India Masala
Bollywood and culture in an emerging India
from India Insight:
Star seeks groom on TV and other soaps
A new reality show in which a bunch of suitable men vie for the hand of Bollywood starlet Rakhi Sawant is an interesting twist on the prevailing custom of Indian men choosing their brides.
"Rakhi Sawant ka Swayamvar", which harks back to the ancient tradition of princesses choosing a groom from a line-up, began airing on Monday night, pitting more than a dozen men from varied backgrounds -- and with varying singing and dancing abilities -- wooing Sawant, a colourful personality known more for her antics off camera.
It may be yet another publicity stunt for Sawant, who claims she will marry one of the men at the end of the series in a traditional wedding ceremony.
It may be yet another move by the channel, fighting for eyeballs and advertisers, to score high TRPs - or Television Rating Points that show how popular a programme is.
New York: A film that will grow on you
Coming as it does nearly three months after a big-ticket Bollywood release — Kabir Khan’s “New York” is a relief.
The story of three friends whose lives change in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks in New York, the film manages to hold your attention for the most part, mainly because of some astute direction and its performances.
‘Slumdog’ magic rubs off on India abroad
(Click here to watch video)
Bollywood and Indian culture is getting plenty of attention worldwide — thanks to the “Slumdog Millionaire” effect.
Danny Boyle’s rags-to-riches romance about a poor Indian boy competing in a TV game show scooped eight Academy Awards earlier this year.
Kal Kissne Dekha: Not really future perfect
The last Hindi film I watched in a theatre was Nagesh Kukunoor’s “Tasveer”, an improbable tale about a man who has ‘photographic visions’ and can revisit the past. Then Bollywood took a break and I hoped it would serve the industry well.
After all, isn’t that what a break is supposed to do? Refresh and enliven, so that you can come back feeling fresher.
A film that means so much more
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Deepika Padukone is one of the most charming actresses you could hope to meet.
I have spoken to her several times and she has always been extremely polite, composed and not given to overt displays of emotion.
That is why, at a Mumbai event to unveil the first look of her forthcoming film “Love Aaj Kal”, I was surprised to see the 21-year-old at a loss for words.
Bollywood beckons – let’s go to the movies
Now that the dry spell is over and the movies are back on screens, a lot of us are making plans for the weekend that include a movie theatre (at least I am).
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Producers are making sure there are enough movies to keep you occupied for the rest of the year, and given the fact that half the year is over, there are now more movies up for release than weeks to release them.
Ronnie gets Archie – love in the time of recession?
‘Archie proposes to Veronica!’
That headline sent shockwaves and started heated debates in many parts of the world this week, with most fans of one of the longest-running love triangles despairing that Archie Andrews has chosen the rich and glamorous Ronnie over the sweet and simple Betty.
But is it really that different a story from those dished out by Bollywood or the many TV serials? Perhaps the guy is rich. Perhaps the girl is wealthy and doesn’t tell the guy. Perhaps the guy has a wealthy father and doesn’t know it. But the end result is always the same. The guy/girl with the rich dad gets the girl/guy. Every time.
More than ‘just good friends’ in Bollywood
“We are just good friends” has to be the most overused phrase in Bollywood (or even Hollywood) for that matter.
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A couple of years ago, each time rumour mills started working non-stop about a “friendship” between celebrities, the two concerned parties were sure to come up with a statement about how they were just good friends.
Partition: A not-so-epic love story
It’s unusual for Indian cinemas to screen a 2007 film that has already had its television premiere.
But the stand-off between Bollywood producers and multiplexes has resulted in a slew of otherwise straight-to-DVD films getting a chance at the box-office.
Old wine in a new bottle
One of my favourite childhood memories is watching the Sunday afternoon movie on television (on Doordarshan, of course) with friends and family.
And one of the films I always watched was “Seeta Aur Geeta” — no matter how many times they aired it.
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