Bollywood Film Recommendations

[SanFranBear]

I've recently joined an international movie club and its been fab.. this month, to celebrate Diwali, we focused on movies from India and I have fallen in love with Bollywood films.

So far, on recommendations from friends I've watched:

• Sholay - what an absolute belter of a film, the most fun I've had in ages.. so multi-faceted with a beautiful friendship at it's heart! Just wonderful!
• Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge - another really fun movie and I loved the transition from Europe and the UK to the traditions and celebration in India
• Grand Masti - didnt realise this was a sequel and not sure I'll be watching the first one as all a bit dated and misogynistic but there were some really daft bits in it and a couple of banging songs
• Kalki 2898 AD - epic, big screen blockbuster which I got really sucked into and really looking forward to the next installment
• Kuch Kuch Hota Hai - just pressed play on this one.. its got 5 stars on Prime so am hoping it'll be fab although off to a pretty tragic start!

Thanks so much - I'm really looking forward to exploring more. I think some of the above are described as Masala movies (mixture of all genres) but I'd love more recommendations (and where they can be watched if you know).

Thank you so much for the ongoing recommendations.. I've been quite ill since Xmas so have been sleeping a lot but made it onto the sofa to watch Darr this evening.

Well - that was unexpected.. ole Shah Ruhk Khan was the baddie!! I kept expecting him to mess up but he just kept escalating and going harder until he's battling with an actual axe! I loved this so thank you @Mrs86... the slapstick nature of some bits were fabulous even though it did take itself quite seriously at other points - loving when Special Ops Husband manages to take out a whole boat of terrorists with his trusty knife - amazing!

Lol, they're so bad they're good sometimes. If you liked Darr, see if you can find one called Anjaam (shahrukh khan and Madhuri Dixit)!

Still feeling rough so Bollywood is the complete tonic although my lovely boyfriend has been 'forced' to sit through them too so I've avoided the out and out Romance ones..

So we watched Dhoom 2 (which was even more daft than the first one.. although so fascinated by Hrithik Roshan, the badguy, as he has two thumbs!!)

And then tonight we watched Ghajini which had Aamir Khan, as recommended by @MrsBennetsPoorNerves - well, any of his movies really! What a completely unexpected film - really felt like two films in one; hard, gritty revenge movie vs fluffy, Day-Glo love story! Really really odd but strangely watchable! I came expecting Memento but got something completely different!

Bollywood continues to absolutely surprise and delight me... I will continue to work through your recommendations as they're bloody brilliant!

Happy New Year is a total and utter joy, a comedy heist romance. It's a very very long film but when you've got to the end, still watch the credits as even they are a delight. You know you are in for a good time when in the first 10 mins someone is throwing a bucket of water at SRK's torso...

Oh madhumati!

Ooh... now that sounds like fun! Perfect timing too 😁

Back to real life and work and school runs and responsibility as of tomorrow so may try and find this to throw myself into tonight (although 'very long' is giving me slight pause!)

OMG - it's on Netflix ❤️

I know I've been pretty quiet but it's not because I've not been watching - although admittedly, only caught two since my last post 😁

Finally took Prime's major hints and watched Kal Ho Naa Ho which was actually really fun - I loved hearing SRK's English accent and some of the songs were absolutely batshit... the dancing in the club was so much fun though - mind you, I'm in no hurry to hear SRK rap again!

And then Padmaavat! Oh my goodness, MooMinCow - what an epic, gorgeous, beautifully acted film! The sets and grandeur of the whole thing was wonderful and I thought Ranveer Singh was incredible! The only other thing I'd seen him in was 'Rocky aur Rani' and talk about chalk and cheese - he definitely scrubs up way better as a 14th century sultan! Loved this so much!

A friend in my international movie club has recommended Kill and I can see that has recently come onto Prime so, not expecting much singing or dancing but have been reliably informed that it's ridiculous - so sounds amazing!!

I'd recommend
Houseful- such a hilarious movie
Dostana
om shanti om
Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai
dabangg
3 idiots
dil toh pagal hai

If you want something different movies I've loved are:

Highway (Alia Bhatt is a truly amazing actress)

Barfi (staring Ranbir Kapoor who comes from a family that is there generations of excellent actors - and he's married to Alia Bhatt)

Lootera (starring Ranveer Singh, not a big commercial movie, it's so sensitive, stunning and will stay with you for a long time)

Agree with you that Siddharth Malhorta is beautiful, so would recommend his debut movie which is absolutely Bollywood, full of bright colours, big dancer numbers, Siddharth with his top off - but also has soft centre that's explores male friendship. It's called Student of the Year (avoid the more recent sequel).

Oooh... even more recommendations! This is wonderful, thank you all so much 😊

Shershah - amazing songs!
Salam Namaste
Raees

@ArcheryAnnie - I've just watched Happy New Year and what a fantastically ridiculous film 😆 Firmly Team India here!

And you're right - the credits are the best I've watched in a long while... all films should end like that! And Baby Shah Rukh Khan... adorable 🥰

My film club has moved onto Chinese New Year so I should be watching some Chinese films but I just can't help myself...!

I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

Re the final on-the-stage scene, my son declared that one of his ambitions is to, one day, "...walk into a room like Shah Rukh Khan". What an entrance!

Jodha Akbar
Zindagi na milaga do baara

"...walk into a room like Shah Rukh Khan"

That's quite the ambition, he has a LOT of presence!

I've just watched him in Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (as my international club has moved onto Romance for Valentines and who does that better than SRK 😉) along with an absolute stellar cast.. First time I've seen him in a sex scene, although still no actual smooching - presume it's written into his contract, no onscreen kisses, as he has never locked lips with any of his many beautiful costars that I've seen.

I can see Student of the Year is on Netflix - the 2012 one with Sidharth Malhotra - so may treat myself tomorrow, @RachelGreensHair.

So is Raees, @Ineedpeaceandquiet which looks a real departure for Shah Rukh Khan so am also tempted with that!

Too many movies, not enough time!

I've had a bit of time at home the last ten days or so and have caught a few movies...

Firstly, I watched Kill which has to be the most over-dramatic, far fetched thing but my goodness it was absolutely fabulous! Just endless death, stabbing, gore, screaming and kick ass action! Honestly, as long as you don't mind a lot of blood and wincing, I can't recommend it enough!

Then, in the spirit of all things love and romance, I caught Parineeta with my bf yesterday! I know Sanjay Dutt is a bit of a legend but I was a bit boggled as to how he was so 'attractive' in this film - he seemed just too old to play the romantic rival - and against Saif Ali Khan, I mean.. as if there would be competition (although fully aware I don't understand the culture of 1960's Calcutta!)

And just pressed play on Student of the Year, @RachelGreensHair and Sidharth Malhotra has just made his entrance! This is going to be fuuuuuun!!

Let me know what you think :)

Another one recommending Om Shanti Om.
I caught the start of it one night and got so engrossed I sat and watched all of it.

Dil Chata hai is a movie I go back to rewatch. I caught it on the tv’s at the gym many years ago and even tho there was no sound it really grabbed me. It’s a great story and very different from the usual movies. I did watch it again with the sound lol.

@RachelGreensHair - it was such a lovely film.. daft, of course (Sudo summed it up well in his 'burn it with fire' speech towards the end) but it was a lovely story of friendship. Have to say though, none of the boys or girls I was at sixth form or Uni with looked anything like the chiseled, taut, stunning cast!

And today, as I was out stupidly early hiking, had a lazy afternoon and finally watched the very first recommendation on this thread from @MrsBennetsPoorNerves - Khabi Kush Khabie Gham! What an absolute marathon of a film - has to watch it in a couple of sessions but that didn't stop me being completely sucked in and I did shed a tear at the final reconciliation. So much beautiful dancing and fabulous costumes and, once again, their houses were absolutely incredible! I want to know what SRK did in the 10 years from being disowned with nothing to being able to have that absolutely amazing house in London? Kajol was so young and lovely as well - great recommendation, thank you!

Awww glad you enjoyed it!

Most movies with Kajol in them are great :)

She was also in Student of the Year, just a quick cameo in the Dance Competition but I was like.. "I know her"!! Beautiful woman.

I've been a bit quiet but have been watching a few little bits here and there.

Netflix has been bugging me about Raees so on @Ineedpeaceandquiet 's recommendation, I watched this the other night. I really enjoyed it - good to see SRK in a different role from charming, ever so slightly bumbling love interest (although of course, there was a bit of that!) Spoiler incoming but I can't believe the ending - surely the police couldn't just do that with no consequences - insane!!

I've got zero plans this coming weekend (before my month goes a little crazy), so I think I'm going to definitely catch up on some of your recommendations, hunker down a bit and have a Bollywood Weekend 😍

My lovely film club has moved onto 'March Madness', in celebration of all things sport so I did a bit of a search on Prime and was delighted to see lots of Bollywood movies - so I can take some to my meeting but also indulge myself somewhat 😁

I watched Chak De India on Friday night to ease myself into the weekend and it was everything I hoped it'd be - a little cheesy and predictable but lots of heart. Sadly, no dances with hockey sticks, but you can't have it all! SRK was great too - a nice, understated role for a change.

Then yesterday, in a combo celebration with IWD, I watched Dil Bole Hadippa, where the stunning Rani Mukerji disguised herself as a man so she could take part in a cricket match. She made a surprisingly convincing man but I thought the character of Veer was really annoying 😆Again, lots of cheese and predictability but there was some dancing this time and all in all, a lovely way to relax!

I've got lots of bits and pieces to do today but I'm hoping to find time to squeeze one more in.. but I might avoid the sport and catch one of your recommendations instead... as I keep saying, so many films and not enough time!