Not just the Yash Chopra romance, but the whole history of Indian film romance. There’s a little bit of Sargam, there’s a little bit of Johnny Mere Naam, a little bit of Andaaz. Only it’s all slightly twisted, slightly off and evil.
I think this is one of the movies that was recommended to me just because I was looking for another actress as good as Nazriya Nazim, and Namitha Pramod is so good. And it’s true! She is just so good! Even in this, when she was only 17. Kunchacko Boban was good too, and they made a nice pair, just like in Law Point.
This was one of those movies that was recommended to me more as an “it’s okay I guess, and kind of interesting” than as an “oh my god, Best. Film. Ever.” kind of thing. And I agree, it is okay and kind of interesting!
“So far”, because Sultan looks like it could be an even better athlete film. If not just a better film in general. I’m not going to say sports film, because Chak De India is the best at making a movie about a whole team and sport, with no interest in one particular person. But Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is the best at looking at one particular athlete. And the best at showing how the issues of that one athlete relate to bigger issues with the country and the world at large.
This was quite the challenge! I ordered the DVD from India, as part of a huge order, and it just plain didn’t play! Both in my regional and my all-regional DVD player, so it must be a flaw in the disc itself. But not to worry! I was able to find it on youtube without subtitles, and separately find a subtitle file I could drop in.
Karan is 44 years old today! Not married, no kids, but it doesn’t matter because his legacy is going to be everything he has done for Indian film for the past 18 years. And Student of the Year is a big part of that.
That’s a little unfair, it really doesn’t have much in common with Dr. Kildare, beyond the basic set-up of the wise older doctor mentoring the young one. But it’s in the country instead of the city, and there is a whole bunch of other stuff going on in the plot as well.
Not my favorite Salman film (that would be Bajrangi Bhaijaan), or my favorite film that has Salman in it (that would be Jaan-E-Mann), but my favorite time that he actually ACTS. Instead of just playing Salman Khan-SUPERSTAR. Which is appropriate, because it looks like in Sultan he will be playing an actual character. And a character that changes and develops over the film, just like in Tere Naam.
What an interesting movie! I’ve been thinking about it a lot, trying to figure out the message. Is it that we should let other’s help us? Or we shouldn’t? Or is it more than that, is it just a general statement about not looking for reasons to accept help, about standing on your own two feet as much as possible?
I finally watched Andaz Apna Apna! Well, re-watched it. Which is supposed to be the best way to see it, when you’ve already watched it once for all the big plot points, and are ready to come back and just watch it for the jokes.
This is another one of those movies, like Hero: Love Story of a Spy or Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, where I HAFT to say the whole name! I can’t bring myself to just say “Holiday”, I have to drop my voice and add “a soldier is never off duty.”
I was watching this movie so closely! So closely! I know the drill with Ratnam films, he just drops in these little bits and then moves on so you can’t look away for a second. And yet, I was still completely lost. But I don’t think it’s my fault! Or at least, not my fault because I wasn’t watching closely enough, but because I didn’t have the expected background.
I finally saw Azhar! There was a confluence of circumstances which prevented me from seeing it opening night, like I usually do, but I was finally able to get to it last night. And the theater was actually pretty full! Like. a couple dozen other people along with me and my friend! I am impressed.
This movie was very very well-made. And it managed to tell a familiar story in a new way. At least, familiar to me, since I’ve read a lot of books on film history and the same horribly depressing things always happen to the early filmmakers. Although, like I said, this film took a slightly new tack on it in a couple of ways.
Aitraaz! This is a terrible terrible movie! Terrible terrible! But very fun. But SO BAD!!! And I will be shocked if anyone shows up in the comments to contradict that statement.
Such a surprisingly good movie! Okay, that sounds insulting to police films. Such a surprisingly different movie! It looks like the standard police film, everyone has a mustache and the title is even “Mumbai Police“. But then, right away, it’s clear that it really really isn’t.
I watched Sharaabi! I’ve been meaning to for a while, just because that one song is so super catchy, and also because I was curious about an Amitabh starring remake of Arthur. What I didn’t realize was that this was one of those movies from the 80s where the entire point is to put Amitabh onscreen for as many minutes as possible, and all the other actors are just stage decoration.
This is a movie I started and then rewound to rewatch bits a bunch. And then realized that I didn’t really have to rewind that much, because it was just moving forward, without much discussion of what we saw in the past.
I last saw this movie right after it came out, and it was soooooooooooo good that I never felt the need to watch it again for another 10 years. I remembered it so perfectly, after one viewing, because it was so clever and charming and unusual, that I didn’t really need to see it again, I could just play it over in my head. But then I started to wonder, could it really be as good as I remembered? And the answer is “No! It’s even better!”
Oh good, this one picks up right after Iyobinte Pusthakam! So now I have 1900 through 2000 covered. I know everything about the history of Kerala! (not really)
Okay, I am slowly getting to understand Kerala history. I just need to watch Pathemaari and Celluloid, and I will know everything! This movie covered me for 1900 through 1946. Also, the British were really horrible, weren’t they?
It makes no sense! I can barely get over the idea that Amrita Singh and Juhi Chawla would be fighting over Jackie Shroff (Even I have to admit that he does look good in a mustache), but why would Jackie Shroff ever be interested in Amrita Singh if he could get Juhi Chawla? She is so clearly superior!
I love Dil Aashna Hai! I watched it years ago on a funky library copy, and fell in love with it. And then I couldn’t track down a copy on DVD to buy until just recently. I should have stolen the library copy! No one else could possibly appreciate it as much as me, I deserved that DVD! But I didn’t, because I am honest, which means it wasn’t until it just popped up on a random ebay list from a seller in India that I was able to watch it again. It’s even more wonderful than I remembered!
Finally, a happy romance! Well, okay, there were still some kind of dark statements about law and assumptions and the pettiness of those in power. But also, a romance! With two leads who I like, Dulquer and Namitha Pramod!
First, and most importantly, I think I might “get” Fahad Fazil now! I’ve seen a fair number of his movies, from Bangalore Days to 24 North Kaadam, and he always just seemed sort of blah. But somehow in this, his character worked for me!
dontcallitbollywood 