Mrityudand (1997)

No country makes better movies about women’s suffrage and discrimination than India. Water/Fire/Earth, Lajja, Amar Prem (sorta), etc. And why not? It’s dramatic, and if Bollywood movies are anything…they’re dramatic (some might say melodramatic, and in many cases that’s true too.) Prompted by the fact that Madhuri is such an amazing dancer (really…if you haven’t seen any Madhuri movies, you’re missing out.) Now, while in some rights this film is nowhere near as intense as Water (for certain…reasons…) it has some wonderful elements to it, which makes the movie an all-round good film.

Dillagi (1999)

First off, this was Sunny Deol’s first stint in directing. It was also a box-office flop. That’s two facts you’ll find out about this movie in just about every source that refers to it. Other than that, there’s nothing else really interesting to say about it production-wise. Now as for the story, not the most original plot I’ve ever come across. Two brothers on opposite sides of the spectrum end up falling for the same girl, and loyalties are tested. I’ve seen this plot done well, and I’ve seen it done poorly. But how does Dillagi carry it out?

Sadma (1983)

I mainly rented this movie to catch a glimpse of Paintal, but I also ended up thoroughly enjoying this. I had to double-check the year it was released, because honestly…the film quality, and especially for an Indian film made in the early 80’s, it is incredibly crisp. Possibly one of the best-preserved Hindi films over the age of 20 that I’ve ever seen. It’s even managed to bump the 80’s up a notch in my list. Sadma is a remake of an earlier Tamil film (by about a year) ‘Moondram Pirai.’

Anokhi Raat (1968)

After a very long vacation (due partially to packing up and getting ready to move) I have returned with another review. With a pretty abrupt beginning, one particular aspect of this movie stands out to me. The clear, sharp quality of the film.

Sawan Bhadon (1970)

Rekha isn’t/wasn’t a classic beauty. She is certainly not ugly either, but her face is definitely what one would call unique. I’ve heard her described by some as ‘cat-like’ and others as ‘just plain creepy’. I think ‘lovely’ might be a decent descriptive term in a fashion, but ‘elegant’ definitely sums her up in my mind. She became quite famous for this particular movie in Bollywood. She’d already had an acting career, but Sawan Bhadon really gave her a jump-start into fame. (I have a theory that she is also a vampire…because the woman DOES NOT AGE.)

Teen Batti Chaar Raasta (1953)

Having recently reviewed a movie directed by and starring V. Shantaram, I didn’t realize this film was also directed by him as well until I watched the credits. Let me just say, V. Shantaram could very well be one of the best directors of all time.

Sargam (1979)

This is a Hindi remake of a Telugu film (Siri Siri Muvva), according to the dubious source known as ‘Wikipedia’ and the more valid source known as IMDB. Both films star Jayapradha, and might I just say…she was a marvelous dancer. At the time that Sargam was made, she couldn’t speak much Hindi…but that wasn’t really called for anyway, as her character is conveniently mute.

Do Ankhen Barah Haath (1957)

I keep expecting huge disappointments from black-and-white Hindi classics, but time and again…I find a wonderful film that inspires me to find more such as them. Rather, I thought this was just going to be a moral lesson on the depth of humanity, and perhaps with a few repetitive self-indulgent speeches on the part of the writer. Fortunately, quite the contrary, I loved this film.

Bunty Aur Babli (2005)

At the urging of several acquaintances, I finally got around to watching Bunty Aur Babli. The film started, and a thought entered my mind…One quarter of the movies Amitabh is in seem to have him narrating at some point. That’s something you don’t see in American movies anymore. Sometime in the early 1990’s, it sort of died out altogether (two cookies go to a person who can name a mainstream Hollywood movie made less than a decade ago that had narrating in it.) This was by no means a work of art. It was entertaining though, I’ll give them that.

Amar Prem (1972)

I haven’t had very good experiences with Rajesh Khanna movies. I don’t know what it is, but I always found them incredibly boring and drawn out halfway through. But this movie redeemed that classical actor in my mind, and with good reason. Sharmila Tagore plays her role quite well as the beaten down, yet redeeming young woman who goes on living despite it all. From an abusive husband to a heartless mother to a brothel…this movie is worth watching from beginning to end a dozen times over.