Bollywood Archives

Manto Review: Alcoholic, Absent Father, Dazzling Writer… How to Get a Biopic Right

Most Indian biopics are hagiographies, glossing over the imperfections of their protagonists. Nandita Das’s Manto is none of that. Her Manto is a dazzling writer, betrayed Indian, troubled alcoholic, and an absent family man in the backdrop of a divided nation.

Poulomi Das May 2, 2016

Bollywood

The Big Bull Review: This Harshad Mehta Story Feels Like a Wikipedia Entry Made More Dull by Abhishek Bachchan

Most biopics are pedestrian visual accounts of Wikipedia pages of their subjects. The Big Bull is no different. It unfolds as a series of events that have to be ticked off a list and has no insights to offer. Abhishek Bachchan’s lazy and uninspired performance makes matters worse.

Devarsi Ghosh May 2, 2016

Bollywood

Bunty Aur Babli: They Don’t Make Masala Films Like That Anymore

Before the age of socially conscious filmmaking dawned on us, Shaad Ali's Bunty Aur Babli, that completes 13 years this week, reminded Bollywood that it’s possible to make an entire film on just one word: fun.

Poulomi Das May 1, 2016

Bollywood

Andaz Apna Apna: An Ode To Stupidity and Taking Ourselves Less Seriously

We love Andaz Apna Apna for the same reason we enjoy a good prank. Sometimes and in small doses, being a fool can be exhilarating. Andaz Apna Apna is what life would look like if we stopped taking ourselves so damned seriously all the time and embraced our inner idiot.

Runjhun Noopur April 30, 2016

Bollywood

Bhoot: Part One Review: Dharma Productions, Please Leave Horror Alone

There’s very little point to watching Bhanu Pratap Singh's Bhoot, apart from developing a fondness for the time Dino Morea and Bipasha Basu used to be chasing ghosts.

Poulomi Das April 30, 2016

Bollywood

How Shabana Azmi’s Masoom Mimes the Conflict between Motherhood & Womanhood

Masoom is an ode to motherhood that does not rely on lazy tropes and bland generalisation. It is a story that elevates the idea of motherhood beyond biological compulsions. It reminds us that the greatest gift we can give our mothers is to allow them their humanity.

Runjhun Noopur April 29, 2016

Bollywood

The 5 Sooraj Barjatya Characters that Changed Our World Forever

Almost three decades ago, with the release of Maine Pyar Kiya, Bollywood got an educator called Sooraj Barjatya who wanted to #MakeMoralsGreatAgain. On his 54th birthday, we take a look at Barjatya's five best characters.

Arré Bench April 28, 2016

Bollywood

Housefull 4 Review: A Collection of Cringe-worthy Jokes That Range From Absurd to Insensitive

Housefull 4, much like its predecessors, is a collection of crass jokes stitched into a completely brainless plot. From the first frame to the last, everything about the movie screams “why”. It’s pointless to ask why Bollywood is still making such atrocious films, but why on earth are we still watching them?

Sonali Kokra April 27, 2016

Bollywood

Panga Review: An Effective Ode to the Sacrifices of Sisterhood

Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari's Panga stars Kangana Ranaut as Jaya Nigam, a 32-year-old former kabaddi champion readying for a comeback after seven years. It's an effective crowd-pleaser that works better as a quiet ode to the self-sustaining nature of sisterhood.

Poulomi Das April 27, 2016

Bollywood

In An Age Of Superstars, Say Hello To Ranbir Kapoor, the Actor

In Sanju, Ranbir Kapoor hits the peak of his physical acting. It’s a trait that has elevated most of his roles. For, Kapoor doesn’t just act or deliver lines or play fictional characters. He recreates them down to the very last detail.

Poulomi Das April 27, 2016