On Ramesh Sippy's 70th birthday, we celebrate the man and his milestones.
No one on that glittery occasion could possibly have imagined that the Chinese were conspiring to invade India, nor could anyone have predicted that the seemingly benign Dalai Lama was plotting to flee Tibet and seek asylum in India. A fascinating excerpt from Sukanya Rahman's must-read Dancing In The Family: The Extraordinary Story Of The First Family Of Indian Classical Dance.
'Can a Wodehouse, an R K Narayan, a Scott Fitzgerald and yes, a Le Carre, with the sensibilities of a bygone era still captivate a modern reader's attention?' 'Le Carre is making a brave and hitherto successful effort,' says B S Prakash.
Priyanka Jagga, Puneet Issar or Pooja Missra?
'He never went to the Bombay industry.'
Despite its many problems, A Death in the Gunj is an important work says Sreehari Nair.
Would it serve India's interest to go to war with China over the Maldives, asks Aditi Phadnis.
Oru Oorla Rendu Raja is a tedious comedy drama that attempts to highlight the inhumane working conditions of factory workers in our country.
In a career spanning two decades, Begali filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh directed movies that spoke volumes of his deep understanding of human emotions and relationships. Hailed as one of the most important Indian directors of his time, Ghosh's journey to cinematic greatness was abruptly cut short when he passed away in his sleep early Thursday morning. Raja Sen remembers the late maverick.
Brothers is loud, over-the-top and an exhausting watch, says Raja Sen.
'Her performance is a throwback to old-school histrionics and hysterics -- it's classic Sridevi,' says Sukanya Verma.
Parallels between the two worlds are mind boggling!
Kapoor And Sons is a film that works in small doses, writes Raja Sen.
The film is slow and unexciting and does little to keep the audience entertained.
Muzaffar Ali returns as a director after three decades.
Sreehari Nair is *not* impressed by this lot of films at all.
We celebrate Bhattsaab and his greatest gems.
Narendra Modi can pick up a tip from the Samajwadi Party ramlila. If he doesn't want L K Advani as President, he might anoint him Bharatiya Bhishma Pitamah, suggests Sunanda K Datta-Ray.
'Talwar se zyada dhaar chalane wale ki soch mein honi chahiye,' says the strategy-savvy Bajirao in Bajirao Mastani. Only if director Sanjay Leela Bansali had listened, says Sukanya Verma.
'There are retaliatory incursions, ambushes, captures and killings by Indian forces along the 700 km border; alleged spies are caught on both sides, then mutually traded as pawns; envoys are summoned in both capitals to be routinely given dressing downs.' 'And there is always a handy courier pigeon, like Sajjan Jindal, sent over to test the troubled waters,' says Sunil Sethi.
'We demonise the Others.' 'We are constantly reminded that they are different and are an existential threat to Us.' 'The toxin of Nellie in 1983, Delhi in 1984 and Gujarat in 2002 is not yet flushed out of our body politic,' says Shreekant Sambrani.
Beneath its dazzling veneer, this emperor has no clothes, says J Jagannath.
The solution to the Kashmir problem does not lie in India speaking to Pakistan; it does not lie in the Indian government speaking to the separatists; it lies in the Kashmiris talking to their inner selves. They need to trace their history to include their rich cultural heritage of Hindu Saivism and Sufi mysticism. Only then will Kashmiris be at peace with themselves, says Vivek Gumaste.
Rangoon haunts in unlikely fashion and, while the director's most straightforward picture, holds enough of its own marvels to justify multiple viewings,' notes Raja Sen.
Looking at Bebo's top money-making movies at the box office.
Sukanya Verma's pick of this year's 10 most unpleasant is a mix of ghastly gone gaga, bilge that makes one reconsider their profession and faith-shattering misfires from the masters
And you thought Bollywood was just about making movies!
It may not have the finish of the original but when you look at the bigger picture, Anil Kapoor's new television show 24 is a step in a desperately needed direction.
A look at Akki's history of recycled South Indian fare.
Indrani was cheering Pasbola on from the back, with little, happy whoops, that she muffled with her chunni. Indrani was in her element on Friday. The defence's cross-examination was clearly going her way and Indrani was delighted.
Priyanka Chopra, Irrfan Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui make a global statement on the power of Indian cinema, says Vanita Kohli-Khandekar.
Roy is so tangled in its inflated, erratic ideas of a pseudo mystery around parallel lives and loves that it ceases to make sense even before it takes of
Aseem Chhabra lists the elements that he loved and was pleasantly surprised by in the movies.
L K Advani has less to lose because he has actually lost what is vital in politics. His support base within the party is lost because the party thinks Advani can't help the BJP regain power. Since Modi is vulnerable, Advani, now and then, hits the headlines. Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt explains the Advani Affair.
'Does Avengers: Endgame close satisfactorily?' 'Does it beat that gold standard of superhero movies, which Mr Nolan gave us nearly seven years ago?' 'After watching on an IMAX screen at a midnight show yesterday, I would say, yes sir, it most certainly does.'
The BJP and JD-U will form the new government after the latter party's chief resigned saying in the circumstances it became difficult to run the grand alliance government.
'I don't want to do a film for the heck of it. Because of industry pressures, it happens sometimes that after waiting for a long time for a film, you give in and do the next project that is offered to you. I am happy I haven't given in to that pressure.' Straight talk with Surveen Chawla.
Bombay Velvet was Bollywood's biggest flop this year.
