Jodhaa Akbar

Jodhaa Akbar is a 2008 film directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and stars Hritik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai. The movie tells the story of the marriage between Jodhaa Bai, a Hindu Rajput princess, and Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar, a Muslim Mughal emperor, and how it affected India. Akbar marries Jodhaa to create a political alliance between both the Mughals and Rajputs. Akbar receives much protest for this, which partially leads to rebellion, as a few of his family members try to usurp the throne. While Akbar consolidates his ever expanding empire, he and Jodhaa form an intimate and loving relationship that faces many obstacles throughout the film. A great emphasis is also placed on religious tolerance, unity, and the benevolence Akbar has towards Hindus. The film features excellent battle scenes, and beautiful music scores, costuming, and scene design. It is very obvious that much time and money was invested in the creation of this film. As the plot goes, there were many gripping parts. Considering I am one who doesn’t invest much feeling when watching movies (I never cry even during the most heartbreaking of movie scenes), I was often at the edge of my seat and gritting my teeth during frustrating scenes. There has been controversy over the accuracy over the film (For one, Jodhaa is the name of Akbar’s daughter-in-law, and Harka Bai is the name of his first Hindu wife; and far more importantly, there are records of Akbar destroying Hindu temples) it’s a beautiful, enjoyable movie worth watching. -Phasia Brooks-Gainous

Don

The film Don is a classic Indian gangster movie featuring an outstanding performance by Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachan. Don is full of fight scenes and car chases from its very beginning, with the escape of Don from a gang of thugs with help from an exploding suitcase. Along with the action, the film weaves together numerous subplots, such as Roma’s vendetta against Don for Ramesh’s death, and the downfall of Jasjit.
Along with Amitabh Bachan as Don and Vijay, Zeenat Aman stars as Roma, the vamp actress Helen as Kamini, Pran as Jasjit, and Iftekhar Khan as Officer D’Silva. The film starts by following the antics of the criminal mastermind Don and his interactions with the law. Later, Don’s murder of his goon Ramesh for attempting to flee Don’s criminal organization incites Ramesh’s fiancée Kamini to seduce Don into a police ambush. However, Don survives the ambush only to later be mortally wounded by the police in another trap. Despite this, Don’s death is kept a secret by Officer D’Silva, the only one who knows Don is dead. In an attempt to capture the criminal mastermind who was above Don, a smuggler named Vardhan, D’Silva recruits a street performer by the name of Vijay to impersonate Don, in exchange for the welfare of the two orphans Vijay takes care of. However, at the same time Roma, the sister of the late Ramesh, waits for news of Don’s existence with the wish to kill the man in revenge for her brother. Along with this, the acrobat and safe cracker Jasjit is released from prison intent on killing Officer D’Silva for his arrest and finding his two children. All of the subplots of Don lead up to an action packed second half of the movie, complete with plot twists, cemetery fight scenes, and car explosions. This film is truly epic and worthy of its cult following. -Aneil Tripathy

Koyla

Director: Rakesh Roshan (father of Hrithik Roshan)
Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama
Cast :
Shahrukh Khan,
Madhuri Dixit,
Amrish Puri,
Ranjeet
Deepshika
Ashok Saraf
Jack Gaud
Himani Shivpuri,
Kunika.

Plot:Mute servant Shankar struggles day and night to satisfy his wealthy businessman Raja Saab. Raja Saab wants to marry a young girl name Gauri. Gauri however wants to see a picture of her future husband first and Raja-Saab sends her one of Shankar. Then, she instantly falls in love with him and agrees to marry him. But at the wedding, Gauri gets a shock when she sees Raja Saab, and refuses to continue with the rituals of the marriage. Raja Saab imprisons tortures and refuses to let her go. Conditions forced Shankar and Gauri to escape but both are caught by Raja and his men. They beat Shankar and throw him to his death. Gauri is taken back to Raja Saab mansion and undergo preparations to get married to him. -Yohana Kefella

Yuvvraaj

Producer: Subhash Ghai
Director: Subhash Ghai and Mukta Arts Ltd.
Music Director: A.R. Rahman
Lyricist: Gulzar
Cast:
Mithun Chakraborty
Anil Kapoor
Salman Khan
Zayed Khan
Katrina Kaif
Boman Irani
Aushima Sawhaney

Synopsis: Subhash Ghai returns with a star studded cast in his latest family drama Yuvraaj (Crown Price). This is a story about three brothers, a father's fortune, and one man's mission to finally be able to marry the love of his life.
When the film opens we find ourselves in a magnificent concert hall. Ignoring the beauty of the room the camera gazes upon the beautiful Anushka (Katrina Kaif) a talented cello player. As the intense composition, painstakingly assembled by A.R. Rahman, plays on in the background our attention is turned to another person in the room. This character (Aushima Sawhaney) introduces the main character and hero Deven (Salman Khan). She explains how Deven is from a broken family and that his relation with Anushka is a true love. From this character we also learn that because of Deven's immaturity and lack of understanding about the meaning of family he risks losing Anushka forever.
The next character we are introduced to is Anushka's father -a wealthy doctor with a particular disdain for Deven's personality. He refuses to allow the marriage because he does not think that Deven knows what it means to be a true family man. The viewers and all the characters are aware that this fact is true of Deven -even though his lack of knowledge is not his fault. One day Anushka and Deven have a fight and Deven tells her to leave. When confronted about this action he explains while about how he did not leave his home he was kicked out for hitting his brother. Anushka returns to comfort him and Deven's demeanor changes completely back to his childish ways.
Dr. Banton (Anushka's father) calls Deven and invites him to a party saying that he will give Deven one last chance to prove himself. Dr. Banton tells deven specifically how to dress and that he is to arrive at the party ready to impress. Whe Deven arrives at the party he realizes that Banton had tricked him into dressing up like a waiter. Banton further insults Deven by introducing him to “high class” friends as the boy who was disowned by his rich father and now has trouble finding work. To rub even more salt in Deven's wound Banton announces his daughters engagement to another man. At this point Deven is so frustrated that he begins to bet recklessly at the roulette table at the party. After losing all his, he is confronted by Anushka's now soon to be husband who comments on how he is a small person and should learn to act his class level. Deven then throws a drink into the face of this man and is then escorted away by the police.
The next morning Deven is bailed out of jail by his boss. While filling out some paper work Deven is asked his father's name angrily gives it ti the officer. As he walks the officer calls him from behind to tell him that the front page of the newspaper says that his father has just died. Ecstatically happy returns to Banton's home with a deal. If Deven can become a billionaire within forty days, then he will be allowed to marry Anushka. If not then Dr. banton has the right to marry Anushka to any person he wishes.
Deven has now arrived in England where he meets his old family. His mother had died when he was child and so all that was left was a crooked uncle and his two sons and a corrupt daughter in-law. As far as Deven's nuclear family was concerned it was Deven, his older brother Gyanesh, and younger brother Danny.
Gyanesh suffers from Autism and has the mentality of an eight year old stuck in a forty year old body. Danny on the other hand is the epitome of the spoiled rich kid mentality. The day after his father died he chose to go party at a casino. Deven and Danny both believe that they will get at least a third of the estate each; however, when the will is read they find out that they only received 2 crores each out of a 1500 crore bank account. The rest of the money, property, and land belonged to Gyanesh.
At this point Deven and Danny team up to find a way to get Gyanesh to sign over the money.
From this point on the story has several twists and turns to the point where people not even involved in the story become villains and villains become heroes.
Make sure to watch the movie to see the thrilling conclusion. -Nipun Marwaha

Bunty Aur Babli

A romance and comedy adventure
Starring:
AMITABH BACHCHAN and ABHISHEK BACHCHAN (together for the first time)…and RANI MUKHERJEE

Rakesh’s parents want him to work as a railway conductor…Vimmi’s parents want her to agree to an arranged marriage…both run away from home in pursuit of following their own dreams. They discover not only each other, but their flair for conning people throughout India as a crafty but endearing duo. Originally only intending to earn enough money to travel to Bombay, the couple (now known as Bunty and Babli) relinquishes their earlier dreams, gets married, and scams people wherever they go, making headlines for their tendency to steal from the rich and provide for the poor. Bunty and Babli, unbeknownst to them, are being followed by the cop Dashrath Singh, who dislikes their clever cons, such as their selling of the Taj Mahal. Will Dashrath catch up with Bunty and Babli? Will their baby boy grow up in a normal life? -Adina Paretzky

Page 3

Director...Madhur Bhandarkar
Producer…Bobby Pushkarna
Music…Shamir Tandon
Cast:
Konkona Sen Sharma as Madhvi
Boman Irani
Bikram Saluja as Rohit
Tara Sharma as Gayatri
Shandhya Mridul as Pearl
Atul Kulkarni as Vinayak

Summary: Page 3 is, at its core, a movie about India’s most wealthy and famous socialites. The heroine of the film is Madhvi, played by Konkona Sen Sharma. Madhvi is a journalist at the Nation Today Newspaper. Her job is to report on the lives of India’s biggest socialites on “Page 3” – covering their parties and daily activities. Her life becomes complicated when Gayatri – an actress, played by Tara Sharma – moves in with her. They become close friends. Eventually, Madhvi gets tired of the kind of reporting she is doing. She starts focusing on more serious issues going on India, besides the shallow lives of the stars. She uncovers some dark secrets of the rich and famous and ultimately gets fired because of her reporting. Page 3 shows that people often have public and private faces, live dual lives, and destroy relationships in the process. The movie is like Dil Se and Pyaasa in that it tries to show the relevant issues in India today. Though it did not do well in the box office, it is an enjoyable film to watch. -Kate Curley

Hum Aapke Hain Koun?

“What Do I Mean to You?” (1994)
Director: Sooraj Barjatya
Starring:
Salman Khan – Prem
Madhuri Dixit – Nisha
Mohnish Bahl – Rajesh
Renuka Shahane – Pooja Choudhury
Anupam Kher – Professor Siddharth Choudhury
Reema Lagoo – Mrs. Choudhury (as Rima)
Alok Nath – Kailashnath (as Aloknath)
Bindu – Aunt
Ajit Vachani – Aunt's Husband (as Ajit Vachhani)
Satish Shah – Doctor
Himani Shivpuri – Razia (Doctor's wife)
Sahila Chaddha – Rita
Dilip Joshi – Bhola Prasad
Laxmikant Berde – Lalloo Prasad
Priya Arun – Chameli
Genres: Musical, Drama, Family, Comedy, Romance

Hum Aapke Hain Koun! (HAHK), the highest-grossing Indian film of all time, depicts the secret romance between Nisha (Madhuri Dixit) and Prem (Salman Khan), who meet when their older siblings, Pooja and Rajesh, are getting married to one another. Soon after giving birth to a son, Pooja dies tragically and Nisha’s father wants Nisha to marry Rajesh to raise his child as her own. Will Nisha and Prem sacrifice their love for the sake of their families, or will the two end up together? -Marina Ross

Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam

“I’ve Already Given My Heart Away”

Ajay Devgan as Vanraj
Salman Khan as Sameer Rafilini
Aishwarya Rai as Nandini
Vikram Gokhale as Pundit Darbar
Smita Jaykar as Amrita
Zohra Sehgal as Dadi
Rajeev Verma as Vikramjeet
Kanu Gill as Vanraj’s mother
Kermati Desai as Bhairav
Rekho Rao as Kamna Pui
With a special appearance of Helen as Mrs. Rafilini
Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Hum Dil de Chuke Sanam is a romance which combining two love stories into one.
When Pundit Darbar, the famous musician, accepts the young Italian Sameer Rafilini as a new student, Nandini, the favorite daughter, is compelled to vacate her room for their guest. Furious, she attempts to sabotage Sameer’s stay but before long, the two fall in love. The pair manages to hide their affair for many months, but little do they know that Nandini’s family is planning a marriage for her. When the lovers are finally discovered, the family is disgraced and dismisses Sameer back to India. Nandini is forced to marry Vanraj, but Vanraj, who only wants a marriage built on truth, cannot allow his wife to suffer for him. Nandini’s groom brings her to Italy, risking ridicule and shame, to find Sameer. The search is slow and painful; but finally, just as Nandini learns to respect and appreciate everything Vanraj has done for her, he finds Sameer, and Nandini must choose between her love and her husband. -Sarah Cohen

Dhadkan

Dhadkan/Heartbeat (2000)
Directed by: Dharmesh Darshan
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Shilpa Shetty, Sunil Shetty, Mahima Chaudhry, Sharmila Tagore

Filmfare Awards
• Best Female Playback
• Best Villain

An action/romance complete with class struggles, love triangles, and even evil step-siblings! Dhadkan tells the tale of Anjali (Shilpa Shetty), a wealthy woman in love with a man of modest means, Dev (Sunil Shetty). Forced into an arranged marriage by her protective parents, Anjali weds Ram (Akshay Kumar), but being the feisty female that she is, refuses to consummate the marriage! Ram surprises Anjali with his patience and his kindness in the face of family obstacles, brought about both by her and his step-siblings and step-mother. Believing that only love can overcome hatred, Ram wins Anjali over and she soon falls head over heels in love with him. Her love for Ram is challenged when Dev comes back into her life with a vengeance. Dev refuses to let Anjali forget him and he will do anything to get her back. Entering into intrigue with Ram’s step-siblings, Dev, now a wealthy man, conspires to buy back the life and the happiness he feels Ram has taken from him. Anjali is forced to make a choice between her feelings for her former flame and the happiness she has found with her husband. -Jessica Willingham

Hum Tum

This is a feel-good movie with the fixings similar to DDLJ. Hum Tum was released in 2004 under the direction of Kunal Kohli. Playing the lead male is Saif Ali Khan in which we also see him in Dil Chahta Hai as Sameer. For this role he won two awards. His character’s name is Karan Kapoor. He comes from a film family being the son of Bollywood actress, Sharmila Tagore. It’s said his trademark is his smile! The female counterpart is Rani Mukherjee; we also saw her starring as herself in Om Shanti Om for Om’s party. For this role she won four awards. Her character’s name is Rhea Prakash. She hails from a film oriented family of Bengal origin. Her trademarks are her husky voice and that she’s been called the Queen of Bollywood!
The movie is basically an adaptation of When Harry Met Sally minus the orgasm scene. They meet on a plane from Delhi to New York, and cannot stand each other! She finds him disrespectful to women, and he sees her as overly serious. They part ways after a massive falling out with the hopes never to see each other again. But these “star crossed lovers” are destined to meet again, three years later, but Rhea’s getting married this time! They part ways once again, but on a bit better terms. She to the US, and he stays in Delhi to help his mother with her wedding business. Four years pass this time and Karan moves to Paris as a successful cartoonist and meets Rhea who has become a successful boutique owner. Karan learns Rhea is widowed and running away from Delhi to not be pushed into marriage again. It’s at this stage they’re friendship deepens to which the mother asks Karan to help find a new mate for Rhea. Confusion, misunderstanding, and harsh emotions boil to the surface with an explosive ending! -Christina Tom

Deewaar

Year: 1975
Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor, Nirupa Roy, Parveen Babi, Neetu Singh, Iftikhar
Director: Yash Chopra
Producer: Gulshan Rai
Music: RD Burman, Lyrics: Sahir Ludhianvi
Story/Screenplay: Salim Khan, Javed Akhtar
Production Company: Trimurti Films

The visually iconic and historically important Deewaar (The Wall) is, at its core, a story of two brothers competing for the love of their mother. The entire film is a flashback of Sumitra (Nirupa Roy), which begins with the childhood of her sons Vijay and Ravi. The family is dishonored when the brothers’ father, a union messiah blackmailed by evil corporate monkeys, is lambasted as a false prophet and driven out of town. Vijay is attacked by disgruntled workers and is forever branded with a tattoo reading, “Mera baap jhoot hai,” my father is a liar. Sumitra is horrified and decides to move the family sans father to Mumbai, the city of dreams. They live in poverty while Sumitra sacrifices everything for the benefit of her sons.
Scarred by his memories of the old village, Vijay is broody even as a child, refusing to step into temples but working for the better future of his brother. Vijay grows up to become Angry Young Man Amitabh Bachchan, surprising no one. Vijay, initially still working class, impresses a bigwig in the Mumbai mobster scene and immediately starts making rolls of cash. He is an anti-hero, seen smoking lots of cigarettes, becoming more and more successful with his implied trade of illicit materials, and man-handling bad guys who dare mess with his sense of justice. He uses his newfound wealth to dote on both his mistress(Parveen Babi) and his mother.
Ravi, on the other hand, is enamored with authority and does very well in school, eventually morphing into Shashi Kapoor. Ravi’s love of rules limits his options before he finds work as a rather gun-happy policeman through his connection to the father of his carefree girlfriend (Neetu Singh). He insists happy endings are not a legitimate cause for morally ambiguous actions. He and Vijay inevitably clash when Ravi is assigned to the arrest of his brother. This family drama mostly manifests itself through the brothers’ competition for their mother, who is heartbroken when it becomes clear that she must choose between them. Deewaar is famous for its unique moral stance, its dialogues, and Amitabh’s fiery performance as Vijay. -Emily Dunning

Taal

Title: Taal “Rhythm”
Director: Subhash Ghai
Release Date: August 13, 1999 (India)
Cast:
Anil Kapoor as Vikrant Kapoor
Akshaye Khanna as Manav Mehta
Aishwarya Rai as Mansi
Alok Nath as Tara Babu
Amrish Puri as Jagmohan Mehta
Summary:
This movie masters every element a typical Bollywood film is known for. If you want rich-poor romance, familial drama, exceptional dance sequences, elaborate costumes, amazing soundtracks, and breath-taking sceneries, this is the movie to watch.
The two main protagonists, who end up becoming lovers within thirty minutes of the film, are Manav Mehta (played by Akshaye Khanna) and Mansi (played by Aishwarya Rai). Manav originally being from the UK and never having been to India decides to take a sight-seeing road trip of India by himself. During this trip, he coincidentally sees Mansi and falls instantly in love with her. The two becomes lovers knowing that their union will not be easily allowed from both of their families because of the tremendous gap between their family statuses. Mansi is a normal, everyday village girl who lives for her father while Manav is the son of a prestigious family who happens to be extremely wealthy. As characters misunderstand one another throughout the film, Mansi at one point leaves every hope for their union behind and becomes a dancing-modeling star. Vikrant, her producer falls in love with Mansi and is determined to make her his wife. Ultimately Vikrant and Manav fight for Mansi’s love. The film beautifully unfolds as the elements of familial love and wealth and status differences play within the film. -Esther Yi

Rang De Basanti

Starring:
Aamir Khan, Soha Ali Khan, Madhavan, Kunal Kapoor, Siddharth Narayan,
Sharman Joshi, Atul Kulkarni, Alice Patten
Waheeda Rehman, Om Puri, Kirron Kher and Anupam Kher

In this drama, when the granddaughter of a British army officer comes to India to make a documentary about Indian freedom fighters based on her grandfather’s diary, she meets a politically apathetic, diverse group of young Indians. They agree to star in her film, and slowly begin to lose their apathy and identify with their characters. India’s problems in the past and India’s problems today become real for them, especially when one of their own dies in a plane crash as a result of government corruption. Quickly their identification with their characters takes on a life of its own as they use their inspiration and revolutionary tactics to fight back. -Sheila Kelly

Salaam Namaste

Salaam Namaste (2005)
Stars: Preity Zinta, Saif Ali Khan
Director: Siddharth Anand
Producer: Aditya Chopra

Preity Zinta (from Dil Se) and Saif Ali Khan (from Dil Chahta Hai) star as two young, independent Indians living in Melbourne, Australia. Zinta plays Ambar, a medical student who left India to escape her parents’ expectations of her to get married. Khan plays Nick, a young man who became an architect to please his father, only to follow his own dream and become a successful chef in Australia.
Ambar works part time as a DJ on the Indian radio station, Salaam Namaste. When she is supposed to interview Nick about his restaurant and he oversleeps, she makes it her mission to defame him publicly, embarrassing him in front of the entire Indian community of Melbourne. When the unknowing meet at a wedding and fall for each other, they learn to put their differences behind them as they pursue a relationship with one another.
Ambar and Nick eventually move in together and fall deeply in love. All of this happiness is shattered, however, when Ambar discovers that she is pregnant. As the story continues, both characters grapple with the issue of their pregnancy and the effect it may have on their relationship. -Lauren Ehrlich

Dhoom

Dhoom, directed by Sanjay Gadhvi, originally came out in 2004. It stars Abhishek Bachchan (Jai Dixit), Uday Chopra (Ali Akbar Fateh Khan), John Abraham (Kabir) , Esha Deol (Sheena as Esha), Rimi Sen (Mrs. Sweety Dixit), Manoj Joshi, Sanjay M. Singh (Sanjay Singh) and Amir Farid (Farid Amiri). It was nominated for 18 awards and won 8.
Dhoom is about a super cop named Jai Dixit who, with the aid of a motorcycle racer/ mechanic, Ali Khan, tracks down a gang of motorcycle thieves who have been on a robbing spree. Jai and Ali make for an odd couple, as Jai is a very serious cop whose dedication to the force drives his wife Sweety nuts and Ali is a silly mechanic who dreams of marrying every pretty girl he meets (even Sweety).
The movie focuses on the chase of the gang as the gang leader toys with Jai until the final showdown that incorporates a mac truck, speedboats, a car chase, explosions, fighting and a lot of bullets. -Daniel Cohen

A Wednesday

Major Stars:
Naseeruddin Shah- Anonymous
Anupam Kher- Prakash Rathod- Commissioner of Police
Jimmy Shergill- Arif Khan- Anti-Terrorism Squad Officer
Deepal Shaw- Naina Roy- Television Journalist
Aamir Bashir- Jai Pratap Singh- Officer

Genre:
The film presents a slightly different genre than the typical style of a Bollyood movie. Relatively short at two hours, A Wednesday has no songs, and is similar in style to Western suspense thrillers, with the majority of the focus being directed on the interaction between the two main characters. Instead of focusing on dramatic action scenes, the film presents a more intelligent perspective on the topic of terrorism than is usually seen in Bollywood films.

Synopsis:
A Wednesday is a dramatic thriller that has you on the edge of your seat from start to end. The film grips the audience from the start, as an anonymous man (Naseeruddin Shah) calls up Commissioner of Police (Anupam Kher) with the announcement that there are six bombs planted throughout Mumbai, threatening to kill hundreds of innocent civilians unless he his demands are met. The film follows the psychological action between the two main characters, with Shah carefully carrying out his plan, and Kher employing his team of well-trained and well-equipped officials to react to every to every move.
The plot summary must end there, so as not to disclose any details that might reveal the ending of the film, which is a pleasant surprise based on the events leading up to the climax. After high levels of suspense and a few action scenes have kept viewers following the plot, Shah concludes the movie with an emotionally moving monologue that presents the intellectual and social commentary that is apparent in Bollywood films. -Atul Soni

Chandni Bar

The film “Chandni Bar” is the story of a young girl called Mumtaz. After a fire burned down her Bombay with her uncle. After her uncle’s promise to find a job as soon as possible, Mumtaz agreed to work temporarily in a beer bar, “Chandni Bar”, until they would settle in. Things though did not turn out as Muntaz expected and she ended up living her whole life connected to Chandni Bar. Tabu, a famous Bollywood actress, plays the role of Mumtaz, Atul Kulkarni has the role of Potiya Sawant, Mumtaz’s father of her children. Deepa, Mumatz closest friend and fellow dancer, is a character played by Ananya Khare and finally, Mumtaz’s Uncle is acted out by Suhas Palshikar.
The film is considered to be a genre, but it does not share all characteristics of the genre conventions. It is a more realistic depiction of society and as Madhur Bhandarkar (director of Chandni Bar) said "Ten years ago, it wouldn't have been possible to make the films that I did. Today, the audience wants to watch different genres of filmmaking and thus it's a good time to explore new themes" (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Life/Bollywood_comes_of_age/articleshow/3775152.cms). -Monica Modiano

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham
(Sometimes Happiness, Sometimes Sadness)
Release Date: December 14, 2001
Director: Karan Johar

Stars:
Amitabh Bachchan – Yashvardhan Raichand (Yash)
Jaya Bachchan – Nandini Raichand
Shahrukh Khan – Rahul Raichand
Kajol – Anjali Sharma Raichand
Hrithik Roshan – Rohan Raichand
Kareena Kapoor – Pooja Sharma Raichand
Rani Mukerji – Naina Kapoor (Cameo)

Story:
Kabhi Kushi Kabhie Ghum, also known as K3G, is the story of family love and generational differences. The film has immense star power; Amitabh Bachchan leads the film as the paternal figure with his real life wife Jaya Bachchan as his spouse in the film. Bollywood’s favorite pair Shahrukh Khan and Kajol, lead the younger generation. Their pairing makes the movie a solidified hit. At this point in time, Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor were considered new stars. The film held a monopoly over the international box office until 2006.
Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan run the wealthy Raichand family with strict traditional values. When Rahul, Shahrukh Khan, their elder son defies his father’s wishes by marrying a girl from a lower class, Anjali Swarma (Kajol), the traditional values of the Raichand household are destroyed. Thus, tearing the family apart. After being thrown out of the house, Rahul and Anjali go to London.
The film begins when the second son in the Raichand household, Rohan (Hrithik Roshan) is playing a cricket match at his boarding school. In order to win, he remembers the advice that his older brother gives him before he leaves, “If you want to be someone in life, if you want to achieve something….if you want to win, always listen to your heart,. And if your heart doesn’t give you any answers, close your eyes and think of your parents. And then you will cross all the hurdles and all your problems will vanish and victory will be yours. Only yours.” This quote leads the narrative of the film and portrays the importance of family. When Rohan envisions his family, he is able to succeed.
Rohan heads home after finishing his exams at University. On his way home he stops by to see his maternal and paternal grandmothers. The grandmothers are depressed over the loss of Rahul within the family – Rohan overhears them mourning. They then confess everything. Rohan is then determined to find his elder brother and restore unity to his family. Thus- the saga continues. -Laura Ennis

Anand

ANAND (1971)
Director: Hrishikesh Mukherjee

Major Characters:
Rajesh Khanna: Anand Saigal / Jaichand
Amitabh Bachchan: Dr. Bhaskar K. Bannerjee
Sumita Sanyal: Renu
Ramesh Deo: Dr. Prakash Kulkarni
Seema Deo: Mrs. Suman Kulkarni

Movie Outline:
One of the most eye-opening movies of all time in the Bollywood film industry, this story begins with Dr. Bhaskar K. Bannerjee, a cancer specialist, winning a literary award for his first novel about a patient called Anand. Dr. Bannerjee is asked to give a speech about his motivation behind this novel. The movie is a flashback of Dr. Bannerjee’s tale of a terminally ill patient named Anand. Anand, the title character, is in his last stage of a disease called Lymphosarcoma of the intestine. Prior to the introduction of Anand, the movie is truly gloomy and depressing. Dr. Bannerjee is frustrated with life as a doctor because of the disparity in Bombay in terms of accessibility of basic amenities such as health-care. Dr. Bannerjee is so caught up with this frustration that he completely detaches himself from the rest of the world. He seems to have lost desire towards everything in life such as marriage, food and friendship. The jovial character of Anand completely changes the mood of the movie. Anand knows that he has only months to live, and therefore wants to extract as much joy and happiness during this short lifespan. He puts matters in perspective for Dr. Bannerjee and says that a long frustrated life is much worse than a short happy life. Anand’s theory is that a great life is much better than a long life. The audience and the rest of the characters in the movie fall in love with Anand and his philosophy of life. This philosophy that one should live life to the fullest extent is really the basis of Anand. Through Anand last few months, the movie asks the modern, fast-paced audience to reflect on what is really important towards leading a great life. -Gaurav Gharti-Chhetri

Mother India

Mother India, a film from the 1950’s, stars Nargis, Sunil Dutt, Rajendra Kumar, and Raaj Kumar. The characters go through a journey of attempting to battle and overcome poverty. Radha (Nargis) finds herself in trouble after she marries Shamu (Raaj Kumar), as she finds out that Shamu’s mother took out a loan in order to pay for their wedding. As Radha tries to help alleviate her family of the financial mess they’ve found themselves in due to the wedding costs. As Radha and Shamu try to patch up the fields to pay off the loan. However, Shamu faces a traumatic experience when a boulder falls on his arms, leaving his arms severed. Unable to physically assist his family, Shamu leaves Radha and their two sons, Birju (Sunil Dutt) and Ramu (Rajendra Kumar). Radha and her sons are forced to work in the fields themselves, while suffering from hunger, homelessness, and extreme poverty. As Birjua gets older, his frustrations with poverty and hatred towards the moneylender lead him to antagonize the moneylender’s daughter as well as the other women in the village. This causes the villagers to ostracize him. Upon Birju’s unwanted return, Radha experiences an inner conflict, because she promised the villagers she would kill her son if he ever antagonizes the women of the village again. Ultimately, Radha kills Birju. -Sunali Shah

Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na

Characters:
Jai Singh Rathore – Imran Khan
Aditi “ Meow” Mahant – Genelia D’Souza
Meghna – Manjari Fadnis
Sandhya “ Bombs” – Alishka Varde
Ravindra “ Rotlu” – Karan Makhija
Jignesh Patel “ Jiggy” – Nirav Mehta
Shaleen – Sugandha Garg

Directed and written by Abbas Tyrewala and produced by Aamir Khan. The film, released on July 4, 2008, is categorized under the musical genre. Jaane tu ya Jaane Na, translated as “ Whether you know… or not”, opens with a group of old college friends—Bombs, Rotlu, Jiggy, and Shaleen at the airport with a new friend—Mala, as they await the arrival of their other two college friends—Jai and Aditi. While waiting for their friends to arrive, the group begins to tell their new friend Mala about the love story between Jai and Aditi that goes back to their college years. The film goes back to the time when the friends graduate college and start to ponder the question of love and their soul mates. Jai and Aditi have been friends for five years, but never during that time had considered each other as a romantic relationship. They admit to being complete opposites—Jai was raised not to be violent following the death of his father during battle, while Aditi is feisty and argumentative—only calmed down by Jai. This platonic friendship surprises Jai and Aditi’s parents, who had assumed the two would marry following their graduation. Jai and Aditi make an agreement to find love for each other. In the process of finding love, Bombs and Rotlu realize their own attraction to each other.. But Jai has to meet the three conditions set for him as a rajput —to get in a fight, be arrested, and ride a horse. With the encouragement of Aditi and the rest of his friends, Jai becomes involved with Meghna – a girl who has an inclination towards the imaginary. Aditi suddenly begins to act strangely, her feelings for Jai coming through. Aditi then becomes involved with Sushant—a man who is the opposite of Jai with his violent personality and long list of previous female suitors. Aditi comes to realize that Sushant is not the man of her dreams, the qualities she thought she was looking for no longer as appealing in reality. And Jai, at the same time, realizes that the attractions of Meghna are far from reality and impractical. The film follows Jai and Aditi in their journey towards finding love in the most expected of places with colorful and modern song and dance. -Stephanie Cohen

Bandini

BANDINI (1963) (IMPRISONED)
Producer: Bimal Roy
Director: Bimal Roy
Starring: Nutan, Ashok Kumar, Dharmendra and Raja Paranjpe
Music: S.D. Burman
Lyrics: Gulzar, Shailendra
Approximate Running Time: 145 mins.

Bandini is the story of Kalyani, a beautiful young woman born to a good family that ends up in prison for murder. She intrigues many in the prison, as this woman accused of the most heinous crime frequently sacrifices herself to help an old woman ailing with TB or to help others with their work. The handsome and gentle prison doctor is among those whose attention she traps; eventually he seeks to marry her but she refuses him, not wanting to taint his good name with her past.
In a flashback, the audience learns that Kalyani was once engaged to another man Bikash Ghosh (Ashok Kumar) whom she truly loved. He says he must leave her for a while, pledging to return, but he never does, bringing shame to Kalyani and her father. Kalyani leaves her home, hoping to relieve her father of this shame and ends up working as a servant in a hospital. Little does she know she is serving the cruel and impetuous new wife of the man she was supposed to marry. Learning this and the news of her father’s death almost simultaneously, Kalyani finds herself doing the unthinkable.
Much like Pyaasa, Bandini is a poetic love-triangle tale with no clear villain other than a misguided society. The beautiful song sequences focus on the longing for freedom within the prison, and comparisons with Radha and Krishna (performed by Lata Mangeshkar). There is a thirst for freedom, just as the thirst in Pyaasa. The title, translated as “Imprisoned,” extends not only to the women in the prison, but to societal imprisonment by judgment and lack of respect, and more broadly, India’s desire for freedom from British rule. I don’t mean to ruin the ending, but after all, it is the man who sacrifices himself for his country above all that ends up winning. -Denisse Dubrovsky

Andaz Apna Apna

Andaz Apna Apna (Our Dreams)

Cast:
Amar Manohar: Aamir Khan
Prem Bhopali: Salman Khan
Raveena: Raveena Tandon
Karisma: Karisma Kapoor
Shyam Gopal Bajaj: Paresh Rawal
Ram Gopal Bajaj: Paresh Rawal

This slapstick satire weaves the story of Amar (Aamir Khan) and Prem (Salman Khan), two good for nothing loafers whose only goals in life are to make it big without putting forth any effort. They quickly discover that Raveena (Raveena Tandon), a wealthy heiress and her close friend, Karisma (Karisma Kapoor) will be looking for eligible bachelors to marry into their wealthy family. As the heroes become close friends, they discover each others’ plans and their camaraderie quickly turns into competition over Raveena’s attention. Amar eventually woos Raveena and Prem discovers that he is actually in love with Karisma and the friendship is saved. All the two happy couples need now is Ram Gopal Bajaj (Raveena’s wealthy father) to approve of the marriage, but of course, things are not nearly as simple as they seem. Ram Gopal Bajaj’s evil twin, Shyam Gopal Bajaj has kidnapped the father and is holding him ransom in order to steal his wealth. Amar and Prem see this as the perfect opportunity to win over their future father-in-law’s affection (and his wallet) by rescuing him. Chaos, confusion, and comedy ensue…
Andaz Apna Apna is an excellent comedy of errors. It satirizes previous Bollywood conventions and has an exciting and refreshing storyline. Overall, the simple, laugh out loud jokes and situations placed throughout the movie redeem the complex story line and make this a movie not to be missed. -Kar Ravji

C.I.D.

Directed by Raj Khosla

Starring:
Dev Anand
Shakila
Johnny Walker
K.N. Singh
Waheeda Rehman
Bir Sakuja

C.I.D. is a film noir from 1956, and it follows many of the genre’s conventions, as a detective is pulled into an elaborate plot. The film begins with a mysterious order made to bribe the editor of The Bombay Times, and (if that doesn’t work) kill him. Srivastav, the editor, turns down the bribe and is killed shortly afterward. Inspector Shekher, a C.I.D. officer, is assigned to the case. Shekher is a noir detective in the Philip Marlowe mold. He’s smart, resourceful and a little detached, without being quite hardboiled. When Shekher attempts to chase the killer, he commandeers Rekha’s car in the process, much to her annoyance. Not believing Shekher to be a detective, she removes the keys from the car, allowing the murderer to escape. The murderer is later apprehended, and identified by Master, the only witness to the murder. Master is a tailor and a pickpocket, though not necessarily in that order, and is the film’s comic relief. Upon discovering an unprinted newspaper article, Shekher realizes that Srivastav’s murder was a premeditated plot, ordered by someone to prevent Srivastav from revealing the criminal’s identity. Around this time, Shekher also learns that Rekha is the police chief’s daughter, and the two fall in love. Shekher receives a phone call from a woman claiming to have information about the murder. He is quickly driven to her, in a car with tinted windows, where she offers to bribe him for the murderer’s release. She is Kamini, the film’s femme fatale, and one of the conspirator’s behind Srivastav’s murder, along with the more powerful Dharamdas. When Shekher refuses, he is knocked unconscious and abandoned by the side of the road. When he finally wakes, Rekha and her father have found him. Although his memory of the night is fuzzy, Shekher is vaguely aware that Kamini, who is coincidentally a childhood friend of Rekha, is involved in Srivastav’s death. Although he has been silent while in prison, Dharamdas fears that the murderer will talk, and has him killed. Two other prisoners beat the murderer to death, but as there are no witnesses, the blame is placed on Shekher, and he is brought to trial. He is forced to find a way not only to prove his innocence, but also find out who the real villain is, and he sets off to do so, jumping bail. -Anthony Scibelli

Devdas

DEVDAS (2002)

Dir: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Stars: Shahrukh Khan- Devdas Mukherji
Madhuri Dixit- Chandramukhi
Aishwarya Rai- Paro (Parvati)
Genre: Romance
Run Time: 3hrs, 4min.

Plot Summary: Devdas is a tragic love story about Paro and Devdas, who find that after years of distance, their strong childhood friendship has blossomed into an intense romance. Yet, products of different classes, Devdas’ parents forbid any marriage between the two lovers. Abiding by his parents, Devdas abandons Paro and his family and escapes to join his college friend at a local brothel. There, he meets Chandramukhi, who is stricken by Devdas confidence in her womanhood and falls in love with him. Devdas, however, cannot forget his former love. Realizing he made a huge mistake while watching Chandramukhi, Devdas quickly returns to Paro to beg for forgiveness, but Paro, hurt by Devdas’ actions, is already set to wed a wealthy older man. While Paro lives a high but miserable aristocratic life, Devdas drinks himself into sickness in Chandramukhi’s chambers. His actions foreshadow the climactic ending in which Devdas and Paro meet one last time in the most undesirable circumstances.

A beautiful display of love, loss, and vice, Devdas is a classic story in which audience members can’t help but share in Shahrukh Khan’s well-known tears. -Gabriella Wertman

Munnabhai MBBS

Starring:
Sanjay Dutt – Murli Prasad “Munna Bhai” Sharma (the hero)
Sunil Dutt – Shri Hari Prasad Sharma (the father)
Gracy Singh – Dr. Suman Asthana (the girl)
Arshad Warsi – Circuit (the best friend)
Jimmy Shergill – Zaheer (a patient)
Boman Irani – Dr. J. Asthana (the villain)

In this movie from 2003, Murli Prasad “Munna Bhai” Sharma (“bhai” means “brother,” which is what the gangsters call each other) is a gangster in Mumbai. He gets a lot of respect in the city, but he has told his parents that he is a doctor, because after not contacting them for 15 years, he was ashamed to admit what he actually did. Every time his parents come to visit, they create an elaborate fake hospital and have his goons pretend to be doctors and patients, to keep up the illusion. During one visit to Mumbai, Munna’s father runs into an old friend, Dr. J. Asthana, and they try to arrange a marriage between their children (Dr. Asthana’s daughter actually is a doctor). Right before they are all to meet, Dr. Asthana finds out what Munna really is, and tells Mr. Sharma. Ashamed, Mr. Sharma leaves town and refuses to speak to his son, who is very upset.
But that was all the set-up to the main chunk of the movie, of course. Munna decides that he wants to make his parents proud after all, and fulfill their dreams of his becoming a doctor. So he has his best friend/sidekick Circuit find the best medical school in the city for him to enroll in. And naturally, it ends up being the school run by his enemy, Dr. J. Asthana.
What follows is the story of his slightly unorthodox experience at school, complete with song and dance numbers (of course), a love interest, a few emotional moments, laughter therapy, carom and orange juice, cheating on exams, injuries, Magic Hugs, and street slang. To sum up: this movie is a really good time. You should watch it. -Rachel Weiss

Sarkar

While Sarkar may not exactly be a prototypical Bollywood film, do not be put off, because it is in fact one of the most suspenseful and thrilling films to come out of India in recent years. The film begins with a quote from the director, intended to cue the audience into the type of film they are about to watch. It reads, “Like countless directors all over the world, I have been deeply influenced by The Godfather. Sarkar is my tribute to it.” What plays out from there is a modified version of the story from The Godfather, transported seamlessly from the streets of New York to the streets of Mumbai.
The word “sarkar” translated into English means either government or the word to address someone in authority, such as an overlord. This is a perfect description of the character of Sarkar, the “godfather” or Don Corleone character in the film. He is the head of the family, the man who makes the decisions which are carried out by his many followers. His word is tantamount to law, and in a way he stands as a form of government outside the official government. He is the judge, he is the jury, and his supporters are his executioners.
Sarkar, as he is known to his followers, has two sons, the first being the hot-tempered Vishnu. He is the more wild and less virtuous of the two sons, getting himself in trouble due to his lusting after the star of the movie he is producing (He is married). Sarkar’s other son, Shankar, has just returned from the United States where he has just completed his education. He is cultured and fully aware of what his father does but does not disapprove, understanding the complex honor code his father lives by.
When one day a Dubai-based shady businessman proposes a deal with Sarkar on his territory, Sarkar refuses, saying he knows what type of illegal materials the businessman is proposing to ship into his city. While it is left unspoken, presumably Sarkar is referring to drugs, much as in the original The Godfather, Don Corleone refuses to enter into any drug dealing enterprises. Sarkar’s refusal sets off a war with a rival gang, which eventually develops into a war between Sarkar’s two sons. What results from there I will not divulge, but needless to say the two gangs do not come to a peaceful solution.
The film is filled with violence but is never gratuitous, certainly nothing as bad as you commonly see in Hollywood films today. While everyone should be able to enjoy Sarkar, fans of The Godfather in particular will find much to love here, as the film carefully reworks plot elements and characters from the original. As well, while the film is not a musical, it features a terrific soundtrack which helps build the incredible suspense the film relies on. Overall, Sarkar is a truly great film, one that should not be missed by serious Bollywood fans or even just those who like a good mafia film. -Ben Strassfeld

Mixed Doubles

Starring: Ranvir Shorey, Konkona Sen Sharma, Rajat Kapoor, Koel Purie, Saurabh Shukla, Vinay Pathak, Divya Jagdale, and Naseeruddin Shah
Director: Rajat Kapoor
Genre: Comedy
When the happily married Sunil (Ranvir Shorey) and Malti (Konkona Sen Sharma) find the passion in their relationship dwindling, Sunil comes up with an idea to bring back a spark: wife swapping. The traditional Malti is appalled by the suggestion at first, but is eventually tricked into participating. This is the story of their relationship and what happens when they begin “mixing doubles.”
“Mixed Doubles “is a departure from the traditional Bollywood romance. While most films we have watched end in a wedding, “Mixed Doubles” explores what comes next. The audience watches Malti wash dishes, and senses Sunil’s boredom. Although it is a Bollywood comedy, “Mixed Doubles” is fairly realistic and does not have the fantastical nature present in other Bollywood films and has a pacing similar to Raincoat.
“Mixed Doubles” was released in 2006 and certainly has a modern flair. This makes it watchable and its humor relatable. It also challenges some of what we’ve read about sexuality in Bollywood films and plays with traditional sexual norms.
All in all “Mixed Doubles” is fun, funny, and worth watching. -Rebecca Sivitz

Main Hoon Na

At a glance:
Title: Main Hoon Na (I’m Here Now)
Genre: Comedy, Romance, Action
Run Time: 2 hrs 53 min
Director: Farah Khan (the famous choreographer from Dil Se)
Brief Summary: College hi-jinks and terrorists
Cast: Shahrukh Khan as Ram Sharma
Naseeruddin Shah as Shekhar Sharma
Sunil Shetty as Rhagavan Datta
Zayed Khan as Lakshman Sharma
Amrita Rao as Sanjana Bakshi
Sushmita Sen as Chandni Chopra
Boman Irani as Principal
Bindu as Ms. Kaker
Satish Shah as Prof. Rasai
Kiron Kher as Madhu Sharma

Main Hoon Na is a masala film that tells the story of Major Ram Prasad Sharma (played by our favorite actor Sharukh Khan) as he searches for his long lost brother while undercover as a college student to guard his commander’s daughter. The movie begins with a declaration of Project Peace, an attempt to forge relations between India and Pakistan through a POW trade. As the announcement is made, a terrorist by the name of Rhagavan interrupts the television broadcast with his army and wreaks havoc until Major Ram swings in to save the day. Rhagavan gets away and swears revenge, but not before murdering Major Ram’s father Brigadier Shekhar Sharma, who in his last breath reveals to Ram that long ago he had another family and his dying wish is to be sent off by his two sons reunited.
Despite Ram’s attempts to get a leave of duty to search for his brother, he is put on assignment to bodyguard his commander’s daughter Sanjana – but his commander reveals to him that a boy by the name of Lakshman Prasad Sharma also attends the school. College hi-jinks ensue as Ram tries to fit in at college and stay close to an unwilling Sanjana, who hangs out with the number one biggest trouble maker in the school: Lucky.
Main Hoon Na mixes elements of youth culture, brotherhood, action and romance into a film that offers a path to peace between families and countries. It’s a throwback to the Bollywood conventions of old, both in style and presentation, even directly referencing Sholay on several occasions. Overall, Main Hoon Na is a very entertaining and fun-filled watch that leaves you with a warm, familiar feeling of satisfaction. -Angela Sham

Maqbool

Maqbool (2003)
The Bollywood adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth
Directed by Vishal Bharadwaj

Key Players:
Irfan Khan: Maqbool (as Irfan)
Tabu: Nimmi
Pankaj Kapur: Jahangir Khan (Abbaji)
Naseeruddin Shah: Inspector Purohit
Om Puri: Inspector Pandit
Piyush Mishra : Kaka
Masumeh Makhija: Sameera (Abbaji's Daughter)
Ajay Gehi: Guddu (Kaka's son)
Ankur Vikal: Riyaz Boti

Shakespearian tragedy meets the Godfather in this Indianized adaptation of Macbeth. Jahangir Khan (Abbaji) is a powerful gangster wanted by the government for his involvement in underworld crime. Adopted by Abbaji at a young age, Maqbool has grown-up in the dark underbelly of Bombay’s Mafia. At the onset of the film, two corrupt police inspectors/astrologists predict Maqbool’s increasing power among the gang, even though he is already Abbaji’s right hand man. The soothsayer’s predictions come true after a rival gang is overtaken. One of this gang’s members, Riyaz Boti, is taken into Abbaji’s gang by force. Maqbool is having a secret affair with Abbaji’s mistress Nimmi and they begin to plot Abbaji’s murder so Maqbool can take his place as don, and most importantly, as Nimmi’s husband. As the Vito Corleone-like Abbaji continues to gain power he arranges the marriage of his daughter, Sameera to Guddu, the son of one of his men, Kaka. On the night of the engagement, Maqbool shoots Abbaji in his bed. Nimmi looks on as their pre-planned murder unfolds. After his death, Maqbool takes Abbaji’s place in the gang and in Nimmi’s bed. Nimmi and Maqbool are haunted by their crime, especially after learning that Nimmi is pregnant with Abbaji’s child. Maqbool’s wild desire for the family he never had ignores that the baby is Abbaji’s heir. Paranoid and haunted by his bloody misdeed, Maqbool systematically eliminates anyone else who might usurp his power and claim to Nimmi and the baby. He organizes Kaka’s murder, alienating Guddu and sparking a war between the two gangs. An attack on their compound causes Nimmi to go into premature labor. In a fit of paranoid insanity, Maqbool takes Nimmi from the hospital to their home where she dies after feverish and guilt-ridden hallucinations. Maqbool returns to the hospital to claim “his” son, only to be shot dead at the entrance by Riyaz Boti, who has harbored a grudge since his family’s murder. Like Macbeth, Maqbool ends with the death of its main players, and like any Bollywood film their love is undying to the very end. -Eve Neiger

Ishq

Released in 1997

Two friends, Ajay and Madhu, come from wealthy families in India. Their fathers are friends as well, and they make an agreement to have their two children get married. Little do they know, Ajay and Madhu have already fallen in love….just not with each other. Ajay has fallen in love with Kajal, and Madhu is in love with Raja, and both are not as wealthy as their families. When the fathers find out, they are very upset and they do everything in their power to ensure the marriage of Ajay and Madhu and end the other relationships. Despite their efforts to break up the couples, Ajay and Madhu refuse to give in to their fathers’ demands. -Melissa Nathan

Directed by Indra Kumar
Aamir Khan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Raja
Ajay Devgan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ajay Rai
Kajol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kajal
Madhu Tahil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Juhi Chawla
Sadashiv Amrapurkar . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ranjit Rai (Ajay’s father)
Harbanslal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dalip Tahil (Madhu’s father)

Kal Ho Na Ho

Kal Ho Naa Ho (Tomorrow May Never Come) (2003):
A Romantic Comedy-Drama

Naina Kapur: Preity Zinta
Aman Mathur: Shahrukh Khan
Rohit Patel: Saif Ali Khan
Jennifer Kapur: Jaya Bachchan
Lajjo Kapur: Sushma Seth
Sweetu Kapoor: Delnaaz Paul

KHNH is Bollywood does Cyrano. Naina is a serious student living in New York City with her mother, younger siblings, and paternal grandmother after the death of her father. Problems within the family abound; her grandmother and mother do not get along, and her grandmother refuses to acknowledge Naina’s younger sister because she is adopted. Naina is clearly in need of some fun in her life, and her new neighbor, Aman, seems perfectly suited to the task, though Naina finds him annoying. As time progresses, she falls for him, but he seems only interested in matching her up with her best friend, Rohit, who has fallen in love with her. Populated with familiar faces from more recent films and a fair amount of Bollywood pop cultural references, KHNH is an enjoyable film that will appeal especially to viewers who enjoyed DCH and DDLJ. -Shannon Moore

Taare Zameen Par

Director: Aamir Khan
Cast: Darsheel Safary as Ishaan Awasthi
Aamir Khan as Ram Shankar Nikumbh
Tanay Chheda as Rajan Damodaran Tisca Chopra as Maya Awasthi
Vipin Sharma as Mr. Awasthi
Plot Summary:
Taare Zameen Par looks at the plight of the student with an undiscovered disability in the Indian School system. Ishaan, a creative and artistic 8-year-old has to battle the learning disability of dyslexia. He cannot read or do even basic math, and as a result he fails all of his tests and is labeled a problem student by his teachers. He does not fit in with other children because of his lack of coordination and therefore spends much of his time on his own creating works of art and living in his own imagination. His father and mother are frustrated with him, and he has to live with his older brother who does well in both school and sports and is pretty popular.
One day, to avoid another test, he skips school and discovers the world outside of books and learning, but this leads his parents to discover how badly he has been doing in school, and at a meeting with the teachers, they decide to pull Ishaan out of school and send him to a boarding school. Ishaan does not understand why he has been sent away, viewing it as a punishment. At the boarding school the teachers believe he is stupid because he cannot write and crush his spirit. When his family comes to visit him they find he has stopped drawing, and are shocked by the difference in his behavior. He has stopped talking to all but one fellow student, stopped drawing, and seems completely destroyed.
Then, when all hope has been lost, a new teacher comes to school. Ram Shankar Nikumbh (played by Aamir Khan) is the new temporary art professor. He realizes Ishaan’s problems and rescues him. He goes to speak to Ishaan’s parents and they believe that because their son is dyslexic he must be placed in a school for mentally retarded children. Nikumbh discovers Ishaan’s drawings and realizes that there is something special about the boy. He then devises a way in which Ishaan can be encouraged to draw again, who then forms a very special teacher-student bond with Nikumbh.
A heart-warming film, Taare Zameen Par takes dyslexia and addresses the myths surrounding it. The film also looks at the parent’s desire for their children’s success, and criticizes the discounting of children who do not fit into the normal idea of a successful child. It is also a good view of Indian’s living in Mumbai in the style of the upper middle class, and focuses on the relations of Ishaan’s family to one another. A beautifully filmed and directed movie, Taare Zameen Par is Aamir Khan’s second film to be nominated for the Oscar’s Best Foreign Film Award. It is a must see! -Deborah Maxey

Veer-Zaara

Veer-Zaara (2004)

Shahrukh Khan ...................... Veer Pratap Singh
Preity Zinta ............................Zaara Hayaat Khan
Rani Mukherjee …………….Saamiya Siddiqui
Kiron Kher ………………….Mariam Hayaat Khan
Divya Dutta ………………...Shabbo
Boman Irani ………………...Jahangir Hayaat Khan
Anupam Kher ………………Zakir Ahmed
Amitabh Bachchan …………Chaudhary Sumer Singh (Special Appearance)
Hema Malini ………………..Maati (Special Appearance)
Manoj Bajpai ……………….Razaa Shirazi (Special Appearance)
Zohra Sehgal ………………..Bebe

Veer-Zaara is a film situated in both Pakistan and the Punjab region of India. It stars the unforgettable Sharukh Khan as Squadron Leader Veer Pratap Singh, an officer in the Indian Air Force who falls in love with the beautiful Zaara Hayaat Khan, played by Preity Zinta, while he rescues her from a bus wreck. The film is told in flashback form by an aged Veer, and the film tells the story of him trying to figure out how to deal with his love for the Pakistani Zaara. Zaara is in an arranged marriage which would cement a political tie with another prominent Pakistani family, therefore she is very important to her family. Can Veer win her and her family over?
This film also introduces Rani Mukherjee, who plays Saamiya Siddique, a lawyer fighting for Veer’s freedom from prison. She is also a prominent campaigner for women’s rights, and many people don’t want her to win the case because she might catapult women to professional prominence with her success. CAN SHE DO IT!? -Grady Macklin

Lagaan

Lagaan (2001)
Genre: Drama
Aamir Khan, Gracy Singh, Rachel Shelley, Paul Blackthorne
The British impose double lagaan (taxes) on the poor village of Champaner, even though there is a drought and it would cause them to starve. Bhuvan (Aamir Khan) and
his village go to beg the rajah for mercy, but Bhuvan ends up getting into a fight with the British Officer, Captain Russell (Paul Blackthorne). Russell makes a bet with Bhuvan;
they will play a game of cricket, and if Champaner wins, there will be no lagaan for them or their neighbors for three whole years. However, if the British win, the villagers will have to pay triple lagaan. Captain Russell!s sister Elizabeth (Rachel Shelley), concerned at the unfairness of the situation, decides to help Bhuvan learn cricket. Her
interest in him raises alarm in Gauri (Gracy Singh), who has fallen deeply in love with
him. -Dinah Lofgren

Gandhi, My Father

DIR. FEROZ ABBAS KHAN
"Gandhi My Father" is a true story about one of the most revered figures in contemporary history and his failed relationship with his own son. Somewhere in the shadows of the Great Man lived his son, roaming the streets of India like a beggar, converting to Islam as a rebellion, reconverting to Hinduism as penance and finally drinking himself to death.
Starting out as a die-hard worker for Gandhi's ideals, Harilal aspired to be a beloved son and a Barrister like his father. Seed of tragedy was sown when Gandhi denied him the opportunity of British Law education in favor of his ideals and generosity toward others. Harilal's wife and innocent kids were other shareholders in this tragedy.
Set against one of politically most turbulent times in India, the film tells an intensely personal story of a father struggling to resolve the destinies of his county and that of his son. Caught between her loyalty towards her husband and love for her son, is the poignantly emotional predicament of a mother.
Mahatma Gandhi could transform the soul of a nation but could not save the soul of his own son. -Dmitriy Lisitsyn

Namastey London

Directed by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, Starring Akshay Kumar (Arjun Singh) and Katrina Kaif (Jasmeet Malhotra)
Jasmeet, or Jazz, as she prefers, has a job at a fancy British magazine, dresses in very stylish clothes, and pines for her British playboys boss, Charles Brown. She openly defies her parents regularly- scaring away Indian Suitors Charles Brown proposes marriage to Jazz while her father is planning a trip to India, which Jazz agrees to go on. While this trip seems innocent, her father a placed an ad for Jazz on a dating website for Indian suitors.
On the trip to India, Jazz meets s series of incorrigible suitors. Then an ill-fated cab ride leaves Jazz and her parents stranded in the Punjab countryside, but also introduced her to the handsome, motorcycle riding stranger that fixes the car. The family makes it to their relatives house, where Jazz is clearly thrown by her intensely traditional relatives. Jazz is shocked when the handsome stranger from earlier in the day drunkenly climbs the terrace to find her. His name is Arjun. Arjun meets Jazz’s father, who immediately decides that he would like the two to marry. Everybody seems thrilled with the union except Jasmeet. The engagement celebrations commence, and the couple agrees to marry in India but leave for London that night.There is a wedding ceremony, but shortly after, the mischievous Jazz announces that since there are no legal documents proving a marriage and it absolutely wont be recognized in London, she is still single. Her parents are understandably furious.
Jazz returns to London and immediately accepts Charles Brown’s proposal- Arjun and Jazz’s parents are completely distraught. Arjun stays in London with Jazz’s family, swearing to fight for her, and creating some awkward tension in the house. Jazz is dismayed upon meeting Charles’ somewhat racist friends, and in her sadness Arjun befriends her and defends Indian culture to these friends—while seemingly simple, it forge a bond between the two and displays Jazz’s pride in her Indian heritage. Charles’ vices come out abruptly in the next several scenes, he is petulant, childish, controlling, and jealous, while Arjun takes dance lessons with her and befriends here male counterpart Irman, fixing his relationships with his girlfriend and father. Jazz is clearly torn, and all this comes to a head on Jazz and Charles’ wedding day. -Laura Gamble

Swades

In this 2004 Ashutosh Gowariker-directed release, Shahrukh Khan comes to the screen yet again as a NRI (non-resident Indian) residing in Washington D.C as a wealthy project manager for NASA. Having lived in the U.S for the past twelve years, Mohan has become accustomed to the luxuries and patterns of the country, but laments his status as an orphan and believes to remedy the emptiness in his life he must venture to India to bring back his devoted nanny, Kaveriamma, played by Kishori Balal. Once in India, Mohan discovers Kaveriamma is no longer in an elderly home and has relocated to a small village called Charanpur. Though equipped with an earnest desire to seek out the only mother-figure has has left, Mohan takes along the extensions of his western lavishness in the form of a fully furnished caravan to combat the potential discomforts of village life. The village of Charanpur provides Mohan with an insight he long been detached from, revitalizing in him an appreciation for his home country as well as new level of awareness to its problems. Plagued with caste prejudices, small resources and interest in education, poverty, and no reliable source of electricity, Charanpur has thwarted progress in almost every way. Gita, played by Gayatri Joshi who makes her debut in this film, stands almost alone in her efforts in attempting to move the village along. Though a native of the village, she is no country bumpkin, having completed her studies at Delhi, and only having made her way back to Charanpur upon the death of her parents to take care of her younger brother and maintain the school that her parents established. She and Mohan were once childhood playmates, Kaveriamma acting as a mother-figure to her as well. Mohan and Gita develop a relationship conceived in a dedication to Charanpur as well as one that is suspended in competition over Kaveriamma. Throughout his stay at Charanpur, Mohan finds himself invested in the the ways of life of the village, becoming a real-life hero for its residents, but maintains an idea of home in the life he has developed abroad. Presented with a new perspective and passion, Mohan is forced to re-evaluate his priorities as a NRI and consider what a backwards town like Charanpur could possibly provide him. -Marianna Faynshteyn

Singh is Kinng

Singh is King, or S.I.K., is a 2008 film directed by Anees Bazmee and stars Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif. It has gone on to gross over Rs.600 million worldwide and it is still grossing more. It has had considerable success in North America, grossing over $1.1 million dollars in its first weekend ("Mega Hit Singh Is Kinng : Record Breaking Box office thread." Naachgaana 16 Aug 2008 4 Dec 2008 ). The music of the film received attention in the States because of rapper Snoop Dogg’s involvement; he as a small cameo and performs the title track. This was a worldwide success because of its enticing plot, comedic aspects, and great song and dance sequences.
Lucky Singh, played by, Sonu Sood, is the king of the Australian underworld. Back in a small village in India, Happy Singh, played by Akshay Kumar promises to bring Lucky back to his village. In his attempt to fly to Australia, his boarding pass gets mixed up with someone else’s and he ends up in Egypt. While he is there he meets Sonia, played by Katrina Kaif, and falls deeply in love with her.
Happy eventually flies to Australia and finds Lucky’s house, but Lucky does not want to go back to India and kicks Happy out on the street. Happy is taken in by an elderly woman, played by Kirron Kher. Although she has very little, this woman provides food and shelter for Happy, and he sees her as a mother figure.
In an attack, Happy risks his life to save Lucky’s. They both survive, but Lucky becomes paralyzed and can no longer be king. So, Happy takes his place and tries to get the underworld gang to change there ways and become good. Soon, elderly women that provided for Happy when he needed it most came back to Happy. She was upset because her daughter was coming back to Australia and as no idea of the poor financial situation that she is in. Happy allowed her to use the gang’s mansion and the gang pretended to be the servants. But, he soon finds out that the elderly women’s daughter is Sonia, the women he fell in love with in Egypt, and that she is engaged to sneaky Puneet, played by Ranvir Shorey!
The plot twists and turns and is incredibly funny. It is a great modern film that keeps the same traditional values and morals of Bollywood. -Allison Connolly

Dostana

Film: DOSTANA (Friendship)
Released: November 2008
Director: Tarun Manusukhani
Summary:

This Bollywood film is the first to directly star two males, Sameer (Abhishek Bachchan) and Kunal (John Abraham) as a gay couple but, of course now knowing Bollywood films, there is always a catch. Both Sameer and Kunal are desperate in seeking a new apartment and they pretend to be gay so they can move in with the attractive Neha (Priyanka Chopra). Neha works for Verve Magazine, and when her boss resigns the new editor-in-chief is appointed to Abhimanyu Singh (Bobby Deol). Sameer and Kunal assist Neha to prove her talents at the magazine and Abhi takes notice of her, giving her the title, of co-editor-in-chief.
Both Sameer and Kunal scheme their way into getting private time with Neha and they begin to develop strong feelings for her, while still pretending to be gay. Abhi sweeps Neha away and Sameer and Kunal scheme against him, to keep them away from each other, and Neha to themselves. After Abhi proposes to Neha, they reveal that they have been pretending to be gay, and Sameer and Kunal are both inexplicably in love with Neha. In the end, does she trust them again? Does she accept Abhi’s proposal? Watch out for a roller coaster melodrama with non-stop twists, some club pumping item numbers and smashing Farah Khan dance moves. Dostana is the first Bollywood film to be shot entirely in the electric city of Miami. See the first ever on screen kiss of two of the hottest Bollywood stars. Is gay still considered taboo in Bollywood cinema, or are Bollywood fanatics and audiences ready to embrace a more sexually complicated love story? -Asa Bhuiyan

Cast:
Abhishek Bachchan as Sameer John Abraham as Kunal
Priyanka Chopra as Neha Melwani Bobby Deol as Abhimanyu Singh (Cameo)
Kirron Kher as Seema (Sameer's mother) Boman Irani as M (Murli) (Neha's Boss)
Sushmita Mukherjee as (Neha's Aunt) Shrey Bawa as Veer (Abhimanyu's son)
Shilpa Shetty - (item girl in "Shut Up & Bounce")

Kya Kehna

Kya Kehna! (2000)
Romance/drama/comedy

Starring:
Preity Zinta as Priya Bakshi
Saif Ali Khan as Rahul Modi
Chandrachur Singh as Ajay
Anupam Kher as Gulshan Bakshi
Farida Jalal as Rohini Bakshi



Priya (Preity Zinta) is a strong-willed girl who isn't afraid to stand up for herself. After graduating from high school as the hero of her classmates, she returns home to the loving embrace of her family to enroll at a local college. Her life-long friend Ajay (Chandrachur Singh) has always been in love with her and hopes that her return home will allow him to finally win her heart, but she's oblivious to his feelings. Instead, Priya's falls for the charming but spoiled Rahul (Saif Ali Khan), who has everything needed to turn an innocent young girl's head - money, attitude, looks, a black leather jacket, and a really unfortunate mullet - and when her family discourages Priya from seeing him due to his reputation as a womanizer, that's all it takes to make Rahul into the irresistible forbidden fruit.
Priya and Rahul are very happy together, and she decides to introduce him to her family to show them that he's not the troublemaker that they think he is. Unfortunately, when Priya's father mentions marriage, Rahul breaks Priya's heart by saying that he never had any intention of marrying Priya or of marrying at all - to him, love is just a game. Already broken-hearted, Priya takes another blow when she finds out that she is pregnant with Rahul's child. Ostracized by her town and shunned by Rahul, Priya stays strong with the help of her family and the faithful Ajay, whose love for her is stronger than ever. When she fights back against her classmates' prejudice, Rahul realizes what an amazing woman she is and decides that he does want to marry her after all. Will Priya accept the wealthy and handsome Rahul's proposal, which would restore her family's good name, or will she choose the good-hearted Ajay, who has nothing to offer her but his love? -Katherine Roller