2 White Girls Talk Bollywood

It's time for another adventure into Tollywood-- and this time, it's not just a whole new industry, but a whole new cinematic universe! Kalki 2898 AD mixes the dystopian, futuristic visuals of a Western Sci Fi classic together with Hindu mythology. And it also boasts a pan-Indian cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Kamal Haasan, and Prabhas (i.e. our newest South Asian crush) team up to crea...

It's the final installment of the Dhoom franchise (so far), and boy oh boy do we end on a high note! As high as an acrobat in the Great Indian Circus. This third chapter sees our boys Jai and Ali jetting off to America, to put a stop to the tyranny of a mysterious clown bank robber (as in a clown who robs banks, not someone who robs clown banks). But every good villain has a motive, and the best v...

It's Dhoom... again! This second installment in the action-packed franchise is even bigger, louder, and wilder than the first. We once more join Jai and Ali as they try to take down the cool, competent thief known simply as Mr. A. Get ready for roller blade chase scenes, romance, wet basketball, and even more heists than the first Dhoom. Oh, and did we mention the disguises? There's LOTS of disgui...

Friends, we’ve been waiting since day one for this moment. The moment where we’d finally be talking about one of Bollywood’s biggest, fastest, most action packed franchises: Dhoom!! The time has come for motorcycle chases, fist fights, girl-crazed dance numbers, and shirtless basketball (in jeans!). And that’s just in the first movie! Dhoom stars Abhishek Bachchan, Uday Chopra, and John Abraham. I...

Just like last week, our movie this week is all about overcoming obstacles. But this time, our real-life hero is fighting the system. How can a person achieve their dreams when so much of society is built to exclude them? Srikanth does it with a lot of snark, a lot of class, and A LOT of turning people's ignorant words against them. Srikanth stars Rajkummar Rao, Jyotika, and Alya F. It was directe...

We've had such a blast watching sports movies during the Olympics this summer. And our final sports movie brings us back to the very first gold medal won in any form of the Olympics for an independent India! Chandu Champion is truly a story of resilience and persevering against all odds-- so much so that if you didn't know it was a true story, you might think it was a little over the top. I mean r...

If there's one thing we learned from this week's movie, it's that women truly can do anything: conspire to break people out of jail, solve and commit murders, and dispose of bodies, all while caring for their families. Savi is a dark comedy that explores the importance of freedom in all its forms, and questions assumptions about what it means to be "just" a wife and mother. It was directed by Abhi...

In addition to all of the hard work that gets athletes to championships, world cups, and of course the Olympics, they've all also been touched by a little bit of luck. Superstition is deeply ingrained in sports of all kinds, but what happens when a team puts too much stock in luck, and not enough in their own grit? Our movie this week asks this question, and shows us how the flirtatious intermingl...

This week we're delivering not one, but two sports movies! But okay, maybe we cheated a bit-- because we watched both the Telugu original and the Hindi remake of the film Jersey. It's a story of triumph against all odds, and getting away with some rather selfish decisions under the guise of making sacrifices for your family. Jersey may not have had quite the emotional impact we were hoping for, bu...

The Olympics are almost here! And what better way to celebrate the world's best athletes than with a bunch of inspirational sports movies? This week, we're watching Chak De India, which tells the story of the Indian Women's Hockey team as they fight for the recognition they deserve. Though the film stars Shah Rukh Khan, it's really about the strong, scrappy, empowering, and gifted women who (spoil...

What's the only thing better than a movie about a heist? A movie about a heist starring a trio of fabulous women! Crew follows three flight attendants who opt for a life of crime when their airline goes bankrupt. Get ready to be charmed, to chuckle, and to crave chocolate truffles. Crew was directed by Rajesh Krishnan and stars Tabu, Kareena Kapoor, and Kriti Sanon. Like what you're hearing? Remem...

Happy (Belated) Birthday to our boy Ranveer Singh! In his honor, we're watching one of his most acclaimed films, Gully Boy. Ranveer's is just one of many spectacular performances in this movie, which is a vibrant commentary on classism, the power of art, and the general awfulness of white people (sorry, everyone). Alia Bhatt, Siddhant Chaturvedi, and Kalki Koechlin star alongside Ranveer. The film...

Who doesn't love a historical romance? We know we do! Almost as much as we love a handsome thief with a heart of gold, and a woman falling for a man below her station. Lucky for us, Lootera has all of the above, and more! The film was directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, and stars Ranveer Singh, Sonakshi Sinha, Barun Chanda, and Vikrant Massey. Like what you're hearing? Remember to follow us on TikTo...

Hi again friends! We're back after a 2 week break, and thrilled to be venturing once more into the wonderful world of Malayalam Language cinema. Kaathal depicts a closeted gay man publicly divorcing from his wife in the midst of a local election. It's a story that's told through silences, with phenomenal performances all around. Kaathal stars Mammootty and Jyotika, and was directed by Jeo Baby. Li...

Happy Pride Month, everyone! Also, it's our 75th(ish) episode! And how fitting that our movie this week celebrates a century if Bollywood? Bombay Talkies explores how cinema shapes our identities and brings us joy, comfort... and occasional frustrations. It features four short films from directors Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, and Anurag Kashyap. Reminder: we'll be taking a 2 week br...

Join us once more as we venture to Southern India, this time for a bit of violent fun! Our second Malayalam Language film might seem at first glance like a series of fights (that is, after all, its title). But closer investigation reveals complex relationships, unique storytelling, and… okay yes, quite a lot of fighting. Thallumaala was directed by Khalid Rahman and stars Tovino Thomas, Kalyani Pr...

We're fast-forwarding 23 years from Chandni, and watching the final Yash Raj film directed by Yash Chopra before his death. Despite the decades in between, Chopra's flair for the romantic and his ability to tell a sweeping love story that breaks your heart and makes your day are just as present here as they were in his earlier work. And while the slightly fantastical nature of Jab Tak Hai Jaan may...

This week's movie marks a bunch of firsts for us: our first film directed by Yash Chopra, our first film from before the 90s, and our first film starring the incomparable Sridevi! And we had so much fun, we can guarantee it won't be our last movie in any of these categories. It's pretty much impossible not to fall in love with Chandni's charm, bright colors, fantastical dance sequences, and of cou...

After Pathaan and Jawan, we were really looking forward to a little sweetness and silliness from our fave Bollywood boy. And while Shah Rukh was delightful as always, the emotional impact of a film like Dunki can't be ignored. While it doesn't exactly strike the ideal balance of comedy and drama, it sheds light on the important issue of dangerous immigration tactics, and left us thinking a lot abo...

You know we love our Bollywood Boys, but sometimes even we need a break. So this week, it's all about the ladies! Dhak Dhak tells the story of four women who venture into the Himalayas on a journey of growth and self-discovery. The film is truly a celebration of life, femininity, and the connections that make our journeys more meaningful. Dhak Dhak stars Ratna Pathak Shah, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Dia...

If you saw Top Gun: Maverick and thought boy, I wish they'd make a Bollywood movie like this... look no further! Fighter has all the slick plane antics, explosions, and attractive hot-headed pilots you could ever want from a film. And while we can't claim this is our favorite action flick directed by Siddharth Anand, it certainly gave us a lot to talk about. Fighter stars Hrithik Roshan, Deepika P...

Who among us doesn't occasionally fantasize about being fabulously wealthy? But a film like Murder Mubarak reminds us that upper crust folks have problems too. Problems like, for example, discovering the beets in their favorite health-conscious cocktail were planted alongside a dead body. It's extremely relatable, no matter your economic class. Murder Mubarak is based on the novel "Club You to Dea...

We've come to the end of the Baaghi series... for now! And this action-packed ride has all of the elements you've come to expect from the franchise-- seemingly insurmountable odds? Check! Top notch dance numbers? Check! A shirtless Tiger Shroff kicking his way to victory? (spoiler alert) Check! We can't wait to see who Ronnie goes up against in Baaghi 4. It has to be aliens, right? Baaghi 3 was di...

Bachna Ae Haseeno is a movie that really lives up to its name-- we should all be wary of heartbreakers! But what happens when a heartbreaker's own heart gets broken? Might we all be in store for a little heart repairing? Only one way to find out! Bachna Ae Haseeno stars Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Bipasha Basu, and Minissha Lamba. It was directed by Siddharth Anand. Like what you're hearing?...

This week's movie certainly gave us a lot to talk about-- the repercussions of toxic masculinity and excessive violence, what it means to protect the ones we love, the complicated dynamics between a father and son, our own complicated feelings of attraction towards the main character... but overwhelmingly we're left with the question of why was this movie made? Was it meant to address these import...