Post by moviemavengal on Mar 7, 2015 16:24:42 GMT
Over 10 years ago I saw my first Bollywood film, Lagaan which I rented via Netflix DVD. I then watched at least one more, Dil Chahta Hai. But the films weren't easy to find then, and I fell away from it.
One weekend last summer, I was scrolling through Netflix streaming and I came upon a recommended movie for me: Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.
On a whim, I watched it, and LOVED it. Then I watched another Shahrukh Khan movie, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. And I was a goner. My next door neighbor is from South India, and I texted her for recommended Bollywood fims and she is not so much a fan of SRK, but Hrithik Roshan. She recommended some of his films and the rest is history.
I adore the music and listen to it all the time. And there are just unlimited romantic films! It's like this treasure trove that goes on forever. The deeper I go the more there is. I have surpassed my neighbor from India. I may not understand the Hindi, but we went to see Shahrukh Khan's latest film, Happy New Year together last fall. I was laughing at all the movie references to his previous films, and they were going right over her head. She didn't even ever see a movie in a theater until she was in college! Meanwhile, she was laughing at some cultural references that went over my head.
My Chicago suburb has a big enough Indian population that my local movie theater has at least one screen playing a new release Hindi movie every week. And then there's another movie theater in town that plays South Indian films in the Telegu and Tamil languages. They have subtitles in English in the theater. I've gone with my neighbor to some new release films, and there's a non-Indian woman in town that has a review site called AccessBollywood.net. She goes to see the first matinee of all new release Hindi films and reviews them. She's been running this site for 7 years! I meet her to see some films, too, and she's recommended a lot of films for me. She keeps track on her site of all the Hindi movies on Netflix streaming -- there are always about 100 on there.
I love to read romance novels, and many of the tropes and plots I love in those books are really only to be found in Bollywood and just can't be found in modern Hollywood Rom Coms. What keeps a modern couple apart? (I just saw a crazy one at Sundance where the couple meet at a sex addiction meeting!)
Here's a guest blog post I wrote on a romance novel review site I follow (Smart BItches, Trashy Books) recommending some Bollywood films and trying to spread the word. smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2014/09/guest-post-for-a-romantic-movie-try-bollywood/
Last September, I begged my neighbor to go with me to see SRK's SLAM tour show when it came to Chicago. I wasn't the only non-Indian there, but I certainly knew more of the songs than my neighbor!
So, I've watched about 34 Shahrukh Khan films since last summer and over 100 Hindi films. I keep track here on Letterboxd. The Watchlist just keeps getting longer.
Looking forward to discussing Indian films with you all.
One weekend last summer, I was scrolling through Netflix streaming and I came upon a recommended movie for me: Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.
On a whim, I watched it, and LOVED it. Then I watched another Shahrukh Khan movie, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. And I was a goner. My next door neighbor is from South India, and I texted her for recommended Bollywood fims and she is not so much a fan of SRK, but Hrithik Roshan. She recommended some of his films and the rest is history.
I adore the music and listen to it all the time. And there are just unlimited romantic films! It's like this treasure trove that goes on forever. The deeper I go the more there is. I have surpassed my neighbor from India. I may not understand the Hindi, but we went to see Shahrukh Khan's latest film, Happy New Year together last fall. I was laughing at all the movie references to his previous films, and they were going right over her head. She didn't even ever see a movie in a theater until she was in college! Meanwhile, she was laughing at some cultural references that went over my head.
My Chicago suburb has a big enough Indian population that my local movie theater has at least one screen playing a new release Hindi movie every week. And then there's another movie theater in town that plays South Indian films in the Telegu and Tamil languages. They have subtitles in English in the theater. I've gone with my neighbor to some new release films, and there's a non-Indian woman in town that has a review site called AccessBollywood.net. She goes to see the first matinee of all new release Hindi films and reviews them. She's been running this site for 7 years! I meet her to see some films, too, and she's recommended a lot of films for me. She keeps track on her site of all the Hindi movies on Netflix streaming -- there are always about 100 on there.
I love to read romance novels, and many of the tropes and plots I love in those books are really only to be found in Bollywood and just can't be found in modern Hollywood Rom Coms. What keeps a modern couple apart? (I just saw a crazy one at Sundance where the couple meet at a sex addiction meeting!)
Here's a guest blog post I wrote on a romance novel review site I follow (Smart BItches, Trashy Books) recommending some Bollywood films and trying to spread the word. smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2014/09/guest-post-for-a-romantic-movie-try-bollywood/
Last September, I begged my neighbor to go with me to see SRK's SLAM tour show when it came to Chicago. I wasn't the only non-Indian there, but I certainly knew more of the songs than my neighbor!
So, I've watched about 34 Shahrukh Khan films since last summer and over 100 Hindi films. I keep track here on Letterboxd. The Watchlist just keeps getting longer.
Looking forward to discussing Indian films with you all.