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The Cinema of Bollywood


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Just finished watching the second half of Kal Ho Naa Ho. I was right... the second half's tone changed dramatically into full-on melodrama. Something you don't see in the cinemas of other countries. I find this second half borrowed a lot from Cyrano de Bergerac but the thing is I find Bollywood will re-invent the basic copied idea and somehow push it all the way to a frontier you never thought possible. I love a lot of the music in this half. Especially this one whose music is actually the backbone of the entire film.

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Me and my wife enjoyed the movie and I love the message and I must try to look for the soundtrack. I must say the music in DTS HD-MA 5.1 is simply gorgeous. Especially the theme in the above track. Only in the final segment I finally understand that the 2 bass thumps is actually Aman's heartbeat.

 

This is the one where I learned the dance moves by Shah Ruhk Khan. I was crap though  :)

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PS - my wife's Indian colleague will be going back to his hometown. Maybe I can trouble my wife who can trouble him to whack more Hindu BDs and soundtracks for me. Over there is like $15!

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Just finished watching the BRRip of Talaash by Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor.  This another very good movie with a twist, just like Kahaani.  Long movie but kept me on my seat throughout with excellent pacing and story line.  Easily a 4 for me.

 

Downloading the Bodyguard, another blockbuster in India. :)

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Saw The Dirty Picture today. Vidya Balan (Kahaani) is such a babe. She is the core, the spine and the heartbeat of the film. Such a joy to watch her. This one is a film of two halves and the first half is brilliant. Like a parody of the Bollywood machine. One of the best sendups is that the old male lead is always paired up with a young actress half his age. It is still happening as I type this  ;D. I love how Vidya portrayed her character, so full of spunk and life. Up to the intermission it was one amazing funny film with an inside look of the Bollywood machinery. The second half feels like mess... the director completely changed the tone and threw in every cliché in the book. It even had an unconvincing love story thrown in. Sigh... what a waste.

 

However, say what you will about these Hindu films, their English translation is world class - it's subtitled brilliantly which means the original language must be pretty awesome at first. I was pretty impressed with this dialogue between the guy (A) and Vidya (B)...

 

A: Have you ever been in love?

B: Love that leads you to bed, yes. Love that takes away your breath, no. 

A: How many people have touched you?

B: Many have touched me but nobody has ever touched my heart. 

A: This is what happens when a boy and a girl meet, they get close, they kiss... end of story.  I've gained infamy because of that. But if this story ends here like this, it will be...

B: Be what?

A: It'll be a sin. 

 

This is a cute rousing number

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This one is the love theme which I like

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For those seriously interested in plunging into Bollywood, don't just watch the current blockbusters. Plenty of stuff from the past is even better.

As I said, Sholay (Blaze) is a curry Western classic, with plenty of quotable dialogue and probably the most melancholic romance in cinema. I've lost count how many times I've watched this.

Shaan (With Style) is campy fun complete with a bald villain with underwater lair and pet crocodile.

Do Aur Do Paanch (4 + 4 = 5) is hilarious.

But the true classics are in B&W, like Awara (Vagrant) and the epic Mother India - both star one of the most amazing Hindi actresses ever - Nargis.

It's the same as Hollywood - nothing beats Citizen Kane and Casablanca.

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the memento wannabe (which btw is adapted from a tamil movie) -  the first half is really sweet and deserves watching, second half a bit of a letdown (but not too bad). of course, hardly a three idiots or talaash or lagaan. 

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How about Ghajini ::)

 

Ghajini is worth a watch. This was what I posted some time back

 

Chainsdb, thanks for all the good suggestions. I see Sholay pop up in many top 10 list. I must look for it, hopefully on Blu

 

I just checked out Ghajini on BD! Yes BD! It's available for $40 at Mustafa and it's my first Tamil(?) Blu-ray.

 

I enjoyed e movie, especially e second half. The first half was a direct page rip-off from Memento without e plot sequence manipulation. Tho a 'copy', I feel it's a damn good 'copy' of e-guy-with-15min-of-memory idea.  What made it awesome is Amir Khan performance - mind-blowing and it's IMHO his best ever!  The second half is really amazing - director took e idea of Memento and push it to new frontiers. OK e climax can be too much.... like Sly Stallone whacking 20-30 bad asses and leaving em in his wake. But by then I was so vested in Amir Khan's superb performance that I can forgive any mistakes in e plot. He was that good! 

 

The BD?  Fantastic to behold. The vibrant colours popped out beautifully and e sonics is out of this world. The surrounds is out of this world. It's mixed loud but very very immersive. I love e first song and dance in the second half and played it 5 times already. And e surrounds for this is simply amazing. Only prob with e sonics is an annoying sound effect that e director put in quite regularly. U will know when u watch it. Oh and AR Rahman is e music director - you can't go wrong with that!

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AWESOME THREAD THIS!!!

 

Did 'Kahaani' last night. What can I say. Unexpected twist at the end worthy of mention in the same breath as Oldboy.

 

As I type this, 1hr38mins of 'My Name Is Khan' has lapsed. It's so good I paused to share this. It has been a damn long time since a movie made me laugh and tear simultaneously.

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I thought Bollywood is only good at turning out melodramas but I am so wrong. Don 2 is an awesome action movie. How good is the action? This is James-Bond-Mission-Impossible awesome!!!  The studio spared no expense and everything is so polished from start to the explosive end, complete with a big twist. Even my wife kept going Wow Wow Wow!

 

All the action in the world in the world is useless if the story and acting are crap. Shah Ruhk Khan is just cool. He plays his charming bad guy role with such charisma, suave, swagger and a slight campiness. My wife says he is not good looking, a little cock-eye (don't kill me please. It's her words, not mine) but she can't stop looking at him because there's some magnetism about him. I love his character and hope there's a Don 3 in the horizon.

 

The story... The first half is just a premise for Don to do his kickass shite. I didn't watch Don 1 but there are enough signposts to flesh out all the back stories and rivalries. The joy is the second half which is an action extravaganza with twist upon twist. It's essentially a 90min heist sequence with nary a dull moment, and it's as good as what I see in any of the Mission Impossibles. The film even has a lift lobby shoot out that is as good as Matrix. I kid you not! 

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Just got mesmerized by Talaash. For 2 hours plus I was in a spell. This one has a great visual style and is a genre I have not seen in any of the Hindi films I have checked out. Of course I have not seen that many but this is the first time I see noir combined with supernatural elements. This one like Kahaani represents a new age in Bollywood cinema... Gone are the over-acting and dancing as metaphors. This one is anchored down in hyper-realism and deep melancholy. I love the first and second acts... the suspense is spellbinding. I had zilch idea what the story is moving towards. But I have to say nearing the final act I could guess the ending. Thankfully that didn't take the fun and intrigue out for me. The falling action after the big reveal was brilliantly filmed and the emotional power emphatic. The director did a delicate job of balancing at least 3 narrative threads, all dovetailing impactfully in the final act.  Brilliant storytelling.  Lastly, all through the film I feel the other main character is the music soundtrack. The noir-ish music teaches you how to watch the film. I am sure the film won't work as powerfully without the music.

 

One of my fave tunes with killer lyrics

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This is the entire soundtrack of 5 songs. Love the first song played over the opening credits. This one sets the tone for the movie

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Blardy hell.... I just bought some Hindi songs that I can't out of my head from iTunes for $7 :o

 

What I bought?

From Talaash - Muskaanein Jhooti Hai, Laakh Duniya Kahe, Jee Le Zaraa

From The Dirty Picture - Ishq Sufiyana

From Kal Ho Naa Ho - Kuch To Hua Hai, Kal Ho Naa Ho

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Oh yes, i love this one from Talaash!.... :'(

 

Jee Le Zara - Talaash ::: Lyrics And English Translation

 

Movie: Talaash

Music: Ram Sampath

Lyrics: Javed Akhtar

Singer: Vishal Dadlani

 

Well, unlike most of the songs feature here, this is not a romantic song. This rather is a sad song. But there is something which will move you. May be the simple music, words or the careless kind of rendition. Something it got which will make you stick to this...

 

 

Main Hoon Gumsum Tu Bhi Khamosh Hai

I feel depressed and you are quite too

 

Sachh Hai Samay Ka Hi Sab Dosh Hai

It is true that time has to be blamed for this

 

Dhadkan Dhadkan Ek Gham Rehta Hai

There is a pain in every heartbeat

 

Jaane Kyun Phir Bhi Dil Kehta Hai

Don't know why the heart still wants to

 

Jee Le Zara, Jee Le Zara

Live a bit

 

Kehta Hai Dil Jee Le Zara

The heart asks to live a bit

 

 

Aye Humsafar Aye Humnawa

Oh my friend, oh beloved

 

Aa Paas Aa Jee Le Zara

Please Come closer, let us live a bit

 

Hai Zindagi Maana Dard Bhari

I agree life has its share of pain

 

Phir Bhi Iss Mein Yeh Raahat Bhi Hai

Still, there is this relief in it that

 

Main Hoon Tera Aur Tu Hai Meri

I am yours and you are mine

 

Yoon Hi Rahe Hum Yeh Chahat Bhi Hai

Now I wish to stay this way

 

Phir Dil Ke Dil Se Pul Kyun Toote Hai

Still, why the connection between the hearts gets broken

 

Kyun Hum Jeene Se Itne Roote Hai

Why we been so upset with life

 

Aa Dil Ke Darwaaze Hum Khole

Come, let us open the doors of heart

 

Aa Hum Dono Jee Bharke Rolein

Come, let us cry together to the fullest

 

 

Gham Ke Yeh Baadal Guzar Jaane De

Let the cloud of pain pass by

 

Ab Zindagi Ko Nikhar Jaane De

And let the life to brighten up

 

Chod-de Ab Yaadon Ke Dukh Sehna

Now stop tormented by the past

 

Oh Sunn Bhi Le Jo Dil Ka Hai Kehna

And listen to what the heart say

 

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