David reads books

Some Indian movies

I've watched a few Indian themed movies lately. While none of them were masterpieces they were certainly fun and enjoyable to wait. I hope Bollywood can start to challenge Hollywood in coming years.

Outsourced -- Anyone that has travelled to India will identify with some of the experiences that Todd has when he arrives in India. The basic story line is that a manager from a US company gets sent to India to set up a new call centre. Of course Todd (Josh Hamilton) ends up learning a lot more about India than he ever imagined. Todd's romance with Asha (Ayesha Dharker) is a focal point of the movie.

The Darjeeling Limited - This film was shot in India but it doesn't really have any deep insights into Indian culture. India just forms a spectacular and interesting backdrop rather than being essential to the film. The film is the story of three brothers who go to India to search for their mother. Most of the film is set on a train which gives a distinctively Indian twist to the road movie genre.

The short film Hotel Chevalier forms a sort of prequel to the movie. It stars Natalie Portman and Jason Schwartzman. It is about the meeting of two lovers in a Paris hotel room. It was included on the DVD that I rented. The short is elegantly executed and worth watching.

Bride and Prejudice - Jane Austen could never have imagined what would have happened if her novel was given a setting in a modern Indian family. This is a classic Bollywood tale with all the dialogue in English and several big song and dance numbers.

The Mistress of Spices - Aishwarya Rai plays a starring role in this film which is set in San Francisco. The story line is a fairly simple romance and fails to achieve its potential. The movie really needed to adopt a more serious tone or else lighten up with more comedy and musical elements. The beautifully shot scenes of the spice shop are a highlight.

Labels: movies

posted by David @ 7:03 AM