Category: Hindi Films

Paigham, Naya Daur, and Gunga Jumna: How Dilip Kumar shaped ‘haq ki ladaai’ in Hindi Cinema

The screen legend’s enviable oeuvre is as much about his intense, wistful portrayals as it is about fiery, impactful performances like in Paigham, Naya Daur, and Gunga Jumna.

TB, chakkars & dil mein suraakh: How Bollywood depicted women’s health issues

Speaking of Hindi cinema’s treatment of women’s health, the first image that invariably comes to mind is of a sick, frail, coughing, often elderly woman whose sole contribution to the film’s narrative is to remain in a perpetual state of ill-health so that her devoted son – the hero – could go unimaginable lengths to procure her prized dawaai.

The Mr India kids and where else you may have seen them

The timeless classic that Mr India (1987) ended up becoming wouldn’t be without its motely gang of boisterous kids and their never-ending antics.
While some of the child actors in this pack like Aftab Shivdasani, Ahmed Khan went on to have careers in showbiz as adults, not much is known about the others. What is interesting is that most of these child artists have appeared (often in brief roles) in a bunch of other films — some well-known and otherwise.

VAT 69, blank cheque, and other hallowed Bollywood clichés

Hindi cinema, for the longest time, has employed themes, props, and symbols that appear so frequently that they can be termed clichés. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. For the larger part, Bollywood clichés are fun, farcical, and have a sense of familiar comfort to them. Listing out some of my favourites.

Types of families Hindi films introduced us to

The tales of familial duty, drama, and discord have resulted in some of Bollywood’s biggest hits. Through the years, the industry has familiarized us with various types of onscreen parivaars. Here’s a list of the ones appearing most frequently and successfully.