Bollywood is For Lovers

In this episode we discuss some of the biggest rising stars in Bollywood by looking at four recent films.

Show notes:

Matt is getting old, and he would like Priyanka Chopra to attend his birthday

Quantico is doing well, go Pranks!

Band Baaja Baaraat (Maneesh Sharma, 2010)

Ranveer Singh, party catalyst, fashionista, and major object of affection  

Anushka Sharma 

“Dum Dum” and “Ainvayi Ainvayi”

Ranveer’s gym Uncle

Student Of The Year (Karan Johar, 2012)

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... came out in 2001, but it feels so 90s

Alia Bhatt (as SHANAYA!)

“The Disco Song”

Sidharth Malhotra and Varun Dhawan

Shout out to Tiny Rick!

INTERVAL (”Kukkad” from Student Of The Year)

Shuddh Desi Romance (Maneesh Sharma, 2013) 

Erin’s favourite modern Rom-Com

Sushant Singh Rajput

Parineetti Chopra

Tevar (Amit Ravindernath Sharma, 2015)

New to us sport: Kabaddi

Arjun Kapoor, Ranveer Singh’s Bro

Sonakshi Sinha 

NEXT TIME: We watch a trio of spoooooky Boooollywood mooovies

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In this episode we discuss how Bollywood presents itself in cinema by looking at a few films that take use behind the scenes of the Hindi film industry.

Show notes:

Om Shanti Om (Farah Khan, 2007)

Arjun Rampal makes a great villain

New term: Junior Artist

“Dard E Disco” a.k.a. “The Pain of Disco”

So Many Good Dance Scenes

Luck By Chance (Zoya Akhtar, 2011)

Nepotism and gender imbalances

Opening sequence showing the production process

Representation of filmi gossip

INTERVAL (”Love Mera Hit Hit” from Billu)

Billu (Priyadarshan, 2009)

Hairstylists in India found the term “barber” derogatory

SRK’s celebrity persona

Matt wants Bollywood Star Wars

Heroine (Madhur Bhandarkar, 2012)

It’s hard out there for a heroine

“Main Heroine Hoon”

The Dirty Picture (Milan Luthria, 2011)

Based on the tragic life of Silk Smitha

Vidya Balan gives an acclaimed and sexy performance

Double standards and the objectification of women

NEXT TIME: The Next Generation of Bollywood Stars!

Find us on iTunes! and Stitcher!

Follow us on Twitter!

In this episode we discuss how Bollywood presents itself in cinema by looking at a few films that take use behind the scenes of the Hindi film industry.

Show notes:

Om Shanti Om (Farah Khan, 2007)

Arjun Rampal makes a great villain

New term: Junior Artist

“Dard E Disco” a.k.a. “The Pain of Disco”

So Many Good Dance Scenes

Luck By Chance (Zoya Akhtar, 2011)

Nepotism and gender imbalances

Opening sequence showing the production process

Representation of filmi gossip

INTERVAL (”Love Mera Hit Hit” from Billu)

Billu (Priyadarshan, 2009)

Hairstylists in India found the term “barber” derogatory

SRK’s celebrity persona

Matt wants Bollywood Star Wars

Heroine (Madhur Bhandarkar, 2012)

It’s hard out there for a heroine

“Main Heroine Hoon”

The Dirty Picture (Milan Luthria, 2011)

Based on the tragic life of Silk Smitha

Vidya Balan gives an acclaimed and sexy performance

Double standards and the objectification of women

NEXT TIME: The Next Generation of Bollywood Stars!

Find us on iTunes! and Stitcher!

Follow us on Twitter!

In our second episode we discuss some of the biggest actors and actresses in Hindi cinema, as well as introduce a few common Bollywood terms and tropes.

Show notes:

We already have reviews!

The dance scene for “Gallan Goodiyan” from Dil Dhadakne Do is here

The Heroes

Amitabh “The Big B” Bachchan

Shah Rukh Khan, aka King Khan

Aamir Khan (his show is Satyamev Jayate)

Salman Khan

Abhishek Bachchan

Human special effect Hrithik Roshan

Akshay Kumar

Saif Ali Khan

Ajay Devgan

Ranbir Kapoor

INTERVAL (“Deewangi Deewangi” from Om Shanti Om)

A few terms

Leading actors and actresses are referred to heroes and heroines

A cameo, and there are a lot of cameos, is known as a friendly

The Item number (Matt’s favourite is “Ram Chahe Leela” from Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela)

Double Role!

The Heroines

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, the most beautiful woman in the world

‘90s Goddess Kajol

Kareena Kapoor

Vidya Balan

Priyanka Chopra

Katrina Kaif

Bollywood’s current it-girl, Deepika Padukone

NEXT WEEK: Bollywood on Bollywood!

Find us on iTunes!

Follow us on Twitter!

In our second episode we discuss some of the biggest actors and actresses in Hindi cinema, as well as introduce a few common Bollywood terms and tropes.

Show notes:

We already have reviews!

The dance scene for “Gallan Goodiyan” from Dil Dhadakne Do is here

The Heroes

Amitabh “The Big B” Bachchan

Shah Rukh Khan, aka King Khan

Aamir Khan (his show is Satyamev Jayate)

Salman Khan

Abhishek Bachchan

Human special effect Hrithik Roshan

Akshay Kumar

Saif Ali Khan

Ajay Devgan

Ranbir Kapoor

INTERVAL (“Deewangi Deewangi” from Om Shanti Om)

A few terms

Leading actors and actresses are referred to heroes and heroines

A cameo, and there are a lot of cameos, is known as a friendly

The Item number (Matt’s favourite is “Ram Chahe Leela” from Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela)

Double Role!

The Heroines

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, the most beautiful woman in the world

‘90s Goddess Kajol

Kareena Kapoor

Vidya Balan

Priyanka Chopra

Katrina Kaif

Bollywood’s current it-girl, Deepika Padukone

NEXT WEEK: Bollywood on Bollywood!

Find us on iTunes!

Follow us on Twitter!

In our inaugural episode we discuss who we are and why we love Hindi cinema, aka. Bollywood. As well as dispelling some common misconceptions about Bollywood, we reveal some good picks for films to watch if you’re new to Bollywood and where to find them. 

Show notes: 

Erin lists her credentials 

Matt failed to major in Bollywood in University 

Shout out to The Pulp (where we first publicly exposed our respective interest in Bollywood) 

First mention of Shah Rukh Khan 

Mother India and Lootera

Bollywood’s global popularity

Dhoom 3, India’s The Fast and The Furious

The open secret that is Hindi cinema 

 Misconceptions dispelled: 

Bollywood ≠ Indian Cinema

How many movies come out of Bollywood every year?

Medium, not genre

All Hindi films are not musicals

Not every movie is three hours long

The importance of marketable songs and a shout out to Will Smith

Surprising Michael Bay analogy 

INTERVAL (“Gallan Goodiyaan” from Dil Dhadakne Do, note: the dance for this song is done in one 5 minute take)

Our picks for the best Hindi films for newcomers

Using iTunes and other legal ways to watch your Hindi films

So much drama

Is there anything Farhan Akhtar can’t do?

Matt lays down a fancy film studies term: “diegetic”

Erin discusses feminism (take a drink?)

Political controversies

Canadians should launch a smear campaign against Argo

Shirtless dudes, part one of an ongoing series at BIFL 

Reading list: 

Tejaswini Ganti’s Bollywood: A Guidebook to Popular Hindi Cinema 

Kush Varia’s Bollywood: Gods, Glamour, and Gossip 

Mihir Bose’s Bollywood: A History 

Thanks to all our friends who encouraged us to do this! 

NEXT WEEK: The biggest and brightest stars in the Bollywood galaxy! 

Find us on iTunes! 

Follow us on Twitter!

In our inaugural episode we discuss who we are and why we love Hindi cinema, aka. Bollywood. As well as dispelling some common misconceptions about Bollywood, we reveal some good picks for films to watch if you’re new to Bollywood and where to find them. 

Show notes: 

Erin lists her credentials 

Matt failed to major in Bollywood in University 

Shout out to The Pulp (where we first publicly exposed our respective interest in Bollywood) 

First mention of Shah Rukh Khan 

Mother India and Lootera

Bollywood’s global popularity

Dhoom 3, India’s The Fast and The Furious

The open secret that is Hindi cinema 

 Misconceptions dispelled: 

Bollywood ≠ Indian Cinema

How many movies come out of Bollywood every year?

Medium, not genre

All Hindi films are not musicals

Not every movie is three hours long

The importance of marketable songs and a shout out to Will Smith

Surprising Michael Bay analogy 

INTERVAL (“Gallan Goodiyaan” from Dil Dhadakne Do, note: the dance for this song is done in one 5 minute take)

Our picks for the best Hindi films for newcomers

Using iTunes and other legal ways to watch your Hindi films

So much drama

Is there anything Farhan Akhtar can’t do?

Matt lays down a fancy film studies term: “diegetic”

Erin discusses feminism (take a drink?)

Political controversies

Canadians should launch a smear campaign against Argo

Shirtless dudes, part one of an ongoing series at BIFL 

Reading list: 

Tejaswini Ganti’s Bollywood: A Guidebook to Popular Hindi Cinema 

Kush Varia’s Bollywood: Gods, Glamour, and Gossip 

Mihir Bose’s Bollywood: A History 

Thanks to all our friends who encouraged us to do this! 

NEXT WEEK: The biggest and brightest stars in the Bollywood galaxy! 

Find us on iTunes! 

Follow us on Twitter!