The Bollywood recommendations thread
 

Not too long back, Papillon wanted some Bollywood recs, as did Urge who picked some Hindi flicks in one of his impulse buys. I am willing to provide any/all sorts of info and recs to anyone else who is interested in movies from Bollywood. The one thing Slumdog Millionaire has achieved, is make the world sit up and notice Bollywood as an independent industy in itself, so being curious about it is good.

First off, remember, that horror is not a big thing in Bollywood. The 70s and the 80s had their moments of inspiration from House of Hammer and Hollywood, and the millenium has had some of horror in fits and bursts, but Bollywood is largely all about romance, comedy, hard-hitting reality flicks, and emotional dramas.

And of course, each one of them is interspersed with plenty of songs. Almost all Bollywood movies have at least 5-6 song-and-dance routines as an integral part of it.

If you are interested to check out the cheesy horror flicks that are good entertainment, Mondo Macabro has released two DVD sets so far...

Set #1

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA240_.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/Bollywood-Horr...8780928&sr=8-2

Contains...

Purana Mandir - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0253514/

and

Bandh Darwaza - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0259877/


Set #2

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA240_.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/Bollywood-Horr...8781119&sr=8-1

Contains...

Veerana - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0260494/

and

Purani Haveli - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0260303/


I recommend both sets to anyone who loves creepy, atmospheric and cheesy, tongue-in-cheek horror. The songs are forgettable but the rest make for some pretty good entertaining viewing.

Go ahead, and ask for any info on Bollywood movies. I am available till the end of BR II.

Are these editions subtitled?

Yes they are.

And Region 1 encoded too.

http://www.mondomacabrodvd.com/mod128.html

This one is a classic:
http://www.cinemastrikesback.com/wp-...0in%20Bali.jpg

There's a scene with a flying zombie head that had me rolling when I watched it.

-D

What happens at the end of BR II. ?

We crown the winner, of course. :)


I ll be back later to post a list of must-sees from Bollywood, history and now. Its nearly 1 AM here at the moment.

I've seen this...Itsn't it a SE Asian flick rather than Bollywood - that creature (the flying vampire head with attached guts) is a Filipino or Malaysian myth (rather than Indian) ?

...if enough people are interested.

And yes, Mystics in Bali is a Filipino flick, not Bollywood.

definately interested ...

Im all for getting some good rec's.

The only film Ive seen of this type is 'Bhaji on the Beach', Bollywood inspired but was British made. Was an alright film, have you seen it and if so how does it compare with true Bolly?

Oldskool - Mr India, pretty damn funny.
Favourite - Aalavandhan, so crazy.
I thought Kal Ho Naa ho was a really cool film too.

Those three are the goods right there.

Its actually a Made in UK flick. Doesnt compare much to the real deal in Bollywood, which is definitely a lot different.


You have no idea what you are missing out on.

I ll post a list of must-watches in a bit, once I m done with Battle Royale II results.

The one movie every fan curious about Bollywood MUST see...

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA240_.jpg

Sholay - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073707/

http://www.amazon.com/Sholay-Dharmen...8947496&sr=8-1

Released in 1975, it is still IMMENSELY popular even after almost 35 years of its initial release. Bollywood's tribute to Kurosawa's Seven Samurai has some of the strongest characters ever created in Hindi cinema, the villain Gabbar Singh is an icon in Bollywood history, done to near-perfection by the very new and young Amjad Khan.


To appreciate Bollywood movies better, you must have some brief idea about Hindu and Muslim culture. Joint families, eldest of household being in charge, total respect towards elders and their decisions - which is usually final and binding , married women decked in jewellery, bright-red sindoor adorning their hairline, a necklace of black beads called mangalsutra which is a symbol of their married status...Hindu society is pretty orthodox, and not free-willed or open-minded like Western culture. This has seen a change in the past 12-15 years though, but not by much.


All those who saw Slumdog must have seen how crazed Indians are about Amitabh Bachchan. Since the mid-70s, no other Bollywood superstar has come even remotely close to the dizzying popularity Amitabh commands with the masses. He is a religion in himself - his fans would kill gladly just to be by his side even in a photo.

The movies of Amitabh (other than Sholay) which I put forth with a huge MUST-SEE are...

Kaala Patthar (1979) - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079386/

Deewaar (1975) - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072860/

Anand (1971) - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066763/

Don (1978) - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077451/

Trishul (1978) - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078418/

Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978) - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079590/

Laawaris (1981) - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082644/

Shakti (1982) - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084667/

Main Azaad Hoon (1989) - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097812/

Agneepath (1990) - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098999/

Aankhen (2002) - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0306434/

Kaante (2002) (Bollywood's Reservoir Dogs) - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0294662/

Baghban (2003) - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0337578/

Black (2005) - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0375611/

Sarkar (2005) (Bollywood's The Godfather) - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0432047/

and its sequel...

Sarkar Raj (2008) - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0490210/


Anyway, those ought to give plenty of examples why Amitabh is revered in this great nation.

I will be back after supper to give some more recs which are non-Amitabh, but essential Bollywood must-sees.

I am keeping the romantic mushy-wushy stuff out of these recs. Bollywood is more famous for such movies and if you want to know more about them, I ll be glad to oblige.

To note, none of the Amitabh ones I listed above are romantic flicks. Some of them contain SOME romance but overall their subject matter is way different - some are hard-hitting dramas, other tense thrillers and reality-based actor-driven plots.

Not to go TOO far back in my recs, but if you are interested, definitely check out some of Satyajit Ray's masterful works in cinema - Pather Panchali, Apur Sansar, Aparajito...the man was a genius, in the veins of a Kurosawa or a Hitchcock. Each of his movies is a visually stunning masterpiece.


Anyway, onto those which I consider as must-sees...

Ghulami (set in pre-Independence India) - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089201/

Pushpak (a very unique flick, watch and see why) - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0251355/

Arth - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083578/

Ankush (wonderful) - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0157316/

Parinda - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102636/

Prahaar - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102701/

Company - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0296574/

Satya - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0195231/

Bombay - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112553/

Lagaan - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0169102/

Rang De Basanti - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0405508/

Dil Chahta Hai - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0292490/

Ek Hasina Thi - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0352314/

Anjaam - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109134/

Mother India - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050188/

Nayakan - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093603/

Omkara - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0488414/


More recs later.

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Here are some trailers of the bollywood horror movies out on Mondo Macabro DVD...

Purana Mandir




Bandh Darwaza




Veerana




Purani Haveli

Wow! V, thanks a lot for opening this beautiful thread that just gave me a flashback of some of my sweet childhood times with Bollyhood films.:)

Indian films always been a great deal for home entertainment in Bangladesh. In early or mid 80's I think it almost alone stimulated the video club culture and almost each & everyday people like to rent a VHS from the club & invited their friends & neighbors in the home to share the magic of Indian cinema that's full of dramatic tragedies, romance with dances & beautiful lovely timeless songs.
And yeah the Big B...Amitabh Bachchan was the icon of Bollywood, the legend who has always been the most favorite Actor for all ages. I still love to see his films like Aakheri Rasta, Deewar, Shakti, Kooli, Main Azaad Hoo whenever they showed on the movie channels. But Sholay is the top classic one that proves what an extraordinary bunch of actors once Bollywood had...specially to me this title reminds me more of Gabbar Sing aka Amzad Khan (with his signature dialogs) and Shanjib Kumar than Amitabh & Dharmendra.

As far I remember there were 2 brothers called Ramsey Brothers who significantly played a major role to spread the Horror Mania and introduced the genre to the movie lovers of Indian sub continent. Purana Mandir was my favorite one and then comes Veeranaand Purana Haveli. I guess Ramsay Brothers even started the first Horror shows on TV channel ...THE ZEE HORROR SHOW and there were some nice time passing creepy chill out episodes.