Bollywood is For Lovers

By Bollywood is for Lovers

What's Bollywood is For Lovers about?

Join hosts Matt Bowes and Erin Fraser for a bi-weekly podcast that explores the wonderful world of Hindi Cinema through the lens of two Canadian cinephiles! Part of the Alberta Podcast Network.

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Bollywood is For Lovers episodes:

11.24.2021
124: Noir '58: Howrah Bridge and 12 O'Clock
In our annual Noirvember episode, we discuss two moody murder mysteries from 1958. Show notes: Our Noirvember playlist As we always point out, film noir is not a genre "The Rebirth of India's Forgotten Cinema in the Age of the Internet" Tommydan55 and Tommydan333 Howrah Bridge Kolkata...
11.12.2021
123: Crisis on Infinite Singhams: Rohit Shetty's Cop Universe with Devin Bruce
Sooryavanshi has finally unloaded itself into theatres and our good friend and cinephile Devin Bruce has dropped by to discuss Rohit Shetty’s ethically questionable Cop Universe. Show notes: Heads up, one of these films deals with sexual violence. • Devin's in the three-timers...
10.28.2021
122: Halloween VII, Part 2 The Quickening: Folk Horror and Tumbbad
The witching hour is almost here, and we're done with our annual Hindi Horror Halloween! Inspired by Kier-La Janisse's Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched, we explore the folk horror subgenre and how we see it being realized in Hindi-langauge filmmaking...
10.14.2021
121: Halloween VII: Das Bhoots, Pizza and Bhoot Police
It’s our seventh annual Hindi Horror Halloween! This year we watch a pair of films about non-believers confronting the supernatural and using supersitition to their advantage. Show Notes: We are doing two Hindi Horror Halloween episodes this year In Canada Hotstar is still...
09.30.2021
120: Bachchan ‘90 & ‘91
We take a big leap in our Amitabh Bachchan series and jump over the late 80s into the early 90s with two explosive crime movies. Show Notes: What happened to Bachchan between 1985 and 1989? Erin does not understand the Indian Parliament Agneepath First instance...
09.15.2021
119: King Con: Abhishek Bachchan in Bunty Aur Babli and Bluffmaster!
Abhishek Bachchan tries to con his way into our hearts in two crime comedies from 2005. Show Notes: We’re back! Bunty Aur Babli A good year for Rani Mukerji and Amitabh Bachchan The media claims there are IRL Bunties and Bablies Kesha first brushed her teeth...
08.06.2021
118: Knockout Kings: Saala Khadoos, Mukkabaaz, and Toofan
With Toofan now streaming on Amazon Prime, we lace up our gloves and climb in the ring to discuss three films about boxers. Show Notes: Matt’s fist fighting past Boxing movies Class in boxing movies It’s Jim Brown in Mars Attacks! Episode 6 - Priyanka Chopra:...
07.22.2021
117: Magnificent Obsessions: SRK in Baazigar and Darr
We go back to 1993 to see how our beloved romantic hero Shah Rukh Khan shot to stardom in a pair of thrillers where he plays murderous obsessives. Show Notes: The darkness in Shah Rukh Khan Comparisons to Sarah Michelle Gellar King of Bollywood...
07.07.2021
Netflix and Dil: The Family Man Season 2, or Be a Maximum Guy
Our favourite unobservant husband/intelligence officer/clueless father is back, and this time he's off to Chennai to stop a new threat because he loves the game (and we love him)! Show Notes: Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Netflix and Dil: Who Can Stop...
06.23.2021
116: 2021 Midyear Review
We made it to June, which means it’s time for our midyear review where we discuss all the notable Hindi-language films that were released in the first half of 2021, or at least the ones we bothered to watch. Show Notes: If...
05.26.2021
Supplemental Episode 13: OK Computer creators Pooja Shetty and Neil Pagedar
We are thrilled to welcome creators, directors, and writers of OK Computer Pooja Shetty and Neil Pagedar to discuss their influences, worldview, and the making of our favourite science fiction comedy mystery series. Show Notes: OK Computer Pooja Shetty’s Twitter and Instagram Neil...
05.19.2021
115: Mr. Criterion: Do Bigha Zamin and Shree 420
Our favourite boutique film label, Criterion, has finally acknowledged Hindi cinema with two series on their streaming channel devoted to acclaimed filmmakers Bimal Roy and Raj Kapoor. Show Notes: We checked the list, we have 133 Criterion films including the Eclipse box...
04.28.2021
Netflix and Dil: OK Computer, or Do Androids Dream of Electric Pineapples?
Do you like robots? Yes! What about killer robots? Oh robots don’t kill you say? We’ll see about that! We get to the bottom of Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics with Hotstar’s new sci-fi-comedy-mystery series OK Computer. Show Notes: If you are...
04.14.2021
114: Jane Addiction: Bride and Prejudice and Aisha with Karen Unland
Karen Unland is back to discuss to two Indian adapatations of classic Jane Austen novels. Show Notes: Welcome back Karen Unland of That’s A Thing?! Teen culture is all about remixing That’s A Thing?!: “New life for Clone High, fake life for VTubers” Jane Austen Hollywood’s...
03.31.2021
Supplemental Episode 12: Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ Unfinished Life
In this supplemental episode we discuss Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ new memoir, Unfinished, and her latest film project, The White Tiger. Show Notes: 66th Filmfare Awards (the video Matt watched full of spoilers) Unfinished by Priyanka Chopra Jonas “73 Questions with Priyanka Chopra” Episode 6: Priyanka...
03.14.2021
113: The Mother of all Equations: Nil Battey Sannata and Shakuntala Devi with Amanda Mullins
Happy Pi Day Lovers! To celebrate we’ve invited our friend Amanda Mullins on to discuss two films about women and math. Show Notes: Welcome Amanda Mullins! Erin may or may not have made cherry pie today Studying maths Erin claims to like math Math stereotypes in...
03.03.2021
112: Bachchan ‘82 - '84
We continue to explore Amitabh Bachchan’s filmography, one year at a time. Show Notes: How we choose the movies for this series (hint: it’s random) We couldn’t find Coolie Thank you Rajat Dikshit Khud-Daar The theme of reuniting the family Matt wants more tall man comedy Flying car...
02.24.2021
Supplemental Episode 11: Brian Collins’ Bollywood Horrors
In our eleventh supplemental Matt speaks to scholar Brian Collins about the new book Bollywood Horrors: Religion, Violence and Cinematic Fears in India. Show Notes: Bollywood Horrors: Religion, Violence and Cinematic Fears in India edited by Ellen Goldberg, Aditi Sen, and Brian...
02.12.2021
111: The Many Luvs of Imran Khan: Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, I Hate Luv Storys, and Break Ke Baad
Happy Valentine’s Day Lovers! Romance is in the air, so we’re discussing three romantic comedies featuring retired (?) leading man Imran Khan. Show Notes: BiFL points are in the mail! Imran Khan Thank you to everyone who participated in our poll! “A Bollywood Brokeback” “Cleeeeeeeeo” Who ate...
01.27.2021
110: 2020 Year End Review
Well, we made it through 2020, and all we have to show for it are 17 short movie reviews! Enjoy! Show Notes: Thank you Rajat Dikshit! Get in touch to claim those BiFL points! Bulbbul Dil Bechara Shakuntala Devi Lootcase Raat Akeli Hai Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl Class of...
01.13.2021
Supplemental Episode 10: Debashree Mukherjee’s Bombay Hustle
In our tenth supplemental episode Matt speaks to film historian Debashree Mukherjee about her new book Bombay Hustle: Making Movies in a Colonial City. Show Notes: Bombay Hustle: Making Movies in a Colonial City by Debashree Mukherjee Saadat Hasan Manto Shanta Apte Amazon link to...
12.29.2020
109: Coolies Nos 1s with Asim Burney
We welcome back fellow podcaster Asim Burney to discuss two identical David Dhawan comedies made 25 years apart. Show Notes: Welcome Asim Burney of Upodcast and Khandaan Judwaa episode Twitter’s gonna hate Should remakes exist at all? Coolie No. 1 (1995) How much ownership does Govinda have? Comparisons to Jim...
12.16.2020
108: Underpants Captains: Chillar Party and Dhanak
We get in touch with our inner child by watching two Hindi-language children’s films. Show Notes: Indian farmers strike Get your BiFL points in! Vikas Bahl and the closure of Phantom Films We don’t see a lot of Hindi-language children’s films 90s live-action children’s films: The...
11.25.2020
107: Noirvember Adjacent: Singapore and Ittefaq
In our annual Noirvember episode, we discuss two thrillers from the 1960s that maybe one could call noir, or neo-noir, or noir-ish... noir-esque? Show Notes: The liquor store sent us twice as much Prosecco as we ordered Our Noirvember playlist “Filmfare recommends: Best Bollywood...
11.11.2020
106: Time Enough for Love: Love Story 2050, Action Replayy, and Baar Baar Dekho
We go backwards and forwards in time to uncover the true meaning of love, maybe, with three time traveling romances! Show Notes: Thank you Amrita! Does Erin really hate time travel movies? Thermae Romae Love Story 2050 Harman Baweja aka not Hrithik Roshan Liking rain is not...
11.05.2020
Supplemental Episode 9: Erin and Friends at YEGPodfest 2020!
Here's a quick bonus episode for you this week, as Erin was tasked with putting together a panel discussion on Bollywood podcasting for this year's inaugural YEGPodFest. She reached out to Asim Burney (Khandaan Podcast, Upodcast), Manish Mathur (It Pod To...
10.29.2020
105: Halloween VI: Hell Hath No Fury, Stree and Bulbbul with Matthew Stepanic
In our sixth annual Hindi Horror Halloween, we are joined by writer and bookseller Matthew Stepanic to discuss two films about vengeful, supernatural women. Show Notes: Matthew Stepanic, Glass Bookshop, and Glass Buffalo Should horror movies be judged on how scary they are? “Elevated...
10.14.2020
104: Babytown Frolics: Badhaai Ho and Good Newwz with Julie-Anne Weaver
To celebrate our new nephew, we welcome his mother Julie-Anne Weaver on to discuss a pair of pregnancy comedies. Show Notes: The mountains are full of Jadoo! Welcome Julie-Anne! She has actually been to India. Why are both of these movies about how men...
09.29.2020
Netflix and Dil: A Suitable Boy, or the Gold Diggers of 1951
Fresh off of its appearance at the closing night of TIFF, we discuss Mira Nair’s six-part adaptation of Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy. Show Notes: Thank you Mildmanneredgamer! Join Erin at YEGPodFest! Toronto International Film Festival Mira Nair A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth A Suitable Boy Spoiler...
09.16.2020
103: We Want To Be Dimple Kapadia’s Friend: Bobby, Saagar, and Rudaali
In honour of her Hollywood debut, we discuss three of Dimple Kapadia’s most iconic and acclaimed films. Show Notes: Thank you you crazybrownchik (and Chris) Attend YEGPodFest and Erin’s panel with other Bollywood podcasters Chatting with the Khandaan crew Dimple Kapadia Tenet Thank you Film Companion for...
08.29.2020
102: Bachchan ‘79 - '81
We continue our exploration of Amitabh Bachchan’s career, finishing up the 1970s and moving into the 1980s. Show Notes: Thank you to Erin’s mother for helping us get to 1 million downloads/listens! We didn’t win the Oilers 50/50 draw Watch our panel at Namaste...
08.14.2020
101: First Frames: Dil Chahta Hai, Ek Hasina Thi, and Socha Na Tha
We go back to the 2000s to discuss some of the first films from some of Bollywood’s most celebrated contemporary auteurs. Show Notes: What happened to Khosla Ka Ghosla? The 19th anniversary is bronze Dil Chahta Hai A classic Mr. Holland’s Opus reference How much...
07.29.2020
100: The Goddess Who Carries The Burden of The World, Mother India
In our (canonical) 100th episode, we discuss one of the most iconic and influential Hindi films of all time, Mehboob Khan’s 1957 epic Mother India. Show Notes: 100 Baby! Thank you to the Alberta Podcast Network, Audioboom, all of our past guests,...
07.14.2020
Supplemental Episode 8: 60 Questions
For our 100th episode we intended to devote a small segment of the show to answering listener questions, but we received so many questions we instead put together an entire supplemental episode devoted to answering them. This took some time,...
06.24.2020
99: 2020 Midyear Review
While movie theatres still aren't fully open around the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has still be a lot of great movies released so far this year and we’re still going to talk about them in our annual...
06.16.2020
Netflix and Dil: Paatal Lok, or Lords of Dogtown
We go down to the underworld with Amazon Prime’s new show Paatal Lok to unravel a mystery that reveals the rotten truth about corruption in many levels of society. Show Notes: "On TV, Cops Are Always the Main Characters” Paatal Lok Episode 65: Anushka...
05.28.2020
98: Anil Kapoor’s 90s: Beta, 1942: A Love Story, and Rajkumar
Picking up our Anil Kapoor series, we discuss three of his films from the 1990s: two well loved hits and an epic flop. Show Notes: Our episode on Taal and our episode on Lamhe Thanks JustGivemeTheReboot! (Do you like ReBoot?) Parinda on the Split...
05.13.2020
Netflix and Dil: Who Can Stop The Terrorists? Take Them Out For You? The Family Man Can!
With everyone working from home these days, we’re all struggling a little with work life/balance, just like Manoj Bajpayee in his counter-terrorism show The Family Man! Show Notes: We mourn the loss of Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor Never Have I Ever “Never...
04.29.2020
97: An Affair To Remember: Silsila and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna
We get swept up in a sea of emotions with two epic melodramas about adultery. Show Notes: Adultery happens everywhere! Silsila Art imitating life? Melodrama and Douglas Sirk Songs: “Sar Se Sarke,” “Dekha Ek Khwab,” “Yeh Kahaan Aa Gaye Hum,” and “Rang Barse” (INTERVAL (“Ladki Hai Ya...
04.15.2020
Netflix and Dil: Pilot Season
With so much bingeable content available, we watch the pilots of six Indian streaming shows and discuss which ones we’re interested in seeing more of. Show Notes: Our Netflix and Dil playlist Streaming With Suchin (thank you Suchin) Little Things Pushpavalli Four More Shots Please! The Family...
04.01.2020
96: The Pain of Disco: Namak Halaal and Disco Dancer
Put on your dancing shoes Lovers, we’re going to party the night away! Come back to 1982 with us as we revel in the heyday of Bollywood’s disco days. Show Notes: What is disco? Vox’s “Why disco made pop songs longer” and and...
03.21.2020
95: The Medium is The Message: Dibakar Banerjee’s Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!, Love Sex Aur Dhokha, and Shanghai
As promised, we catch up with the work of one of Hindi cinema’s most interesting and inventive auteurs, Dibakar Banerjee. Show Notes: There’s a pandemic going on Welcome Felix! Dibakar Banerjee Khosla Ka Ghosla and Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! Episode 18 - Bollywood as Cannes: Masaan, Titli,...
03.04.2020
94: From Korea With Love: Ek Villain, Jazbaa, and Te3n
In honour of Parasite sweeping the Academy Awards, we discuss three Hindi remakes of South Korean thrillers. Show Notes: Hallyu Wave Indian remakes of Korean films Split Screen Podcast: Episode 12 - John Abraham Tries To Be ‘The Man From Nowhere’ My Sassy Girl Oldboy and...
02.19.2020
93: Bachchan ‘71 & ‘72
We return to our long abandoned series on Amitabh Bachchan series and discuss two of his earliest films, before he made it big. Show Notes: Thank you sohaz! Our previous Bachchan episodes It’s been two years The 65th Filmfare Awards Saat Hindustani Bhuvan Shome and Bombay Talkie (INTERVAL...
02.06.2020
92: Stories We Tell: Bombay Talkies, Lust Stories, & Ghost Stories
Three movies, four directors, twelve stories. We dive into three anthology films that each explore a different theme: cinema, sex, and horror. Show Notes: Thank you cj12947$$! Shorts and anthology films X: Past Is Present Coen Brothers’ “World Cinema” from Chacun son cinema Trevor Anderson and...
01.22.2020
91: 2019 Year End Review
Buckle up, it’s going to be a long one as we discuss the most notable Bollywood films of the back half of 2019, from July to December. Show Notes: Article 15, again, Photograph, Super 30, Judgementall Hai Kya, Khandaani Shafakhana, Jabariya Jodi,...
12.31.2019
90: Dabangg 3 makes Dabangg 2 look like Dabangg
Chulbul Pandey is back, and this time he’s out for revenge...like he always is. With Dabangg 3 now playing in theatres, we discuss all three films in Salman Khan’s problematic action-comedy series. Show Notes: “India: Intimations of an Ending” by Arundhati Roy Dabangg Yakuza Erin’s...
12.11.2019
89: Live. Die. Repeat: Ra.One and Game Over with Ben Gelinas
Fire up the PS4, in this episode we’re joined by game developer Ben Gelinas to discuss a pair of films about video games intruding on the real world. Show Notes: Welcome Ben Gelinas! Speed Dating For Ghosts Ra.One Pour one out for Akashi But is this...
11.27.2019
88: Playing With The Past: Gandhi and Rang De Basanti with Torrey Dance
In an effort to engage more with 20th Century Indian history, we play a board game about the Indian Independence movement and discuss Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s 2006 film Rang De Basanti. Show Notes: Welcome Torrey Dance! If you’d like to skip the board...
11.13.2019
87: Out Of The Past: Madhumati and Woh Kaun Thi?
As the days grow shorter, we plunge ourselves into darkness and celebrate our favourite movie watching month, Noirvember, with two moody thrillers. Show Notes: Our Noirvember playlist What exactly is film noir? hint: it’s not a genre Mr. & Mrs. 55: Defining Bollywood Film...

What's Bollywood is For Lovers about?

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Bollywood is For Lovers episodes:

124: Noir '58: Howrah Bridge and 12 O'Clock

123: Crisis on Infinite Singhams: Rohit Shetty's Cop Universe with Devin Bruce

122: Halloween VII, Part 2 The Quickening: Folk Horror and Tumbbad

121: Halloween VII: Das Bhoots, Pizza and Bhoot Police

120: Bachchan ‘90 & ‘91

119: King Con: Abhishek Bachchan in Bunty Aur Babli and Bluffmaster!

118: Knockout Kings: Saala Khadoos, Mukkabaaz, and Toofan

117: Magnificent Obsessions: SRK in Baazigar and Darr

Netflix and Dil: The Family Man Season 2, or Be a Maximum Guy

116: 2021 Midyear Review

Supplemental Episode 13: OK Computer creators Pooja Shetty and Neil Pagedar

115: Mr. Criterion: Do Bigha Zamin and Shree 420

Netflix and Dil: OK Computer, or Do Androids Dream of Electric Pineapples?

114: Jane Addiction: Bride and Prejudice and Aisha with Karen Unland

Supplemental Episode 12: Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ Unfinished Life

113: The Mother of all Equations: Nil Battey Sannata and Shakuntala Devi with Amanda Mullins

112: Bachchan ‘82 - '84

Supplemental Episode 11: Brian Collins’ Bollywood Horrors

111: The Many Luvs of Imran Khan: Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, I Hate Luv Storys, and Break Ke Baad

110: 2020 Year End Review

Supplemental Episode 10: Debashree Mukherjee’s Bombay Hustle

109: Coolies Nos 1s with Asim Burney

108: Underpants Captains: Chillar Party and Dhanak

107: Noirvember Adjacent: Singapore and Ittefaq

106: Time Enough for Love: Love Story 2050, Action Replayy, and Baar Baar Dekho

Supplemental Episode 9: Erin and Friends at YEGPodfest 2020!

105: Halloween VI: Hell Hath No Fury, Stree and Bulbbul with Matthew Stepanic

104: Babytown Frolics: Badhaai Ho and Good Newwz with Julie-Anne Weaver

Netflix and Dil: A Suitable Boy, or the Gold Diggers of 1951

103: We Want To Be Dimple Kapadia’s Friend: Bobby, Saagar, and Rudaali

102: Bachchan ‘79 - '81

101: First Frames: Dil Chahta Hai, Ek Hasina Thi, and Socha Na Tha

100: The Goddess Who Carries The Burden of The World, Mother India

Supplemental Episode 8: 60 Questions

99: 2020 Midyear Review

Netflix and Dil: Paatal Lok, or Lords of Dogtown

98: Anil Kapoor’s 90s: Beta, 1942: A Love Story, and Rajkumar

Netflix and Dil: Who Can Stop The Terrorists? Take Them Out For You? The Family Man Can!

97: An Affair To Remember: Silsila and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna

Netflix and Dil: Pilot Season

96: The Pain of Disco: Namak Halaal and Disco Dancer

95: The Medium is The Message: Dibakar Banerjee’s Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!, Love Sex Aur Dhokha, and Shanghai

94: From Korea With Love: Ek Villain, Jazbaa, and Te3n

93: Bachchan ‘71 & ‘72

92: Stories We Tell: Bombay Talkies, Lust Stories, & Ghost Stories

91: 2019 Year End Review

90: Dabangg 3 makes Dabangg 2 look like Dabangg

89: Live. Die. Repeat: Ra.One and Game Over with Ben Gelinas

88: Playing With The Past: Gandhi and Rang De Basanti with Torrey Dance

87: Out Of The Past: Madhumati and Woh Kaun Thi?