“22 tak padhai, 25 pe naukri, 26 pe chokri, 30 pe bachche, 60 pe retirement … aur phir maut ka intezaar … dhat aaisi ghisi piti life thodi jeena chahta hoon.”
(Study till 22, job at 25, marry at 26, kids at 30, retirement at 60 … and then wait for death … who wants to live such a boring life.)
To everyone who’s (sort of/really/kinda) interested in Bollywood, I present to you a Bollywood starter pack! These are a list of things you can do, watch or learn to discover this AMAZING thing called Bollywood. #proudIndian
Here’s a pre-requisite: (Why? Because McGill.) Stop what you’re doing and watch ‘3 Idiots’. NOW. More than 90% of the people I have met in many countries break the ice by asking me about this movie. Based on Chetan Bhagat’s novel, Five Point Someone, this is a story of three friends studying in an Indian engineering college.
Shah Rukh Khan (SRK): Also regarded as the ‘King Khan’ or ‘King of Bollywood’, he is one of the most famous international superstars coming from Bollywood. He’s witty, sarcastic and cocky by turn and always seems to have a comeback ready for every occasion. Here’s one that will leave you smiling:
Dancing: Yes, it’s true. We love dancing. Groovy dance numbers are regular in between movies. Most importantly, we DO NOT dance around on fields or behind trees. Not anymore, at least.
The Classics – these are some evergreen movies, loved by all. Binge watching is recommended!
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Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge: Longest-running film in Indian history. It ended a 1,009-week run at Mumbai’s Maratha Mandir in February, 2015.
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Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham: SRK adopted. SRK disowned. SRK re-instated. Or a rollercoaster of emotions. Too many feels.
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Kuchh Kuchh Hota Hai: The actress escapes the friend zone to marry widower BFF. That’s interesting enough.
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Sholay: One of the best, ever. Period.
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Devdas: Drinking is injurious to love. Quite evidently.
Guess who’s a part of 4 out of these 5 movies?
Masala: If you have Indian friends, this must be a common word for you. What is it? What does it mean? For starters, not all Bollywood films are Masala films, but Masala films can be uniquely identified as Indian. They are the cinematic equivalent of the assortment of spices used in Indian cooking. All the genres are thrown into the plot, producing something extremely different.
The Must Watch List – these are some movies you should definitely watch to satisfy your Bollywood craving:
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The Lunchbox: Can you fall in love with someone you haven’t met? If you like Lost in Translation, you’ll love this one.
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Queen: The movie follows a young Indian woman as she rediscovers herself after her engagement falls apart. She goes on her pre-planned honeymoon through Paris and Amsterdam…alone.
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Gangs of Wasseypur: Similarly to The Godfather series, Gangs of Wasseypur is a gloriously intense crime saga about an intergenerational family empire.
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Chak De! India: Shah Rukh Khan plays a disgraced former hockey player who has to unite a team of young women from around India to compete internationally. Chak De! India deals with communal and religious differences in India as the diverse team learns to work together.
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My Name is Khan: It’s about the protagonist’s journey to meet the President and tell him “My name is Khan and I am not a terrorist.”
This is a good way to start this exciting journey! Stay tuned for more articles on some particularly amazing Indian movies.
Images and information obtained from:
https://www.scoopwhoop.com/entertainment/srk-witty-quotes/#.0pdzh5rln
http://mashable.com/2015/10/22/20-years-ddlj/#kiAv15gLZkqp
http://beingindian.com/entertainment/one-line-plot-summary/
https://www.buzzfeed.com/ahmedaliakbar/bollywood-hollywood?utm_term=.qqA8mq2aN#.yk3Mx2038