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May 07, 2008
Where have all the stoner movies gone?
It's been a disastrous year for Hindi cinema, what with us in Month 5 and not one unanimously loved film among the lot. What we do have, however, are films of unparallelled idiocy, comedies each more harebrained than the other, thrillers that plumb the depths of low farce.

When I met Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro launched the Tribeca Film Festival as a measure to revive the lower Manhattan area devastated by the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Seven years later, the festival has become the largest film event in New York City. Manhattan is a perfect place for the festival -- combining the city's high film culture with its ability to party and celebrate.

April 23, 2008
Cow-spotting!
Cows holding up traffic are irresistible lens fodder for a director out to find the 'authentic' Indian experience.

We want cricket, not cellphone commercials
Raja Sen rants against the unending ads that spoil our cricket games.

April 22, 2008
The commercialisation of Darsheel Safary
If he's not walking the runway for a designer at some random fashion week, he is inaugurating a gaming arcade at a mall or launching comic books with other actors. Could the commercials be any far behind?

April 15, 2008
Written By... some guy sitting abroad
It really hurts that the very act of writing the Friday reviews has been reduced to a sort of pattern these days. We talk about the stars, the director, sum up the effort in a few brief lines, and then, almost inevitably, go on to discuss exactly which DVDs the spanking new film has been filched from. It's disgraceful, and, frankly, rather tiresome.

April 07, 2008
Goodbye, Mr Heston
On Saturday, April 5, Heston passed away. He was 84, and had publicly spoken about his having contracted Alzheimer's disease a few years ago.

April 01, 2008
All they say is Mahi Ve !
When it comes to Bollywood influences, Indians seem to have shed rigid regional biases and duly accepted the heavy doses of Punjabi that make their way into their living rooms with every hit film. Irrespective of regional origin, desis all over the place are claiming to know and learn Punjabi through their television screens.

The Age Of The Couch Potato
American television today, thanks to edgy networks like Showtime and HBO, is producing intelligent, mature, adult content that is far superior, especially in both character development and consistency, to most anything out there on the big screen. This week, then, we'll take a look at a few shows you should hunt out DVDs for, or use your broadband connections to acquire.

March 27, 2008
Why I gave away the Race ending
Ever since it was published on Friday, the 1.5-star review for Abbas-Mustan's Race has generated considerable curiousity in terms of my revealing the film's ending. The film's makers have been constantly hounding me since late Saturday night, demanding that I take off the spoiler, simply because they just don't see the point.

March 21, 2008
Goodbye, Shobhan Babu
Shobhan Babu was a different person who worked in the film industry on his terms, and to him discipline was the most important thing in life.

Farewell, Raghuvaran!
In a clichéd world filled with a thousand rules and explanations about what acting really is, Raghuvaran managed to set a trend all by himself, using words only as the last resort to convey his emotions.

February 26, 2008
No Country For Young Men
It's been the best Oscar year in ages, and here's why we should be toasting the golden boy.

February 07, 2008
Vanity Unfair: Applause to a great mag
In a show of solidarity with the striking writers, Vanity Fair has withdrawn its annual bash.

January 23, 2008
Heath Ledger: A Killing Joke
Heath Ledger died like his rock idols, but he was just getting started.

January 14, 2008
Did the Golden Globes really happen this year?
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has come up with a relatively cowardly list, a list that -- in a year brimming to the top with violent masterpieces -- is too scared to pick up the gun.

January 07, 2008
Khan: The magic Bollywood word
2007 was dominated by the three Khans -- Shah Rukh, Salman and Aamir -- who delivered the biggest hits of the year.

December 27, 2007
Super Salman Mania
Reader Apurva Bose can't stop raving about Salman.

December 06, 2007
Critics, on critics, in their own words
What is the role of a film critic? How important are they? The critics respond.

November 21, 2007
Critical questions about film critics
What value do you place on film criticism? Do reviews help you decide which movies to watch, and which to avoid? Has a critic ever influenced you in favour of, or against, a film, and/or its maker? Has a critic ever enhanced your understanding/appreciation of a particular film?

November 15, 2007
Why Anurag Kashyap is like Bhansali
Experimental cinema lives and breathes in India, thanks to No Smoking and Saawariya.

November 12, 2007
OSO : Kitsch kitsch hota hai
Farah Khan's Om Shanti Om works well as a spoof, but can't smoothly transition from bling to bhoot.

November 07, 2007
Of Deepika, and her virginity
Why has Deepika Padukone forgotten that she has acted down South, even as she calls OSO her debut? Oh wait, it's Bollywood tradition.

November 05, 2007
Why I like Farah Khan
It took the director of Om Shanti Om a long time to reach where she is today. Her talent will continue to explode and surprise us.

November 01, 2007
Why 2007's been great for Bollywood
2007 marks the year indie cinema finally finds it's niche in Bollywood.

October 24, 2007
What's wrong with Bollywood this year?
While last year was a great year for the Hindi film industry, the year 2007 has barely seen any big hits.

October 17, 2007
The Mind of Karan Johar
Bolly Woods column captures the man behind the camera.

October 16, 2007
Aneek wins, Himesh loses
In the last few weeks of watching SaReGaMaPa, what Himesh Reshammiya did to pull Raja down shows his true traits: Insecurity, envy, greed.

October 08, 2007
Colour me impressed, Johnny
A glowing unofficial 'review' of Johhny Gaddaar from a fan.

October 03, 2007
Chased by the moral brigade
chosen for attack?

Are film critics 'retards'?
Bolly Woods does not think so.

September 26, 2007
The story of 'S'
Bolly Woods is here to to talk movies, and to hear you talk back: about the movies you watch, about what you like and don't, about your thoughts on movies in general.

September 10, 2007
Please retire, Mr Bachchan!
Should the Big B be or not be seen on the big screen? It's a tongue-twister, but also an increasingly relevant question. An open letter to Amitabh Bachchan, whose participation in the sullying of our Sholay memories was the final straw.

August 30, 2007
The truth about Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Your weekly dose of gossip.

August 23, 2007
Bollywood: Just like 2005
There's something very familiar about Bollywood these days, says our columnist.

August 16, 2007
Mein Hoon Rajni ka boss
BPI is back with more Bollywood gossip.

August 13, 2007
SRK and the M word
Much as the script overtly downplays any mention of Kabir Khan's faith, it is Khan's dilemma as a Muslim in today's India that courses through the narrative.

August 03, 2007
Shamita ki sexiness ka raaz
Get your weekly dose of Bollywood masala right here!

July 26, 2007
Chak De creates Bollywood record!
Launching a new Bollywood column.

June 21, 2007
Why we should pray for Himesh's Moviee
Jhoom Barabaar Jhoom flopping and Himesh's film succeeding would be the best thing to happen to Bollywood.

June 19, 2007
Chasing Angelina Jolie
A press reporter recounts being denied an interview of a lifetime with the actress of A Mighty Heart .

June 04, 2007
Does Bollywood no longer adore Amitabh?
The Hindi film industry's goodwill, alas, appears to be waning behind Mr Bachchan's back.

May 25, 2007
An ode to Bagha & Goopy
Looking back at Satyajit Ray's 1968 film, Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne, the most original Indian film ever made.

May 24, 2007
Well done Jordin, but we're waiting for the Blake CD
Raja Sen's take on 2007's American Idol.

April 18, 2007
Dancing with Ash's security
Matthew Schneeberger gets his first dose of Bollywood stardom.

April 02, 2007
Gogol on my mind
Sandip Roy on how Indians in America often live out scenes from The Namesake.

March 29, 2007
Why we should support The Namesake
Aseem Chhabra feels every Indian-American should support The Namesake.

March 28, 2007
Karan Johar: Definitely not targeting non-Asian audience
Maria Giovanna examines attitudes of Hindi filmmakers and industry insiders toward non-Indian audiences in America.

February 27, 2007
Oscar's a Good Fella after all
Raja Sen's take on the 2007 Oscars.

January 29, 2007
Water down the drain
Suparn Verma travels back seven years and the controversy over the making of Water.

January 22, 2007
Beauty and the Brother
A British-Indian writes about Big Brother, and why Shilpa proves herself a great role model.

January 19, 2007
Why India shouldn't respond to the Shilpa Shetty incident
Arun Krishnan's take on the Shilpa Shetty incident.

January 17, 2007
A Queen sweep at the Golden Globes
The Golden Globes do well to keep out Clint Eastwood and those pesky penguins.

December 13, 2006
Remembering Smita Patil
On the 20th anniversary of her tragic death, the actress remains strikingly relevant.

November 22, 2006
Nalini By Day, Nancy By Night
Nalini By Day, Nancy By Night will be a trailblazer for a number of movies.

November 21, 2006
The most underrated James Bond ever
In defence of Timothy Dalton.

September 25, 2006
Dance was Padmini's passion, not films
A tribute to the legendary actress who passed away this morning

September 01, 2006
Madhuri makes a comeback again!
Our insider gives us all the movie news.

August 30, 2006
Art for heart's sake
Hrishikesh Mukherjee's films have transcended libraries and genre, to become a part of who we are.

August 02, 2006
Why Omkara blew my mind
Slow, hard to follow and depressing -- one of the finest Hindi films in recent times.

June 13, 2006
Superheroes, all over the place
We have the heroes, but not enough capes for them all.
March 31, 2006
How fair are reality shows?
Mahesh Peri analyses reality shows on television.
February 24, 2006
How you spell money for reality shows
If you vote/SMS for reality shows, please note that you are part of a business strategy.
February 06, 2006
Why award shows are a bit of a joke
'What happens when you have 100 prizes to offer, and just about 10 contenders?'
February 03, 2006
Column: Saluting Rang De Basanti
Sonia Chopra tells us why Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's film touched her deeply.
February 02, 2006
My heart goes out to Debojit
Sa Re Ga Ma Pa made me sit up. Crass commercialisation, ignorance, jingoism. You name it. It had it all.
January 20, 2006
Why I won't watch Zinda
'I applaud the strides you have taken in terms of slick production values and groundbreaking soundtracks, but the lack of originality in your films is tragic.'
December 09, 2005
IFFI: Bit of a damp squib
This was, eventually, a film festival where the films took second place.
November 09, 2005
Celina misses an Oscar nomination
All the latest Bollywood gossip.
October 13, 2005
Comedy scores over cleavage
A look at how funny films are taking over the box office.
September 27, 2005
Why Paheli's better than Black
A look at why Amol Palekar's Paheli is the perfect choice as India's Oscar ambassador.
June 02, 2005
The day art went up in smoke
'Movies today, books tomorrow, your life the day after, art yesterday.'
May 05, 2005
2005: Dull, boring so far
Five months have gone by. Five unexciting months, during which an odd mix of indescribably awful, genuinely awful, just-about-awful and not-so-awful movies made it to the celluloid screen.
April 27, 2005
Back when Bachchan was cool!
Ramesh Sippy's Shaan is a big entertainer, but feels too dated today.
December 20, 2004
Want to know how Kareena kisses?
Our columnist debates the issue of movie-star privacy.

December 09, 2004
Hot jodis that fizzle!
Sukanya Verma finds out why some of the hottest offscreen couples fail to make hit screen pairs.

December 02, 2004
What do Sridevi, Kajol and Preity have in common?
Sukanya Verma answers that for you!

November 18, 2004
Tall, dark & handsome - No way!
Bollywood actors who made it, no thanks to their looks

November 11, 2004
Sukanya's Corner
Idealism and filmi idols

October 25, 2004
Why do good films end tamely?
A film is paisa vasool only if it gives value for money till 'The End'.

July 30, 2004
Rafi, the unforgettable
Anil Dixit pays tribute to the evergreen singer on Rafi's 24th death anniversary.

July 27, 2004
The Casting Couch Syndrome
'There are enough ambitious women throwing themselves at industry men. Just as there are enough women who do not compromise on their principles.'

July 13, 2004
Like to see a sequel to Sholay?
Some screen characters are hard to let go, hence the need for an encore.

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