One movie to watch

Elviira

If you like "weird" movies = no happy american endings, weird/unexpected plots, reality/surreality settings, psychological thriller...Is there Indian movies to see?

sam371

Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge
and
Sholay

Nick-H

I'd change the subject to something that is not bollywood at all and mention Satyajit Ray.

Or I'd say that the music is bearable, at least, in some of the older films, and recommend going back a few decades.

Or perhaps the early films with music by AR Rehman; Roja, Sanagamam, for instance --- but I'm off topic again into Tamil movies.

My Ex-GF was an Indian film fan. You might even still find CDs from a couple of the films above-mentioned in my car, except I don't have a player yet. But the more I saw of bolly or tolly the more I disliked them.

On just one occasion she succeeded in geting me to the Cinema. Jeeessss, three hours is a long time to sit through a film! It was Deva Das. Some of the sets were stunning, and the kathak dance was pretty good (noticed in the credits that it was choreographed by two classical dancers I have great respect for) --- but I had little time for the story, as I really don't think that destroying one's life with alcohol is at all a romantic response to a failed love. Can't say I'm wild about Romeo and Juliet either! (although I love the music from West Side Story).

__________________
.


Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

etin

you need to check this in Malayalam or Bengali movies. Check these movies as starters.

Chemmeen (1965) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJI6EI1xG8Y
search for Chemmeen_1 to Chemmeen_19 in youtube for the full film.

Kireedam (1989) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvSVBqUuDtw
search for kireedam 1 to kireedam 16 for the full movie.

pantelis

Traffic Signal % many others I love Hindi movies!!!

__________________

Nick-H

...I've hear rumours of a more realistic school of film making in Kerala

Sama

in my area, it seems that all people know are bollywood movies.

I went to see a Ray film at a venue (not a movie theater) that shows all types of foreign films on friday nights.

when I told people I was going to see an "old" Indian movie, people said "I love bollywood!".
ME: "uh...no....he's a director of older Indian movies...he's like an old American movie director, like Hitchcock, Huston, guys like that...."
THEM: "Really? India made movies before Bollywood?"

__________________
My India, 2005-2008
sama: Pali/Sanskrit: that state of consciousness which reflects neither attachment nor aversion

paakhipardesi

I haven't come across anyone who doesn't like 'Munnabhai MBBS'.

Elviira, there are a lot of movies that fit the categories you describe. "Bhoot" has a surreal, Japanese horrory look to it, 'Vadh' is suspenseful, with a lot of twists and a great performance by Nana Patekar. 'Being Cyrus' is a little dark, but a nicely crafted ending, and Saif Ali Khan was worth watching. 'Omkara' also had a good performance by Saif Ali - it is 'Othello' transported to Uttar Pradesh, so no surprise ending, but a very compelling and gritty movie.

barodian

Sholay

Hum Aapke Hain Koun!

Vivah

Khosla Ka Ghosla

Munnabhai MBBS and Lage Raho Munnabhai

Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam

There are many more but I'll stop here

batistuta

Roja (Hindi version) , Sholay and Hum Dil De chuke Sanam.

lotus blossom

i've watched quite a number of bolly films, mostly to get an idea of what the culture is being exposed to. if i am watching them on my dvd player i skip to the next chapter when the song/dance numbers start. many of the films (especially of today) are licentious - how very contrary to a culture like india! yet, to watch them is really quite telling, so from a social standpoint, they're interesting.

the indian cinema that i like are those films that address social issues (same goes for hollywood films) so, the films: bombay, salaam bombay, the triology earth, fire and water, matrubhoomi, lajja, raincoat...these are examples of good cinema, but leave you with no warm and fuzzy feeling, though neither does devdas, yet that is an all-time favorite with a lot of my indian (male) friends. that film is downright tragic, yet, it is quite telling of the turmoil that many suffer by not being allowed to marry for love.

__________________
Not all who wander are lost

Nick-H

I don't object to licentious --- far from it!

I do object to this sort of hypocritical licentiousness where sex is mimed as fas as the laws will allow but there is never even a kiss.


Bollywood films with sex might be ok.

But then, they'd need acting too*, and decent music.

*did you ever see anyone, man or woman, cry in that ridiculous stage sobbing way they do in the films?

Look... I'm the wrong person to ask... I'm not that keen on cinema, period. I'd rather read a book!

shashank.aggarwal

Hey Nick...what exactly you used to do before retirement..I mean what kind of profession your were in..?

I find you very diplomatic, maybe you do it intentionally or not..

in this case.. again you had you entire say on the topic..critised the cinema as only you can and after that innocently claimed..

__________________
Travelogue - Around India
Random Reviews

lotus blossom

thus my statement, "many of the films (especially of today) are licentious - how very contrary to a culture like india!"

i understand though that bollywood experienced it's first kiss ever in the film Dhoom.

i don't think that it'd be o.k. until india is less of a sexually repressed culture. and the morality police would be burnin' down the cinema halls!

shashank.aggarwal

I dont believe that to be a fact... if i start counting I will find many more..

Well I agree that morality police is something we would love to do without..

However "Sexually repressed" again does'nt seem right..even though I am not against showing sex on the screen, however If its not shown does'nt mean that its something wrong..or that things are repressed..