Bollywood

India is a study of contrasts, contradictions, consolidating archival directives and contemporary norms; it is a patriarchal society where women perpetually soar, bamboozle gender expectations; warriors, doctors, scientists, judges even a Prime Minister (Indira Gandhi), they dominate in any field they tackle. But lurking, tainting myriads of marriages, whether “arranged” or “love” is the subservient, submissive role a woman is …

This Bollywood film, directed by Mohit Suri, is a stunner; magical leads with electrifying chemistry (Aditya Roy Kapur, “Advait” and Disha Patani, “Sara”); plaintive musical score; titillating twists, testing the most intuitive of movie sleuths; it salivates with unrestricted love scenes, prevalent drugs and prostitution; not-so-subtle impotency; revenge served violently, justifiably, icily cold; untoward “coppers”, legitimacy camouflaging malevolent iniquities; Anil …

Director Meghna Gulzar and actor/producer Deepika Padukone bring to the screen the insidiously wicked, immoral, degenerate acid attacks exponentially occurring throughout contemporary India; perpetrated by those ignored, rejected, shunned by women for a myriad of reasons; these crimes are minimally prosecuted, and the penal system, and its forgiving incarceration is a shameful blot on India’s code of conduct/justice. Exquisitely beautiful …

Salman Khan wrote and stars for the third time as “Detective Chulbul Robinhood Pandy”; an excessive three hour egregious homage to himself; self aggrandizement rarely, if ever, seen on the screen; Khan’s a clone of Narcissus, a mythological figure who fell in love with himself; narcissism at its zenith; inflated physique and ego strutting excessive silliness, stale dance sequences, and …

Attention “Action Aficionados”! “War” is a breathless, intoxicating, swashbuckling ride of monumental gratification; in league with the “Matrix”, “Raiders” “Bourne” franchises; Bollywood knows how to capitalize on the “thrill factor”: “Dhoom” and “Don” dynamically roar with excitement; “War” directed by Siddharth Anand, starring seasoned heartthrob Hrithik Roshan and relative newcomer Tiger Shroff (Jackie’s son) score in their excessively elegant martial …

Epically sensational and overblown but truly a wonder to experience; based on the life of icon, Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy, who championed India’s gory march towards freedom in 1837; Reddy is depicted with pulsating, Herculean prowess by actor Chiranjeevi; as the Emperor of a region in Andhra Pradesh, Reddy initiates a rebellion against the egregious injustices of the British East …

Leave it to Bollywood, alas, the “dream girl” is a guy! Ayushmann Khurrana is “Puja” the luminary of a call center; his melodious, sensual voice was discovered while starring as “Sita” in the fabled, mythic Ramayana; he “catfishes” and mimics, the “Dream Girl”  of lonely, nerdy men, placating their prurient fantasies; a plodding and surreal scenario; Khurrana, with the aid …

What makes both of these films highly watchable is that they are based on actual events and more importantly, the iconic Bollywood stars who supported them with their “starship”. Unlike Hollywood, Bollywood actors have a huge say in the production, plot evolution and outcome of the storyline.  Hunky, handsome John Abraham, tackles the role of ACP Sanjay Kumar in the …

Do not give this film short shrift because of its Bollywood genre. Here is a movie for whoever has been electrified, inspired, challenged, encouraged by an instructor, educator; a teacher whose magnetism moves mountains, drives one to excel, explore unknown, untethered avenues, resulting in lifelong quests in fertile fields,  perpetually nourishing the brain, beyond boundaries, beyond one’s own expectations; its …

“Kabir Singh”, (Shahid Kapoor), if you are willing to sit through almost three hours of waterboarding torture, focusing on the most despicable character in 2019’s filmdom, the final fifteen minutes, partially placates the pain that preceded the finale; Kabir, a third-year medical student, dictates, threatens, with bodily harm, anyone who comes near “Preethi” (stoically dull, Kiara Advani) a first-year medical …