Romantic Archives - Filmy Town

Dhadak 2 – film review

Dhadak 2 is a love story? Nah! It is a poignant conversation on privilege and what it means to have or not have it. Dhadak 2 is a spiritual sequel to the 2018 film by Shashank Khaitan and an official adaptation of the 2018 Tamil film Pariyerum Perumal (also the name of the male protagonist) by Mari Selvaraj that sheds light on caste based atrocities (we have left discrimination in the rearview mirror at this point). Within the first 5 minutes of Pariyerum Perumal, Mari Selvaraj shows you just how raw and real this journey is going to be. He does not hold back on the gut-wrenching, bone-chilling imagery (something that is seldom, if at all, seen in mainstream Indian cinema) that is not for the faint of heart. But that is the reality we live in, and he serves it right back, reminding us of the cruelty we have constructed in the name of society. Not only is the screenplay in on Mari� ....
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Saiyaara – movie review

Remember the Hollywood film - Fault in Our Stars? Or the new generation - the Korean romantic doomed love story - A moment to remember? Saiyaara is 'inspired' (polished form of conveying the idea) by these ill-fated love stories with gloss and an Indian flavour with new lead pair Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda with a predictable ending. No doubt the film hinges on the freshness and raw innocence of the lead pair of Ahaan Panday (Krish) and Aneet Padda (Vaani). Saiyaara is an evocative and heartfelt film that explores the complex tapestry of love, faith, and destiny. Ahaan Panday oozes raw energy that is in contrast to Aneet Padda's emotional scenes. Directed with finesse, the movie weaves a compelling narrative that keeps viewers engaged from start to finish. Though it stretches in the second half. The film tells the story of a young protagonist torn between tradition and modernity, ....
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Haseen Dillruba – movie review

'Jawani janeman haseen dillruba, mile do Dil Jawan nisar Ho Gaya, Shikari khud yahan shikar Ho Gaya' thus sang Parveen Babi in Namak Halaal at that time we never visualised or even thought in our wildest dreams that we will be viewing and reviewing two vastly different movies which are titled with the first two letters and then the subsequent two letters of the song. So we had a dud in Jawani Janeman of Saif not too long ago, my sympathies with Aliyah Furniturewala, now it's the turn of Haseen Dilruba which is aptly described in the follow up line of the song i.e. Shikari Khud yahan shikaar ho gaya, any which way you see it. Now streaming on Netflix fresh out of Bollywood oven - which has this as it's catch line 'A damsel in distress or a devil's mistress' presenting the effervescent 'Haseen Dillruba'. It is a frothy mix of many stories like Taming the Shrew, Unfaithful, Fatal Attr ....
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CHORI CHORI (1956)

A fun film from the AVM stables. Chori Chori was the last movie pairing Raj Kapoor and Nargis together ending an era of on and off screen romance between the two. It was adapted from the famous Hollywood movie with Clark Gable, Frank Capra’s ‘It Happened One Night’. Some fantastic music of that era was provided by the duo of Shankar Jaikishan who received the Filmfare award for the music rendered for the movie of romantic musical genre. Directed by Anant Thakur for AVM studios. Though Chori Chori was their last movie together but the on screen chemistry between Nargis and Raj Kapoor was still crackling. Apart from the lead the supporting star cast were also known faces of the Film Industry of that time including Pran, David, Johnny Walker and the duo of Gope and Bhagwandada (remember ‘Naam bade aur Darshan Chote’). The movie was in black and white but two of its songs were s ....
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AASHIQUI (1990)

This memorable movie made the Bhatt camp a formidable force in Bollywood. Aashiqui gave us two new faces and new hope Rahul Roy and Anu Aggarwal. Mahesh Bhatt had spotted Anu at a party. Settled in Paris she was already an International model (first Indian Super model) and had no interest to come to Bollywood but one thing in the script clinched her okay and that was when the heroine says “I want to do something of my own’ which was also her life philosophy. Anu Aggarwal was dark complexioned; which was a rarity in Bollywood during the 90s where people usually liked to see fair toned heroines, that notwithstanding she was accepted whole-hardheartedly. Rahul Roy was also spotted by Bhatt when he went to his mother Indira Roy's house to wish her. Though Aashiqui was a super-duper hit, it did not help in the careers of the lead actors as it should have due to various reasons, mayb ....
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SATYAM SHIVAM SUNDARAM (1978)

SATYAM SHIVAM SUNDARAM- ABOUT LOVE AND THE SPIRITUAL AWAKENING Based on the Hindu spiritual philosophy of Satyam Shivam Sundaram which means Satya or truth itself is the absolute divine Shiv which is the most beautiful in itself. This film is a story of rediscovering of truth, love and passion and difference between physical and spiritual love. It was Raj Kapoor’s opus which is remembered not so much for its content and message but more for Zeenat Aman’s sensuous portrayal in a blouse-less wet sari and under the waterfall. This movie did make a furor, even housewives discussing Zeenat’s bold look. This social themed film was released on 24th March 1978. What is hard to believe is that this role was developed keeping Lata Mangeshkar in mind. A heavenly voice which does not match with physical beauty, as written in the book 'Raj Kapoor Speaks' by Ritu Nanda. It is also believed ....
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EK DUUJE KE LIYE (1981)

This was a novel concept in Hindi movies and it was handled beautifully. Ek Duuje Ke Liye was a launch vehicle for Kamala Hassan in the Hindi film Industry. A rare phenomenon where a southern star acted in a Hindi film and the movie was a blockbuster hit. This paved way for many a real life love stories of North meets South and falls in love at the time. ‘Two States’ came much later. The film explored the North-South divide, or shall we say romance, in perspective. Released on 5th June 1981, Ek Duuje Ke Liye was green lighted by the famous South Indian Film Industry moghul L.V. Prasad who himself had acted in the first Indian Talkie ‘Alam Ara’ and also produced many a Hindi movies including ‘Milan’ to the last one being the period film ‘Jay Vijay’ most of his movies were directed by Southern directors like this one by the Dadasaheb Phalke award winner from Shri K. Bala ....
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Bobby (1973)

Bobby was released on 28 September 1973 and was an instant hit amongst the Young India of the time. Teenage love stories were hitherto unseen on the Indian screens. That too with absolutely fresh faced youngsters actually acting their own age. This movie launched the careers of both Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia in lead roles. Though it was planned with Rajesh Khanna in mind but as Raj Kapoor who was also it's Producer and Director and whose Mere Naam Joker had bombed badly on the silver screen, he is said to have not been able to afford Rajesh thus he launched his own son Rishi instead. Rest is now history. Bobby's fresh faced stars became the USP of this movie. Indian cinema was looking for fresh faces and they got them here. The story is about two teenagers coming from two different classes and religions of the society . Raj (Rishi Kapoor) is a son of a rich Hindu businessm ....
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KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI – 1998

After the huge success of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayege (DDLJ) and Dil Toh Pagal Hai (DTPH) this film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai was the next big film for Shah Rukh. Written and directed by Karan Johar who was himself an assistant director and also played a bit part in ‘DDLJ’, he seems to have taken inspiration from there for this, his directorial debut after which he went on to make many a big budgeted multi-starred blockbusters. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai was also a start of a special Actor- director relationship between Johar and Shah Rukh which has given us many a hits in the past. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai was released on 16th October 1998. Apart from India, it was filmed in many foreign locations a trend in the Bollywood movies at that time. It was also the movie which gave impetus to Rani Mukherjee’s almost defunct career, projecting her as a neo modern foreign educated girl, firmly entrenched in ....
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TEZAAB (1988)

A poignant offering of sorts, Tezaab is a story of the youth of the time by N. Chandra who had earlier made hard hitting films like Pratighaat and Ankush, this was his Magnum Opus. Tezaab literally means acid, is about injustice in society which creates rebelliousness in the youth, taking them to the wrong side of the law. Thus the youth who would have been the nation builders, are only fuming acid due to the system. Released 11th November 1988, Tezaab was the relaunch vehicle for Madhuri Dixit who achieved superstardom shaking her hips to the tunes of ‘Ek, do, teen’, before this she was seen in the forgettable ‘Abodh’. This also cemented Anil Kapoor’s place in the industry, a coming of age movie for him, which sort of typecast him in, on the edge rough roles mouthing the Bombay slang lingo. The story is about Mahesh Deshmukh aka Munna (Anil Kapoor) and his failed love ....
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