India Masala
Bollywood and culture in an emerging India
from India Insight:
Collaboration key to Bollywood’s global appeal – Irrfan
Irrfan is no stranger to Hollywood. The Indian actor, who uses only his first name, has been part of critically acclaimed films such as "Life of Pi", "The Namesake" and "A Mighty Heart".
The 40-something actor is doing his bit to help Indian films reach more audiences worldwide. Irrfan says he's goading local movie producers to collaborate, find new markets and swap its Bollywood image for a more universal language of cinema.
His new film "The Lunchbox" is one such international co-production and won the Grand Rail d'Or at the ongoing Cannes Film Festival Critics' Week. Director Ritesh Batra's debut feature film is about a mistaken lunchbox delivery by Mumbai's dabbawalas that connects a young Hindu housewife to an old Catholic man played by Irrfan.
"The Lunchbox" is a far cry from the song-and-dance films Bollywood has been identified with in 100 years of Indian cinema.
from India Insight:
Bollywood fashion at Cannes
By Arnika Thakur and Shashank Chouhan
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the authors and not necessarily of Reuters)
The image of Aishwarya Rai in a striking yellow sari with lots of gold jewellery walking the red carpet at Cannes 2002 is one that a generation of Indian movie fans may not forget.
Gippi: The pains of growing up
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not necessarily of Reuters)
Sonam Nair’s “Gippi” is the coming-of-age tale of a teenage girl who stumbles through life dealing with the typical crises of adolescence. Boys, parents, body image, acne and Shammi Kapoor come together to form the crux of this story, one that was probably written with the help of a handbook on how to script a teen movie.
Go Goa Gone: Die laughing
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not necessarily of Reuters)
To enjoy Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK‘s “Go Goa Gone“, you have to ignore the tacky effects and the bad make-up and concentrate on the wisecracks and repartee between the main characters. Once you’ve done that successfully, get ready to buckle in for what is an unexpectedly fun ride.
from India Insight:
Which is the greatest Bollywood film ever?
It's been a hundred years since the first Indian feature film "Raja Harishchandra" in 1913. Since then, Bollywood has made tens of thousands of films – good, bad and middling.
Tell us the movie that you feel is Bollywood's best. To help you make that choice, we have compiled a list of 100 films we have seen and loved, films that are sensitive and sensible in their own way and films that brought ‘larger than life’ into our living rooms.
Aatma: No soul in this horror flick
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not of Reuters)
The real test of a good horror movie, at least in my book, is when you can’t stop thinking about it and feel a shiver down your spine at night. All the great horror movies do that to you.
Suparn Varma’s “Aatma”, about a violent man who abuses his wife in life and in death, is one film that doesn’t scare you most of the time. Instead, there is much twiddling of thumbs as you wait for the next predictable twist and yet another person to die on the way to the climax.
Does Sanjay Dutt deserve sympathy?
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not of Reuters)
First, the facts — the 1993 Mumbai blasts killed 257 people, more than 100 people were convicted, and it took more than 20 years to deliver justice in a case that has all but faded from the nation’s collective memory.
And yet, if you looked at the headlines on Thursday, you would be forgiven for thinking the Supreme Court ruling was only about actor Sanjay Dutt. And the only tragedy was the one that had befallen Dutt and his family members.
Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns: Rerun of the quirky and violent
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author, and not necessarily of Thomson Reuters)
A politician learning to video chat, a man trying to draw blood with a rusty knife and a newbie MLA who doesn’t know what a police FIR is - moments that make Tigmanshu Dhulia’s “Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster Returns” a film that successfully marries the quirky with the violent.
Special 26: The heist that almost worked
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author, and not necessarily of Reuters)
Bollywood hasn’t had an impressive track record with thrillers. Most have been slow and predictable while some were downright preposterous.
Vishwaroopam: Saga of faith in troubled times
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author, and not necessarily of Reuters)
For a spy thriller that has been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, “Vishwaroopam” is surprisingly tame.
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