Reel Deal

Saand Ki Aankh stars Taapsee Pannu and Bhumi Pednekar, who are both in their early 30s, in the role of real life characters of shooters Prakshi and Chandro Tomar who are over 60 years old. I discuss why appropriate casting of older female actors is important in today's times and the relevance of the ageism debate in Bollywood. 

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Writer-actor Parikshat Sahni, who recently released a book on his father, the legendary actor, Balraj Sahni, talks about the man and the artiste he was when the cameras were switched off. The book is titled 'The Non-Conformist: Memories of My Father Balraj Sahni'. 

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In the latest release, Dream Girl, Ayushmann Khurrana plays the role of a man who is forced to take on a female identity at an adult call centre. From references to Sanksrit epics to issues of female consent, I discuss how writer-director Raaj Shaandilya's film fares from a gender perspective. 

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Lord Ganesha, known as the remover of obstacles, often makes an entry at some of the most crucial times in a film's plot, often juxtaposed with violence.  I discuss some of my most memorable Ganpati Festival moments on screen in the last decade. 

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Veteran action director Sham Kaushal, who has over 30 years of experience and has worked on films like Gangs of Wasseypur, Bajirao Mastani, Padmaavat in recent years, discusses how the change in director's vision, storytelling style, special effects and big budgets have changed the way Bollywood does its action.

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Sanskrit epics Ramayan and Mahabharat have often found their way into Bollywood film plots in the form of a stage production. From Ayushmann Khurrana's upcoming film Dream Girl to Judgementall Hai Kya and Swades, several films have found contemporary interpretations in mythology and sent out relevant messages on gender equality and fighting modern-day demons.

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Journalist and author, Anupama Chopra, talks about her book 'Sholay: Making Of A Classic' on the film's 44th anniversary, and reveals some behind the stories of the making of the film. 

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The last decade has seen Bollywood film plots evolve - the glory of the past and the independence movement has given way to pride of what Indians and India as a nation has achieved in the 62 years since independence. Films like Parmanu, Raazi, Uri: The Surgical Strike, MS Dhoni, Mary Kom, Gold and many others, celebrate the achievements of our fellow Indians. 

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In this week’s episode of Reel Deal, Hrithik Roshan talks to Suparna Thombare about why Super 30 and Kaabil are the films he is proudest of, growing as an actor in the last few years, and being more than just his six-pack abs. He also reveals how his kids rate his films.

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The last few years have seen a considerable drop in the quality of Bollywood music. The film soundscape is full of stock party numbers with poor lyrics, an old song remixed or random use of rap and a lack of a wholesome film soundtrack. 

This week Sulaiman Merchant, one half of the music composer duo, Salim-Sulaiman, talks to me about why we don’t get a whole top-notch album for a film, the overuse of remixes and the lack of imagination on the part of makers and music companies.

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