Still Watching Shahrukh! Part 2

I have been re-watching and re-reading some of my favorite Bollywood flicks and books!
I had thought I would re-watch DDLJ today, I had re-read the book written on it--but fate changed my mind.
Today I re-watched Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham! I guess I was in the mood for more of a tear jerker. This flick was an early millenial release--it was released in 2001-and is one of the few flicks I like Kareen Kapoor in! This story of the adopted son who is cast out because of whom he wishes to marries really tugs at my heart. See, my folks sorta didn't approve of the ex-husband(and why he is now ex is another whole long story---pretty fitting to Bollywood!). Whenever I watch this flick, I really miss my late dad now--he has been gone for about 5 years and I really wish I could give him a call and go hang out.
I love the sappyness of this film-but some of the costume choices (especially for the dance fantasy number in Egypt) are odd-the whole see-thru shirt dealy for SRK boggles me--as does the entirely leather outfit!

This film has some great chemistry between SRK and Kajol--they always have wonderful moments together.


Last weekend, with lousy snowy weather, I needed a touch of bright color and fun! So I watched Paheli!  This story is based on a Rajasthan folktale about a ghost who falls in love with a young bride. Her husband is so intent on making money, that he leaves the day after he brings home his bride. The ghost sees this, takes the shape of the husband and returns to the bride. The ghost is honest with the young bride and tells her what he is, and she falls for him as well.  The color and photography in this film is wonderful--the one place I really want to see from this film is the fabulous step well they filmed at. It is a magical and fantastic place--this is where the ghost first follows and falls for the bride.--wouldn't you if you saw this place?

This film is full of fun and magic-the ghost is totally upfront with the bride--and manages to convince the greedy father that a wise man promised him a boon of 5 gold coins per day!

Well, if you got to spend time with SRK in this avatar, I would fall for him too! They changed up the tale a bit to give it a more positive ending, but it is a very feminist slant they give it! Rah to SRK!

A couple of weeks ago I watched Swades--or we the people. SRK is a weather scientist working for NASA and feels at a loss--his parents are dead and he has lost track of the woman who raised him--his nanny. The pensive SRK heads from Washington DC to India to find his nanny. SRK must have had a blast filming this--he is a major techie--and working at NASA  must have been a dream come true!.
This film is full of great symbols-SRK's character is working on a water mapping project--and this water image play thru the entire film.

You watch his character grow and change-accepting the land around him as part of him. This is finally brought to home when he takes his first drink of water from a water wallah boy at a train stop, and then again when he dives into the cistern to see why the pump isn't working. The story is slow in places, but worth watching. There are few 'dance' numbers, but the music by ARRahman is fabulous!
I had wanted to watch a bunch of fun, upbeat SRK flicks--I found the ones I love and see as upbeat all have some serious subject matter and a great message! humm

I have a couple of movies from Netflix that I need to watch--Wake up Sid!  and Barfi!--these may be my next films to discuss!

Reading Bollywood--still!

Well, my dear friend Erin returned a bunch of books and Bollywood films the other night--got me to re-reading some old staples!

One compact wee book is Bollywood by Ashok Banker--the copy I have I got thru some Indian bookseller online--so it has a nifty cover of Bollywood poster art.

If you recognize that image--it is from Lagaan!  One of my all time favorite films--though it is one you Have to see in 2 parts!! The movie runs nearly as long as the 3 day cricket game in the film.

Re-reading his entries on important Hindi films has gotten me wanting to find some of these films from the 50's and 60's and before. 

Banker's easy style writing about his favorite films makes you want to hunt down and watch movies.

Another book Erin returned was Rachel Dwyer's Top 100 Hindi Films. I thumbed through this book and re-read some bits, noting that I had put marks on the films I owned or had seen--I haven't nearly as many I really should!

I haven't just been reading Bollywood--I have been watching--I am trying to do my project of re-watching my Shahrukh Khan films. I re-watched Paheli yesterday--even to the point where I watched(sans subtitles, lots of Hinglish) the Making of the Song release parts of the DVD.  Not going to say much here, other than it did its usual of lifting my spirits--the bright colors, peppy music, strong story for a woman's choice!  Nuf said for now! More to come.