Bollywood is For Lovers

Strap on your invisibility bracelets Lovers, we’re teaming up to save the day with the one and only Mr. India ! Notes: Why doesn’t EPL want to buy Mr. India ? Shekhar Kapur Bandit Queen and “ The Great Indian Rape Trick ” Elizabeth , The Four Feathers , Elizabeth: The Golden Age The novelization of  Elizabeth Kapur’s many unrealized projects Mr. India Salim-Javed Fu Manchu and Zorro (INTERVAL (“ H...

It’s time for another midyear review where we discuss 12 of the most notable Hindi-language films released in the past six months. Notes: Looop Lapeta Gehraiyaan Badhaai Do Gangubai Kathiawadi Bachchhan Paandey Jalsa (INTERVAL (“ Ami Je Tomar ” from Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 ) Sharmaji Namkeen Heropanti 2 Thar Jayeshbhai Jordaar Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 Anek Next time: Anil Kapoor Bollywood is For Lovers is a me...

We set out on the back country trails with three modern takes on the western genre.  Notes: Content Warning: two of these films feature sexual assault as plot points What is a Western ? Did they die out?  The Emergency The period Hindi Westerns : The Magnificent Two ( Sholay ) Revisionist Hollywood Westerns, Dark Westerns, Blaxploitation Westerns, the list goes on We miss Irrfan Khan and Sushant S...

We go for a ride with three films about destructive car accidents and the wreckage they leave behind. Show notes: Did Erin invent a new genre? Class, privilege, and getting away with murder Chappaquiddick Shaitan Gregg Araki Anurag Kashyap’s unreleased Paanch The anti- Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na Matt was thinking of Very Bad Things (INTERVAL (“ Hawa Hawai ” from Shaitan ) Talaash: The Answer Lies Wit...

With the Criterion Channel now streaming the work of Guru Dutt, we discuss the acclaimed director’s most iconic film, Pyaasa .  Show notes: We upgraded our mic setup Criterion Channel’s The World of Guru Dutt Past episodes: Dev Anand’s Bombay Noir and Noir ‘58 Mr. Criterion:  Do Bigha Zamin  and  Shree 420 Bollywood doesn’t need Western validation, but accessibility is nice Pyaasa The Goddess Who...

We dust off our bats and take a swing at the World Cup with two cricket biopics. Show notes: Chess boxing Past sports episodes: 6 , 24 , 27 , & 118 M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story Is Neeraj Pandey on a downward streak? Dhoni really just wants to play soccer Why can’t these films afford decent wigs?! You shouldn’t have to be familiar with the subject matter to enjoy the film Dhoni is remarkable be...

We wrap up Madhuri Madness month with a look at Madhuri Dixit’s foray into streaming TV, the buzzy Netflix family mystery The Fame Game . Show notes: Supplemental Episode 3: Sri Rao's Bollywood Kitchen! The Fame Game Spoiler Zone: 37:06 - 45:00 NEXT TIME: Cricket Biopics Bollywood is For Lovers is a member of the Alberta Podcast Network Check out Three Kitchens Podcast ! Listen to Overdue Finds !...

March Madness is here, but it isn't basketball we're excited about, it's Madhuri Dixit! Kicking off our series on one of Bollywood's most talented leading ladies, we discuss two early roles.  Show notes: March Madness is a US college basketball thing The stans took over our Twitter poll Madhuri Dixit Anil Kapoor’s 80s: Mashaal, Chameli Ki Shaadi, and Tezaab Parinda Split Screen Podcast: The Hollyw...

We dive head-first into the buzzy new Netflix show about romantic obsession and small-town power, but is it worth more than an eye-roll? Show notes: Tried and Refused Productions' review Rahul Desai's review at  Film Companion Suchin Mehrotra's review at  Film Companion NEXT TIME: Madhuri Madness begins! Bollywood is For Lovers is a member of the Alberta Podcast Network Check out RUMI by ATCO List...

Happy Valentine's Day Lovers! We welcome back film critic, fellow podcaster, and romance aficionado Manish Mathur to discuss art imitating life with Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai in Guru .  Show notes: Welcome back Manish ! Remembering Lata Mangeshkar Are couples who work together in Hollywood cursed? Manish willed it into existence, Penélope Cruz got the Oscar nom! Iconic Bollywood power co...

Matt and Erin hand out the sixth annual BiFL Awards for 2021 achievements in Hindi Cinema.  Show notes: Karan Johar Memorial Award for Best Costume Design Sanju Award for Excellence in Hair Design Parineeti Chopra Award for Innovation in Makeup Design Humshackles Award for Most Appearances by an Actor in a Film Johnny Lever Award for Least amount of Effort Used in Constructing a Character Hero’s G...

Happy New Year Lovers! As always, we've spent the first weeks of the new year catching up with films from the previous year, and we're here to tell you about it.  Show notes: Haseen Dillruba Toofaan ( Episode 118 ) Mimi Shershaah Chehre Bhoot Police ( Episode 121 ) Sanak Sardar Udham ( Episode 125 ) (INTERVAL (“ Param Sundari ” from Mimi ) Hum Do Hamare Do Meenakshi Sundareshwar Sooryavanshi Bunty...

We bone up on our Indian history with three biopics about revolutionaries during the Indian independence movement. Show notes: The Indian independence movement lasted from 1857 to 1947, but keep in mind we are not experts in Indian history when listening to this episode... Episode 88: Playing With The Past:  Gandhi  and  Rang De Basanti  with Torrey Dance What we learned about India in history cla...

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 as a mystery city Racist sterotypes  Songs (INTERVAL “ Mera Naam Chin Chin Chuu " from Howrah Bridge ) 12 O'Clo...

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 club • Singham is the most important being that has ever existed • Rohit Shetty's Cop Universe (we haven't seen Sooryavans...

The witching hour is almost here, and we're not 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 including in Rahi Anil Barve's Tumbbad . Show Notes: Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror All the Haunts Be Ours: A Compe...

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 a seperate streaming service Our first Hindi Horror Halloween where we discuss  Go Goa Gone Obligatory “it was hard to find t...

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 of a poem in and as 2012 remake Bachchan’s voice Trash, Art, And The Movies on  Scarface s Split Screen Podcast: The Hollywood Remake Of...

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 with a bottle of Jack in 2009 Songs: “ Bunty Aur Babli ,” “ Nach Baliye ,” “ Chup Chup Ke ” and “ B n B ” (INTERVAL “ Kajra Re ” from Bunty...

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: Who's the Hottest Girl in the World? where we discuss Mary Kom Saala Khadoos / Irudhi Suttru “ Why top athletes work for Indian Railways ”...

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 by Anupama Chopra Baazigar Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa A Kiss Before Dying and the 1991 movie version Giallo Songs: “ Kitaben Bahut Si ,” “ Ae Mere Humsafar ,”...

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 The Terrorists? Take Them Out For You?  The Family Man  Can! NEXT TIME: SRK in Baazigar and Darr Bollywood is For Lovers is a member...

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 you are able to lend your support to the COVID-19 pandemic situation in India, here is a list of verified organizations to donate to: https://donate.indiacovidresources.in/ Tri...

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 Pagedar’s Twitter and Instagram NEXT TIME: 2021 midyear review Bollywood is For Lovers is a member of the Alberta Po...

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 sets The Criterion Collection and the Criterion Channel NYT: How the Criterion Collection Crops Out African-American Directors...