'I knew things were not going well, but there was always that hope.'
For the first time in nearly two years, tourism has been on the rise in Kashmir. But what does that mean for the average Kashmiri, ponders Abhishek Mande Bhot after a recent visit to the Valley.
An occasional series featuring unusual movie connections.
Garm Hava is a product of like-minded artistry and resourceful acumen that hasn't spared any effort to reserve its special place in movie history, says Sukanya Verma.
Bollywood is known to make everything look dazzling and dramatic -- suffering, seclusion, hopelessness.
'In the film she played a chirpy bubbly character. But in person she was quite the opposite. Very dignified, graceful and quiet,' Dharmendra, who starred with Jayalalithaa in her only film, tells Subhash K Jha.
A 1990s Bollywood album. Ranbir Kapoor as Balraj Sahni. Dimple Kapadia's Crowning Glory days. Agha-Mukri-Kesto's fun, fabulous, forgotten friendship. Sukanya Verma's super-filmi week was a complete blast from the past.
For 80 years, news and views aired on BBC Hindi reached audiences in the remotest parts of the country. For millions of its followers, the signature line -'yeh BBC hai (this is BBC)' -- has been like a morning alarm, and the bulletins a vital link between India and the world. That link, which began when there was no mobile phone or internet, is about to break as the radio service will fall silent after January 31. And for many living in smaller towns and in rural areas, life won't be the same again, writes Nivedita Mookerji.
It goes way beyond a fantastic team!
'If a hero wanted Mr Rafi to sing for him, naturally it had to be him.' 'Then if it was Dilip Kumar, who is a soft-spoken man, he naturally wanted Talat Mehmood.' 'Raj Kapoor wanted only Mukesh. Now you tell me, where did I stand a chance?'
'I have some more things to do on this planet that will make me happy. Just because I have become a grandfather doesn't mean I am ready for retirement.' Boman Irani gets ready for a new phase in his life.
'It's all that pain that makes you the artist you are.'
Remembering an incomparable actor by re-visiting his finest films.
'He represented the warmth, gentleness and goodness that existed in Hindi cinema before Bollywood became a loud commodity.' Aseem Chhabra on the legendary actor he admired for over 40 years.
'For Muslims, India is now a Hindu Rashtra, no matter what kind of Constitution is still in place,' argues Mohammad Sajjad.
In our special series revisiting great Hindi film classics, we look back at Randhir Kapoor and Jaya Bhaduri's 1972 film, Jawani Diwani.
'I have never had a foul experience in the industry.' 'There are rotten apples everywhere, in your family, relatives, friends circle, colleagues...' 'It's very vulnerable because of the glamour, but it's very heartbreaking to hear bad things about the industry.' 'It's not such a bad place.'
'God gave me a second chance to live and I had to make the most of it.'
The actor, who passed away this morning, has given us many superb movies.
'If this is how the audience likes me, I will continue doing it.'
War is as grand and consummate as love in Bollywood.
Muslims need to get out of their Isolation Syndrome, argues Mohammad Sajjad.
'When I started reading Tamas I instantly knew it had to be made into a film. I could relate to the tragedy in the lives of the characters.' Govind Nihalani remembers Bhisham Sahni on his centenary.
We bring you glimpses of the Raksha Bandhan moments in Bollywood.
Aseem Chhabra lists the movies that taught him about the Idea of India.
'I don't know how they dared to send Krrish for a National Award. It was a horrible film! Films like Dabangg and Bang Bang are trash films. Goliyon Ki Rasleela: Ram Leela was so bad; only the music was good. Straight talk from Garm Hava director M S Sathyu.
'Hrishi-da often voiced his disenchantment with Bachchan's Angry Young Man persona -- the 'maara-maari', the growth of sidelocks; he even said directors were killing Amitabh the actor and turning him into a stuntman. Yet, as Jaya Bhaduri jovially pointed out, the seeds of that seething persona can be found in Anand and Namak Haraam.'
Here's celebrating Dilip Kumar by re-visiting his best movies.
How many of these have aged well?
'It is ironic that the guy who set the standard of stardom was forgotten. It was his death that made us remember him again.'
Fifty years ago, India and Pakistan fought a short but bloody war. The author finds out how Sainik Samachar, the defence ministry's journal, reported it.
On Hrishikesh Mukherjee's 91st birth anniversary on September 30, we bring back excerpts from a Rediff interview with the brilliant filmmaker, just after the release of his last film, Jhoot Bole Kauwa Kate.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances