Reviews of Bollywood movies I have now seen

[brigdh]

Because if I wasn't writing this post, I would be doing schoolwork that's due tomorrow, and that would be silly. Note: all of these movies are available on Netflix.

1. Jodhaa Akbar (2008) Lavish historical epic about Akbar the Great, one of the first Mughal Emperors (who were Muslim), and his Hindu wife, Jodhaa. The plot is not too complex (mainly 'people can learn to work together across religions, yay!') (although the evil mother-in-law is AWESOME), but come on, the point is the incredible costumes and sets. You should totally watch this video to see what I mean; the subtitles are in Chinese, but they're just singing about how Akbar is an awesome king and now everyone is happy. This movie is so pretty.

2. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) This movie is kind of cheesy. It is soooo 90s. But it is funny and happy and whole-heartedly sweet. Simran and Raj are Indians living in England; Simran is engaged to a boy she's never met, but when she and Raj meet during a Eurorail vacation, they fall in love. Complications ensure! There is a subplot involving people lost in Switzerland and cow-bell souvenirs. Simran's dad has the best crazy eyes I have ever seen. Simran's mom is super sweet and has several amazing scenes.

3. Omkara (2006) EVERYONE: WATCH THIS MOVIE IMMEDIATELY. A retelling of Othello in modern, rural India. The Iago-parallel is the most terrifying version of Iago I have ever seen. He is so calm and yet intense, so subtly evil that I wanted to hide my eyes whenever he was on screen. Every review of this movie mentions how fantastic this actor is, but seriously, there is a very, very good reason for all the love. Also, the cinematography in this movie in amazing. Particularly the last shot- not to spoil it (though who doesn't know how Othello ends), but the framing of Dolly (Desdemona) and Omkara (Othello) is fantastic.

Comments

[steelehearts.livejournal.com]

eh, why are you watching jodhaa akbar with chinese subtitles? isn't there an english one? (you know chinese? you don't know hindi?)and as you say, the movie is pretty. two very good-looking people are in the lead. :D
that's not the mother-in-law. that's akbar's foster mom, who basically brought him up because his own mother was busy keeping akbar's father company while he fought sher shah and tried to get his kingdom back.

ddlj is a much-loved movie (by most people). personally, i hate it. entirely silly and sugary sweet. :P

omkara is awesome. that intense actor you're raving about is saif ali khan. also go and watch other films by vishal bharadwaj, the director of omkara. try 'maqbool'. it's a re-telling of macbeth. and incidentally, how do you like the music? of all three movies i mean.

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

Hee, I didn't watch it in Chinese myself, but when I searched for that song sequence on You-tube, it had Chinese there, for some reason. I totally do not know Chinese (or Hindi, though I mean to learn), I just remembered the song lyrics from watching it on DVD.

Hee. I can see why you'd think DDLJ is too sweet.

I am totally meaning to watch more with Saif Ali Khan and Vishal Bharadwaj. They were both great.

The music, some I like and some I don't. I liked most of the songs in Jodhaa Akbar, and I really liked the Beedi song in Omkara. But I thought the other song in Omkara- the one where Omi was chasing Dolly and they were playing at throwing things at each other- wasn't very good. The music in DDLJ was okay, nothing special.

[steelehearts.livejournal.com]

may i suggest another movie? watch kaminey. :D

are you a student? or do you work? i've never asked before. :D

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I will put it on my to-watch list.

I'm a graduate student (working on a PhD in archaeology), so a bit of both? Heh. I am a student, but I also teach.