Harmonium-playing street performer as love guru, heartbroken hero singing the blues away on piano, and invaluable life lessons wrapped in…
Why does Bollywood consider female ambition manipulative?
Made In Heaven, Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti’s new web series on Amazon Prime, is earning high praise for its…
My favourite quirky, vintage Bollywood posters
I love old Hindi film posters. Growing up, I would be thrilled at the sight of those huge, hand-painted hoardings…
Flashback: Govind Nihalani’s Sanshodhan (1996)
Long before the Right to Information Act and Right to Education Act, Govind Nihalani’s Sanshodhan (The Amendment) talked with compulsive…
Amol Palekar: Unafraid of being the lesser man
In Basu Chaterji’s Apne Paraye (1980), Amol Palekar plays Chander, a gifted musician. Unlike his successful older brothers, Chander has…
The female gaze in Aruna Raje’s Rihaee
In the last few years, there has been a steady stream of films focussed on female sexuality: Margarita With A…
The most shocking reveal in Bollywood history
Prakash Mehra’s 1972 smash Samadhi is best remembered for Asha Parekh’s fabulous dance number Kaanta Lagaa. The film is about dacoit Lakhan…
The most unlikely Bollywood villain
There’s a film called Mounto (1975) starring Saira Banu and Navin Nischol. Nothing to do with Saadat Hasan Manto. It’s…
Every Hrishikesh Mukherjee – Amitabh Bachchan film has this in common
Some of Amitabh Bachchan’s career-best performances are from Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s films. The filmmaker directed the superstar in eight films. I…
Jeevan Mrityu’s 50 Shades of Pink
Rajshri Productions’ Jeevan Mrityu is well-known. It’s Rakhee’s Bollywood debut and the Rafi-Lata duet Jhilmil sitaron ka aangan remains a popular…
Flashback Bollywood 