A Conversation for Ask h2g2

Bollywood movies worth watching

Post 1

Xanatic

I like watching movies from around the world. However when it comes to Bollywood movies, you often end up with something that´s more style than substance. There´s only so many soppy love stories with extravagant dance numbers you can stand to watch. I don´t mind the occasional song-and-dance, but it shouldn´t be the main purpose of the movie. I want something like Lagaan, with an actual plot. Less timepass, more cerebrality. Hey, if they can make up words, so can I. Anyone have any good suggestions for Bollywood movies like this?


Bollywood movies worth watching

Post 2

Lanzababy - Guide Editor

smiley - erm you could pop over to this researcher

kitrapsjasani

Researcher U10755862

He has written extensively on Bollywood


http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/search?searchstring=bollywood&search=GO&approved_entries_only_chk=1&search_type=article_quick_search


Bollywood movies worth watching

Post 3

Just Bob aka Robert Thompson, plugging my film blog cinemainferno-blog.blogspot.co.uk

I once read an article about Bollywood by a film critic. They said they had once had lunch with three other film critics, and reluctantly admitted to never having watched a Bollywood film. Two of the others hadn't either, and the last had only seen a couple!
I have never seen oneand, although I'd quite like to, I don't feel the real urge to. The peoblem, from what I gather, is that they have had practically no influence on film-making outside India. French cinema, German cinema, Japanese cinema, Mexican cinema, etc. have all made their subtle impact on the way the world makes films, but practically nobody has taken up ideas from Bollywood and woven them into their own films.
There are a few exceptions, of course. Baz Luhrmann's musical sensibilities have a lot to do with Indian films, and British Indians like Gurinder Chadha have been riffing on the Bollywood ouevre for years. Meanwhile, traffic the other way is extensive. Entirely apart from direct remakes, I have seen trailers for John Woo/Matrix style action films made in India...


Bollywood movies worth watching

Post 4

Biocorp

I'm guessing that the 5 minute Bollywood section of Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World isn't counted here. It's also not what you'd really call a cerebral movie.


Bollywood movies worth watching

Post 5

Not the monkey - Skreeeeeeeeeeeee

The only one Ive watched in earnest was The Legend of Bhagat Singh, because a friends grandfather was a comrade-in-arms of his in the Hindustani Workers Revolutionary Party. On the one hand it told me something about a chapter of the independence struggle Id known nothing about. On the other hand...there was singing and dancing at unexpected moments.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0319736/


Bollywood movies worth watching

Post 6

Icy North



She... smiley - smiley

I envy the Indian culture - they seem to get so much pleasure from their cnematic song-and-dance extravaganzas. Stuff on offer here in the UK looks really drab & depressing by comparison.


Bollywood movies worth watching

Post 7

Not the monkey - Skreeeeeeeeeeeee

(btw...I believe there have been developments in Indian indie cinema, but I dont know much about them. And for classic, non-Bollywood theres always Satyajit Ray. Pather Panchali must be on anyones list, surely?)


Bollywood movies worth watching

Post 8

Not the monkey - Skreeeeeeeeeeeee

>>Stuff on offer here in the UK looks really drab & depressing by comparison.

Carrie Fisher:

~Fuschia is the beige of India.~


Bollywood movies worth watching

Post 9

Lanzababy - Guide Editor

Oops I do apologise to kit. smiley - grovel I think I got her mixed up with Bengal tiger, who wrote about Satyajit Ray quite recently.

A65190918 and A59706138


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