Bollywood Babylon!'s topics - tribe.net

Last Bollywood you saw

2009-08-31T22:11:25Z

What was last Bollywood flick you saw and how would you rate it?

Unfortunately for me it was HUM DIL DE CHUKE SANAM which I had read raves about. I should have been warned because Samir Khan is really one of my least favorite actors in Bollywood (why do people talk about Sharukh over acting when this guy is such an awful ham in everything he does?) Anyway, the story was typical Bollywood fare of love and promised betrothal that cannot be. The music was actually good. But there were so many of the worst cliches in this movie that it was unbearable. Then to top it all off, Samir was supposed to be the son of an Italian singer. The movie moves location to "Italy". There are several shots of a beautiful unnamed city with many landmarks. There are people speaking in the local language. There are signs advertising this and that. There are even folk dancers. BUT IT'S ALL IN BUDAPEST AND HUNGARY! What an insult! They even have Samir jibbering something in some non-language that is supposed to sound Italianesque. UGH!

OK, I hope that some of you have had better experiences with your last Bollywood adventure.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 31 replies

Kailash Kher signs with Cumbancha Records

2009-08-28T01:51:28Z

Famed Bollywood singer Kailash Kher signs with US world music label, Cumbancha, to release an international album

http://www.cumbancha.com/inthenews/artist_kailash_kher-eng-09_07_21_cumbancha_signs_kailash_kher

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 1 reply

Good place to get Bollywood soundtracks?

2009-04-07T06:02:42Z

Does anyone know of a good website that I can order Bollywood soundtracks from that ships to the United States? In the past I have used amazon.com, but they don't have much of a selection. So far, all the other online shops I have found only ship to Europe...
So if you can recommend anything, I would appreciate it.
Thanks in advance.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 10 replies

NEW INDIA TRIBE

2009-02-03T23:05:36Z

NEW INDIA TRIBE

Since I was thrown out of the biggest group about India on tribe and my posts have been censored there, I’m starting a new India tribe where there is freedom of speech. All who are interested in India and who want to participate in civil discourse are welcome. I’ve posted the article that was censored at the other tribe as the first article in the new tribe.

This is group where people are free to talk about Indian politics, culture, travel, and wildlife.

*~All Things India~*
http://tribes.tribe.net/4ac7be3d-1f77-41bd-8103-7510a80f84a5

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

Bollywood Workshop with Queen Harish 7/26

2008-07-16T07:42:48Z

Hey Indian Dance Enthusiasts!
Just wanted to let you know about this amazing opportunity to study with a phenomenal dancer currently touring the U.S. See below for details!

**************************************
Bollywood workshop with Queen Harish
Saturday, 7/26
1-3 pm
3435 Cesar Chavez St. between Valencia and Mission, SF
www.migoto.com/queen
$35 pre-registration price; $45 afterwards and at the door
For the advance price, visit: queenharish.eventbrite.com/

Clandestine Belly Dance is honored to present Queen Harish in an exclusive workshop featuring the "mujra" style of dance, as seen in Bollywood movies such as Devdas and Umrao Jain.

Mujra dance, once an Indian court dance, is a variation on Kathak dance, infused with fast spinning, swift movements, facial expressions, and graceful Persian-influenced hand gestures. The dance form evokes the classical feel of the black and white films produced at the beginning of the Bollywood film era.

No experience in Kathak or Indian dance necessary. The workshop will be a fun and lighthearted way to enjoy the dance form.

Please wear comfortable dance clothes. Full skirts are suggested (they will look lovely when you spin!) but not required.

For more information about Queen Harish, see the bio posted on www.migoto.com/queen, or visit queen-harish.blogspot.com/. There's also a fabulous video clip posted on the eventbrite page if you'd like to see him in action in a Bollywood film!

Finally, Queen Harish and the lovely Colleena Shakti will be performing at the Bollyhood Cafe on Wednesday, 7/23. Tickets on sale now at queenharish.eventbrite.com! For more information about the show, visit www.electricvardo.com.

Hope to see you there!

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

Bollywood influence on mainstream (Western) pop music

2008-03-06T19:25:16Z

I was wondering if anyone could help me make a list of songs and/or albums that show the influence of Bollywood style film scores. I was introduced to the song "Toxic" by Britney Spears recently and clearly the violin riff is a typical B'wood riff. I noticed (and k. d. copped to it in interviews) a B'wood influence on k. d. lang's "Ingenue" album. But I can't come up with others just now. Sure, there's a history of Indian musical influence that dates back to The Beatles, but that wasn't a B'wood-specific influence.

Let me know if you can think of others.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 3 replies

recommend a film,,,

2008-01-11T15:39:13Z

i have seen a lot of indian films but hum dil de chuka sanam really stands out. it has the greatest music and i loved the traditional setting of most of the movie

can anyone recommend any more movies of a similar quality?

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 2 replies

Spike Lee and Bollywood

2008-01-05T20:50:14Z

Someone told me about Spike Lee using the song CHAIYYA CHAIYYA from DIL SE as the opening and closing music for his movie INSIDE MAN, so I picked it up from the library.

It was very weird to hear the music outside of DIL SE. But I have to tell you, the movie was pretty good.

The end credits have another version of it with a rap sequence that is pretty interesting.

Bollywood is the best!!!!

WW

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 7 replies

Bollywood in Los Angeles

2007-08-09T06:24:11Z

I've been dancing with a Bollywood troupe in Los Angeles
called blue13.

Last year we performed a Bollywood version of Midsummer's
Night's Dream and I played a blue Krishna/Puck.

This year blue13 is doing a show called "PAHELIYAN:
The Story of Alice, based on Alice in Wonderland."

If any of you are in Los Angeles and wanna come see
the show, I'm pasting in the info. below.

Best,

Prince Andrew
www.prinzandrew.com

World Premiere of PAHELIYAN: The Story of Alice

An exhilarating Indian fantasy world electrified by
dance in blue13's spiced up take on Alice in
Wonderland, a live and thrillingly mad Bollywood dance
and music spectacular!

August 24th and 25th only!
8:00 p.m.
Ford Amphitheatre
2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East
Hollywod, CA 90068

Buy Tickets Today!
Click for August 24th
Click for August 25th

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 2 replies

Indian song downloads?

2007-07-05T07:41:33Z

Hey guys,

I've been lurking for a while and am finally speakin up :p Soooo hi! (waves)

Can anyone suggest a good SAFE website to download indian MP3 songs from? It can be free or paid, doesn't matter. I've been trying to find a good source but I've only been able to come across virus infested web-pits :/ and it gets frustrating.

Thanks SO much! :)

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 14 replies

Bollywood's Rai, Bachchan to Wed Friday

2007-07-04T23:18:41Z

Found this on Yahoo this morning...

http://movies.yahoo.com/mv/news/ap/20070417/117683460000.html

Cool! I'll bet their wedding will be something amazing.

WW

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 2 replies

NEW Sridevi Tribe!!!!!!!!

2007-04-11T11:22:59Z

http://tribes.tribe.net/sridevi

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

JOIN KARISHMA KAPOOR TRIBE!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-04-09T10:50:42Z

http://tribes.tribe.net/karishmakapoor

:)

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

Has anybody seen Omkara yet?

2007-04-04T22:13:18Z

How did you like it?

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 5 replies

Fun new Bollywood blog!

2007-03-10T12:24:19Z

Hi there, everyone!

I've just started a new blog about Bollywood. Come check it out. It's snarky and irreverent and fun! Come check it out! You can find it at http://missbolly.com.

Thanks!
Sophie

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

Don (Big B) is now in Hollywood

2007-02-21T14:46:25Z

After Great sucsses.. Of.. Millenium Star Amitabh bachaan .. is signed Hollywood Movie "ShantaRam" with leading role of Don.. under "Warner Brothers" Banner...

producer.. Bread Pit Director Mira Nayar..

Other supporting actors :Chunky Pandey,

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

Water

2007-02-15T18:35:18Z

Did you hear that Water has been nominated for an Oscar in the best foreign language film catagory this year? I know it is not a true Bollywood film and it's an entry from Canada, but it has John Abraham in it and that's good enough for me.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 4 replies

Kaal

2007-01-25T22:08:49Z

I watched Kaal for the first time over the weekend. I'd had it in my collection for a while, but hadn't gotten around to seeing it. Overall, I was pretty impressed. Normally a Bollywood horror movie would raise an eyebrow for me, but this one was very well done (probably partly because SRK was one of the producers).

The plot was not entirely over-the-top, and I liked the characters. I would have liked more dancing, though. The movie started with a dance scene (featuring SRK) that had nothing to do with the movie, and there was another dance scenes with the actors that ran with the end credits. Nothing in between. The movie focused on two groups of people in Orbit Park where some recent deaths have rasied suspicion that a killer tiger is stalking people. I won't say much more so that I don't give anything away.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

bollywood & the edoo-cation funda shunda

2006-10-16T06:21:05Z

Bollywood Goes To School
Zafar Anjum
Thu Oct 12, 2006
Bollywood Is Getting Some Respect
But things are slowly changing. Even as Bollywood tries to make a splash abroad in places like Cannes (65 films in this year's Cannes Film Market) or in the UK (BAFTA held a 3-day long celebration of Bollywood cinema), it is making waves of a different kind at home.

In April, India's Central Board of Secondary Education, the country's premier educational body, announced the inclusion of Sholay (Embers; 1975), one of India's beloved blockbusters, in its school textbooks. Ramesh Sippy's multi-starrer Sholay, featuring the ageless superstar Amitabh Bachchan, has been added to a course workbook, published by Oxford University Press, for Class V students.

This is a historic development both for the schools and the Indian film industry. With its inclusion in textbooks, Sholay becomes the first Indian film to be taught in the country's schools.

Sholay is a vaudeville of two outlaws (played by Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra) hired by an honest police officer to nab a dreaded dacoit, Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan). Sholay has been loved by generations of Indians and enjoys the distinction of being India's first biryani Western. It has been the highest grosser of all time (over $50 million) on the Indian box office.

Recognizing cinema as an integral part of Indian culture, the Indian educational establishment have reasoned that the inclusion of this film in school curriculum will make children aware of the prominence of the Indian film industry and the multicultural ethos of Indian society.

This innovative use of Bollywood films does not extend to school children alone. Some 50,000 school teachers in Delhi are also set to get a powerful dose of Hindi cinema. Two recent blockbusters, Munnabhai MBBS (2003) and Rang De Basanti (2006), are being used for teachers' training in the capital. Set in the backdrop of India's contemporary education system, both films have resonated well with audiences.While Munnabhai MBBS is about a gangster trying to get a medical degree to impress his father (also being remade in Hollywood by filmmaker Mira Nair as Gangsta M.D.), Rang De Basanti is a clarion call for today's youth to rise up and free India of corruption.

Bollywood films made the business school and seminar circuit in India severeal years ago. In 2002, two maverick Indian economists, Bibek Debroy and Amir Ullah Khan, made a documentary, India's Economic Transition Through Bollywood Eyes. They showed India's political, economic and legislative milestones through film clips gleaned from scores of Indian films released in the last 50 years. The film was shown to economics and management school students across India,w ho were amused to see how cinema, a medium of entertainment, could be used to teach a cut-and-dried subject like economics. One year later, the duo took the same approach to highlight the travails of marginal farmers in India through another documentary- Village Vignettes (Agriculture and the Small Farmers in India-A Bollywood Perspective). The documentary was distributed on compact discs by a Delhi-based non-profit, International Development Enterprises.

In 1996, while taking a break from writing his dissertation at Cornell University, Dr. Brij Kothari hit upon the idea of leveraging Bollywood's educational value outside the classroom. He is using the "Same-Language-Subtitles" (SLS) technology to spread literacy in India, with the help of an unlikely ally, Google. The idea that Bollywood films could really help in the spread of literarcy convinced Google to fund Dr. Kothari's unique venture in India, titled Planet Read.

Planet Read, active in Mumbai and Pondicherry, uses the SLS methodology that provides "automatic reading practice to individuals who are excluded from the traditional educational system, or whose literacy needs are otherwise not being met." Planet Read subtitles Bengali, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Malayalam, Oriya, Punjabi, Tamil, and Telugu videos, film and folk songs for reading development of poor kids. Dr. Kothari's potential targets are the 40% of the 500 million Indians who have access to TV, but have low literacy skills and are poor. He claims that through Planet Read's approach, over 200 million early-literates in India are getting weekly reading practice from SLS methodology using TV. It is a low cost intervention wherein every U.S. dollar covers regular reading for an amazing 10,000 people - for a year.

The enthusiasm to learn from Bollywood, it seems, is crossing international borders. In July, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) gave a big nod to Bollywood cinema by holding a 3-day special celebration of contemporary Bollywood cinema, called Bafta Goes Bollywood. The festival showcased contemporary Bollywood gems such as Devdas, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Veer Zaara, Dil Chahta Hai, Rang De Basanti and Fanaa.

Recently, the De Montfort University at Leicester conferred a doctorate on Bollywood legend, Amitabh Bachchan, for his contribution to India cinema. It is Bachchan's second. He was awarded an honorary Ph.D. from Jhansi University in Uttar Pradesh last year and is to receive a third later this year from Delhi University.

Even American Ivy League institutions like Harvard and MIT are studying Bollywood. Three MIT graduate students created "BollySpace: An Interactive Dance Technology Project., which uses music and themes from Bollywod film with live dancers who interact
with digital images projected on a screen. According to the creators, this was the first time this type of interactive dance had been paired with elements from non-Western popular culture.

In July, Rakesh Roshan's superhero blockbuster Krrish made its way to the hallowed precincts of Harvard University. It became the first Indian movie to be used for an international-level case study by the Indian Institute of Management in collaboration with the Asia Case Research Centre, University of Hong Kong and Harvard Business Case Clearance House. The film will be taught in IIMs as well as in Business Schools across Europe, Asia and Latin and North America. The film's producer and director Rakesh Roashan, remarked, "This news has given me a bigger high than even the box office collections of Krrish."

Leveraging Bollywood, a lowbrow Indian obsession, for academic, social and educational objectives, has got to feel uplifting.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

Thriller

2006-10-06T06:21:09Z

Ok, I love Bollywood films as much as the next person (probably more, really) but there are some things that just should not be remade....

http://gorillamask.net/indianthriller.shtml The Indian remake of Michael Jackson's Thriller..... for your viewing "pleasure"
:)

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 1 reply

Bollywood Classics for Karaoke?

2006-09-22T14:19:06Z

Does anyone know of a good place online (or in person in Berkeley) to buy Bollywood Classics (I'm talking OP Nayyar, RD Burman, etc.) for karaoke in VCD and DVD+G formats? Since Tribe's going to be down for a while tomorrow and time is of the essence, feel free to email me directly at spidra at speakeasy dot net.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 1 reply

Bollywood History Class this Sunday 8/27 SF

2006-08-25T17:01:56Z

javascript:document.postTopicForm.submit()
...And Now- INTRODUCING- BOLLYWOOD!

Sunday August 27th 2006
Time: 2:00pm - 4:00pm

ATA Artist Television Access
992 Valencia Street, San Francisco
(@21st in the mission) CA 94110
Price: $8 - Please pay at the ATA theatre door
** Limited Seating - Please arrive early **

Know about the many faces of the Indian Film Industry. Learn about the
many cinemas within Indian cinema as we go down the decades, (from Indian Independence till now). How the Indian films have reflected the social and political moods of its people and look at and beyond the dance and drama that constitutes the largest film industry in the world.

Your chance to learn a little history, theory and aesthetics of Bollywood
cinema. This 3rd i film class, is taught by filmmaker and lecturer -- Arti
Jain. The presentation will be 2 hrs long (Yes, like a Bollywood film :)
We will have a break, discussion and Q & A

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

RAIN - a rant (Warning...lots of spoilers)

2006-07-27T19:10:51Z

I have to preface this rant by saying that I absolutely love Hindi movies...and have loved them since I discovered DIL SE at the Library a few years ago. I have 2 shelves of DVD's at home, and most of the movies I check out of the Library are Hindi. And I am learning Hindi so I can watch the movies without the subtitles.

However....

RAIN has got to be absolutely the WORST Hindi movie I've ever seen!!!!!

I read an article about it around the time it came out on DVD. The article said it didn't do well at the box office..supposedly because of its controversial material. I think it was probably because it was a poorly written, poorly acted movie.

It had promise in the beginning. Sandhya (Meghna Naidu) is an enigmatic writer, blind from birth, living alone who is terrified of rain. One day Prakash (Himanshu Malik), a journalist, seeks an appointment for an interview. Before his arrival, she starts hiding knives around the house. OK so far. He comes in the house and begins the interview. This is where it starts to fall apart...fast.

Prakash is a very badly written...and acted...character. Given the love of melodrama in most Hindi films, I tried to cut him some slack...but he goes way beyond the melodramatic to just plain ridiculous. "I'm a journalist...no wait, I'm a psycho who is trying to scare you to death...no wait, I'm a psychiatrist who wants to help you...no wait, I want to show you what love is...no wait, I really AM a psycho...and not just any psycho, but the psycho who made you afraid of the rain." (Remember, our heroine is blind, and wouldn't know him from SRK.)

And will someone please tell me how Sandhya's black nightie turns into a white one toward the end....just one of the many weirdnesses in this movie....no attention to detail.

I hate to admit I watched the whole thing. I kept hoping it would get better. I don't have a lot of free time, and it really annoys me that I wasted all that time watching this movie.

WW

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

Another YouTube Gem

2006-06-09T23:32:35Z

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5ky5ClIjL8&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fbeta%2Edrivewesaid%2Ecom%2Fthread%2Ephp%3Fid%3D353%26postNum%3D59

http://imdb.com/title/tt0317751/

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 3 replies

Bollywood Dreams

2006-05-28T15:25:49Z

Is anyone going to see Bollywood Dreams in Sacramento. Got tickets to the last showing this month. Should be really cool and exciting. Looking forward to seeing it. I'm even going to wear some of my Indian apparel.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 5 replies

Fanaa

2006-05-16T18:26:14Z

May 26, Aamir Khan and Kajol's "Fanaa" will be released. I am hoping that it will play in Artesia too. I am so excited...they are probably the best actors of their bunch... you should all go see it...

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 2 replies

bollywood soundtrack recommendations?

2006-05-16T17:25:30Z

Hey..
I just feel like getting out and picking up some new CDs..
Some I have that I really love are *Main Hoon Na *Veer Zaara *Chalte Chalte *Paheli..
(Hmm..I didn't really pay attention to the fact that they were all Sharukh movies, I just realized it, I just liked the
sweet songs...)...
Thanks a ton..
bye

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 9 replies

Treasure trove of Bollywood fun stuff

2006-05-16T16:03:18Z

My kids pointed me to www.youtube.com for something the other day. Just for the heck of it I put in Shah Rukh Khan's name. A huge amount of videos came up...from Pepsi commercials to interviews to music videos.

If you have a few hours...days...check it out.

WW

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

Fuzzy sound on bollywood movies?

2006-04-15T00:20:59Z

I bought and tried 2 copies of Devdas and in both of them the songs are fuzzy sounding while the dialogue is not. Where do I buy movies that have good sound quality? When I rent them from our movies store they are ok.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 4 replies

RIP Rajkumar

2006-04-13T07:46:05Z

I hadn't even heard of him until I saw a photo of fans rioting after his death.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/12/AR2006041202189_pf.html

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

Subtitle Your Own Bollywood Film!

2006-04-04T13:51:03Z

http://www.grapheine.com/bombaytv/index_uk.php

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 2 replies

Aishwarya Rai

2006-03-27T21:10:24Z

Just saw 2 movies that gave me a better appreciation of her as a dramatic actress.

I first saw her in DEVDAS...an exquisite beauty in this one, and the last scene of her running with her sari trailing behind her always brings me to tears...and I've seen it at least 10 times.

Just watched RAINCOAT and CHOKHER BALI. She's very good, and will give you more of an appreciation of her dramatic skills. These are not your typical Bollywood...no music other than the opening and closing credits...but well worth the time.

WW

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 6 replies

Playback singers

2006-03-27T01:25:49Z

One of my very favorite soundtracks is DIL SE, with Sukhwinder Singh and A R Rahman doing my favorite songs.

Does anyone know if Sukhwinder Singh has any compilations? I found A R Rahman on the Nehaflix website.

WW

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

Awara - Great!

2006-02-03T06:33:21Z

I just had the good fortune to see Awara, with Raj Kapoor and Nargis ( & singing by Asha Boshle), 1951. I'm also told that it is one of the most popular Bollywood films, worldwide. There was depth of acting, and theme.

I absolutely loved Nargis' singing.

I knew people loved Raj Kapoor, I know now why.

Highly recommended. How great!

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 3 replies

What about Bollywood Westerns?

2006-01-27T02:26:17Z

Anyone know of any Bollywood versions of Westerns? You know - cowboys and the other Indians....

Just wondering if any exist.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 8 replies

Jaan Pehchaan Ho clip

2006-01-25T22:52:57Z

Get it while it's hot! A video clip of this classic number from "Gumnaam"

http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2006/01/ecstatic_gumnaa.html

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 6 replies

Kal Ho Na Ho

2006-01-16T02:57:26Z

Seems like the latest Karan Johar flick is a big grosser in the West. Have any of yu guys seen it yet?

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 13 replies

the music of BLUFFMASTER

2006-01-07T09:51:22Z

Everyone must check this out. Most of the songs have been mixed by a UK artist Trickbaby, and are new renditions of songs thirty years to half a century+ old. Notable are "Ina Meena Dika", "Tadbeer Se Bidgi Hui" and "Sabse Bada Rupaiyya" ... this is GOOD remix a la Bally Sagoo, not bad remix a la Baby Doll ... give it a listen (the entire soundtrack is less than 45 minutes long!) and let me know what you think.

Haven't seen the movie. Not sure if it's even out yet ;)

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 7 replies

Shree 420

2006-01-07T04:36:06Z

Raj Kapoor and Nargis are fantastic! in this ???1950 ish, pre-"Bollywood" tale.

A man comes to Bombay, is a 420 (sans domicille, street dweller, jobless...implies "crook" too) and there is a fantastic woman viper, who finds his talents as a card sharp. She sings, and makes head and body gestures like a snake...all that is missing is the flickering of a serpent's tongue. I don't know who this was, and she has the intense film presence to indicate she's a big name...I'm sure. She looks so very much like a shorter Drea Amatteo/Adreanna/The Sopranos. Her dancing routines/costumes/ are more "Copa Cabana" styel. She is supremely the "Bad" woman....excellent! Perhaps someone in this tribe can tell me who she is/was.

Vidya(Nargis) is the lovely and loving, female protagonist, the voice of morality and reason reminding Raj that this is a world of Illusion and money is what everyone clamors after just to be reminded it is not Truth.

Raj comes in passa-less, ends up going down a wrong path...with lots of money, wrongly earned (of course!), and yes...you guessed it.... triumph of man's virtue and Truth! (plus he gets the most lovely and virtuous Vidya). I'm not telling you anything that you won't know from the first few minutes of the film.

Raj Kapoor is excellent, and I now understand more where classical Indian dance comes into modern form, from watching him translate traditional arts into a popular culture format. I am a true fan of Raj Kapoor after viewing this film.

Asha Boshle appears as a singing street dweller too!

What an excellent film! Has anyone here seen this, and have similar recommendations?

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 1 reply

Hindi version of IDENTITY?

2005-12-17T01:16:23Z

Anyone know the name of the Hindi version of the US film IDENTITY? I got it from the Library a few months ago and my daughter wants to see it again, but we can't remember the title.

The story line is a bunch of people stranded in a hotel during the monsoon with an escaped psycho and a killer knocking people off one by one.

Thanks!

WW

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

Looking for movie within movie - Speed

2005-12-14T17:37:42Z

Does anyone remember a movie where the male character was an aspiring director who wanted to make a movie called "Speed" which basically had the same plot as "Speed"?

I thought it starred Salman Khan, but I can't find it under his movies. He needed to make this movie so he could prove to the woman he loved that she wasn't bad luck.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 2 replies

YUVA...worth a watch!

2005-12-09T23:08:59Z

Just watched Mani Rathnam's YUVA last night. Enjoyed it a lot!

Good eye candy...light and shadow, interesting camera angles, and intense color. I especially like the beach scene.

The music is different from the usual Bollywood fare...more Western-sounding, and other than a nightclub scene, somewhat subdued.

The story is pretty interesting...how lives interweave. A pretty impressive cast, too.

Here's the advertising blurb...

"When the three young men are brought together by an accident on the Second Hoogly Bridge, their lives change irreversibly. Their change, their conflict, and their interactions with each other is the crux of the film. The film examines the lives of these three men and their families and the complex relationships between individuals who are very different, yet so similar."

Enjoy!

WW

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 7 replies

All region vs region free DVD players

2005-11-30T18:04:08Z

Need a recommendation on a DVD player that will play all types of DVD's.

What's the difference between region free, code free and all region? A friend of mine bought a region free player, but it won't play all of her DVD's.

Thanks!

WW

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

Maqbool vs Chocolate - which to watch?

2005-11-30T04:12:42Z

I'm having friends over for an Indian dinner and Bollywood screening. Most of them have never seen any Bollywood. I just got Maqbool and Choclate and haven't seen either.

Which one would be best to show?

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 1 reply

The River (1951), dir:Jean Renoir, loc: W. Bengal

2005-11-30T04:11:15Z

I had the pleasure of viewing Jean Renoir's rendition of Rumer Godder's
The River. Made in Technicolor in 1951, this focusses on a young woman's view of her family, her loves, her coming of age. The family is from England, with an American visitor thrown in (as the love interest). This film is not Bollywood, and it what saves it from being British trite preoccupation was Jean Renoir. He possessed an understanding of human nature which was appreciative and deep.

The most remarkable feature of this film was the almost documentary quality of capturing local Bengali life, the people, the temples, the cobras, the riverboats, etc. Radha, a famous Indian Classical dancer, performs and acts in this film. She dances as Radha for the Lord Krishna, truely spell-binding; that alone is worth watching the entire 99 minutes of this film.

The DVD contains a 10 minute clip of Jean Renoir describing the impact of being in India for one year, for the filming of The River.

I rented it from GreenCine.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 2 replies

MORNING RAGA

2005-11-29T12:45:42Z

Been sick lately, so I've been spending a lot of time on the couch with movies.

Watched MORNING RAGA last night. Fantastic music! The story revolves around music...the meeting of tradtional with modern. I really want to get the soundtrack for this one.

This movie is short by Bollywood standards...just a little over 2 hours...and almost completely in English.

Here's the synopsis from the Nehaflix site...

"Morning Raga" tells the very dramatic story of a Carnatic singer, Swarnalata (Shabana Azmi), who loses her little son and her close friend, who's also her violinist-accompanist, in a bus accident. Twenty years after the calamity, the dead woman's son Abhinay (Prakash Rao) returns to the village to open up hardly healed wounds.

Morning Raga is about the meeting of worlds. It is a story that brings the modern and traditional together, unites the past with present, Carnatic music with Western music, as never before in the history of humanity, fate and coincidence with individual choices. It is a story of our times where our worlds are interacting with each other."

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

3 versions of DEVDAS

2005-11-28T15:57:54Z

DEVDAS is one of my favorite Hindi movies. And until recently, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's full length in Hindi was the only version I had ever seen.

Found a nice surprise at the Library the other day...Bimal Roy's 1956 version of DEVDAS.

If you watch it with the most recent version in mind, be prepared to be disappointed. It's like watching a different story. Watch it with no preconceptions. It's a "pencil sketch" of the modern version...some parts are recognizable, and you can see how the modern version elaborated on them. But others are brand new. The movie begins with Paro and Deva's childhood...gives you a better picture of how their love grew.

The acting is somewhat melodramatic at times. I really don't like Paro much after her marriage in this version...someone give her a handful of Prozac, please. The actress who plays Chandramuki is exquisite, and you see, in her dances, the root of what you see in the modern version. There was more to her character in this version. There's more strength in her.

The Library also had the dubbed-in-English version of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film...what a huge disappointment!!!! They cut it to pieces! They used the same actors and actresses to dub the film, which was a plus. But they cut so much out...including CHHALAK, CHHALAK, one of my favorite numbers. Maybe it's because I'm used to the original Hindi version, but it seemed so disjointed.

I understand there's also a 1935 version of the film, but I haven't found it anywhere on DVD. Makes me curious to see what that one would be like.

Just my 2 cents.

WW

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 1 reply

Paheli ~ Oscar Worthy?

2005-11-26T13:06:03Z

I just saw on AVS (Asian Variety Show) that India's submitting Paheli to be considered for the Best Foreign Movie nomination at the 2006 oscars. I loved the movie and I think it has pretty good potential. Runner up was BLACK starring Rani Mukharjee (who I simply love), and Amitabh Bachcham, the Hindi version of the Hellen Keller story. That's a good one as well.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 3 replies

Take Me To The River & Omkara in NYC Thursday!

2005-11-17T05:54:15Z

Don't miss this amazing documentary screening with Live Musical accompaniment!
info: www.projectilearts.org/events/

7pm-Thursday 17 November | Rubin Museum - 150 W 17 Street, NYC | $12

In January 2001 over 15 million pilgrims gathered at the confluence of India’s 3 greatest rivers, turning a vast flood plane into a thriving festival of humanity and devotion. This is the largest congregation of people in the history of the World.
This is the Maha Kumbh Mela.

“Take Me To The River” is a documentary film directed by Kenneth Eng and Produced by Projectile Arts. It takes the viewer directly into the heart of this historic event in an experiential instead of analytical style.
More info about the film here: www.projectilearts.org/takemetotheriver

Omkara is a Classical Indian and Fusion musical ensemble. Special guest, bamboo flute player Joshua Geisler was also the music director for “Take Me To The River.” Together with Omkara, he has created a semi-improvisational new score that they will perform live with the film screening.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

Meenaxi: Tale of 3 Cities

2005-11-06T12:58:17Z

Just finished watching it last night. While it's not the greatest movie I've ever seen, I liked watching it because of the settings. Most Hindi films take place in the modern sections of Indian cities. This film goes from the old sections of Hyderabad to Jaisalmer in the desert to Prague. The settings are what makes it worth a watch.

The dance numbers are a departure from the usual. Think Bollywood meets the Joffrey Ballet. Interesting and somewhat surreal in parts.

The story is good, but a bit disjointed at first...but the rhythm eventually picks up and the story flows.

WW

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

Indian gestures

2005-11-06T00:15:42Z

I have been searching for a resource for Indian gestures. I have found a couple of explanations online, but nothing extensive.
Can anyone help?
Erika :)

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 8 replies

Bollywood Top Gun movie?

2005-10-14T07:21:01Z

Last year I saw a movie in an Indian store that looked like it was basically a Bollywood Top Gun, but I can't remembeer the name of it. I'm pretty sure it starts with an "A."

Does anyone know what I'm talking about? My boyfriend will watch Bollywood with me if I get more action movies, and he keeps mentioning this one. I can't get back to the store, because it's more than 6 hours away.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 2 replies

Rani of Jhansi

2005-10-12T02:12:20Z

Reading the post on The Rising kicked loose a thought...

Years ago, in the wee hours of the morning, the local PBS station ran a movie about the same rising with Laskshmi Bai...aka the Rani of Jhansi...as the main character. It was an older movie...probably vintage 50's or so. Does anyone know the name of it? Is it available on video or DVD?

WW

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 4 replies

Veer Zaara

2005-10-11T16:15:41Z

Anyone else seen it? There were some really interesting parts, but it didn't stick with me the way other bollywoods have.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 13 replies

Bollywood and the Sexual Revolution

2005-10-10T13:54:25Z

I came across this article on planetbollywood.com Thought it was pretty interesting. What say you guys?

http://www.planetbollywood.com/Features/s070804-105636.php

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 2 replies

Bride and Prejudice

2005-10-07T02:12:32Z

Am I the only person that really didn't like it?

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 7 replies

MTV India

2005-09-29T04:32:56Z

spinoff from 'Bollywood and the Sexual Revolution':

I don't know if you people whatch Indian MTV. A couple of years ago it was OK to watch, but during the years the Indian MTV has become as bad as all the other MTVs, it is probably because of the sexual revolution in Bollywood, but I don't really appreciate this change :-(. What do you think of it?

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

Small Siddhi to ward off calamities..

2005-09-27T22:14:40Z

A small recitation, done during Navratra (October 9 days from 4th to12th)..recited just 27

times, facing north in the nights..is highly effective Siddhi to ward off every calamity.

Must be repeated every year during Navratra. One must have a Ma Durga photo/idol in

front. Burn an oil lamp to HER right ; incense to HER left. Sitting on red asana &

offerring red flowers to her ..recite:-

"AUM Namo-a-stute Bhagwate, Paarshwa Chandraa-dharendra Padmaavati Sahitaaye ,may

abheeshta siddhim;
Dushtagraha bhasm bhakshyam swaaha,
Swaami prasaade kuroo kuroo swaaha;
Hillihilli Maatangani Swaaha,
Swaami prasaade kuroo kuroo swaaha".

Daily 27 times for 9 nights of Navratra. When in danger, just recite it 7 times & blow

thrice shoulder to shoulder. You will be safe.
___________________________________________________________________________
It is too vast and beyond the scope of this letter to write the ACTUAL spiritual aspect of

Navratri ( Nav=Nine: Raatri (as it is pronounced)=Nights). There are two such Navaratris in

a year. One around March and one around October/Nov....depending on the Hindu Lunar

Months. Again, there are two 'facets' of Navratri. One the Pauraanic (ancient folklore)

aspect and one metaphysical aspect. I guess you may FIND latter too on the internet. Just

type "Navratri" on Google.

Siddhi means 'attainment'....especially spiritual kind. And the person who has attained

Siddhi..is called Siddha Purush. Purush meaning Man. "The man who has attained". This

attainment can be got by many methods..but Mantras (incantations in a specific way for a

specific purpose) is the BASE.

Durga is a combination of Duh (not as in US DUHH..lol) + gaah. The combo makes it

Durga. Duh.. D pronounced in softer note as the French do. Duh means bad/evil..Gah

means to 'ward off'. So Durga means she who wards off the bad/evil etc. And there are

stories about her.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

Asha! Asha! Asha!

2005-09-23T16:00:09Z

Asha Bhosle records with Kronos Quartet

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2005/09/21/apop.DTL

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 6 replies

over 2000 free songs download

2005-09-23T13:02:02Z

for download 200o free songs on
www.naisubha.tk

I bet you will like it..

Hows that

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

Thrillers/action

2005-09-22T08:52:38Z

What are your favourite BW thrillers/action films?

I've recently seen two:

- DUS - Typical "find the bomb" action movie, very nice styling and loads of eye candy for girls :-)

- Ek Hasina Thi - WOWWWW! One of the best films I have seen in a long time! I was glued to my sofa from beginning to end - end still hyperventilating 1 hour later :-) Urmila is brilliant! And so are the other actors.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

Parineeta- go for it!

2005-09-12T05:15:30Z

Naz had some problem with showing Mangal Pandey today, so we checked out Parineeta. Turned out to be amazingly good.

Don't go to the web site, just go watch it. I generally dislike romance, but boy, this turned out to be something else!

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

Morning raga new collection

2005-09-07T14:46:11Z

Who have liked morning raga from india.. as classical music..
here is next collection

http://rapidshare.de/files/4599223/Alaap_Jam.wma.html
http://rapidshare.de/files/4599260/Charminar.wma.html
http://rapidshare.de/files/4599303/Coffee_Shop_Montage.wma.html
http://rapidshare.de/files/4599461/Jagado_Dharna.wma.html
http://rapidshare.de/files/4599541/Samaja_Varagamana.wma.html
http://rapidshare.de/files/4286346/mr_4.rar.html
Enjoy it.. and always get more downloads like this on
www.naisubha.tk

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

Mangal Pandey - The Rising

2005-08-29T07:54:41Z

Finally got to see this much -anticipated film and loved it! As a child, I remembered reading about the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, on which the film is based, in a history textbook. With Aamir Khan spending the last four years on this project, the comparisons with Lagaan are inevitable. However, there is a big difference since Mangal Pandey is based on a real historical figure.

http://www.risingthefilm.com/

Aamir Khan really gets into character (the mustache really does wonders!)--for most of the film, I actually about the actor in the role of Pandey. I like how the film, for the most part, portrays the history and significance of the sepoys as a collective--Aamir Khan as Mangal Pandey's individual heroism only becomes obvious in the latter part of the film.

The music, composed by A.R. Rahman (who also did the soundtrack for Lagaan) is breathtaking and enhances the narrative, with the musical numbers often providing a respite from the tension that steadily builds throughout the film. They also provide glimpses into the cultures and rituals of India such as the Holi Re number and my fave, the Sufi devotional Al Maddath Mula, vocalized by Rahman, Kailash Kher, Murtaza and Qadir, in the scene of the sepoys seeking divine blessings on the eve of carrying out their rebellion. Another musical number worth mentioning is the bass-heavy love anthem, Main Vari Vari, sung by Kavity Krishnamurthy and Reena Bhardwaj in Rani Mukherjee's mujra dance scene (altho Kiran Kher as Lol Bibi kinda steals the scene imho ;)

I went to see this film with a group of Indian friends who reminded me that there was some artistic license taken with this dramatization of the Mangal Pandey/Sepoy Mutiny story resulting in some fictionalized scenes. The Rising is without doubt a patriotic film, but it also tells a very human story of dignity, human relationships, self-determination, cultural pride, and identity. All in all, I thought it was a well-done film, and if anything, might prompt audiences, especially outside of India, to read up on the actual history.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 9 replies

Filmi Classes in NYC

2005-08-25T02:32:28Z

Hi,

Does anyone here knows of any Bollywood dance classes in either Manhattan or Brooklyn. The classes at Bollywood Axion are full until October and I'd like to start now without having to go into Queens.

Thanks,
~ Athallia

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

Paheli

2005-08-25T02:18:51Z

Did anyone see Paheli?
They brought it to a cinema here. I really liked the fairy tale story of it and the beautiful pictures.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 8 replies

Favorite Bollywood Comedies?

2005-07-25T04:12:26Z

Mine would have to be Munna Bhai, MBBS and Main Hoon Na (the spit/matrix reference was hilarious!).

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 28 replies

Bollyflix! Need some help...

2005-07-16T16:21:18Z

I have yet to see a bollywood film in it's entirety and i think it's just about time that i change that. Netflix seems to have a decent collection but I'd like some suggestions instead of just picking things at random.

what are your favorites??

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 2 replies

Any new films to recommend?

2005-07-09T15:09:44Z

What about films that recently came out? What is a must-see?

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 12 replies

suggestions

2005-06-14T04:27:34Z

so my boss and I recently bonded over an unbelievably passion for bollywood films and decided to get together for a movie night. If you had to pick 2 or so films to show back to back, what would you choose?

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 1 reply

What do you think of when you hear the word - India ?

2005-06-10T23:20:00Z

Since most of you are folks NOT living in India - I have this question for you guys ?

What do you think of when you hear the word - India ?

The reason why I am asking this is because I am having my website redesigned and I want to develop a few images/logos which reflect what people think of when they see India - and of course make it look FUNNY ! (The website is www.indiancomedian.com ) . I did post this on a couple of other lists and I got the following . Maybe you can add to this :-

The Taj Mahal

The Elephants

The Ganesha

Kama Sutra

7 -11

Taxicab

Camels

Apu

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

OK, Abhishek fans...

2005-06-08T13:02:49Z

There seem to be quite some films coming out with Abhi!

What about this:
http://www.dusthefilm.com/

(and it doesn't hurt that Zayed is in it too....)

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

Dancing

2005-06-02T01:00:31Z

So, in bollywood movies I've seen some bellydancing, but also tradition Indian dance. Im looking to study the traditional dances, and Im hoping some of you might know a bit more about it- are there specific kinds, names? And if anyone is in San Francisco, do you know of a good place to go to learn? Or people I could learn from? (which is a funny question to ask given I work at a dance studio)

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 6 replies

I wanna I wanna

2005-05-12T15:24:31Z

I'm listening to the soundtrack of "Lagaan" and wishing again that I had friends who'd be willing to put on a Bollywood dance number live sometime... God, it would be so cool. No lipsynching, either...

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 4 replies

new Madhuri Dixit tribe!

2005-05-09T18:38:08Z

Show ya luv!

http://www.madhuri.tribe.net

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

the new main photo

2005-05-04T14:58:02Z

That's from Mr. India, right? Man that movie is hilarious. And those kids sure know how to breakdance.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 22 replies

Bollywood Dance

2005-05-03T14:32:07Z

Hi everyone!
Me and some of my belly dance friends though it would be fun to come up with a Bollywood dance number to try something differant. Any good recommendations for songs? Please not the movie it's from too so i can find the song and maybe find the video for inspiration!

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 10 replies

More trouble in Bollywood?

2005-04-29T19:54:18Z

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20050427/lf_afp/afplifestyleindia_050427145511

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 4 replies

swades- an opinion

2005-04-22T10:11:37Z

Swades

this is not a review. it is what i feel about the film read on...

let us begin with the most basic question:

did you like it or not?

i loved it!!!!!!!!!!!

i wanted to go out and hug Ashutosh for giving India the best year end gift!
firstly, SRK (shahrukh khan) acts! he looks the part dresses the part and enjoys the part and he gives Aamir a run for his money. SRK has finally silenced his critics! two thumbs up!
Gayatri Joshi is gorgeous and holds her ground as an actor. the dhoti sequence is the most romantic one i have seen in years! (did someone smirk?) people!!!!!!!! there are gorgeous women who are city bred working with NGO's in villages who do dress up and put on lipstick. Rama! why doesthis role have to be played if only you look like Smita Patil or Deepti Naval (no offence, i would happily marry those two women).
yes! the characters are cliché's...so? we have them everywhere (take a look around). though Abdul Kalam hair cuts i have not seen around. (Ashutosh, how could you???)
story predictable? i do not think so. it was well researched and fairly well executed.

the look: Hmmm, Bhanu Athiya does a good job. the clothes look authentically Indian (though they do not subscribe to a set region) but then remember that this is a pan-India mainstream film!!!!!?! on a recent visit to interior Karnataka and Tamilnadu most of the younger women/girls were in Salwar Kameezes...huh? did i think i was in Punjab? Puhleez!

similar comment for the village. it did not bother me at all. the Maharashtra's straight horned cows could have been avoided.

story/screenplay/style: i liked the whole NRI(return of brain-drain) having call of the motherland bit. and then loved the way Ashutosh calls him Mohan. ah ha! there was a Mohan (the bald one!) a few decades ago who came back from across the seas and went on a journey into Indian hinterland met landless laborer and the poor and a changeover happened! do you guys remember that Mohan?

screenplay: hmmm...bit too long. the Dusshera Bhajan is wonderful music but sitting on hard cinema seats suddenly made me remember that my ass hurts,Ashutosh lost his audience big time here. he did loose a lot of them right in the beginning when too much English happened at NASA.

style of film making: you know what, i liked the slow pace a lot. i liked the fact it was not overtly dramatic.
does cinema have to be dramatic always?
though i thought electricity sequence was dramatic,
the 25 paisa water was.
the journey was. the fact he gives up his us citizenship.
new twist to the formula???hehehe think about it

camera work: Mahesh Aney approaches the frame wonderfully. liked the framing. (no musaffir!!!!!!!!!) straight and simple. the lighting lacked! too mainstream. was he playing safe? Hmmm...was it the directors call? was the producer playing safe? Hmmm...this needed to be addressed.

Hahn! then comes the music. Rahman, you are god! really! the songs are stunning!'Yeh Jo Des Hai Tera' will haunt people for a long time. but his triumph was in the background arrangement. it was wonderful. understated. beautiful.

now i must tell you what i really liked! ha ha ha
after a long time i liked the whole socialist approach. the kind of films which were made earlier. 'Naya Daur' do you remember that one? this kind of cinema died years ago.
Mr. Gowariker you are a brave man, take a bow!
i remembered the cinema from Russia/Cuba/Yugoslavia/etc. thank you for not giving me heaving bosoms,cleavage and g-strings, mustard fields and chiffon Saree's and item numbers. the 'Yeh Tara' song was awesome! beautiful. loved the choreography. completely natural. ah! i really wish the film is a hit(more like this will get made then). people, do go out and see it.
will it win an Oscar? Hmmm..no. but then when was it the last word on film-making?

p.s.
1. the trickling waterfall could have been a bit bigger...
2. there is an item number: SRK bathes twice. bare-chested. i am told the women in the audience almost...that is another story! :)

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

My intro

2005-04-22T09:46:13Z

hi! I just joined (thanks Spidra) because I've finally started discovered Bollywood. My introduction was Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, which I actually have going in the background right now. The problem I've found with following this vein of film is that a lot of the information about it isn't in english. *sigh*

but anyhow, hi! glad to be 'ere

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 7 replies

Amitabh Bachchan on Charlie Rose

2005-04-20T09:17:16Z

Bollywood star and recently-appointed UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan on the Charlie Rose show April 19, 2005

http://www.charlierose.com/

Yahoo! India article on the actor in New York City

http://in.movies.yahoo.com/050416/43/2ksci.html

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

HIMALAYA SINGH

2005-04-09T01:48:59Z

Has anybody here seen "Himalaya Singh," a HK take on Bollywood? It has a mostly HK cast but employs Sanatan Mody and Gauri S. Karnik in supporting roles. I wouldn't recommend it for anybody because it's so overly racist, making Indian people look like fools.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

The "rules" of Bollywood

2005-04-02T19:11:34Z

A friend turned me on to this blog entry:

http://www.gordsellar.com/eclexys/arkiva/000792.html

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 23 replies

Ooooo! Bollywood Sex Scandal

2005-04-01T09:53:19Z

Somehow, I'm not surprised. Of course, this would NEVER happen in Hollywood!

http://movies.yahoo.com/mv/news/ap/20050315/111091218000.html

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 3 replies

BLACK FRIDAY

2005-03-31T23:27:46Z

Go see it.
No dance numbers, but this Indian film is fantanstaic!! Anurag did a great job direction and it shows. It deserves your rupies at the box office.

I just saw it at the mimi film festival.

I'm back in LA now so go see it for me please,
Trust

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 4 replies

PRO DANCER WANTS TO DANCE INDIAN & ARABIC...

2005-03-20T16:43:05Z

Hi there,

My name is Katherine, and i am writing as i just joined tribe, and am seeking advice. I am a pro dancer, done with typical cabaret, and want to perform ethnic Indian/Arabic. either pure ethnic /fusion. In Vegas right now, not much happening. There are belly dance and indian dance teachers, but no companies. I've the feeling i need to move to SF!! can anyone give me any advice? Im from London originally, and this country is huge - don't know where to start! can anyone tell me of any dance companies i can apply to, (anywhere in the states ) or agencies/co.s that book this kind of thing? My preference is to dance with trained pro dancers mixing ethnic with modern/jazz or hip hop. i would really appreciate the help,
thanks so much, Katherine.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 2 replies

Devdas?

2005-03-10T20:04:39Z

I just got notification from my library that "Devdas" is on hold for me. Has anyone seen it?

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 12 replies

Folk songs and Hindi Movies :-)

2005-03-09T04:08:13Z

Its great to see how Bollywood attempts to incorporate Folk songs into mainstream movies and screws up

Here is a link of of the folk song "Nimbuda Nimbuda"

http://www.musicindiaonline.com/l/24/s/singer.3068/theme.10/

And now the song adapted by Bollywood on Aishwarya Rai (last but one)

http://www.musicindiaonline.com/l/17/s/actors.28/movie_name.841/

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 1 reply

Kosmos World Music & Dance Camp...

2005-03-08T03:08:03Z

June 2nd-5th, 2005

Check out the website:

www.kosmoscamp.com

The warm summer days at Kosmos Camp are filled with music and dance workshops. Dancers learn and perform on finished dance floors, with wall mirrors in the main lodge. Musicians enjoy instruction and practice opportunities in our open-air venues. Both dancers and musicians study with world-renowned professional teachers in a wide variety of styles from different cultures.
And all campers enjoy the luxuries of Saratoga Springs Resort, nestled just over 2 hours north of both San Francisco and Sacramento in 260 private acres of forest. Miles of hiking trails with breathtaking views of nearby Clearlake and access to natural mineral springs, surround a pair of lodges with both indoor sleeping accommodations and clean camp grounds, complete with a spacious pool and large jacuzzi. All meals are provided by our professional chef and feature a gourmet menu with an eclectic array of world cuisines and a full bar serving reasonably priced mixed drinks, beer, and wine after dinner. Evenings feature concerts and dance performances by students and staff in the immaculate Heart Lodge, and open-floor dancing with late-night jamming afterwards.

Ultimately, Kosmos is both a school of music and dance, as well as an unforgettable celebration among friends. It is a special getaway where people bond their passions and talents. We hope you join us and help create a unique community that we all can cherish in the years to come.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 4 replies

Deepa Mehta?

2005-03-07T23:07:41Z

Browsing my library online, I saw that "Bollywood Hollywood," "Earth" and "Fire" are available. Any recomendations?

I understand that "Earth" is the film version of "Cracking India," a book that I bought recently but haven't read yet.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 6 replies

Bollywood Saturday the 26th. Seattle

2005-02-26T00:26:31Z

The Baltic Room
1207 Pine Street,Seattle,WA
When: Saturday, February 26, 9:30pm
Phone: (206) 625-4444
Sat Sri Akal - Namaste - Salaam - What Up To all the party people!

BOLLYWOOD @ Baltic Room :
I hope you all had a great time at the Peace, Love & Harmony Valentines Party on Feb 12th with our special guest DJ Sandeep Kumar from LA.
The 4th Saturday is coming up and its time again for the Bollywood party. Get ready to groove to some Boombastic Bhangra Hop, Basmati Beatz and surely some HOT Hindi remixes.

We have your favorite DJs:
> Manpreet Singh (Bhangra & Desi Hip Hop remixes)
> Peter Madril (Bollywood & Bhangra)
> Anup Shastri (Bollywood, Hindi & Indi Pop favorites)

Live Music:
William Gilchrist (Tablas) & Ravi Singh (Dhol).

Specials:
> All Ladies FREE till 11pm.

Monday Bhangra @ Baltic Room:
Join in for the weekly Monday night Bhangra party. It ’s the Bhangra hardcore who have made this the longest standing weekly South Asian music event in the history of Seattle. Been there for nearly 30 months with 120+ Mondays registered.....Chak De Phate!!

>FEEDBACK: You can email me at ikekehal@hotmail.com

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 5 replies

Bangladeshi songs

2005-02-22T02:38:40Z

I'm performing at a Bengladeshi wedding- and have found a song by Ifthekar Chowdhury that is beautiful- but I have to make sure it is appropriate (in terms of lyrics). It's called Ashash.
Any other recommendations?

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

"Ruk Ruk Ruk" translation?

2005-02-16T08:07:02Z

Does anybody know what Ruk Ruk Ruk is about? I have the video clip from the movie, but I was wondering if anybody could be more specific? I'll paste the lyrics I found in Hindi below if that helps?

\
thank you!!!!

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 7 replies

Black

2005-02-08T10:36:34Z

Just heard from people who've already seen this movie that this movie's bound to be India's entry to the Oscars next year. I read 3 reviews this morning and all screamt 'Oscar'. Looks like Indian audiences are growing beyond the song n dance routine to something more meaningful and artistic.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 5 replies

Hindi Dance for you Bay Area folks

2005-02-01T22:56:02Z

Someone sent this to me. I can't go, but I wish I could--it's in San Francisco this weekend.

WHAT: Fourth Annual Hindi Film Dance Competition
WHEN: Sat 2.5 (7pm)
WHERE: Palace of Fine Arts Theatre (3301 Lyon St, 415.563.6504)
PRICE: $15 / $10 advance

http://indus.berkeley.edu/calendar/hfd.asp
http://indus.berkeley.edu

The title sequence in the film adaptation of Daniel Clowes'
Ghost World announced Bollywood's appearance on the western
pop-culture radar, but Andrew Lloyd Webber brought it to the
mainstream with his Broadway production of A. R. Rahman's
Bombay Dreams. With its captivating blend of heart-pumping
ghazals and elaborate dances, Hindi film has gained such
popularity in the US that this year's Bollywood Awards will
be held stateside. But while witnessing Bollywood's
spectacle on the big screen is a dazzling experience in and
of itself, the UC Berkeley South Asian Indus alliance's
Fourth Annual Hindi Film Dance Competition offers a chance
to see live, show-stopping performances, with teams from
California-based universities choreographing original dances
to film numbers in a competition for cash prizes and pride.

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 0 replies

Bollywood star Parveen Babi dies

2005-01-31T18:12:41Z

Bollywood star Parveen Babi dies

Bollywood actress Parveen Babi has been found dead at her home in Mumbai (Bombay).
Police discovered her body after breaking into her apartment, where she lived alone. She appeared to have died of natural causes.

Babi starred in more than 50 Hindi films including 1975's Deewaar.

On film she came to represent the bohemian Indian woman, unafraid to smoke or drink on camera at a time when these were considered taboo.

Unconventional looks

Babi was cast in her first movie, Charitira, in 1973 while still a student at Ahmedabad University.

While not a big box office hit, it drew attention to Babi's unconventional Western looks and she won dozens of subsequent roles.

Babi became best known for her performances alongside Bollywood's biggest star Amitabh Bachchan in films such as Deewaar, Majboor and Amar Akbar Anthony.

In 1977 she was featured on the cover of US magazine Time as the face of the modern Indian woman, and reached the height of her fame in the early 1980s.

As her film career waned Babi made few public appearances and lived in virtual seclusion.

Police broke into her home on Saturday after her neighbours claimed that her apartment door had not been opened for two days.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/entertainment/film/4198219.stm

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 2 replies

Subtitles? In English?

2005-01-30T10:30:40Z

Okay, I hate to admit this, but I've neve seen a Bollywood film. I've seen lots, and lots of clips, which look fabulous. I want to see some, and am considering trying to rent.

Are there any with English Subtitles?
Or perhaps performed in English?
"Dubbed" in English *might* be okay...

So, any reccomendations?
(Any with Aishwarya?)

(Oh, and I'm female, and totally into men, but I can appreciate Aishwarya's beauty. She DOES have very beautiful eyes.)

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 2 replies

Vintage Bollywood Record Covers

2005-01-22T18:18:01Z

I thought some of you might enjoy these:
bollylp.users.btopenworld.com/rec...allery.html

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 4 replies

Veer-Zaara -- wow!

2005-01-17T17:50:54Z

I just saw Veer-Zaara at my local Indian cinema. It was fantastic!!
I urge everyone to see it if you can -- you won't be disappointed!

The jist of the story is that an Indian air force pilot rescues a Pakistani woman from a bus accident while she is on a personal mission to put her bebe's ashes to rest in India. He falls in love with her...and I won't give away the story, but suffice to say, after spending a day made in heaven together, they face some huge obstacles which keep them apart. The actual twists in the story make it much more interesting than that sounds.

I'm fairly new to Bollywood films, but I was very impressed with the quality of this one. The cinematography was wonderful, the acting was superb, and the choreography and music were wonderful. (I noticed that Jaques posted something about the soundtrack here http://vancouver.tribe.net/thread/675a4761-fca4-4002-9d78-5e962dfb254b?tribeid=cbf81e4e-3047-43d6-821b-8f81f0bae847&r=10372).

Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta had great chemistry as the lovers. Preity Zinta reminded me of a South-Asian Drew Barrymore, except more beautiful and a much better actress. Their poignant performances had me crying every five minutes!! One of the most touching scenes (there were so many!) was when Veer brings Zaara to the train station and they must part.

Aside from the teary moments, the musical sequences were fastastic! My favorite was the Lodi festival scene, with gorgeous costumes and amazing, upbeat music that makes you dance in your theater seat!

I liked the way the filmmaker (Yash Chopra) uses imagery and music to express what the characters are feeling. A great example of this is a long heart-wrenching scene where Zaara (who is engaged to someone else) realizes she is fully aflame with adoration for Veer, and sees and feels his presence everywhere. It illustrates so dramatically how completely overcome by love she is by him.

I also really loved the characters that were Veer's parents. They had some wonderful scenes and really helped paint a picture of a loving Indian family who would welcome Zaara.

Next on my list is "Insan" (of which I don't expect much), and "Swades" (which also stars Shah Rukh Khan and has had mixed reviews).

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 1 reply

Los Angeles Bollywood Movie source - help !

2005-01-15T17:39:43Z

halloo everybody !
any spots in LA proper where I can buy/rent Bwood flix ?
or good website ?...

I know the Artesia area is like a "little India" but it's off my beaten path.

suggestions will be gratefully accepted

Michelle

posted in Bollywood Babylon! - 2 replies