A little bit of India: Bollywood

This is the fifth post of the series "A Little bit of India" read the first part of the series: A little bit of India - Diwali, the second part: A little bit of India - Saree , the third part: Republic Day and fourth part A little bit of India - Holi.

Aishwarya Rai - Bollywood Actor and Miss world 1994

There's nothing that has captured Indian consciousness like Bollywood. Anything related to Bollywood is met with enthusiasm and widespread curiosity. Whether it is fashion styles that Bollywood is popularizing, the rumors about the link-ups and break ups, star studded endorsements...Bollywood has got the golden touch.
Bollywood has inspired weddings, fashion and lifestyle for generations. If you are in India you just can't escape the effect, but now that I live so far away its much easier to think objectively about it.

Here are some of my favorites movies from Bollywood. I thought of doing a top 10 but then realized that my favorites may not necessarily be 10 so I just stuck to what I loved and decided not to care about numbers. Most of these movies, I have seen more than 1 time and liked them even more second time around. Like everyone, my favorites are just that...my favorites. They may not be the box office hits, or the most critically acclaimed movies. Most movies I like have at least one or more of the following
 a)  Great story and tight script b) Superb music c) Witty and sharp dialogues d) humor e) Charismatic persona

Aandhi

If we could smell a movie I bet this movie would have the light fragrance of a Mogra ( sorry, I don't know its name in English). Husband and wife separated because of a demanding career in politics accidentally run into each other and realize that the love never really died. They relive the moments of their initial romance only to find a deep connection between themselves, but the question of career is still there. What will get sacrificed this time? Love or Career? would it even matter now? Its not the story that makes the movie...but its the way characters are defined, soft and mellow from outside but very strong and stubborn on the inside. Very much connected at the heart, but their ambitions makes them run in different directions. Aided with superb music and seemingly simple dialogues which really stick with you, this it just is a beautiful movie whatever way you slice it.

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge

Its your typical Bollywood movie - Boy meets girl, they fall in love, bad things happen but love triumphs in the end. They live happily ever after. Beyond that, there's nothing run-of-the-mill about this movie. Great cinematography of the best locations of Europe, extra-ordinary music,The hero ( Shahrukh Khan) is charm personified and the heroine ( Kajol) moves effortlessly between spunk and enigma. Together they set the screen on fire without a single kiss...and go on to create one of the most successful on-screen pairings of Bollywood.
It is just one of those movies that one can't help but be biased about.

Source: whatsonindia.com via What's-On-India on Pinterest

Here's my favorite song from the movie:




Andaaz Apna Apna
Goofy comedy at its best. This movie starts when two street romeos set out to achieve the unattainable - The heiress who is looking for a suitor. They do get to their goal but not before meeting a bunch of thugs, goons and villains en route. Add a set of twins, a sassy secretary and some retro music to the mix and you have concocted a movie that will have you laughing right until the last scene. I haven't met a person who didn't like the movie but it still was a flop, which is a big mystery to me.

Hera Pheri
Another great comedy of all times. Three broke friends trying to make money by brokering a kidnapping. One is extremely cunning, one has loose lips and the other one is trying to come into money without sacrificing his principles. The drama that ensues is hilarious.

Chak De india

This movie touches a subject that is way out of focus for India - Women Sports ( and non-cricket at that). A battered women Hockey team (the team, not the women) with teammates worried more about showing each other their place instead of winning the game. A coach accused of match fixing during his own heydays and an unattainable goal of winning the women's world cup in hockey. Even if the end is predictable the ride is not. A very well made movie with a tight script. You will never know when the movie got over.

                                                  Source: amazon.com via Valerie on Pinterest

Omkara
An adaptation of Othello ( Shakespeare) - but what an adaptation! The movie is set in the most rural of the villages in the heart of India where the protagonist is one of the strongmen of a renowned politician. The adaptation and direction is so skillful that it will be hard to believe  that Omkara ( Othello) could be anything other than a rural Goon who is sort of good at heart. Very well made movie. The story is poignant which is not surprising coming from the master himself. What made this movie however is the superb direction and acting from lead actors. Shakespeare got the treatment he deserved.

Chupke Chupke

Source: en.wikipedia.org via SK on Pinterest

This movie features some of the greatest stars of Indian Cinema, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Dharmendra, Sharmila Tagore, the elite of Indian Cinema. But thats not the USP of the movie - the best thing about this movie is that how down to earth and real it feels. Contrary to regular bollywood tales - which challenge, logic, reason and viability all at the same time, this story manages to remain convincing, something that could happen to anyone. The story line is very simple - A newlywed husband gets really pissed off at how his wife keeps praising her brother in law ( sister's husband) for his wisdom and wit. He bets that he will fool the brother -in-law - so begins The Prank, which fools not only The Brother-in-law, but a lot of other people in its wake. Great music, witty dialogues and tight script make sure your attention is right there on the screen for whole 2 and half hours.


A Wednesday
This is one of the few recent films that impress. Mumbai chief of police gets a call that there are bombs planted all over the city and they will get detonated unless four deadly terrorists are released from prison. He has only a few hours to negotiate with the conspirator and save the city from another explosion without giving in to the demands. How does he do it and who is the mastermind behind the plans? If you understand Hindi this movie is a must watch. Without any songs/dance, gorgeous women this movie goes about telling the story, as it unfolds. It is as different from mainstream Bollywood as it can get, yet everyone I knew loved it. Simply because it told a great story, enacted by two great actors of Indian Cinema Anupam Kher and Nasiruddin Shah. A masterpiece.

Source: 10ka20.com via Nandita on Pinterest

I will leave you with this picture of Madhubala who is considered the most beautiful actress in Indian cinema by many ( I'm one of them). If you have any opinions about Bollywood, I would love to hear them in comments.

A little bit of India: Holi

Growing up in India, you get a festival every other day. There was a joke that we have 32 festivals every month, and it was not very much exaggerated. But none of them is quite like Holi.

Holi is a two day festival( yes we call them festivals in India and not Holidays) that celebrates the arrival of spring and also the arrival of harvest from the farms. Even though it is linked to a mythological story, for me it always marked the day when the cold weather made way for hot Indian summers ( not all that fun if you ask me).
On the evening of the first day there is a big bonfire in every neighborhood.The whole neighborhood gathers and the tradition is to roast some new harvest in the fire. Everybody gets some sweets, its a great time to mingle and catch up with residents of the neighborhood whom you don't see regularly.

The best part comes next morning - The Color. The thing that makes Holi is Color. On Holi, the tradition is to go  see friends and smear their faces with bright colored powder ( called Gulal in Hindi). While the adults try to just follow the tradition without much mess by just applying a smudge to the faces of their friends, kids can't be bothered with Gulal. They celebrate with the real deal, the wet color, diluted with water. They shower each other with this colored water, until everyone and everything within site is drenched with color. Its messy, its exhausting and its so much fun.

Once everybody has 'colored' everybody else, the delicacies are served. Gujhia is one special dish served on Holi accompanied by an array of sweet and savory delicacies.
Incidentally this was the first year we actually celebrated Holi after coming to US, and boy! Did I ever have fun!I even made Gujhia this Holi.
Holi is said to be the festival to forget past grudges and renew the friendships with a hug and some color. I hope you had a good one.

If you want to experience Holi in all its glory you can do it by participating in the Holi event organized by ASHA in Stanford, Palo Alto, CA on April 7 and 8. I have never attended it but friends tell me that its a lot of fun. I'm in no way affiliated with ASHA...I have just heard good things about their Holi celebration.

A little bit of India - Republic day today

This is the third post of the series "A Little bit of India" read the first part of the series: A little bit of India - Diwali  and the second part: A little bit of India - Saree.

  India Gate, Delhi

Photo credit: kamagong from morguefile.com

India celebrates its 63rd Republic Day today on the 26th of January. It was the day when India finally had its own constitution more than 2 years after its independence.
Dr. Ambedkar spent a huge amount of time to draft a constitution that would serve a country as diverse as India.

I have mixed memories of celebrating Republic Day as a kid. I was in a school where being good at extra-curricular activities really counted...and alas! I wasn't very good at any of those. Every year there would be a Republic Day Gala at the school and every year I would try to get into as many of the group dances, group drills as I can and every year I would get chucked out of most of those because I couldn't sync with the rest of the group. Ouch! that hurt, I would pout and hold a grudge against the teacher who would be the in-charge of the activity. But now I realize that it wasn't their fault...I really can't sync with a group to save my life...lol! Maybe it was God's way of telling that I was destined to do my own thing. At least I like to think so.

But it wasn't totally bleak on Republic Day. Being good at studies ensured that I would play at least some key role in the whole celebration, like deliver a speech or get some prize for academic performance. After the festivities in school we will get home and watch the national celebration on TV. It was an event in itself...as we would wait for the floats of each state and try to recognize which one was ours. Our parents would come home early from work and that added to the festivities.

I didn't understand much of the significance of this day back then, but it was a good moment to recollect our accomplishments as a nation and feel proud about them. I think I did feel proud of my country even as a kid. Now as an adult I realize that India has a long way to go but its moving in the right direction, and that makes me feel proud.

Indian Flag at Red Fort Delhi

Photo Credit: think4photop / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Happy Republic Day Dear India! and Happy republic day to my fellow Indians. Hope we celebrate the day in its true spirit for centuries!