Artsy, edgy, movies?

Gardener972 · Jun 21st, 2007, 13:07

We need some recommendations for some interesting Hindi movies with depth, drama, & great photography, especially of the surrounding area, countryside, cities, architecture, etc.

capt_mahajan · Jun 21st, 2007, 13:19

Off the top of my head, good movies meeting your criteria:

-Dor (Rajasthan and Himachal)
-Maachis (parts of Kashmir)
-Parinda (Bombay)
-Mother India (rural India)
-Do Bhiga Zamin (rural India)
-Paar (rural India)
-Pratidwandi (Calcutta)

There will be many others.

girlone · Jun 21st, 2007, 13:23

Deepa Mehta is a director who makes films with a social/cultural edge to them. Don't know if you'd call them particularly arty, but they are very well done.

'Fire' is fantastic. 'Water' is very good too - the cinematography is superb, but I have an inkling it was filmed in Sri Lanka.

I think there may be an 'Earth' too, but I haven't seen it, nor heard about it.

G1

datspreets · Jun 21st, 2007, 13:24

Also add 'Zubeida' , 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam' (for the fabulous scenes, desert)

NeeliAankhen · Jun 21st, 2007, 13:43

Life in a Metro, just newly out on dvd, is really "about" Bombay and people who know Bombay say you see a lot of it fairly accurately -- you see middle-class Bombay, the places they go, the trains, taxis, buses they take, the places they live in -- and the city in the monsoon season.

Discussed elsewhere - Phantom India, Louis Malle's amazing documentary, is now out in a two-disc version - seven episodes of just under an hour each. Made in 1969. Netflix has it.

Being Cyrus is artsy, edgy, and, I think, excellent -it's an Indian movie in English, with well-known actors in it who usually act in Hindi (though, as you may know, all of them speak mostly English in "real life" so this was an interesting opportunity for them). It's a film noir and an original story.

sald · Jun 21st, 2007, 13:57

Agree with NeeliAankhen on Being Cyrus - edgy and good photography with scenes of typical Parsi neighbourhoods and homes in Mumbai and Panchgani.

Try Roja for drama, and absolutely stunning photgraphy of the southern India countryside and the Himalayas.

Kagaz Ke Phool in Black and White is regarded as one of the finest Indian movies - with the depth and the photography you are looking for.

Kabul Express has lots of drama and good shots of the countryside - but Afghanistan countryside.

vmehra24 · Jun 21st, 2007, 14:29

Try older movies-Heer-Ranjha for Punjab countryside
and Reshma-Shera for Rajsthani countryside.

Bigzero · Jun 21st, 2007, 15:09

Some additions for cinematography -

Omkara - rugged countryside ( supposed to be UP, but actually shot in Maharashtra )

Virasat - Rural Tamilnadu around Pollachi ( though again it is supposed to be somewhere in the north in the movie )

Yuva - Kolkata

Dil Se - part of the movie in the northeast ( i dont know if it was actually shot in the south ), part of the movie in Ladakh area, and part of the movie in Delhi

Bandit Queen - Chambal badlands?

will add more later..

Gardener972 · Jun 22nd, 2007, 01:49

Everyone has been very helpful... thanks so much! Keep those ideas coming!

capt_mahajan · Jun 22nd, 2007, 02:09

Mirch Masala... rural Gujarat.

machadinha · Jun 22nd, 2007, 02:18

I suppose Satyajit Ray should just be named here for his collected work? (There may be some titles above.)

On that Malle film, see Phantom India on DVD .

Gardener972 · Jun 22nd, 2007, 04:04

P.S. May I add that I'm not interested in any porn movies. If any of the above are, please let me know. Thanks.

machadinha · Jun 22nd, 2007, 04:06

What gave you that idea? Can you tell us in the meantime what sort of event (I assume it's an event) you're thinking of? Might just be nice to know for those providing their input. Maybe you have a link or poster or so.

robotvoice · Jun 22nd, 2007, 04:09

Jalsagar (the music room) is an often ignored great film by satyajit ray

NeeliAankhen · Jun 22nd, 2007, 06:38

Kaagaz Ke Phool - I would recommend it very highly for anyone wanting to get to know the best of Hindi movie-making, and it's in my Top 5 for sure. It's an emotionally strong, sad story, with autobiographical elements about the writer/director/star, Guru Dutt.

The cinematography is brilliant, and you can tell from the first shot. The lead actress, Waheda Rehman, is one of the most beautiful onscreen presences I've ever seen, arguably at her most beautiful in this movie. The music is all wonderful, and if you hear the songs enough you'll recognize at least one of them, Waqt Ne Kiya, in the background of many many other movies (always as a tribute to this one).

I think, though, that you don't get so much in the way of reconizable location shooting -- but I'd also say you really get "India".

Jun 21st, 2007, 13:07	#1
Gardener972 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Dallas, Texas USA Posts: 330	Artsy, edgy, movies? We need some recommendations for some interesting Hindi movies with depth, drama, & great photography, especially of the surrounding area, countryside, cities, architecture, etc.

Jun 21st, 2007, 15:09	#8
Bigzero back to my old ways Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 1,462	Some additions for cinematography - Omkara - rugged countryside ( supposed to be UP, but actually shot in Maharashtra ) Virasat - Rural Tamilnadu around Pollachi ( though again it is supposed to be somewhere in the north in the movie ) Yuva - Kolkata Dil Se - part of the movie in the northeast ( i dont know if it was actually shot in the south ), part of the movie in Ladakh area, and part of the movie in Delhi Bandit Queen - Chambal badlands? will add more later.. __________________ miles to go.... Bigzero's Photo Gallery

Jun 22nd, 2007, 02:18	#11
machadinha Not Your Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 10,916	I suppose Satyajit Ray should just be named here for his collected work? (There may be some titles above.) On that Malle film, see Phantom India on DVD . __________________ Reading tips, all picked up at IndiaMike : INDAX's A Comprehensive Guide To India / Dinoj Surendran's Desi Humor / ITHVC on Culture Shock & Travel Health / JetLag Travel Guides For the Undiscerning Traveller / India Travel Links

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Jun 21st, 2007, 13:19	#2
capt_mahajan (in charge of navel affairs) Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 10,509	Off the top of my head, good movies meeting your criteria: -Dor (Rajasthan and Himachal) -Maachis (parts of Kashmir) -Parinda (Bombay) -Mother India (rural India) -Do Bhiga Zamin (rural India) -Paar (rural India) -Pratidwandi (Calcutta) There will be many others.

Jun 21st, 2007, 13:23	#3
girlone Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: UK Posts: 125	Deepa Mehta is a director who makes films with a social/cultural edge to them. Don't know if you'd call them particularly arty, but they are very well done. 'Fire' is fantastic. 'Water' is very good too - the cinematography is superb, but I have an inkling it was filmed in Sri Lanka. I think there may be an 'Earth' too, but I haven't seen it, nor heard about it. G1

Jun 21st, 2007, 13:24	#4
datspreets Dats Preets Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: In-Di-Yeah !! Posts: 42	Also add 'Zubeida' , 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam' (for the fabulous scenes, desert)

Jun 21st, 2007, 13:43	#5
NeeliAankhen Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: New York, NY USA Posts: 268	Life in a Metro, just newly out on dvd, is really "about" Bombay and people who know Bombay say you see a lot of it fairly accurately -- you see middle-class Bombay, the places they go, the trains, taxis, buses they take, the places they live in -- and the city in the monsoon season. Discussed elsewhere - Phantom India, Louis Malle's amazing documentary, is now out in a two-disc version - seven episodes of just under an hour each. Made in 1969. Netflix has it. Being Cyrus is artsy, edgy, and, I think, excellent -it's an Indian movie in English, with well-known actors in it who usually act in Hindi (though, as you may know, all of them speak mostly English in "real life" so this was an interesting opportunity for them). It's a film noir and an original story.

Jun 21st, 2007, 13:57	#6
sald Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: India Posts: 123	Agree with NeeliAankhen on Being Cyrus - edgy and good photography with scenes of typical Parsi neighbourhoods and homes in Mumbai and Panchgani. Try Roja for drama, and absolutely stunning photgraphy of the southern India countryside and the Himalayas. Kagaz Ke Phool in Black and White is regarded as one of the finest Indian movies - with the depth and the photography you are looking for. Kabul Express has lots of drama and good shots of the countryside - but Afghanistan countryside.

Jun 21st, 2007, 14:29	#7
vmehra24 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Ahmedabad Posts: 205	Try older movies-Heer-Ranjha for Punjab countryside and Reshma-Shera for Rajsthani countryside.

Jun 22nd, 2007, 01:49	#9
Gardener972 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Dallas, Texas USA Posts: 330	Everyone has been very helpful... thanks so much! Keep those ideas coming!

Jun 22nd, 2007, 02:09	#10
capt_mahajan (in charge of navel affairs) Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 10,509	Mirch Masala... rural Gujarat.

Jun 22nd, 2007, 04:04	#12
Gardener972 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Dallas, Texas USA Posts: 330	P.S. May I add that I'm not interested in any porn movies. If any of the above are, please let me know. Thanks.

Jun 22nd, 2007, 04:06	#13
machadinha Not Your Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 10,916	What gave you that idea? Can you tell us in the meantime what sort of event (I assume it's an event) you're thinking of? Might just be nice to know for those providing their input. Maybe you have a link or poster or so.

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Jun 22nd, 2007, 04:09	#14
robotvoice mikeaholic Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: california Posts: 1,171	Jalsagar (the music room) is an often ignored great film by satyajit ray

Jun 22nd, 2007, 06:38	#15
NeeliAankhen Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: New York, NY USA Posts: 268	Kaagaz Ke Phool - I would recommend it very highly for anyone wanting to get to know the best of Hindi movie-making, and it's in my Top 5 for sure. It's an emotionally strong, sad story, with autobiographical elements about the writer/director/star, Guru Dutt. The cinematography is brilliant, and you can tell from the first shot. The lead actress, Waheda Rehman, is one of the most beautiful onscreen presences I've ever seen, arguably at her most beautiful in this movie. The music is all wonderful, and if you hear the songs enough you'll recognize at least one of them, Waqt Ne Kiya, in the background of many many other movies (always as a tribute to this one). I think, though, that you don't get so much in the way of reconizable location shooting -- but I'd also say you really get "India".