Hi friends!
In the past, many people have told me, “Oh my God, I loove Bollywood!” However, many appreciate and imagine the industry’s spice and color, as opposed to its deeply emotional themes and the heart-on-its-sleeve mentality. As an Indian-American, I grew up with Bollywood movies and music all around, so here I will try my best to compile a list of my favorite films.
First, let’s establish this: what exactly is Bollywood?
The “B” comes from the name of the city Bombay(Mumbai), home of the Indian movie industry. Bollywood films are primarily Hindi-language, as it is the language spoken by the greatest percentage of Indian people.
Bollywood films differ from Western films in a few ways: first, movies are structured around music and dance sequences. These sequences may or may not be related to the plot, but rather are meant to please the large audience which watches these films. Secondly, we must remember that Indian cultural values are more conservative than Hollywood’s, so physical affection on screen or any mention of sex is kept at a minimum. Lastly, know Shah Rukh Khan (SRK). He is Bollywood’s biggest and most recognizable star, and he’s appeared in countless films over the years and inspired many others to do the same.
Well, let’s get into it!
- Om Shanti Om (2007, dir. Farah Khan)
This film holds a special place in my heart. Starring Shah Rukh Khan and newcomer-at-the- time Deepika Padukone, it swells with talent, energy, and heart. The film begins in the 1980s, with Shah Rukh Khan as Om, a middle-class man who works as an extra on films. He aspires to become a famed actor, and is smitten with the “Dreamy Girl” of the age, Shantipriya (Padukone).
The first half of the film details their chance encounter, and their time getting to know each other, until Om tragically discovers Shantipriya is secretly married to a shrewd film producer and is pregnant with his child. Ultimately, the film producer burns Shantipriya to death with a film set when she threatens to derail one of his films, and Om dies trying to save her. Open part two: 30 years later, Om has been reincarnated as the movie star he so desparately wanted to be. He meets Shantipriya’s reincarnation, and slowly begins to recollect the details of his past life. He sets on a mission to enact vengeance on the film producer, ultimately gaining closure through the twist in the ending.
Best songs:
Dhoom Thana:
Ajaab Si:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTfL01dKBcw
2. Jodha Akhbar (2008, dir. Ashutosh Gowariker)
This film is simply beautiful. Set in the 1500s during the Mughal dynasty, the film details the love story between Jodha, a Hindu princess, married to Akhbar, a powerful yet benevolent Muslim king. The film is proceeds slowly and steadily, but I believe it represents romance and relationships really well as both Akhbar and Jodha show a strong mutual respect for each other which blossoms into trust. The set design is grandiose and magnificent, and the attention to detail with history really piqued my interest in learning more about this time period in Indian history.
Best songs:
Jashn-e-Bahaara:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_E8euJ1sEg
Azeem O Shaan Shehenshah:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4saIqRV5Uc
These are a couple of Bollywood films I love, but the genre is so rich and varied. Stay tuned for more!
Siddhi 🙂
I loved reading this. It was nice getting to peek a little bit into a new culture, especially because I went to a homogenous high school, which meant I had no Indian-American friends to tell me about their culture. I’ve heard of Bollywood before, but pretty much just the name. I like how you explained what Bollywood is by writing about how it differs from Western film. This made it a lot easier for me to understand. I’d love to watch some Bollywood movies! We should organize movie nights in Simmons and maybe put a Bollywood film on the list.