just having a goal and getting out and doing it is so great.
On Mon, Jun 15, 2020 at 9:55 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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