Dil Bole Hadippa!

January 8, 2011 at 21:00 (adaptation, comedy, cricket, romance)
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After a crazy work week I really needed to unwind with a fun movie. I have been meaning to watch Dil Bole Hadippa! (Heart Says Hurrah!) for a while, but never got around to it. As I started to watch it, it reminded me of one of my favorite childhood movies, Ladybugs. A coach dresses his step-son to be as a girl so his girls soccer team will stop losing. While this movie also puts a Twelfth Night spin to the story, switches the boy for a girl, and soccer becomes cricket, it was a lot of fun.

One thing I must say is, I have learned a lot about cricket now. After watching a few films, I began checking videos and read some  articles. I think I just about understand the basics. Wish I could see a match in person though (a 1 day match, not a 3 or 5 day one). As with most sport films, the movie culminates in a very exciting match where the result is down to one ball/run. I think I learned a lot more terminology from this movie and now know how one scores 4 runs and 6 runs with out actually running.

There was a lot of fun dance sequences and the music was fabulous. It was fun seeing “hey, micro mini!“, Rakhi Sawant, in another movie after Main Hoon Na. I read an article about her many year ago that she is a trained dancer, but have read more recently about some of her scandals as well. All that aside, she is pretty fun to watch. Shahid Kapoor is another actor who came onto my radar recently. I am really digging him. He is charming and has a serious smolder effect about him. I will be watching more of his movies for sure. And of course, Rani was top-notch as always. Fantastic as both Veera and Veer. Check out these songs for a sneak preview: “Discowale Khisko“, “Ishq Hi Hai Rab“, and “Bhangra Bistar“.

That’s it for now. Spreading the Bollywood love. XO

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Lagaan

December 16, 2010 at 00:16 (choreography, cinematography, costumes, cricket, drama, happy ending, hope, love story, musical, romance, uplifting)
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Lagaan was my first real Bollywood film and it surprised me in so many ways. Firstly, it was looooong. I had never watched a movie that long (almost four hours!), but what surprised me even more was I did not want it to end. Secondly, it had a lot about cricket in it. A sport that was never on my radar and I knew nothing about. And thirdly, it was a musical?!? I had not educated myself at all about Bollywood and had no clue what to expect.

Lagaan is, on the surface, about the oppression of an Indian village, during colonial times, by the taxes imposed by the local British cantonment. Rain has been scarce and crops scarcer. How does does one provide for their family and pay outrageous taxes (which is what Lagaan means, taxes)? Well, making a crazy bet with the British General might be their only hope. Under the surface, and what you take from the movie as you watch it, is hope and an unbreakable spirit. Every character holds that hope in their heart and puts it into learning and playing the game of their lives. There is also a lot of comedy, romance, signing, and dancing. The music is amazing and I could not get enough of it. I kept re-watching just the songs and trying to dance along. My favorites are “O Rey Chhori“, “Radha Kaise Na Jale“, and “Ghanan Ghanan” but they are all great songs.

My final surprise was Aamir Khan. He was such an amazing actor and quite handsome. He became my first Bollywood crush, but certainly not the last ;). I made a list of all the movies he had made (which is no small list), and started to look for them online. I found many for purchase on eBay and they even came 3 or 4 at a time. I also had discovered a CD with songs from Lagaan and other films. If I liked the song I looked for the film. Movies led to actors/actresses/music and then onto other movies. And that is how an obsession starts, my friends.

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