Tag Archives: Raj Kapoor

Hindi Film 101: A Brief History of American Musical Films, and How They Are NOT the Same As Hindi

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I haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate it when people say “oh, Indian movies, they are just like those classic American Musicals I loved”. Because they’re NOT!!!! But then, at the same time, they kind of are. Which is why I hate it when people say that because it’s a really really complicated argument to prove to them that they are being inaccurate and then they start slowly backing away from me and eventually I realize I have become a person alone in a room giving a lecture to nothing.

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Hindi Film 101: Rishi Kapoor, A Lifetime Spent Struggling Against His Father’s Legacy

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I already wrote my farewell post to Rishi, what he meant to me, but I want to put together a post about Rishi the person. As a Kapoor, we (the public) know a remarkable amount about him personally, and Rishi in interviews and his memoir has made even more available. I’m not going to try to rake up scandal or demonize him, but I want to do my best to give a fair and balanced look at the life of this man we have just lost.

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Ritu Nanda, Daughter of Raj Kapoor, Sister of Rishi Kapoor, and Mother-in-Law of Shweta Bachchan, Has Passed Away

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Ritu was related to a lot of famous public people, but was not a public person herself. I don’t want to reveal too much of her life which (by choice) she kept private. But I want to point to how she affected those around her who have chosen to lead a public life.

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Sunday ReRun: Sangam! The Classic Raj Kapoor Film I Want Shahrukh to Remake

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I put up a post this morning of classic films that could be rewritten and remade for Shahrukh, and after thinking about it, I think Sangam is my top choice. Shahrukh can play the guy who wears his heart on his sleeve and loves loves loves and ultimately turns out to be a better happier husband than the dignified guy who hides his feelings.

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Hindi Film 101: Sanjay Dutt, Part 1: The Spoiled Son Turned Teenage Alcoholic

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I’m finally doing it!  The Sanjay Dutt Hindi Film 101 series!  And if his movie gets delayed again, well that’s just too bad, they will have to live with my having already posted his series way way too early (not really, I’ll probably repost all these posts the day it comes out for convenience).

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Starter Kit: Hindi Film Romance Through the Decades

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I forgot about this post until reflects on life reminded me of it!  And now I think I will make it an annual tradition, to update and repost it on Valentine’s day.

Valentine’s Day!  Day of love!  And for that reason, a good day for a one of post just about love stories.  The two kinds of them, the socially relevant ones in which the romance is just a jumping off point for a broader social issue, and the fun fun fun ones that just make you smile.

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100 Years of Indian Film History in 10 Producers

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Yes, it’s time for another 100 year post!  You can see all the others here, I’ve already done male stars, films, and songs.  Time for something different!  Producers!

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Happy Birthday Raj Kapoor! 63 Reasons I Love You

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You’re dead, but that’s no reason to stop celebrating.  Your legacy lives on in many ways.  So I am going to count down 63 reasons I love you, one for every year you lived (until you died). (obviously this is a reposted post from last year, I don’t have time to come up with 63 new reasons every year, not even for Raj)

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Dilip Kumar’s Autobiography Part 2: The Drona to a Whole Generation of Eklavya’s

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Yaaaay, Dilip made it all the way to 95!  And I made it all the way through his massive autobiography!  And now you don’t have to, because I am summarizing the whole thing!  Isn’t that nice of me? (part 1 here)

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Happy Birthday Dilip Sahib!!!!! I Read Your Autobiography for Your Birthday Part 1

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I finally read it!  Don’t tell my friend who brought it for me all the way from India 2 years ago, only for it to sit on my shelf unnoticed unloved and unread.  Until now!  It took a while, but I finally finished it.  And it was fascinating in lots of little “history of the industry” ways.

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100 Years of Hindi Film History in 10 Stars

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This is fun, doing these little over view posts!  The lists help me from getting all tangled up in my own thoughts, and let you join the discussion, because everyone has an opinion on what wasn’t included and should have been, and what was included and shouldn’t have been.

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Hindi Film 101: Top-Grossing Indian Films Year By Year

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I got lots of cool suggestions yesterday as to what I should cover next, but while I let those percolate (and please, keep suggesting!  Here is the post where I ask for ideas), I am going to do something simple and look at the top grossing film year by year since 1940.  Should be an interesting way to see the industry evolving, both financially and creatively.  You’ll see what I mean when I am complaining about the out of control box office inflation lately.  Plus, gives us all space to talk about something totally different from Jab Harry Met Sejal.

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Hindi Film 101: Nargis Dutt Part 2, The Greatest Love Triangle of All Time (M+M+W Version)

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I was going to just leave it at Greatest Love Triangle of all time, but then I remembered Rekha and Jaya and Amitabh, so I am modifying it to be Greatest Love Triangle of All Time Between Two Men and One Women.  (Nargis part 1 here)

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Hindi Film 101: The Kapoors Part II, Raj and Nargis

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I am trying a new thing, sort of cliff notes version of Hindi film history.  Not the actual history (“Bombay Talkies studio was founded by Harivanshri Rai and Devika Rani…”), but the gossip history that everyone kind of knows if they’ve grown up with the films or if they’ve been following them for years.  But I know that isn’t true for some of my readers and so, just for you, I am giving you the kind of informal oral history.  Starting with the Kapoor Family (part 1 here).

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Hindi Film 101: A New Series! Starting with the Kapoors, Prithviraj and Shammi and Shashi

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I have had so much fun in the past few weeks talking with Ryan C in the comments.  He is new(ish) to Indian film and is asking me all sorts of wonderful questions, and giving me delightfully enthusiastic responses, and it made me think about how maybe I should do more posts sort of aimed at that level.  Ideally, you can get that from My Book (really, read it!  It’s super short and fast and once you are done, you will know everything you need to understand the movies), but now I am thinking maybe I should try something like that on the blog as well?

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