DesertTalkies Film Reviews!

Mughal E Azam [1960] Starring: Madhubala, Dilip Kumar, Prithviraj Kapoor, Nigar Sultana Direction by K. Asif with Music by Naushad Language: Hindi My parents often tell me this: ''you cannot call yourself an admirer of Hindi cinema without watching Mughal-E-Azam''. And it was on a drive home where my parents happened to play the movie soundtrack that I made my decision to watch the movie. I was initially very hesitant to watch it: the only way I could watch it was on Youtube, a platform that doesn't offer English Subtitles with a movie like this one. I can speak Urdu/Hindi conversationally, but such complex Urdu, like the one spoken in the movie was something I knew I would have challenges with. As such, the experience of watching this movie was a little stilted, as I had to keep pausing to ask my parents what certain words and expressions meant. But I get what Indian cinephiles mean when they call this movie a classic: the movie was a pioneer, which contained all t...

It's been a hot minute since I last posted: senior year has hit me like a truck! Therefore, in the next few hours I'll be reviewing three movies. The first? Jawan.  Jawan [2023] Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Nayanthara, Vijay Sethupati Directed by Atlee Khan Language: Hindi I definitely had my preconceptions before going into this movie: I have not been a fan of Shah Rukh Khan's recent work (Pathaan especially), and it was only until multiple people told me to give this a watch that I actually went to go see it. I'll say this much: I was definitely relieved when I finished watching this: I feel as if Shah Rukh Khan's charming self has finally come back (even if not by a lot).  I'm not one for action movies, especially in a Bollywood context. I despised Race, and more recent ones have are glaringly discriminatory to minority groups in India in an age of rising political and social nationalism in the country. But something about the direction made it all work: Bollywo...

 Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani [2023] Starring: Alia Bhatt, Ranveer Singh, Jaya Bachchan, Shabana Azmi Direction by Karan Johar Language: Hindi Normally, I don't think recently released Bollywood movies are worth reviews. I really do think that the industry has deteriorated, and so I prefer to look at older Hindi films, or movies in other languages. I was watching this movie, never expecting that I would review it. The poster for the movie is very colourful and bright: all the trademarks of a 'cheap' Indian movie. Most contemporary Hindi movies are quite 'cheap': and I was expecting this to be the same way. However, this movie packed an unexpected emotional punch, addressing pressing issues of modern Indian society in a way that none of its predecessors have.  Let's first talk about the acting, because I actually have a lot to say about that one. Let me start with the negatives. Ranveer Singh was absolutely awful. He performed horribly: and his role was incredib...

Gangubai Kathiawadi [2022] Starring: Alia Bhatt, Shantanu Maheshwari, Vijay Raaz Direction by Sanjay Leela Bhansali Language: Hindi  When I saw that there was a new Bollywood period movie in the cinemas, I had no choice but to watch it. Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, someone known for his over-the-top, beautiful renditions of history in Bollywood film, I thought that it would be spectacular to watch. But I was let down to a certain extent. It was a very interesting idea, and the very creation of this movie indicates that there is still a spark of hope in what many would call a dying industry. However, the execution of it was not as good as it could have been.  What I didn’t realise when booking this movie was that it was a historical piece from a totally different time in history. Bhansali’s other work: Padmaavat, Devdas, were all incredibly big budget, where everyone was dressed in heavy golden jewelry, and everyone was wearing elaborate costume. There was a certain theat...

 Here is something a little bit different: because of my exams, I have not been able to watch any movies, and so I thought that a different type of post would be good to do.  Today, I'll be sharing some of my favourite Bollywood film posters. Bollywood films in the 1950s to the 1980s were advertised through print media; handcrafted posters painstakingly drawn, coloured, and replicated on a wide scale to provide an insight into the movies they were advertising. Bollywood films rely on strong visuals to be appealing, and that has not changed during the several decades that Bollywood cinema has been such a large industry.  The posters that strike me are the ones that focus solely on women, or have women as the dominant entity in the frame. The one on the right is Bandini, a movie from the 1960s that was known to be one of the first feminist movies in the Hindi-language film industry, and industry otherwise so bogged down by antiquated gender stereotypes. Adding to this, the ...

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai [1998] Starring: Kajol, Shahrukh Khan, Rani Mukerji Direction by Karan Johar Language: Hindi This, after Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge,  may be the most popular Bollywood film by a long shot. I have watched it several times, and with each additional viewing, my positive opinion of the movie just grows. With all the buzz from their previous blockbuster, Shahrukh Khan and Kajol were able to propel this movie into legendary status, and for good reason! This movie was great.  This movie was very typical in terms of storyline, so there's not much to talk about there. The first half is a typical love story: a friendship between a boy and a girl breaks down after one reveals feelings for the other. It's a tried and true classic. Sometimes you need a simplistic plot (which was true at least in the first part of this movie) to make the piece of work really good. However, the best thing about Hindi-language films, in my opinion, ìs the fact that an entire movie is essen...

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham [2001] Starring: Shahrukh Khan, Kajol, Hrithik Roshan, Amitabh & Jaya Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor Direction by Karan Johar Language: Hindi Welcome to the third installment of the series! When I think of melodramatic Hindi-language movies, this one is the first that comes to mind. With its star studded cast, it is almost impossible for a regular viewer of Bollywood to be unfamiliar with the movie.  Everything is a grand show, everything is overly emotional, and everything is so exaggerated to the point where the movie feels more fictious than realistic. In spite of this, however, I find myself coming back to this movie repeatedly.  I'm a lover of all things drama, and so this grand spectacle of a movie, despite its shortcomings, is something that I really I really respond to. What I'm trying to get at, essentially, is that the aesthetic appeal of this movie far surpasses those of the other movies in this series. Right from one of the first scenes, the ...

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara [2011] Starring: Farhan Akhtar, Abhay Deol, Hrithik Roshan, Katrina Kaid Direction by Zoya Akhtar, Screenplay by Zoha & Farhan Akhtar Language: Hindi I don’t recall watching this movie for the first time, but what I do remember is that I have grown up watching this around family and friends, and it is a classic that we keep coming back to. In an industry so dominated by sappy romance stories, this was a welcome breath of fresh air. And whilst all Bollywood movies incorporate some sort of romance, this was luckily a case in which romance was not the main focus. The chemistry between the main characters was great, and that added a freshness to the movie: Bollywood often pairs the same groups of people together to the point where you’re sick of seeing them at the same time.  Additionally, the vibrance of southern Spain: its rolling vistas and breathtaking mountains mirrors the casual, relaxed nature of the movie. And whilst other Bollywood films set movies...

  Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani [2014] Starring: Deepika Padukone, Ranbir Kapoor, Kalki Koechlin, Aditya Roy Kapur Direction by Ayan Mukerji Language: Hindi Re kabira, maan ja; Re fakira yun naa ja; Aaja, tujhko pukhare teri parchaiyaan. O Kabira, believe me; O saint do not leave like this; Come back, your shadows are calling you back. Teri liye hi toh signal todh tadh ke, aaya dilliwali girlfriend chor char ke! For you I broke the signals, and have come leaving behind my girlfriend from Delhi. These songs may be a far cry from the poetic lyricism of the latter half of the 1900s, when you listen to them, you will be hooked.  It's tough to think that Ayan Mukerji was once capable of directing movies that people actually enjoy. I first watched this movie a few months after it came out: I watched it at the tender age of 8, and even back then I was captivated by the music and the story. It's one of those movies that I've always remembered, and the movie's recent release on Netfli...

  Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna [2006] Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta, Abhishek Bachchan Directed by Karan Johar Language: Hindi  Joh hai ankahee, joh hai ansunee, voh baat kya hai bata. Mitwa! Kahe dharkane tujhse kya? Mitwa! Yeh khud se toh na tu chupa. A thing unsaid, a thing unheard, what is it? Beloved! What does your heartbeat tell you? Beloved! Don't hide it from yourself. Welcome to the second installment of the Holy Trinity series! This movie is definitely the most different to other Bollywood movies that have come before it. This was a movie that I had grown up hearing about, but had never watched until I was hit with a chronic wave of insomnia one night, where I decided to catch up on all the Bollywood watching that I had missed out on.  This movie was iconic in many ways, but it was downright depressing to watch. From the start to the finish, the plotline consisted of fights and strong undercurrents of tension, with very rare points were there w...

  Queen [2013] Starring: Kangana Ranaut, Lisa Haydon, Mish Boyko, Sabeeka Imam Direction by Vikas Bahl Language: Hindi Every person who has gone to any Indian person's household has probably heard of the song London Thumakada. And it was me hearing this song as I was growing up that incentivised me to watch this movie. This was the only hit song in the picture, and whoever composed it hit the nail right on the head: upbeat and danceable, the song reflected the mostly positive message the movie demonstrated.  Let me just set the record straight: I think that Kangana Ranaut as a person is quite an eccentric character: her political views are nothing short of insane. However, Queen was her magnum opus. When I say that she shone in this movie, I'm not kidding! From the celebration of the first scenes, to a sense of melancholia in the middle parts to a final empowerment in the final scenes, Kangana Ranaut shone!  This is probably the first authentically feminist Indian movie I...

  Kal Ho Naa Ho [2004] Starring: Preity Zinta, Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Jaya Bachchan Direction by Nikkhil Advani Language: Hindi  It is common knowledge that there is a holy trinity of early 2000s Bollywood romance films: and this is one of them. I watched this movie last year, and at the time I didn't really like it: when I finished the movie, I didn't know if I was judging my satisfaction based on the relief that I felt when the movie finished, or by the movie's actual merit. However, after recently rewatching this picture, I can safely say that my opinions have changed a fair bit.  If anything, this movie is one of empowerment and self-discovery. Naina, the main character, narrates her story as she progresses through the tumultuous time she and her family faces as a result of her father's untimely death. Naina, through the movie, learns how to grow and make sacrifices to reach logical conclusions. This is different to many other Hindi-language movies that have...

A combination of exams at school and fasting during the month of Ramadan has meant that I've fallen quite behind on my schedule of movies to watch and review. Therefore, I decided to go for something comfortable: something easy that would allow me to relax. And my comfort as far as films go is Bollywood. DOSTANA [2008] Starring: Abishek Bachchan, John Abraham, Priyanka Chopra, Kirron Kher  Directed by Tarun Mansukhani, Produced by Karan Johar  Language: Hindi Growing up, I was told that this movie was inappropriate, but I'll just blame that on my conservative parents. I watched it, and found exactly what I expected: a frothy, melodramatic love story that can be watched only once before you start banging your head against the wall. If anything, this movie is representative of Karan Johar's deterioration as a legitimate, serious film producer. From movies that are considered to be classic in the early 2000s: Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna  t...

  CHANDNI [1989] Starring: Sridevi, Rishi Kapoor, Vinod Khanna, Waheeda Rehman Screenplay by Sagar Sarhadi, Kamna Chandra, Arun Kaul, Umesh Kalbagh & Direction by Yash Chopra Language: Hindi The third installment of the Sridevi series, I have really seen her progression throughout the years. Radiant, warm, and full of life in joy and in sorrow, Chandni's trademark demeanor is the reason why she is so popular today. These characteristics really came to the forefront in Chandni. Determined to watch the movie just for the sake of finishing the series (which I had not finished), I found myself completely distracted from my revision.  With a failed suicide attempt, oddly placed and strangely worded songs, and of course a disproportionate level of family drama, Chandni was a strangely exhilarating mess. Considering the time period in which it was written and performed, to say that the movie was ahead of its time in certain aspects would be a massive understatement.  The way...

  DARR [1993] Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla, Sunny Deol, Anupam Kher Direction by Yash Chopra Language: Hindi Pyar jab hadh se guzar jaaye toh pooja ban jata hai, aur pooja bahek jaye toh junoon. When love slips out of your hands, it becomes devotion, and when devotion goes astray, it becomes obsession. Magar iss mein aik baat aur bhi hai, woh baat joh aaj tak kisi prem kahani mein nahin aayi hain….Darr! But in this [movie], there is one more element, an element that, until today, has not featured in any love story…fear! And the award for most improbable sequence of events in a movie goes to…..Darr! A self-proclaimed ‘violent’ love story, this was Bollywood’s attempt at diversifying the love stories so popular in the 70s and 80s. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again - I do not really like action films. BUT this movie balanced not only the love stories that I almost expect out of Bollywood, but it combined aspects of horror, psychological thriller and action to create a ...

  LAMHE [1991] Starring: Sridevi, Anil Kapoor, Anupam Kher   Directed by Yash Chopra Language: Hindi Watching this movie was a product of being incredibly bored in Karachi and mindlessly scrolling through Amazon Prime. This was the second Sridevi movie I had seen, and I can definitely say that I was not disappointed. Transporting you to the heartlands of Rajasthan, the viewer gets such an interesting insight into the very niche culture of the state. From the extended dance scenes in the rain, to campfires filled with traditional music, this movie is full of visual treats to make a 90s audience swoon. Whilst I can appreciate that Yash Chopra was trying to convey the message that love is possible regardless of age, the actual execution of this idea came off quite badly. One of the protagonists, Viren, came off as almost paedophilic by fancying a girl not only several decades younger than him, but also a girl that is the splitting image of her married, dead mother. The plot was s...

It has been five years since Sridevi passed away; five years since Bollywood lost one of its biggest superstars. In her memory, I have decided to write a series of reviews in her memory: ' Spotlight on Sridevi' . English Vinglish [2012] Starring: Sridevi, Adil Hussain, Mehdi Nebbou Direction by Gauri Shinde Language: Hindi This was a movie that was definitely different to other Hindi-language films I have seen in the past. For so long, the Bollywood industry has focused on young protagonists, who largely fight against the expectations and actions of those older than them. This movie, however, completely flipped this norm the other way around. The movie centres around an older, married lady played by Sridevi, whose inability to speak English makes her the object of ridicule from her family.  What I found really interesting was the fact that this movie broke the mould of Bollywood movies: there were no giant dance numbers to distract from the narrative of the story, and the prota...

  SILSILA [1981] Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Rekha, Jaya Bachchan Direction by Yash Chopra, Music by Shiv-Hari Language: Hindi I was watching this new show on Netflix: ‘ The Romantics’  and it reminded me of two Hindi movies that I have watched but completely forgot to review: so here I will be reviewing Silsila.  Mein aur meri tanhai, axar yeh baatein kartein. Tum hoti toh kaisa hota? Tum yeh kehti, tum voh kehti. tum is baat mein hairan hoti, tum is baat mein kitnee hasti. Tum hoti toh aisa hota, tum hoti toh vaisa hota. Mein aur meri tanhai, axar yeh baatein kartein. Me and my loneliness often converse. If you were here, what would happen? You would say this, you would say that. You may have been astonished by this talk or you may have laughed. If you were here, this would happen, if you were here, that would happen. Me and my loneliness often converse.  Sorry! There are certain Hindi dialogues that I just remember and that’s one of them. My translation might not ...

  DILWALE DULHANIA LE JAYENGE [1995] Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Amrish Puri, Anupam Kher, Farida Jalal Direction by Aditya Chopra Language: Hindi I have recently had the pleasure of seeing two of the  most iconic movies in their respective industries in the cinema: Titanic from Hollywood and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) from Bollywood. DDLJ has been playing for over 20 years in cinemas in Bombay, and I was super excited to finally have the proper movie watching experience.  Let's start with my actual experience watching it in the cinema. Wow! The theatre was packed, and everyone there had definitely watched the movie beforehand: everyone sang along during the big songs, and everyone cheered and clapped whenever there was a romantic moment. Watching the movie in this environment was incredibly enjoyable, and it's difficult to understand whether it was the experience of the movie itself which made me like it so much.  Much like Leo DiCaprio in Titanic, this...

  DIL TOH PAGAL HAI [1997] Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Karisma Kapoor  Direction by Yash Chopra & Screenplay by Aditya Chopra Language: Hindi I often hear my parents talk of the ‘good old days of Bollywood’, also known as the Bollywood of the 1980s and 90s. I found myself wondering what that old Bollywood looked like, before Shah Rukh Khan sold out for the cash (you can tell how I feel about his recent projects), and when Madhuri Dixit and Karisma Kapoor were the two ladies ruling Indian cinema. I will tell you this much: I was not disappointed.  What made this movie so different to other Bollywood films at the time was the subject matter: although the movie was an almost typical love story, the fact that it was set with the backdrop of dance and music made it more interesting to watch. For once, it wasn’t only family drama that dictated the story, but it was dancing that did.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. In most cases, Shah Rukh Khan ...