You know when you think “ugh, I don’t want to do this but I have to”? And then you think “wait, no I don’t have to! I can just say no!”? And then you think “hey, that’s what SRK said in Dear Zindagi“? I just had one of those moments.
Y’all recommend so many good movies, and I can see for myself the reviews and things of movies I would like to watch. And I have this mental list of movies to watch, and then I sit down in front of the TV and just go “ugh, I don’t want to”.
The thing is, this has been going on for months, and the only thing that has changed is how increasingly guilty I feel. And the more guilt I feel, the more overwhelming it feels to actually watch a “smart” movie on purpose and review it. So, no more! I am taking many many steps back and starting over!
On Monday, my friend came over and we watched Brahmachari and I LOVED it. It’s not a movie anyone was asking me to watch/review, it’s not an “important” movie, and I wasn’t even watching it and thinking about if it was “good” or “bad” or what it “meant”. I had fully retreated to just watching it to enjoy it. And then I immediately felt guilty because I “should” have watched a deep important movie with her instead, and baring that I certainly “should” have thought deeply about this silly movie so I could write a deep smart review.
This is bad! This guilt, this is not going to get me back to enjoying watching and writing about films! Instead, going “hey, today I feel like watching a movie” and then watching it is where I should start. So that’s what I’m gonna do! I wanna watch Rocky Aur Rani first day-first show, I’ll definitely be watching Jawan First Day-First Show, but otherwise maybe I don’t write a full review of a movie for a bit now. Maybe instead I just watch movies FOR FUN because I WANT TO. Like a Regular.
(needless to say, the “for fun because I want to” includes our watchalongs, because I ADORE our watchalongs)
dontcallitbollywood 
Yes!!! Self-care!!
LikeLike
Thank you! This is where I started after all, I just really really enjoyed watching the movies.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: Blog Update: I’m Rediscovering My Joy in Films! Which Means, Not Reviewing As Many, Sorry! – News Hour 24/7
Yay! I am so glad your are back to just watching and enjoying movies!
While I can’t speak for others, I can say that what attracted me to this blog was everyone’s love for movies and having an outlet to talk about it. While I love your reviews, they aren’t what keep me coming to the blog. It is the community you have built. I have received so many recommendations for movies I would have never watched from so many people on this blog. And I love being introduced to these movies and then have so much fun just discussing them with the people on the blog. You shouldn’t feel obligated to even respond. I am very happy to discuss my thoughts with the others!
For Brachmachari, for example. I adore that movie. I am so glad you did too. I mean, it has young Shammi, the most adorable Mumtaz, cute kids, and some of the best songs! Mr. Toddles loves Chaka pe Chaka and I love Aaj Kal Tere Mere Pyar Ke Charche har Zabaan Par. And I am so glad you aren’t reviewing it for your own mental health.
Now, question for you because I don’t want to be presumptuous and want you to continue on your path to enjoying movies again! When you share the movies you have watched on the blog, do you want us to share our thoughts on the movie? Or will that stress you out and make you somehow feel guilty that you didn’t think about it deeply? I want to be respectful of what you want.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love talking about movies! Yes, PLEASE share your feelings/thoughts/opinions!
And yes, Brahmachari is The Best. I just recommended “Chaka Pe Chaka” to my sister for Nephew A. He adores “Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi” and it’s basically the same song.
LikeLike
Oh yay! I hope Nephew A loves Chake Pe Chaka.
Okay, so Brahmachari. It is a silly lovable movie in all respects. Some of these movies, especially Shammi’s movies (ahem Junglee!!!), were surprisingly feminist. I haven’t seen the movie in a long time so if I don’t explain something accurately, feel free to correct me. From what I remember, Rajeshree was engaged to Pran as a child and still was in “love” with him as an adult but he’s a player that rejected her for being poor and homely. And Shammi just accepts that she wants to marry Pran and helps her get him until she ultimately rejects him and decides she’s in love with Shammi. There are so many things I like about this. First, the concept of “first love” is not the only love or even the true love. She was a frickin child, she barely knew Pran. That was stupid. She meets Shammi as an adult and falls in love. Also, women can change their mind. They can “love” multiple people or be in multiple relationships and that is not a big deal.
Also, I loved that Mumtaz gets a happy ending in the movie. So many times when a woman is in love with a villain and considered “loose” because she had premarital sex, she has to die, which is stupid. So, the fact that Mumtaz eventually gets her happy ending makes me happy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
On a more frivolous note, I remember thinking Mumtaz looked AMAZING in this movie and I wanted to steal her clothes and makeup from this movie. No offense to Rajeshree but Mumtaz stole the show here. Did you feel the same way? Or was that just my weird memory?
LikeLiked by 1 person
She definitely looked great! But Rajeshree did too, especially post-make-over. 1960s Saris/Salwars are sooooooooooo flattering. Especially on curvy ladies.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There’s another awesome thing you didn’t even remember! We meet Rajeshree’s Mom and she’s all “childhood engagement! Family Honor!” and Shammi threatens to beat her up, and Rajeshree is all “yeah Mom, you messed me up, thank goodness I figured things out and fell in love with Shammi”. And then at the very end we meet Pran’s Mom and she learns that Pran has been a jerk and says “Just hit him with this rock and kill him, better I have no son at all than this loser”. So Mom who is all traditional is the Bad Mom, and Mom who is all “boy my son sucks” is Good Mom.
Oh, and all the orphans are raised to pray to ALL the Gods equally because religion is something they can decide for themselves when they grow up.
Also, Shammi is somehow both a photographer and a night club singer? But I thinkt hat is because the scriptwriter got distracted in the middle and forgot what was happening.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I definitely did not remember the scene with Rajeshree’s mom. Now I have to go back and watch it. I totally forgot that the kids prayed to all the gods. But again something I loved in the old movies!!!
I do remember Pran’s mom being really awesome. I didn’t remember the scene you mentioned. What I remember about her is that she accepts Mumtaz and her baby right away and chastises Pran for being a giant jerk! Also very cool!
LikeLike
Thanks for recapping the movie as I had forgotten most of it!
LikeLike
I think Andaz can be added to the list of progressive movies of Shammi. I watched it over the weekend. Shammi and Hema are single parents after the deaths of their first loves/ spouses, they meet and fall in love. Technically she is an unwed mother. The kids are super cute. I also learnt two songs I’ve known my whole life are from this movie.
LikeLike
Oh, I love that movie!!!
LikeLike
Yes! I watched it a while back on recommendation from DCIBers and I agree. Also interesting since Shammi himself was a single parent for a while and ended up remarrying.
LikeLike
I can definitely relate to this. People around me are constantly saying how I keep watching trash when I could watch something more intellectual which actually says something. However the problem is when I love a movie; I love it to the point where it emotionally overwhelms me for days. That is exhausting. This is why over time I just watch what makes me comfortable and while that occasionally is a movie that is more overwhelming. I try to limit it and just do what I want.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes! There’s nothing wrong with watch Brahmachari!
LikeLike
Pingback: Blog Update: I’m Rediscovering My Joy in Films! Which Means, Not Reviewing As Many, Sorry! - Siyal News
Hey I for one would be happy if you watched Shammi and Shashi movies and we can have fun chatting about them, like Filmikudhi said! I myself have those phases where I only want the escape and comfort of older movies (even ones I haven’t seen) instead of something new and recent.
Now I’m guiltily thinking whether I’ve recommended something ‘smart’ recently that may have contributed to the way you’re feeling. I don’t think so because I’ve only been seeking out fun and charming stuff for some time now. I watched Kashmir Ki Kali recently which got me thinking about Rock Hudson, so I dug up a sex-comedy with him and Leslie Caron. It had so many problematic things but I got to watch Rock Hudson for a couple of hours so I’m not complaining!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I looked up the Rock Hudson/Leslie Caron movie and now I want to see it too! I didn’t even realize there was a Rock Hudson romantic farce I hadn’t watched yet.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh so can you recommend some more? I watched all the ones with Doris Day and Man’s Favorite Sport and Come September.
LikeLike
Shoot, I think you’ve seen all of the ones I’ve seen
LikeLike
Have you seen Has Anybody Seen My Gal? I remember enjoying it when I watched it a long time ago. It feels like another movie that should have been adapted into a Hindi movie.
LikeLike
I see it’s by Douglas Sirk and I’ve been meaning to see the the films he did with Hudson. Only thing I’m hesitating about – are they’re gonna be sad?
LikeLike
I don’t remember it being sad. Or at least the ending wasn’t sad. I remember it feeling almost like a Hindi masala movie. Plus Rock is just gorgeous in it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I should clarify when I say masala, I mean like Waqt or other family masala-esq movies. Not action masala.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh Margaret, I’m sorry you still feel forced to watch movies. None of us here wants you to feel that way, so don’t worry, and don’t feel obliged, just watch what gives you joy. Like you did in the beginning. I also watch only what I feel like watching, and even if many of the movies I choose are bad I still enjoy them because it’s my happy place.
LikeLiked by 1 person