Bollywood Corner

[AamchiMumbaikar]

Any reviews on badrinath ki dulhania?

Time pass flick. Decent 1 time watch.

Alia and Varun are like Raveena and Govinda of 90's

 

[bleaf27]

Anyone seen Kahaani 2 ? I loved the first one , haven't been able to get the DVD for the second one

 

[Sarfarazian92]

Time pass flick. Decent 1 time watch.

Alia and Varun are like Raveena and Govinda of 90's

saw a few posts on fb mocking the movie lol

 

[Zahid87]

Kahaani 2 was not great. Nothing compared to the first one.

Bardinath Ki Dulhania was actually kind of watchable. I went in with low expectations, and was better than I thought it would be.

Not totally ridiculous like some Bollywood films tend to be i.e. not a David Dhawan or Sajid Khan type movie which somehow people enjoy despite being stupid.

But a decent film. Badly crushing on Alia Bhatt though....

 

[SandyB]

Nope. Saw it when it came out. Yes, it is a remake but still a very fine movie. A must-watch.

Even the Malayalam language original Drishyam (2013) , has the basic premise of the story very similar to a japanese film 'The Devotion of Suspect X' . But the Writer /Director Jeethu Joseph , had completely reworked the characters and setting in such a way that the "plagarism" allegations are tough to establish. Also the film works mainly because it is built around the typical Indian family structure. The closeness of the members and the extreme dedication of parent to their children's well being are all used expertly here.

The Hindi version was one of the shoddier remake attempts of the film, given that it was already remade in 3 other Indian languages by that time !..

Having a 30 year old Shriya Sharan play mother to a 16-year old was rather poor filmamking, given that there are many talented actresses of the appropriate age available (see how Amir Khan's wife was cast in Dangal)..

Also I don't get why the scene of the Boy dying is changed so as to make his death completely accidental, instead of the girl doing it voluntarily as it is in the original film ! Why can't filmmakers portray the woman as capable of a choice, where she could choose to hurt a man who was threatening to completely ruin her. This extreme adherence to the "Sathi savitri" image of Indian women that bollywood still choses to adhere to really dissapointed. It took away the moral dilemma over the remainder of the actions of the family and especially as that of the father ! . "Oh , we were just escaping from an unfortunate twist of fate.! He was just saving his family ! ". This overt purification of the hero's intentions reduced the quality of that film in my opinion. In the original story, the hero CHOOSES to do what he does, knowing fully well that he is doing wrong , to cover up the actions of his family ! .

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

Trailer of Bahubali 2 is out, I liked the first part very much -

 

[Zak_Fan]

Just read that Dangal made 15 crore in China on 1st day. PK made 100+ crore overall.

What is it about Amir Khan that sells in CHina?

 

[JaDed]

Just read that Dangal made 15 crore in China on 1st day. PK made 100+ crore overall.

What is it about Amir Khan that sells in CHina?

Good movies? 3 idiots got remade in Mexico,

Not to forget PK and DAngal have universal themes and China relates with them as well,Dhoom didn't do well and rightly so.

 

[Zak_Fan]

Good movies? 3 idiots got remade in Mexico,

Not to forget PK and DAngal have universal themes and China relates with them as well,Dhoom didn't do well and rightly so.

Yup, probably. Still staggering numbers.. don't think these movies made this much even in Pakistan.

 

[SandyB]

Just read that Dangal made 15 crore in China on 1st day. PK made 100+ crore overall.

What is it about Amir Khan that sells in CHina?

I've been going through google translated (horrendous) discussions/comments about AK on many Chinese forums . He's truly seen a true "Showman" a'la Raj Kapoor by the Chinese. These are things that I concluded :

1. Amir's films have tackled issues that resonate with most of the Asian world - Religion (P.K), Flawed educational system (3 Idiots), Mental Health (TZP) all of these films have been hugely appreciated in China.

2. They appreciate the intense physical transformations and mental efforts he undergoes to bring his characters and stories to life . They feel none of the Chinese actors show this level of commitment to their films. (were not talking martial arts films here ) .

3. Many people are aware of his "satyameva jayathe" show and many of his charitable works and social causes he has championed. They believe he truly sees cinema as a medium of social change and elevates it beyond just entertainment.

4. And Most importantly , in the heavily censored and state controlled film-making environment of China, which allows for very limited creative expression and absolutely crushes dissenting themes, the find Aamirs film's ability to criticize Society & religion via films in a fellow neighboring country as incredible !

 

[Vayuu]

Mean while bahubali 2 becomes 1st Indian movie to earn 1000 crores and still going strong.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Just saw Baahubali 2. Oh my goodness. He can shoot better than Legolas, use the sword better than Aragorn and an axe better than Gimli. Also can make ships fly. Gandalf who?

 

[SandyB]

Just saw Baahubali 2. Oh my goodness. He can shoot better than Legolas, use the sword better than Aragorn and an axe better than Gimli. Also can make ships fly. Gandalf who?

It's still a Telugu masala movie at heart dude. Don't watch it expecting a LOTR or a Gladiator. People love hyping desi products sky high as part of our post colonial coping mechanism . This film precisely taps into the Make India Great Again mentality of our people !

But what makes it good is the sheer technical achievement and artistic innovation involved. The VFX is still late 90's hollywood (but mostly done in India, unlike Robot which used ILM ), but the fight choreography, use of props, the art direction(fantastic !) etc are great.

What I liked the best is how the environment is used in the fights. Indian filmmakers never did that in the past . Neither do we see actors commiting their whole time & physiques for 4+ years for a project. This is like a major leap as far as "epic" size filmmaking in India is concerned.

This movie has a far better story than part 1 and much less misogyny too . And a pan indian appeal is hard to manufacture for most Indian films. Apart from the recent Aamir Khan films and Chennai express(obvious reasons), few bollwood films managed to attract non-bollywood moviegoers in the south, even after they are dubbed to regional languages.

So this film got so many things right on so many levels. !

On a personal level I feel Dangal getting glowing reviews and widespread success throughout China is as big an achievement for Indian cinema as what Bahubali did. Overall the profile of Indian cinema is rising and unlike the past it's Bollywood that is getting overshadowed for a change .

I'm eagerly Waiting for 2.0 now, Shankar will fight tooth and nail to win back his position as South India's biggest showman. Even if the film wont have the same mass appeal as the Bahubali films, I expect a much stronger technical product .

 

[big_gamer007]

Just saw Baahubali 2. Oh my goodness. He can shoot better than Legolas, use the sword better than Aragorn and an axe better than Gimli. Also can make ships fly. Gandalf who?

Leave common sense at home while going to watch such movies.. The storyline was pretty good, action was way OTT but Indian audiences dig that.. Made those recent superhero movies look mild in comparison..

 

[Nikhil_cric]

It's still a Telugu masala movie at heart dude. Don't watch it expecting a LOTR or a Gladiator. People love hyping desi products sky high as part of our post colonial coping mechanism . This film precisely taps into the Make India Great Again mentality of our people !

But what makes it good is the sheer technical achievement and artistic innovation involved. The VFX is still late 90's hollywood (but mostly done in India, unlike Robot which used ILM ), but the fight choreography, use of props, the art direction(fantastic !) etc are great.

What I liked the best is how the environment is used in the fights. Indian filmmakers never did that in the past . Neither do we see actors commiting their whole time & physiques for 4+ years for a project. This is like a major leap as far as "epic" size filmmaking in India is concerned.

This movie has a far better story than part 1 and much less misogyny too . And a pan indian appeal is hard to manufacture for most Indian films. Apart from the recent Aamir Khan films and Chennai express(obvious reasons), few bollwood films managed to attract non-bollywood moviegoers in the south, even after they are dubbed to regional languages.

So this film got so many things right on so many levels. !

On a personal level I feel Dangal getting glowing reviews and widespread success throughout China is as big an achievement for Indian cinema as what Bahubali did. Overall the profile of Indian cinema is rising and unlike the past it's Bollywood that is getting overshadowed for a change .

I'm eagerly Waiting for 2.0 now, Shankar will fight tooth and nail to win back his position as South India's biggest showman. Even if the film wont have the same mass appeal as the Bahubali films, I expect a much stronger technical product .

Yes i agree it's a kind of post colonial coping mechanism but you can do so much better with such a budget. It's a shame that Telugu movies are so poor considering the budget. Just saw a Malayalam horror film Ezra and I was much more impressed by the story and everything. Very unique as far as horror films go and it's actually possible to suspend disbelief . Telugu film s should stop being so over the top.

 

[SandyB]

Yes i agree it's a kind of post colonial coping mechanism but you can do so much better with such a budget. It's a shame that Telugu movies are so poor considering the budget. Just saw a Malayalam horror film Ezra and I was much more impressed by the story and everything. Very unique as far as horror films go and it's actually possible to suspend disbelief . Telugu film s should stop being so over the top.

I'm mallu myself. But you have to realize that Malayalam films are so experimental and unique mainly because they don't have the wide audience base or the financial resources to make a big budget extravaganza and shove it down peoples throats .. Neither do we have fans that show the same level of loyalty (except to the two M's). Due to these constraints, filmmakers are forced to innovate more, CONTENT becomes king and experimentation becomes the only way for actors like Prithviraj to stay ahead of the pack.

Our filmmakers realized long ago that we cannot compete against the Tamil and Telugu FI's by trying to match them blow for blow (which was what Kannada cinema tries mostly ) .

So our only hope of getting a cross language appeal is to make interesting lower budget projects and give good subtitling , which if they work out will get dubbed or remade to the other southern states.

PS: Ezra felt different because they didn't go full "Conjuring" mode with it . It was more mystery than horror. Again, I'm from Kochi and all the things they show about Kerala jews and Jewish culture (except for the veracity of the exorcism scenes) are ALL HISTORICALLY ACCURATE . The level of research done for the project and the historical accuracy of the "period" portions of the story are incredible. Its these efforts that help our films punch above their weight .

 

[kaayal]

Just saw Baahubali 2. Oh my goodness. He can shoot better than Legolas, use the sword better than Aragorn and an axe better than Gimli. Also can make ships fly. Gandalf who?

Lol those scenes where ott but still a good fantasy movie..

 

[kaayal]

This song keeps ringing in my head after watching the movie baahubali 2. Don't know anything about telugu still i can recall most part of the lyrics...Powerful singinging from M M Keeravani and Daler Mehndi esp the transition from 2:41 to 2.55...

 

[SandyB]

This song keeps ringing in my head after watching the movie baahubali 2. Don't know anything about telugu still i can recall most part of the lyrics...Powerful singinging from M M Keeravani and Daler Mehndi esp the transition from 2:41 to 2.55...

The telugu version is way better . I think the use of powerful sounding sanskrit words is what makes it so appealing .

The tamil version wasn't this good and the malayalam version was pure slaughter

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Lol those scenes where ott but still a good fantasy movie..

I personally found it rather bland. It was just a typical Telugu movie on a high dose of nandrolone . Also maybe because many scenes simply tried too hard to emulate Hollywood flicks I guess. I'm surprised that it's so popular but I guess it's an OK film after all. But I just don't get the hype.

 

[SandyB]

I personally found it rather bland. It was just a typical Telugu movie on a high dose of nandrolone . Also maybe because many scenes simply tried too hard to emulate Hollywood flicks I guess. I'm surprised that it's so popular but I guess it's an OK film after all. But I just don't get the hype.

I still rate "Eega" (dubbed MAKHI in Hindi) as SSR's best film.! That was a true achievement. The level of imagination used there was extraordinary .

Bahubali was more of a polished perfected version of the typical mythical/fantasy films of telugu cinema.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

I still rate "Eega" (dubbed MAKHI in Hindi) as SSR's best film.! That was a true achievement. The level of imagination used there was extraordinary .

Bahubali was more of a polished perfected version of the typical mythical/fantasy films of telugu cinema.

Haven't seen eega. Will give it a go when I get time.

 

[SandyB]

Haven't seen eega. Will give it a go when I get time.

It's mind boggling. The VFX is great . Again the movie IS NOT A RIP OFF. That's what surprised me the most .

Remember the "robot formation" sequences in Enthiran ? They were pretty much Shankar's ideas. This movie has similar wow moments too, original ones .

 

[JaDed]

Dangal is killing it in China,apparently yesterday got more than Guardians inspite of less number of screens,word to mouth seems to working in its favor.

 

[JaDed]

Haven't seen eega. Will give it a go when I get time.

It was boring for me because it ends up being a revenge tale but as [MENTION=140459]SandyB[/MENTION] said it has those original moments in graphics you could feel that the graphics were genuine and not overloaded not to forget very desi story.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

It was boring for me because it ends up being a revenge tale but as [MENTION=140459]SandyB[/MENTION] said it has those original moments in graphics you could feel that the graphics were genuine and not overloaded not to forget very desi story.

Ohk thanks Sandy and [MENTION=137142]JaDed[/MENTION] . As long as it is original, I think I might enjoy it quite a bit.

 

[SandyB]

Chinese fans crazy about ‘Dangal’ actor Aamir Khan

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1046486.shtml

Indian actor Aamir Khan caused quite a lot of buzz when he came to China last month to attend the Beijing International Film Festival and promote his latest film Dangal, which is currently the highest earning Indian film in the Chinese mainland.

A heartthrob in his home country, the actor has also earned a huge number of dedicated fans in China.

Social focus

Khan has become a unique figure among the many idols - most of them Hollywood celebrities and South Korean pop stars - that most Chinese fans are crazy about.

First starting out in India as a child actor in 1972, Khan continued to work in front of and behind the big screen as an actor, director and producer over the next few decades to become one of the most influential names in Indian cinema.

However, most people in China got to know Khan through his role in the comedy 3 Idiots (2009), which featured a story about three students who challenged the Indian education system.

"I really related to the story. The problems with the education systems in China and India are very similar," Wang Yang (pseudonym), an avid fan of Khan, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

She first watched 3 Idiots while in high school. After this first taste, she sought out more of Khan's works, which eventually led to him becoming her idol.

"He totally became a god to me after I watched Truth Alone Triumphs," Wang said.

Truth Alone Triumphs is a TV talk show hosted by Khan that has aired on various channels in India since 2012. It mostly touches on sensitive social issues in India such as rape, female foeticide, child sexual abuse, domestic violence, untouchability and corruption in politics.

The show has been positively received by viewers for Khan's efforts to raise awareness about social issues.

"All those issues touched on in his works also exist in China, but no Chinese has ever made that type of film," Wu Qian (pseudonym), a 29-year-old fan of Khan told the Global Times. She added that the problem doesn't just lie with Chinese filmmakers, censorship in China poses obstacles for the creation of this type of work as well.

"Khan's Truth Alone Triumphs was not censored in India," Wu pointed out. "I can't even imagine what a show like that would look like in China."

Dedication to craft

Khan's latest film, sports drama Dangal has earned 141 million yuan ($20.4 million) after only 6 days in mainland theaters, despite going up against Hollywood blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2.

Dangal has also garnered critical acclaim among audiences. The film currently has a 9.2/10 on Chinese media review site Douban.

The films tells the story of a former wrestler (Khan) who trains his daughters to be professional wrestlers - a traditionally male-dominated profession - rather than force them into arranged marriages like many other Indian parents.

Once again, many Chinese moviegoers have been amazed by Khan's courage in touching upon sensitive social issues and trying to inspire women to break the constraints of tradition.

A number of those who have seen the film, including celebrities, almost immediately posted how much they enjoyed the film on Chinese social media networks.

"At first, I liked Khan because he's handsome, cute and is a versatile actor who aims for perfection. But now I admire him for how he uses the power of being a public figure," Taitai (nickname), a Khan fan who runs the unofficial Aamir Khan Information Channel on Sina Weibo, in an e-mail interview with the Global Times.

"He knows that countries need more than government efforts to develop. Society needs to have its awareness raised as well… I wish there could be celebrities like him in China," Taitai wrote.

Taitai first decided to establish the fan account eight years ago when he noticed that China lacked any official channels featuring the latest information about Khan.

In his spare time, Taitai searches for latest news about Khan which he then uses to make videos about the star in Chinese. Additionally, he occasionally buys Khan-related products from India which he sells to fans through the channel, although he stated that he hasn't turned a profit from these transactions.

Taitai said that there has been a significant increase in the number of Khan fans in China in recent years.

"Uncle Mi's sincere passion for film and his consistent efforts in increasing social awareness is the reason that he has such a massive fan base," Taitai wrote. Uncle Mi, or Mi Shu, is the nickname by which fans refer to Khan in Chinese.

Khan's dedication to his roles has also earned him a lot of praise.

While shooting Dangal, Khan gained and lost a dramatic amount of weight for the role. To play the older version of the father character he increased his body weight to 97 kilograms. He underwent intense physical training, during which time he lost 25 kilograms, to play the character when he was a younger, more muscular wrestler.

A Facebook video of Khan training in the gym that he posted in December 2016 has been viewed more than 20 million times.

After Khan opened an official account on Sina Weibo on April 14, he attracted more than 432,499 followers in a short period of time.

According to Taitai, Khan's Chinese fans have held a number of activities, such as greeting him at the airport during his recent two visits to the mainland.

"I believe a great filmmaker does more than pure entertainment. A great movie should reflect society, and maybe help it develop to some extent," Wu said.

"He has done that. He is a great filmmaker and I wish there were more people like him in China."

 

[kaayal]

I still rate "Eega" (dubbed MAKHI in Hindi) as SSR's best film.! That was a true achievement. The level of imagination used there was extraordinary .

Bahubali was more of a polished perfected version of the typical mythical/fantasy films of telugu cinema.

Apart from the VFX and animation, Sudeep was great in the role of villain. Considering he had to act imagining a fly there...

I think Rajamouli has a special liking for this re birth stories lol..

 

[JaDed]

[MENTION=140459]SandyB[/MENTION] , [MENTION=139678]Zak_Fan[/MENTION] looks like Dangal has got 301 crores already in China beating other US movies and its second weekend collection higher than first weekend(to be confirmed tmrw) ,looks like it will gross more in China compared to India ) shows the benefit of one language i say.

 

[SandyB]

[MENTION=140459]SandyB[/MENTION] , [MENTION=139678]Zak_Fan[/MENTION] looks like Dangal has got 301 crores already in China beating other US movies and its second weekend collection higher than first weekend(to be confirmed tmrw) ,looks like it will gross more in China compared to India ) shows the benefit of one language i say.

[MENTION=137142]JaDed[/MENTION] Nopes.!

Then how do you explain a South Indian movie (Baahubali) grossing almost 1000 crore in India ? They Made it AVAILABLE it to all the Major film languages in India (Telugu , Tamil, Hindi and Malayalam, ) ie, it got coverage in almost 90% of India (assuming the remaining non-hindi states - Maharashtra, Orissa , WB, NE states etc all are dominated by Hindi films ).

Why doesn't bollywood ever try that ??

Do they assume that non-Hindi users are gonna learn hindi just out of love for your Khans and Kumars and Kapoors ? Look how much money the MS Dhoni movie made in south india (especially TN) after they decided to dub it in Tamil & Telugu . Even Aamir Khan (the smartest of BW marketers) rarely takes the effort to dub his films to regional languages. How much would it really take compared to the money Bollywood blows up on films promotion ? Every single mid to big budget Tamil and Telugu films take the effort to make the films accessible to the other 3 states either by making them as Bi/Tri-linguals or dubbing .

The KEY is REACHING MAXIMUM PEOPLE.

Why Aamir films make so much money in China , has been explained by me in previous posts here. Given that Baahubali, Dilwale etc were duds in China proves that its not their live for Bollywood , but actually Aamir's content that they identify with.

 

[JaDed]

[MENTION=137142]JaDed[/MENTION] Nopes.!

Then how do you explain a South Indian movie (Baahubali) grossing almost 1000 crore in India ? They Made it AVAILABLE it to all the Major film languages in India (Telugu , Tamil, Hindi and Malayalam, ) ie, it got coverage in almost 90% of India (assuming the remaining non-hindi states - Maharashtra, Orissa , WB, NE states etc all are dominated by Hindi films ).

Why doesn't bollywood ever try that ??

Do they assume that non-Hindi users are gonna learn hindi just out of love for your Khans and Kumars and Kapoors ? Look how much money the MS Dhoni movie made in south india (especially TN) after they decided to dub it in Tamil & Telugu . Even Aamir Khan (the smartest of BW marketers) rarely takes the effort to dub his films to regional languages. How much would it really take compared to the money Bollywood blows up on films promotion ? Every single mid to big budget Tamil and Telugu films take the effort to make the films accessible to the other 3 states either by making them as Bi/Tri-linguals or dubbing .

The KEY is REACHING MAXIMUM PEOPLE.

Why Aamir films make so much money in China , has been explained by me in previous posts here. Given that Baahubali, Dilwale etc were duds in China proves that its not their live for Bollywood , but actually Aamir's content that they identify with.

Just pulling ur leg mate, Amir's movies not only have good content but apparently he also keeps in touch with his Chinese fans through weibo(Chinese Twitter) equivalent.

And you are right about dubbing movies but don't think many movies could do that,Bahubali was an exception case with a pan India appeal. Think Krishh was also dubbed but they didn't promote it enough.

Similarly imo a lot of it is lost in translation for example many Tamil jokes would make absolutely no sense in Hindi and similar for Hindi to Tamil.But yes with more than 5 years experience of dubbing movies in zee cinema,set max etc south Indian movies have learnt how to do it but don't think the opposite will work that well,again Dhoni is famous here that's why it went well.

 

[SandyB]

Just pulling ur leg mate, Amir's movies not only have good content but apparently he also keeps in touch with his Chinese fans through weibo(Chinese Twitter) equivalent.

And you are right about dubbing movies but don't think many movies could do that,Bahubali was an exception case with a pan India appeal. Think Krishh was also dubbed but they didn't promote it enough.

Similarly imo a lot of it is lost in translation for example many Tamil jokes would make absolutely no sense in Hindi and similar for Hindi to Tamil.But yes with more than 5 years experience of dubbing movies in zee cinema,set max etc south Indian movies have learnt how to do it but don't think the opposite will work that well,again Dhoni is famous here that's why it went well.

I mean the other way round. Bollywood to Regional languages. The story and themes of Dangal, PK, 3 idiots, Munnabhai, Chak De! etc would resonate with all Indians. Why not do decent dubs of such films and release them alongside hindi versions.?

I have seen a huge number of keralites reading up /following Dangal and its story on TV & Print media. Many didn't watch it because 1) Not all prints released had english subtitles 2) Even with english subs, it still cant be understood by less educated and/or older regional audiences unfamiliar with Hindi.

Few months after release many of these Hindi films get picked up by local cinema channels and are shown on weekend prime-time slots with atrocious dubbing , still they pick huge ratings. So the MARKET EXISTS !

What is prevalent is the attitude, what we all describe as Hindi chauvinism . "Hindi is the language of our films , it is our national language (NOT !) , so all Indians will be able to enjoy it in Hindi itself. Else learn it ! "

Anyway since Baahubali showed BW where the money is , lets hope they put their egos down the drain and do a proper job with upcoming releases.

 

[CricketCartoons]

I mean the other way round. Bollywood to Regional languages. The story and themes of Dangal, PK, 3 idiots, Munnabhai, Chak De! etc would resonate with all Indians. Why not do decent dubs of such films and release them alongside hindi versions.?

I have seen a huge number of keralites reading up /following Dangal and its story on TV & Print media. Many didn't watch it because 1) Not all prints released had english subtitles 2) Even with english subs, it still cant be understood by less educated and/or older regional audiences unfamiliar with Hindi.

Few months after release many of these Hindi films get picked up by local cinema channels and are shown on weekend prime-time slots with atrocious dubbing , still they pick huge ratings. So the MARKET EXISTS !

What is prevalent is the attitude, what we all describe as Hindi chauvinism . "Hindi is the language of our films , it is our national language (NOT !) , so all Indians will be able to enjoy it in Hindi itself. Else learn it ! "

Anyway since Baahubali showed BW where the money is , lets hope they put their egos down the drain and do a proper job with upcoming releases.

So Bollywood should bend to please the madrasi audience? Those who want to watch it in hindi are free to watch. those who don't, no one is forcing them to, they can stick to clown movies of rajnikant and mohanlal. Don't think people in madras will relate to many bollywood movies, which is fine, but maybe a few select ones can be dubbed on case by case basis, just like a few hit hollywood movies are dubbed in hindi, not all.

 

[kaayal]

I mean the other way round. Bollywood to Regional languages. The story and themes of Dangal, PK, 3 idiots, Munnabhai, Chak De! etc would resonate with all Indians. Why not do decent dubs of such films and release them alongside hindi versions.?

I have seen a huge number of keralites reading up /following Dangal and its story on TV & Print media. Many didn't watch it because 1) Not all prints released had english subtitles 2) Even with english subs, it still cant be understood by less educated and/or older regional audiences unfamiliar with Hindi.

Few months after release many of these Hindi films get picked up by local cinema channels and are shown on weekend prime-time slots with atrocious dubbing , still they pick huge ratings. So the MARKET EXISTS !

What is prevalent is the attitude, what we all describe as Hindi chauvinism . "Hindi is the language of our films , it is our national language (NOT !) , so all Indians will be able to enjoy it in Hindi itself. Else learn it ! "

Anyway since Baahubali showed BW where the money is , lets hope they put their egos down the drain and do a proper job with upcoming releases.

Certain movies are better in their original language than their dubbed ones. Most of the South Indians already understand hindi eventhough they don't use it in a daily basis...so why do we need to dub it??

Baahubali is an exception because it was something that has never happened before in Indian cinema (the vfx, animation and the budget). People will flock into the theatre just to see what's all the fuss about it....Telugu has no similarity to malayalam nor we have studied that language in school...therefore we need an english subtitle or a dubbed version in this case to understand it fully.

And generally, most of us do hate these dubbed versions unless it's something big like baahubali.

 

[TM Riddle]

What's south film industry called and is Rajnikant dead or still working?

 

[JaDed]

What's south film industry called and is Rajnikant dead or still working?

Rajnikanths next has Akshay as villain robot 2 .
Kollywod,Mollywod,Tollywood,Sandalwood.

 

[TM Riddle]

Rajnikanths next has Akshay as villain robot 2 .
Kollywod,Mollywod,Tollywood,Sandalwood.

I remember watching Robot.It was so pathetic and cheesy that I can't believe people actually revere this guy.Bahubali was miles ahead in every way.

 

[CricketCartoons]

Rajnikanths next has Akshay as villain robot 2 .
Kollywod,Mollywod,Tollywood,Sandalwood.

Love Rajnikant's movies..hilarious comedian, best clown actor in entire india.

 

[JaDed]

I remember watching Robot.It was so pathetic and cheesy that I can't believe people actually revere this guy.Bahubali was miles ahead in every way.

Depends upon the movie,same team made Sivaji (comes multiple times on TV) and I liked it, haven't seen robot in a single sitting yet but Bahubali wasn't Good either but it depends upon ppl as to what they were looking for ,found Bahubali and Robot to be terrible and just liked I missed Bahubali 2 ,Ll probably miss robot 2 as well.,unless something veryyyy different.

I like Rajini,one reason being I grew up in Che nnai and have nostalgia for 90s movies of his and IMHO he has amazing screen presence.

 

[kaayal]

I remember watching Robot.It was so pathetic and cheesy that I can't believe people actually revere this guy.Bahubali was miles ahead in every way.

Never except any common sense from these mass movies of these south Indian actors. These are exclusively made for their fans and they are enough to make it a very big hit in terms of box office numbers.

Will only check for the songs of Robot 2.

 

[SandyB]

I remember watching Robot.It was so pathetic and cheesy that I can't believe people actually revere this guy.Bahubali was miles ahead in every way.

As a whole the movie may have been silly . But the climatic fight sequences and the use of VFX there- where the army of Robots start making formations, was incredibly imaginative and conceptualized by Shankar himself. It received a lot of praise from foreign /Hollywood directors like Oliver stone.

 

[SandyB]

So Bollywood should bend to please the madrasi audience? Those who want to watch it in hindi are free to watch. those who don't, no one is forcing them to, they can stick to clown movies of rajnikant and mohanlal. Don't think people in madras will relate to many bollywood movies, which is fine, but maybe a few select ones can be dubbed on case by case basis, just like a few hit hollywood movies are dubbed in hindi, not all.

Then don't Whine "Why can't Bollywood movies make money like Bahubali", " Why did a good movie like Dangal make only 700cr in India" etc etc. I was responding to such statements which are aplenty in Bollywood forums and media these days.


Money makes people bend over man. No amount of "Adarsh" or "pride" compensates for that . You're out to sell movies. No one is dying for lack of films here.

And honestly , we prefer our clown looking Mohanlals and Rajnis to your Arab looking, Pashtun- Pakistani origin bollywood super stars, who donot even represent 20% of what the actual Hindi populace looks like. We keep our fascination for WHITE SKIN limited to our actresses alone.

The guys you mentioned have done good acting in quite a few films, especially Mohanlal. Their clown movies donot represent their entire cinematography.

 

[CricketCartoons]

Then don't Whine "Why can't Bollywood movies make money like Bahubali", " Why did a good movie like Dangal make only 700cr in India" etc etc. I was responding to such statements which are aplenty in Bollywood forums and media these days.


Money makes people bend over man. No amount of "Adarsh" or "pride" compensates for that . You're out to sell movies. No one is dying for lack of films here.

And honestly , we prefer our clown looking Mohanlals and Rajnis to your Arab looking, Pashtun- Pakistani origin bollywood super stars, who donot even represent 20% of what the actual Hindi populace looks like. We keep our fascination for WHITE SKIN limited to our actresses alone.

The guys you mentioned have done good acting in quite a few films, especially Mohanlal. Their clown movies donot represent their entire cinematography.

Who is whining bro? If bahubali takes 5 years to make two movies and earn so much, what is the earning per year, and compare it to the earnings by bollywood stars per year.

Funny that you mention the skin tone of bollywood actors and admit the misogyny and anti women bias in south india, where men are entitled to white skin toned females.

Here is the iconic image of comedy star rajnikant trying to represent the common man )

 

[SandyB]

Who is whining bro? If bahubali takes 5 years to make two movies and earn so much, what is the earning per year, and compare it to the earnings by bollywood stars per year.

Funny that you mention the skin tone of bollywood actors and admit the misogyny and anti women bias in south india, where men are entitled to white skin toned females.

Here is the iconic image of comedy star rajnikant trying to represent the common man )

If you have seen the movie , even though its a masala film, the character played by Rajni tries to bleach his skin to turn to the color as he is in this pic, after he is rejected by a fair looking girl for being too dark . ! So where does it contradict the point made. ?

Hindi films use up the lions share of their budget to pay inflated salaries of actors, which in turn affects the quality of their content , that is no way an indication of their success. Again the clown Rajni is has been paid much higher per film than any actor barring Jackie Chan in asia in the past decade.


I didn't accuse you of whining, but there are far too many post and articles circulating in social media and news regarding what Bahubali got right and bollywood gets wrong.


These two are news by foriegn media houses:

Bahubali 2: South Indian epic film sees fans troll Bollywood
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-39777539

India: Epic fantasy Bahubali challenges Bollywood supremacy and earns comparisons with Game of Thrones

http://www.thenational.scot/culture...y_and_earns_comparisons_with_Game_of_Thrones/

And this qualifies as proper whining by Bollywood elites :

Rishi Kapoor takes dig at Bollywood as 'Baahubali 2' crosses Rs. 1000 crore

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...rosses-rs-1000-crore/articleshow/58574078.cms

 

[CricketCartoons]

If you have seen the movie , even though its a masala film, the character played by Rajni tries to bleach his skin to turn to the color as he is in this pic, after he is rejected by a fair looking girl for being too dark . ! So where does it contradict the point made. ?

Hindi films use up the lions share of their budget to pay inflated salaries of actors, which in turn affects the quality of their content , that is no way an indication of their success. Again the clown Rajni is has been paid much higher per film than any actor barring Jackie Chan in asia in the past decade.


I didn't accuse you of whining, but there are far too many post and articles circulating in social media and news regarding what Bahubali got right and bollywood gets wrong.


These two are news by foriegn media houses:

Bahubali 2: South Indian epic film sees fans troll Bollywood
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-39777539

India: Epic fantasy Bahubali challenges Bollywood supremacy and earns comparisons with Game of Thrones

http://www.thenational.scot/culture...y_and_earns_comparisons_with_Game_of_Thrones/

And this qualifies as proper whining by Bollywood elites :

Rishi Kapoor takes dig at Bollywood as 'Baahubali 2' crosses Rs. 1000 crore

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...rosses-rs-1000-crore/articleshow/58574078.cms

So you were asking rishi kapoor et al to stop whining? Oh, didn't know he reads you here. You have been selective in those handful of news articles. Did you read the one by Sundar Surakkai, where he said it is the worst movie to happen in indian cinema? And that is saying a lot. But let the madrasi fans enjoy their moment in sun and feel good about themselves for once..

Why did Fair and Handsome partner with Kabali? What happened to rajni's pride in his skin, and those of his inferiority complex ridden fans? He is such a clown that he refuses movies because his fans won't like to see him get beaten if any scene demanded it. Him getting paid the highest only endorses the fact that he has the most number of idiotic fans ever, not that he is any quality. Don't believe me? Wait for the day when he leaves this planet...you will see his idiot fans rioting on the streets, like they do whenever something happens to the personality they worship.

 

[JaDed]

So you were asking rishi kapoor et al to stop whining? Oh, didn't know he reads you here. You have been selective in those handful of news articles. Did you read the one by Sundar Surakkai, where he said it is the worst movie to happen in indian cinema? And that is saying a lot. But let the madrasi fans enjoy their moment in sun and feel good about themselves for once..

Why did Fair and Handsome partner with Kabali? What happened to rajni's pride in his skin, and those of his inferiority complex ridden fans? He is such a clown that he refuses movies because his fans won't like to see him get beaten if any scene demanded it. Him getting paid the highest only endorses the fact that he has the most number of idiotic fans ever, not that he is any quality. Don't believe me? Wait for the day when he leaves this planet...you will see his idiot fans rioting on the streets, like they do whenever something happens to the personality they worship.

Atleast they won't riot and protest throughout the year and destroy industries like some mafia city where even corporates like Tata feel scared to invest.

Time for Gorkhaland to be a separate state ,Siliguri easily can be a centre of commerce connecting multiple places.

 

[CricketCartoons]

Atleast they won't riot and protest throughout the year and destroy industries like some mafia city where even corporates like Tata feel scared to invest.

Time for Gorkhaland to be a separate state ,Siliguri easily can be a centre of commerce connecting multiple places.

Totally non sequitur. Want to discuss the cinema of Bengal? be my guest.

 

[JaDed]

Totally non sequitur. Want to discuss the cinema of Bengal? be my guest.

Not entertaining enough to watch on screen ,so no idea carry on.

 

[TM Riddle]

Ok the movie was good but comparisons with game of thrones? You madrasis have got to be kidding me

 

[CricketCartoons]

Not entertaining enough to watch on screen ,so no idea carry on.

National Best Film awards won:
Combined 4 south indian states including madras: 20
Bengal: 22

 

[TM Riddle]

Not entertaining enough to watch on screen ,so no idea carry on.

If your idea of entertainment means 4 people flying and reaching their destination around 100m away with the help of a palm tree used as a slingshot then yeah sure buddy.

 

[JaDed]

National Best Film awards won:
Combined 4 south indian states including madras: 20
Bengal: 22

Saif won a national award for hum tum so plz.
Also Bollywood has 3 Oscar nominations, doesn't mean it's he best.

 

[JaDed]

If your idea of entertainment means 4 people flying and reaching their destination around 100m away with the help of a palm tree used as a slingshot then yeah sure buddy.

Dangal was entertaining for me,so was 3 idiots,one doesn't have to fly just to.make it entertaining. How many Bengali films have you seen?

 

[SandyB]

Ok the movie was good but comparisons with game of thrones? You madrasis have got to be kidding me

The comparison was done by foriegn media (pretty pointless TBH) , and some hardcore telugu fans. That's it .Not all South Indians are overrating it , I personally found much of the GoT comparisons coming from Hindi pages, by people who are tired of watching the same cliched NRI rom-coms and of-course the anti-urdu brigade.

I won't call it anything close to a great film, but a triumph in close cultural marketing and Indian VFX and big scale cinema. I'm from Kerala and nobody here has compared it to anything like GoT or Gladiator.

We have the same stuck up attitude here as makers of "Smart artistic films" like what the Bengalis have towards other northern Industries. We watch Telugu, Tamil films only for the "MASALA"/"Commercial" elements, because our movies/actors would tank if they tried to imitate their style.

So you were asking rishi kapoor et al to stop whining? Oh, didn't know he reads you here. You have been selective in those handful of news articles. Did you read the one by Sundar Surakkai, where he said it is the worst movie to happen in indian cinema? And that is saying a lot. But let the madrasi fans enjoy their moment in sun and feel good about themselves for once..

Why did Fair and Handsome partner with Kabali? What happened to rajni's pride in his skin, and those of his inferiority complex ridden fans? He is such a clown that he refuses movies because his fans won't like to see him get beaten if any scene demanded it. Him getting paid the highest only endorses the fact that he has the most number of idiotic fans ever, not that he is any quality. Don't believe me? Wait for the day when he leaves this planet...you will see his idiot fans rioting on the streets, like they do whenever something happens to the personality they worship.

Nah ! Tamil people are far beyond that phace. There was nothing on the streets when Jayalalitha Died, and she was a far more influential and worshipped figure in tamil Nadu.

 

[SandyB]

National Best Film awards won:
Combined 4 south indian states including madras: 20
Bengal: 22

Firstly all south films are not the same, telugu-tamil-kannada are mostly masala (just like Bollywood) , so they rarlely win awards. If you combined Bengali, Bhojpuri, Bollywood etc together your count would go down too .. !

Lets have a comparison with Malayalam films.

2) Those are selective stats in the categories that you dominate ! I can show some too :

FOR DIRECTION-

Satyajit Ray - 6 (Overall 32 awards - Highest number of wins)
Adoor Gopalakrishnan - 5 (Overall 17 awards - Second highest number of wins)

Adoor is from Malayalam. Not that big a lead eh ?


FOR ACTING-

Shabana Azmi won 5 National Film Awards, all for Best Actress.
Amitabh Bachchan won 4 National Film Awards in the Best Actor category.

7 actors have each won 3 National Film Awards:

Kamal Hassan (3 Best Actor)
Mammootty (3 Best Actor) - Malayalam
Sharada (3 Best Actress) - Malayalam
Kangana Ranaut (2 Best Actress, 1 Best Supporting Actress)
Mohanlal ( 2 Best Actor, Special mention – Actor ) - Malayalam
Mithun Chakraborty (2 Best Actor, 1 Best Supporting Actor)
Nana Patekar (1 Best Actor, 2 Best Supporting Actor)
Naseeruddin Shah, (2 Best Actor, 1 Best Supporting Actor)

Best Cinematographer-

Santosh Sivan - 4 Best Cinematography, - 1 Best Non-Feature Film Cinematography - Malayalam

Best Supporting Actress
Surekha Sikri, K.P.A.C. Lalitha - 2 Awards each - Malayalam

Among the male singers, K.J Yesudas has the most with 7 awards to his name.
Among the female singers, K.S Chithra tops the list with 6 Silver Lotus in her kitty.

Both are from Malayalam films.

So you guys aren't as far ahead as you think. We've been neck and for many years..

 

[TM Riddle]

Dangal was entertaining for me,so was 3 idiots,one doesn't have to fly just to.make it entertaining. How many Bengali films have you seen?

Seen Satyajit Ray and Mrunal Sen.Weren't as entertaining as Shankar and Rajamouli though.

 

[TM Riddle]

Satyajit Ray is the baap of all the modern era directors.And that includes even the likes of Martin Scorsese as well.

 

[JaDed]

Seen Satyajit Ray and Mrunal Sen.Weren't as entertaining as Shankar and Rajamouli though.

Not denying they were geniuses but as I said overall their work is not entertaining enough, thought-provoking yes but then so was Bala from South.

 

[SandyB]

Satyajit Ray is the baap of all the modern era directors.And that includes even the likes of Martin Scorsese as well.

In terms of international adulation, acclaim and Indian National award wins, Adoor Gopalakrishnan is second only to Satyajit Ray in India, yet you rarely hear him discussed in mainstream discussions of Indian cinema.

This is why I keep accusing the mainstream of having a North Centric bias. Big films = Bollywood, Art films = Bengali.

 

[CricketCartoons]

Firstly all south films are not the same, telugu-tamil-kannada are mostly masala (just like Bollywood) , so they rarlely win awards. If you combined Bengali, Bhojpuri, Bollywood etc together your count would go down too .. !

By combining more, the count will go down? ramanujan would have killed himself if he was alive )

I was actually being generous by combining to various madrasi film industries, because as single entity only malayalam is a distant second, others bite the dust.

 

[SandyB]

By combining more, the count will go down? ramanujan would have killed himself if he was alive )

That was a grammatical fail. ! Guess we are not as well read as the Bengalis after all !. . I meant to say that , when you club together the 4 south Industries there will be a dilution of the critical acclaim per film. The same would occur if you were to add together the northern film industries and count the awards/acclaim per number of films.

I was actually being generous by combining to various madrasi film industries, because as single entity only malayalam is a distant second, others bite the dust.

Where are the stats to prove that you are that far ahead apart in this particular category? .. "Best film" wins aren't the only metric of a film industriy's quality is it ?
All the arts that contribute to a film like Acting, direction, screenplay/script, music, cinematography, art direction etc all count. Otherwise the National Award or the oscars, globes etc would all be about just BEST FILM .?

Mind you , Bengali cinema had atleast a 20 year head start over other industries, especially with the British influence. The first malayalam talkie came out in only 1938.

 

[CricketCartoons]

That was a grammatical fail. ! Guess we are not as well read as the Bengalis after all !. . I meant to say that , when you club together the 4 south Industries there will be a dilution of the critical acclaim per film. The same would occur if you were to add together the northern film industries and count the awards/acclaim per number of films.




Where are the stats to prove that you are that far ahead apart in this particular category? .. "Best film" wins aren't the only metric of a film industriy's quality is it ?
All the arts that contribute to a film like Acting, direction, screenplay/script, music, cinematography, art direction etc all count. Otherwise the National Award or the oscars, globes etc would all be about just BEST FILM .?

Mind you , Bengali cinema had atleast a 20 year head start over other industries, especially with the British influence. The first malayalam talkie came out in only 1938.

Sure best films are the not the only metric, but the most important ones. If you disagree, that is fine. Please go ahead and provide the "critical acclaim per movie" for Bengali movies vis a vis malayali ones.

 

[Zak_Fan]

[MENTION=140459]SandyB[/MENTION] , [MENTION=139678]Zak_Fan[/MENTION] looks like Dangal has got 301 crores already in China beating other US movies and its second weekend collection higher than first weekend(to be confirmed tmrw) ,looks like it will gross more in China compared to India ) shows the benefit of one language i say.

Looks all set to cross 500 crores in China !

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dangal?src=hash">#Dangal</a> has an INCREDIBLE second Monday in China... Refuses to slow down... All set for ₹ 500 cr... UNIMAGINABLE biz... Data in next tweet.</p>— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) <a href="https://twitter.com/taran_adarsh/status/864335821486161923">May 16, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[SandyB]

Looks all set to cross 500 crores in China !

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dangal?src=hash">#Dangal</a> has an INCREDIBLE second Monday in China... Refuses to slow down... All set for ₹ 500 cr... UNIMAGINABLE biz... Data in next tweet.</p>— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) <a href="https://twitter.com/taran_adarsh/status/864335821486161923">May 16, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Even with all the Hoopla around SRK's popularity in Europe, it seems Aamir is set to be the next "Raj Kapoor" figure for Indian cinema overseas.

The thing is unlike SRK people are not identifying with just the star, but the themes and content of his films are getting worldwide acceptance, especially in formerly impregnable markets like China, where we don't have a big diaspora to push our films.

 

[JaDed]

Reema Lagoo died today,sad so early that too of cardiac arrest.

 

[ExpressPacer]

View attachment 74140

Reema Lagoo died today,sad so early that too of cardiac arrest.

Very saddd.

 

[SandyB]

Such a familiar face,can anyone mention some of her famous films. ?

 

[TM Riddle]

Such a familiar face,can anyone mention some of her famous films. ?

Saajan
Maine Pyar kia
Hum sath sath hai
Hum aapke hai kaun
All starring Salman khan.
Other famous ones are Kal ho na ho, Rangeela and Qayamat se qayamat tak.
She was the quintessential 90s bollywood mom.

 

[SandyB]

Saajan
Maine Pyar kia
Hum sath sath hai
Hum aapke hai kaun
All starring Salman khan.
Other famous ones are Kal ho na ho, Rangeela and Qayamat se qayamat tak.
She was the quintessential 90s bollywood mom.

Was Kirron Kher the "SRK" mom ?

 

[CricketCartoons]

What a striking resemblance between Nawazuddin's new look and our INDIAN writer Saadat Hasan Manto.

 

[SandyB]

What a striking resemblance between Nawazuddin's new look and our INDIAN writer Saadat Hasan Manto.

Hey, Wasn't Manto a Pakistani writer who wrote a lot about the Partition. I remember reading one of his novels as a kid (NOT the greatest age to read partition literature) , but he seemed such a wonderful writer, who understood the pain of the partition.

 

[CricketCartoons]

Hey, Wasn't Manto a Pakistani writer who wrote a lot about the Partition. I remember reading one of his novels as a kid (NOT the greatest age to read partition literature) , but he seemed such a wonderful writer, who understood the pain of the partition.

He was and will remain an Indian for me. Anyway his nationality is not that important, his work his. His books are sold on railway book stalls in Uttar Pradesh.

 

[Arham_PakFan]

Watched Half girlfriend today,good in parts but generally quite bad.

 

[JaDed]

Hindi Medium 8/10 ,well intended story and good background,didn't understand why Saba Qamar was cast though,good actress and she did well but her urdu pronunciation was not suiting many scenes which required Delhi Punjabi tone.

Irfan Khan as usual magical,the guy does every role with sincerity,Deepak Dobriyal so underrated,happy that movie has done well at boxoffice eventhough for many the climax was kinda cliche.

Available on Amazon Prime!

 

[kaayal]

Badass Shraddha!

 

[CricketCartoons]

Badass Shraddha!

The glorification of anti national elements continues in bollywood.

 

[kaayal]

The glorification of anti national elements continues in bollywood.

I have the right to appreciate someone when they grows out of their comfort zone. National or anti national is your problem.

 

[CricketCartoons]

I have the right to appreciate someone when they grows out of their comfort zone. National or anti national is your problem.

I don't know why you think I questioned you. I was targeting bollywood which makes heroes out of cowards.

 

[kaayal]

Another good effort from Zaira Wasim and Amir Khan.

 

[SandyB]

70 iconic films of Indian cinema

Indian cinematic history is far older than independent India. In the 70 years of independence, Indian films have traversed their own journey—from individually funded, high-risk ventures to a systematic industry with an audience across the world. Nearly 2,000 films made in around 20 languages every year make India the world’s largest film-producing nation. Here’s a list of 70 iconic Indian films:

ALAM ARA (1931): If Bollywood is, at its core, song-and-dance cinema, then its starting point is Ardeshir Irani’s Alam Ara (1931). India’s first talkie (and a musical), it starred Prithviraj Kapoor and Zubeida, and featured seven songs.

MAHAL (1949): Kamal Amrohi’s gothic romance is remembered today for the stunning presence of Madhubala, its cinematography and for introducing Lata Mangeshkar.

AWARA (1951): Arguably Raj Kapoor’s finest film, this is one of Indian cinema’s greatest exports, loved in China, Russia and Turkey.

DO BIGHA ZAMIN (1953): Bimal Roy’s socialist drama was an early flag-bearer of the parallel cinema movement and remains unforgettable for initiating the neo-realist trend that countered mainstream commercial movies.

SHYAMCHI AAI (1953): This legendary Marathi film, a mother-son story, was the first movie to win the President’s Gold Medal for the All India Best Feature Film at the National Film Awards.

NAGIN (1954): This tribal tale starring Vyjayanthimala was India’s first musical blockbuster. Composer Hemanta Mukherjee’s immortal melodies include Man Dole Mera Tan Dole, Jadugar Saiyan and Sun Ri Sakhi, among others.

PATHER PANCHALI (1955): Satyajit Ray’s Bengali drama changed the face of not just regional but Indian cinema. Often hailed as the greatest film ever made in the country, it brought in a parallel cinema movement that justified the unmatched international recognition the movie received.

PYAASA (1957): Guru Dutt’s classic tale of an artiste’s struggle was acclaimed for both its storytelling and technical bravura. S.D. Burman’s music aided the layered narrative.

DO ANKHEN BARAH HAATH (1957): The V. Shantaram classic was based on a real-life, open-prison experiment that triggered jail reforms across the country.

MOTHER INDIA (1957): Mehboob Khan’s epic was the first Indian nominee for an Academy Award in the best foreign language film category. It also set the template for the portrayal of movie mothers in the coming decades.

MAYA BAZAAR (1957): The epic fantasy film directed by Kadiri Venkata Reddy, based on the Mahabharat, greatly upped the technical quotient for its time and also became the first Telugu movie to be remastered and coloured in 2010.

MADHUMATI (1958): Bimal Roy’s Dilip Kumar and Vyjayanthimala-starrer was one of the earliest Indian films to tackle reincarnation as a theme. The musical blockbuster spawned more credited and uncredited remakes than one can keep count of.

KAGAZ KE PHOOL (1959): Guru Dutt’s semi-autobiographical film was a commercial failure, but is regarded today as one of the great tragic melodramas of Indian cinema.

MEGHE DHAKA TARA (1960): Ritwik Ghatak’s Partition saga has acquired cult status over the years for its depiction of the struggle of a fractured middle-class family, its visual themes and incredible portrayal of loss.

MUGHAL-E-AZAM (1960): K. Asif’s epic took more than a decade to make thanks to delays caused by the insurmountably grand vision of its maker. The cult romance made Rs6 crore on release, which adjusted for inflation, is equivalent to more than Rs1,300 crore today.

GUNGA JUMNA (1961): The film produced by actor Dilip Kumar was possibly the first mainstream Indian film to have the lead actor on the wrong side of the law and inspired many good brother-bad brother movies.

BANDINI (1963): Bimal Roy’s film was a dark masterpiece of tangled emotions, with fine performances by Nutan and Dharmendra, and S.D. Burman’s haunting songs including Mora **** Ang Laile and O Mere Majhi.

HAQEEQAT (1964): One of the finest Indian war films, Chetan Anand’s movie, starring Dharmendra and Balraj Sahni, is set against the backdrop of the Sino-Indian conflict of 1962.

CHARULATA (1964): Satyajit Ray adapted Rabindranath Tagore’s story of a lonely housewife (played by Madhabi Mukherjee) with his customary sensitivity and eye for telling detail.

CHEMMEEN (1965): This beautifully shot 1965 film, one of the classics of Malayalam cinema, tackled the difficult subject of an inter-religious affair. It was screened at the Cannes Film Festival.

GUIDE (1965): The Vijay Anand film based on R.K. Narayan’s novel fuses love, heartbreak and penance together in a way few could have managed.

WAQT (1965): Yash Chopra’s lavish drama was the first Bollywood multi-starrer and introduced the lost-and-found formula of a family being separated at the beginning only to be reunited at the end. It was one of the most successful films of its time.

ENGA VEETTU PILLAI (1965): This M.G. Ramachandranstarrer was an example of the socially conscious image south Indian actors were cultivating in their films at the time. It spawned a massively successful Hindi version starring Dilip Kumar titled Ram Aur Shyam.

TEESRI MANZIL (1966): One of Vijay Anand’s most engaging thrillers, Teesri Manzil is chiefly remembered for Shammi Kapoor and Asha Parekh cutting loose to some of R.D. Burman’s biggest hit songs.

I AM 20 (1967): An astonishing short film made by S.N.S. Sastry for Films Division in 1967, I Am 20, which interviews those born on Independence Day in 1947 to know their hopes, ambitions, fears and frustrations, has been rediscovered in recent years and recognized for the innovative little gem it is.

INDIA ’67 (1968): S. Sukhdev’s documentary, made for Films Division, is an evocative, wide-ranging look at a day in the life of India, consisting of a silent montage of shots from across the country.

USKI ROTI (1969): The Mani Kaul film marked a seminal moment in India’s new wave cinema movement. The striking visual design and minimalist approach make for Hindi cinema’s equivalent of Pather Panchali.

BHUVAN SHOME (1969): One of the central films of the Indian new wave, Mrinal Sen’s Bhuvan Shome is a playfully inventive comic tale of an uptight civil servant and his misadventures in a Gujarati village.

HEER RAANJHA (1970): Chetan Anand’s romantic film played out entirely in verse, including its spoken dialogue. Urdu poet Kaifi Azmi, who wrote the verse dialogue, pulled off a remarkable feat.

PAKEEZAH (1972): Like Mughal-e-Azam, Kamal Amrohi’s Pakeezah was another epic production that reached the screen more than a decade after it was initially conceived. Most people tend to focus on “Tragedy Queen” Meena Kumari’s final performance, but the cinematography (by Josef Wirsching and several others), Ghulam Mohammed and Naushad’s music, and the exquisitely detailed art design were just as exceptional.

ANKUR (1974): Shyam Benegal’s directorial debut took on everything from alcoholism to casteism to sexual desire in one powerful narrative. The National Award-winning film established lead actor Shabana Azmi as the face of parallel cinema.

SWAYAMVARAM (1974): Adoor Gopalakrishnan’s directorial debut pioneered the new wave film movement in Malayalam cinema and was also one of the first films in the language to use synchronized sound and outdoor locales.

SHOLAY (1975): Panned by critics and rejected by the trade initially, Ramesh Sippy’s cult classic is everything Bollywood folklore is symbolic of—action, drama, revenge, romance, comedy and chart-busting music. More than 40 years later, its success and impact remain unmatched.

GHATASHRADDHA (1977): The Girish Kasaravalli-directed film marked the advent of Kannada films into India’s new-age cinema movement. The National Award winner took on excommunication in an aristocratic Brahmin society.

AMAR AKBAR ANTHONY (1977): Amitabh Bachchan, Rishi Kapoor and Vinod Khanna play brothers separated at birth and raised by Christian, Muslim and Hindu families. Manmohan Desai inserts songs, tears, fights and comic interludes like a chef adding, well, masala.

AN ENCOUNTER WITH FACES (1978): Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s short documentary film on children’s homes in Dongri and Mankhurd in Mumbai was nominated for the Academy Award in the Documentary Short Subject category.

GOL MAAL (1979): Arguably the blithest Hrishikesh Mukherjee comedy of all, Gol Maal pits the sublime Utpal Dutt and Amol Palekar in a double role (of sorts) against each other for 144 entertaining minutes.

ARTH (1982): Mahesh Bhatt’s powerful, semi-autobiographical film was not just the ultimate feminist take but also the perfect ode to the complex web that the husband, wife and other woman narrative demands.

APAROOPA (1982): Set in colonial upper-class Assam, the Jahnu Barua-directed vehicle was the first Assamese film produced by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) of India.

MOONDRAM PIRAI (1982): Balu Mahendru’s romantic drama has achieved cult status in Tamil cinema for its unique amalgamation of high emotional quotient and film-making style. Lead performances by Kamal Haasan and Sridevi (also featured in the Hindi remake Sadma) are the stuff acting school textbooks are made of.

ARDH SATYA (1983): Govind Nihalani’s Ardh Satya hasn’t aged a day since its release. Its gritty, bleak vision of law and order was a huge influence on the street films of the 1990s, as was Om Puri’s tortured lead turn.

JAANE BHI DO YAARO (1983): The cult of Kundan Shah’s Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro seems to grow stronger with every passing year. The razor-sharp writing and absurdist set-pieces are perfectly matched with its social commentary and black humour.

MY DEAR KUTTICHATHAN (1984): India’s first 3D film was a Malayalam fantasy. A re-edited and dubbed Hindi version with additional scenes was released in 1997.

MOUNA RAGAM (1986): The romantic drama announced to the world that Mani Ratnam was a directorial talent to watch out for, the feminist themes of his script married to his technical expertise in more ways than one.

MR. INDIA (1987): An inspired mix of kids’ film, social satire and superhero caper, Shekhar Kapur’s Mr. India, about an ordinary man who can turn invisible, has endured as one of the first cinematic memories of a generation of moviegoers.

NAYAKAN (1987): Even though its narrative is basically that of The Godfather, Mani Ratnam’s Nayakan, with Kamal Haasan in the lead, is a strong contender for the greatest Indian gangster film of all time.

PUSHPAK (1987): Kamal Haasan’s black comedy was India’s first silent full-length feature film. Unnamed characters in a plot that follows a penniless, unemployed youth make for possibly the most subtle, intelligent slapstick comedy there could be.

SALAAM BOMBAY! (1988): Mira Nair’s 1988 film about Mumbai street kids has lost none of the raw power that saw it win the Camera d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and garner an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.

OM DAR-B-DAR (1988): The Kamal Swaroop-directed film married mythology and art with politics and philosophy in a non-linear narrative unlikely to be understood by most Bollywood buffs. Despite achieving cult status, the film didn’t receive a commercial release until 2014.

PARINDA (1989): A seminal gangster film from Vidhu Vinod Chopra, celebrated for Binod Pradhan’s shadowy photography, the razor-sharp editing by Renu Saluja, and Nana Patekar’s turn as the psychotic crime boss Anna.

RAM KE NAAM (1992): Anand Patwardhan’s powerful and extremely relevant documentary about the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya released before the demolition of the disputed mosque in December 1992.

MANICHITRATHAZHU (1993): The psychological thriller brought up dissociative identity disorder before anyone in Indian cinema had heard of it and has spawned remakes in multiple languages including Tamil, Kannada, Bengali and Hindi, all commercially successful.

HUM AAPKE HAIN KOUN..! (1994): Sooraj Barjatya’s romantic musical doubled up as India’s favourite family drama and most successful box-office performer ever, flagging off the feel-good era for years after release.

BANDIT QUEEN (1994): Shekhar Kapur’s last film in India was also his crowning achievement—a biopic of Phoolan Devi, starring Seema Biswas, which remains as disturbing and powerful today as it was back in 1994.

SATYA (1998): Ram Gopal Verma’s Satya could lay claim to being the most influential Hindi film of the last two decades. It broke Indian cinema out of the romantic gloss of the 1990s, and gave a platform for new talent including Anurag Kashyap, Manoj Bajpayee, Vishal Bhardwaj and Saurabh Shukla.

HYDERABAD BLUES (1998): Nagesh Kukunoor’s amiably ramshackle 1998 film, made on a shoestring budget, anticipated the “Hindie” movement just before it came to the fore in the 2000s.

DIL CHAHTA HAI (2001): Releasing a year into the new century, Farhan Akhtar’s 2001 film introduced a new kind of cool to Hindi cinema, aided by its naturalistic dialogue, fetching production design and music by newcomers Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.

LAGAAN (2001): This 2001 hit, directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and starring Aamir Khan, ingeniously married two major Indian obsessions, film and cricket, and paved the way for future sports-centric audience-pleasers like Chak De! India and Dangal.

MUNNA BHAI M.B.B.S. (2003): Rajkumar Hirani’s directorial debut, about a hoodlum who decides to become a doctor, has a wealth of comic detail and irresistible performances by Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi and Boman Irani.

RANG DE BASANTI (2006): Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s multi-starrer introduced India to citizen activism while also making patriotism cool. The debate on its take on social vigilantism may continue but its impact is undeniable.

BLACK FRIDAY (2007): The release of Anurag Kashyap’s grim take on the 1993 Bombay blasts was held up by the censor board for three years. It established Anurag Kashyap as the face of Indian indie cinema as soon as it made it to the theatres.

CHAK DE! INDIA (2007): The Shimit Amin drama remains the ultimate sports film for India. Shah Rukh Khan memorably played the role of a coach to a women’s hockey team.

OYE LUCKY! LUCKY OYE! (2008): No one has skewered social-climbing in Delhi as incisively as Dibakar Banerjee does in his second film. Abhay Deol plays a “superchor” who wants to move up in life.

HARISHCHANDRACHI FACTORY (2009): In this Marathi film, Paresh Mokashi imagines the making of India’s first feature film, Raja Harishchandra, in 1913, by Dadasaheb Phalke (Nandu Madhav).

3 IDIOTS (2009): Rajkumar Hirani’s comedy drama set records for box office success on release. The Aamir Khan-starrer was the first Indian film to cross the Rs200 crore mark, besides opening up the China market where it made Rs16 crore.

AADUKALAM (2011): Vetrimaran’s electrifying 2014 film is set in the world of cockfighting and features a standout lead turn from Dhanush.

CELLULOID MAN (2012): Shivendra Singh Dungarpur’s documentary is a tribute to an unsung hero, film archivist P.K. Nair, as well as a love letter to Indian cinema itself.

GANGS OF WASSEYPUR I, II (2012): Anurag Kashyap’s sprawling, violent, endlessly quotable film about gangsters in small-town Jharkhand reinvigorated the crime genre.

ANGAMALY DIARIES (2017): In this Malayalam gangster film by Lijo Jose Pellissery, there’s no time to recover from one dazzling set piece before another’s upon you.

BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONCLUSION (2017): With Rs1,500 crore-plus in box-office earnings worldwide, the second part of S.S Rajamouli’s epic movie, according to film critic Baradwaj Rangan, “showed that people would still come to theatres if you gave them a spectacle”.

At 70, India has come a long way from the country the British exited in 1947, and which they believed (and hoped) would not survive in its then form. India has since evolved into a vibrant constitutional democracy and made rapid strides in several domains (although there is a lot of work still to be done). Over the next few days, to mark the 70th anniversary of India’s independence, Mint will profile 70 milestones across the years, and across domains—politics, business, entertainment and sport. Put together by Mint’s reporters and editors, these entirely subjective listings are far from comprehensive, as is only to be expected when one is dealing with the seven-decade-old post-independence history of a country as large and complex as India.