Bollywood Is For Lovers

Matt and Erin hand out the sixth annual BiFL Awards for 2021 achievements in Hindi Cinema.  Show notes: Karan Johar Memorial Award for Best Costume Design Sanju Award for Excellence in Hair Design Parineeti Chopra Award for Innovation in Makeup Design Humshackles Award for Most Appearances by an Actor in a Film Johnny Lever Award for Least amount of Effort Used in Constructing a Character Hero’s Girlfriend Award for Biggest Waste of an Actress’ Talent Chulbul Pandey Lifetime Achievement Award in Dirty Cop-ness Race 2 Award for Accomplishments in Narrative Design Ayushmann Khurrana Award for Film Most Likely to Cure a Societal Taboo Most Unnecessary Sequel Award Talaash Award for Most Obvious Twist Next time: Manish Mathur returns to celebrate Valentine’s Day! Bollywood is For Lovers is a member of the Alberta Podcast Network Listen to Kyle & Dave vs the Machine Check out ATB Cares Find us on Apple Podcasts! and Stitcher! and audioBoom! and iHeartRadio! and Spotify! and Google Podcasts!

Happy New Year Lovers! As always, we've spent the first weeks of the new year catching up with films from the previous year, and we're here to tell you about it.  Show notes: Haseen Dillruba Toofaan (Episode 118) Mimi Shershaah Chehre Bhoot Police (Episode 121) Sanak Sardar Udham (Episode 125) (INTERVAL (“Param Sundari” from Mimi) Hum Do Hamare Do Meenakshi Sundareshwar Sooryavanshi Bunty Aur Babli 2 Bob Biswas Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui (Gazal Dhaliwal for Film Companion) Atrangi Re Next time: Manish Mathur returns to celebrate Valentine's Day! Bollywood is For Lovers is a member of the Alberta Podcast Network Listen to Book Women Check out ATB Cares Find us on Apple Podcasts! and Stitcher! and audioBoom! and iHeartRadio! and Spotify! and Google Podcasts! Thank you to Becca Dalke for the artwork! Follow us on Twitter! Like us on Facebook! #Bollywood, #Bollywood2021, #HindiCinema, #HaseenDillruba, #Toofan, #Mimi, #Shershaah, #Chehre, #BhootPolice, #Sanak, #SardarUdham, #HumDoHamareD

We bone up on our Indian history with three biopics about revolutionaries during the Indian independence movement. Show notes: The Indian independence movement lasted from 1857 to 1947, but keep in mind we are not experts in Indian history when listening to this episode... Episode 88: Playing With The Past: Gandhi and Rang De Basanti with Torrey Dance What we learned about India in history class (basically nothing) Cycles of revolution: the 1857 Sepoy Uprising inspires HRSA in the 20s and 30s, inspires the assassination of O’Dwyer in 1940 Mangal Pandey: The Rising The “cartridge controversy”, as explained in Flashman in the Great Game (George Macdonald Fraser, 1975) BSD performances “Good” English-language villain actors The Legend of Bhagat Singh Non-cooperation movement Is Ajay Devgn too old to play Bhagat Singh? (INTERVAL “Rasiya” from Mangal Pandey) Sardar Udham Vicky Kaushal is having an amazing year Shoojit Sircar’s directorial range Jallianwala Bagh massacre Koozhangal (Pebbles) and Indi

In our annual Noirvember episode, we discuss two moody murder mysteries from 1958.  Show notes: Our Noirvember playlist As we always point out, film noir is not a genre "The Rebirth of India's Forgotten Cinema in the Age of the Internet" Tommydan55 and Tommydan333 Howrah Bridge Kolkata as a mystery city Racist sterotypes  Songs (INTERVAL “Mera Naam Chin Chin Chuu" from Howrah Bridge) 12 O'Clock Johnny Walker Matt was thinking of Shaan Are fortune tellers admissible in court? "Filmfare recommends: Best Bollywood noir films of the '50s" Songs NEXT TIME: Freedom fighter biopics Bollywood is For Lovers is a member of the Alberta Podcast Network Listen to The Well Endowed Podcast Check out Rumi Find us on Apple Podcasts! and Stitcher! and audioBoom! and iHeartRadio! and Spotify! and Google Podcasts! Thank you to Becca Dalke for the artwork! Follow us on Twitter! Like us on Facebook! #Noirvember, #HowrahBridge, #ShaktiSamanta, #AshokKumar, #Madhubala, #K.N.Singh, #MadanPuri,

Sooryavanshi has finally unloaded itself into theatres and our good friend and cinephile Devin Bruce has dropped by to discuss Rohit Shetty’s ethically questionable Cop Universe. Show notes: Heads up, one of these films deals with sexual violence. • Devin's in the three-timers club • Singham is the most important being that has ever existed • Rohit Shetty's Cop Universe (we haven't seen Sooryavanshi yet) • Singham • When Indian action movies get memeified • Buford T. Justice is actually in Smokey and the Bandit, I apologize to everyone this offended. Walking Tall is about Sheriff Buford Pusser • Backpfeifengesicht, a "face that should be slapped" • Pervasive police corruption and brutality in Hindi film • Singham Returns (INTERVAL "Singham" from Singham) • Singham's relationship with '80s American action flicks • "Copaganda" • Matt's "Bad Cop, Bad Cop" list on letterboxd • Singham vs. Dabangg, which is more fascist? • "Ranveer Ching Returns" • Simmba • "Aankh Marey" • The real-l

The witching hour is almost here, and we're not done with our annual Hindi Horror Halloween! Inspired by Kier-La Janisse's Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched, we explore the folk horror subgenre and how we see it being realized in Hindi-langauge filmmaking including in Rahi Anil Barve's Tumbbad. Show Notes: Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror All the Haunts Be Ours: A Compendium of Folk Horror box set Matt's interview with Kier-La Janisse (and his interview with Caelum Vatnsdal) Spectacular Optical "Where to begin with folk horror" by Adam Scovell Unholy Trinity: Witchfinder General, Blood on Satan’s Claw, and The Wicker Man Matt's article on Jeremy Shaw Popular folk horror films Why is folk horror so popular?  Our list of Hindi-language folk horror Supplemental Episode 11: Brian Collins’ Bollywood Horrors (INTERVAL “Tumbbad Title Track" from Tumbbad) Tumbbad Cosmic Horror and The King in Yellow (Yellow King Theory) Spoiler zone: 1:01:11 to 1:06:09 The curse of competen

It’s our seventh annual Hindi Horror Halloween! This year we watch a pair of films about non-believers confronting the supernatural and using supersitition to their advantage.  Show Notes: We are doing two Hindi Horror Halloween episodes this year In Canada Hotstar is still a seperate streaming service Our first Hindi Horror Halloween where we discuss Go Goa Gone Obligatory “it was hard to find the films we wanted to watch” discussion Why are they putting brocoli on pizza? Pizza (2014) Pizza (2012) Spoiler zone: 15:26 - 21:30 Ghosts love Delhi Belly No thematic development What Erin really pays attention to while watching a movie (INTERVAL “Aayi Aayi Bhoot Police” from Bhoot Police) Bhoot Police Spitting up ectoplasm and Extra Ordinary. How old should you be to watch Evil Dead? How Arjun Kapoor got his flavour back Fraternal and sororal bonds NEXT TIME: folk horror Bollywood is For Lovers is a member of the Alberta Podcast Network Listen to Read Along Check out Taproot Edmonton S

We take a big leap in our Amitabh Bachchan series and jump over the late 80s into the early 90s with two explosive crime movies. Show Notes: What happened to Bachchan between 1985 and 1989? Erin does not understand the Indian Parliament  Agneepath First instance of a poem in and as 2012 remake Bachchan’s voice Trash, Art, And The Movies on Scarfaces Split Screen Podcast: The Hollywood Remake Of 'Parinda' Shakti Kapoor saves the day Mory Kanté (INTERVAL “Jumma Chumma De De” from Hum) Hum Songs: “Sanam Mere Sanam” and “Kagaj Kalam” Govinda’s sexy period Rajnikanth seems happy to be there Which actress should we dedicate a series to? NEXT TIME: (Funny?) Bhoots  Bollywood is For Lovers is a member of the Alberta Podcast Network Listen to Book Women Check out Taproot Edmonton Find us on Apple Podcasts! and Stitcher! and audioBoom! and iHeartRadio! and Spotify! and Google Podcasts! Thank you to Becca Dalke for the artwork! Follow us on Twitter! Like us on Facebook! #MukulSAnan

Abhishek Bachchan tries to con his way into our hearts in two crime comedies from 2005.  Show Notes: We’re back!  Bunty Aur Babli A good year for Rani Mukerji and Amitabh Bachchan The media claims there are IRL Bunties and Bablies Kesha first brushed her teeth with a bottle of Jack in 2009 Songs: “Bunty Aur Babli,” “Nach Baliye,” “Chup Chup Ke” and “B n B” (INTERVAL “Kajra Re” from Bunty Aur Babli ) Bluffmaster! Riteish, no Deshmukh We are all just fish waiting to be conned A long, necessary ramble about Electric Circus Piggy Chops’ rap “Right Here Right Now,” NEXT TIME: Bachchan '85 - '87 Bollywood is For Lovers is a member of the Alberta Podcast Network Listen to It’s A Conspiracy Check out YEGPodfest Find us on Apple Podcasts! and Stitcher! and audioBoom! and iHeartRadio! and Spotify! and Google Podcasts! Thank you to Becca Dalke for the artwork! Follow us on Twitter! Like us on Facebook! #AbhishekBachchan, #RaniMukerji, #AmitabhBachchan, #BuntyAurBabli, #PriyankaChop

With Toofan now streaming on Amazon Prime, we lace up our gloves and climb in the ring to discuss three films about boxers.  Show Notes: Matt’s fist fighting past Boxing movies Class in boxing movies It’s Jim Brown in Mars Attacks! Episode 6 -  Priyanka Chopra: Who's the Hottest Girl in the World? where we discuss Mary Kom Saala Khadoos/Irudhi Suttru “Why top athletes work for Indian Railways”  “Vaa Machaney” (INTERVAL (“Toofan” from Toofan) Mukkabaaz Power and corruption  “Paintra” Toofan Before every podcast, Matt remembers every podcast he has podcasted Biopic vibes Episode 24: Sports! where we discuss Bhaag Milkha Bhaag “Todun Taak” and “Star Hai Tu” NEXT TIME: we are taking a break, talk to you in September! Bollywood is For Lovers is a member of the Alberta Podcast Network Listen to The Future Of Check out Taproot Edmonton Find us on Apple Podcasts! and Stitcher! and audioBoom! and iHeartRadio! and Spotify! and Google Podcasts! Thank you to Becca Dalke for the artwor

We go back to 1993 to see how our beloved romantic hero Shah Rukh Khan shot to stardom in a pair of thrillers where he plays murderous obsessives.  Show Notes: The darkness in Shah Rukh Khan Comparisons to Sarah Michelle Gellar  King of Bollywood by Anupama Chopra Baazigar Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa A Kiss Before Dying and the 1991 movie version Giallo Songs: “Kitaben Bahut Si,” “Ae Mere Humsafar,” “Baazigar O Baazigar,” and “Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhen” (INTERVAL (“Jaadu Teri Nazar” from Darr) Darr Is this film wholesome? Norman Bates The Bollywood stalker Songs: “Darwaza Band Karlo,” “Ang Se Ang Lagana,” “Solah Button Meri Choli,” “Likha Hai Yeh,” “Tu Mere Saamne” SRK and Juhi Chawla jodi NEXT TIME: boxing movies! Bollywood is For Lovers is a member of the Alberta Podcast Network Listen to Book Women Check out Taproot Edmonton’s The Pulse Find us on Apple Podcasts! and Stitcher! and audioBoom! and iHeartRadio! and Spotify! and Google Podcasts! Thank you to Becca Dalke for the artwor

Our favourite unobservant husband/intelligence officer/clueless father is back, and this time he's off to Chennai to stop a new threat because he loves the game (and we love him)! Show Notes: Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Netflix and Dil: Who Can Stop The Terrorists? Take Them Out For You? The Family Man Can! NEXT TIME: SRK in Baazigar and Darr Bollywood is For Lovers is a member of the Alberta Podcast Network Check out The Future Of Listen to The Well Endowed Podcast Find us on Apple Podcasts! and Stitcher! and audioBoom! and iHeartRadio! and Spotify! and Google Podcasts! and Saavn! and Hubhopper! Thank you to Becca Dalke for the artwork! Follow us on Twitter! Like us on Facebook! #TheFamilyMan, #TheFamilyManSeason2. #ManojBajpayee. #Priyamani, #SharibHashmi, #AshleshaThakur, #VedantSinha, #Samantha, #SamanthaAkkineni, #RavindraVijay, #SharadKelkar, #SeemaBiswas, #Devadarshini, #AbhayVerma, #AmazonPrimeVideo, #HindiTV, #SpyThriller

We made it to June, which means it’s time for our midyear review where we discuss all the notable Hindi-language films that were released in the first half of 2021, or at least the ones we bothered to watch.  Show Notes: If you are able to lend your support to the COVID-19 pandemic situation in India, here is a list of verified organizations to donate to: https://donate.indiacovidresources.in/ Tribhanga The Girl on the Train Bombay Rose Roohi Time to Dance Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar Saina (INTERVAL (“Faraar” from Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar) Pagglait Koi Jaane Na The Big Bull Hello Charlie Radhe Skater Girl Sherni NEXT TIME: The Family Man Season 2 Bollywood is For Lovers is a member of the Alberta Podcast Network Listen to The Well Endowed Podcast Check out Rumi Find us on Apple Podcasts! and Stitcher! and audioBoom! and iHeartRadio! and Spotify! and Google Podcasts! Thank you to Becca Dalke for the artwork! Follow us on Twitter! Like us on Facebook! #Tribhanga,#TheGirlonthe

We are thrilled to welcome creators, directors, and writers of OK Computer Pooja Shetty and Neil Pagedar to discuss their influences, worldview, and the making of our favourite science fiction comedy mystery series.   Show Notes: OK Computer Pooja Shetty’s Twitter and Instagram Neil Pagedar’s Twitter and Instagram NEXT TIME: 2021 midyear review Bollywood is For Lovers is a member of the Alberta Podcast Network Check out Park Power Listen to The Well Endowed Podcast Find us on Apple Podcasts! and Stitcher! and audioBoom! and iHeartRadio! and Spotify! and Google Podcasts! and Saavn! and Hubhopper! Thank you to Becca Dalke for the artwork! Follow us on Twitter! Like us on Facebook! #NeilPagedar, #PoojaShetty, #OKComputer, #ScienceFiction, #SciFi, #ScienceFictionTV, #SciFiTV, #IndianTV, #IndianTVShows, #HotStar, #VijayVarma, #RadhikaApte, #KaniKusruti, #ArtificialIntelligence, #AI, #Cyberpunk, #CyberNoir, #TechNoir

Our favourite boutique film label, Criterion, has finally acknowledged Hindi cinema with two series on their streaming channel devoted to acclaimed filmmakers Bimal Roy and Raj Kapoor.  Show Notes: We checked the list, we have 133 Criterion films including the Eclipse box sets The Criterion Collection and the Criterion Channel NYT: How the Criterion Collection Crops Out African-American Directors This is the podcast where the Bollywood boxset rumours come from Episode 69 on Raj Kapoor and episode 87 on Madhumati Directed by Bimal Roy at the Criterion Channel Do Bigha Zamin Erin saw this film in her proletarian literature course Bicycle Thieves and Italian neorealism Cinema is always political Songs: “Dharti Kahe Pukaar Ke,” “Hariyala Sawan Dhol Bajata,” “Ajab Teri Duniya Hai Mere,” and “Aa Ri Aaja Nindiya Tu” (INTERVAL (“Ramaiya Vastavaiya” from Shree 420) Three by Raj Kapoor on the Criterion Channel Shree 420 Section 420 Charlie Chaplin’s Tramp “Mera Joota Hai Japani” Songs: “Dil Ka Haa

Do you like robots? Yes! What about killer robots? Oh robots don’t kill you say? We’ll see about that! We get to the bottom of Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics with Hotstar’s new sci-fi-comedy-mystery series OK Computer. Show Notes: If you are able to lend your support to the COVID-19 pandemic situation in India, here is a list of verified organizations to donate to: https://donate.indiacovidresources.in/ Ok Computer Kani Kusruti Cyberpunk NEXT TIME: Criterion Channel Bollywood is For Lovers is a member of the Alberta Podcast Network Check out NorthwestFest and Taproot Edmonton: People’s Agenda Find us on Apple Podcasts! and Stitcher! and audioBoom! and iHeartRadio! and Spotify! and Google Podcasts! and Saavn! and Hubhopper! Thank you to Becca Dalke for the artwork! Follow us on Twitter! Like us on Facebook! #OKComputer, #VijayVarma, #RadhikaApte, #KanuKusruti, #RasikaDugal, #JackieShroff, #AnandGandhi, #NeilPagedar, #PoojaShetty, #Hotstar, #IndianScienceFiction, #Scifi, #HindiTV

Karen Unland is back to discuss to two Indian adapatations of classic Jane Austen novels.  Show Notes: Welcome back Karen Unland of That’s A Thing?! Teen culture is all about remixing That’s A Thing?!: “New life for Clone High, fake life for VTubers” Jane Austen Hollywood’s love of Austen Where are all the LGBTQ2S+ Austen adaptations? Are we living in another Austen moment? (INTERVAL (“By The Way” from Aisha) Bride and Prejudice Gurinder Chadha Why wont HBO let Indira Varma live? Pride and Prejudice This is not a Bollywood film “No Life Without Wife” and “My Lips Are Waiting (Goa Groove)” Aisha Emma and Clueless Abhay Deol is a snack Women making movies for women Songs: “Sham,” “Behke Behke,” and “Gal Mitthi Mitthi” NEXT TIME: OK Computer Bollywood is For Lovers is a member of the Alberta Podcast Network Listen to Is This For Real Check out ATB Cares Find us on Apple Podcasts! and Stitcher! and audioBoom! and iHeartRadio! and Spotify! and Google Podcasts! Thank you to Becca

In this supplemental episode we discuss Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ new memoir, Unfinished, and her latest film project, The White Tiger. Show Notes: 66th Filmfare Awards (the video Matt watched full of spoilers) Unfinished by Priyanka Chopra Jonas “73 Questions with Priyanka Chopra” Episode 6: Priyanka Chopra: Who's the Hottest Girl in the World? The White Tiger PCJ getting fashion advice from Tika NEXT TIME: Austen adaptations Bollywood is For Lovers is a member of the Alberta Podcast Network Listen to Nait’s Career Essentials  Check out Taproot Edmonton Find us on Apple Podcasts! and Stitcher! and audioBoom! and iHeartRadio! and Spotify! and Google Podcasts! and Saavn! and Hubhopper! Thank you to Becca Dalke for the artwork! Follow us on Twitter! Like us on Facebook! #PriyankaChopraJonas, #PriyankaChopra, #Unfinished, #TheWhiteTiger, #AdarshGourav, #RajkummarRao, #Netflix, #Bollywood, #IndianCinema

Happy Pi Day Lovers! To celebrate we’ve invited our friend Amanda Mullins on to discuss two films about women and math. Show Notes: Welcome Amanda Mullins! Erin may or may not have made cherry pie today Studying maths Erin claims to like math Math stereotypes in movies Number sense The Futurama Theorem Gender stereotypes of mathematicians in pop culture (INTERVAL (“Pass Nahi Toh Fail Nahi” from Shakuntala Devi) Nil Battey Sannata Remakes: Amma Kanakku and Udaharanam Sujatha “Hard work sucks and I hate doing it” Monte Carlo simulations Shakuntala Devi, the film Shakuntala Devi, the person Numberwang Discrete math Would you hire someone to perform math? Bad Bollywood wigs syndrome Her book on homosexuality NEXT TIME: PCJ’s memoir Bollywood is For Lovers is a member of the Alberta Podcast Network Listen to What’s the Tsismis? Check out ATB’s The Future Of Find us on Apple Podcasts! and Stitcher! and audioBoom! and iHeartRadio! and Spotify! and Google Podcasts! Thank you to Becc

We continue to explore Amitabh Bachchan’s filmography, one year at a time.  Show Notes: How we choose the movies for this series (hint: it’s random) We couldn’t find Coolie Thank you Rajat Dikshit Khud-Daar The theme of reuniting the family Matt wants more tall man comedy Flying car song: “Hat Ja Bajoo Nahin To Uda Doonga” Dishoom “From Bombay With Love” “Angrezi Mein Kehte Hain I Love You” and “Disco 82″ (INTERVAL (“Disco 84″ from Inquilaab) Nastik 3 movies for the price of one “Aaj Ka Ye Din Kal Ban Jayega” Inquilaab Bachchan as a police officer? “Aaj Abhi Yahi,” “Bichhoo Lad Gaya” and “Abhimanyu Chakravyuh Mein” Spoiler zone from 57:51 to 1:02:00 NEXT TIME: ladies doing math Bollywood is For Lovers is a member of the Alberta Podcast Network Listen to Kyle and Dave vs the Machine Check out The Well Endowed Podcast Find us on Apple Podcasts! and Stitcher! and audioBoom! and iHeartRadio! and Spotify! and Google Podcasts! Thank you to Becca Dalke for the artwork! Follow us