Bollywood movies

We didn't get to watch a Bollywood movie in a theatre while we were in India, but when Term 7 was drawing to a close, the exchange students had a gathering to say goodbye (some quarter-based students were only there for 1 term) and watched the hugely popular movie Jab We Met.

I've watched a few Bollywood movies and know what they are generally like and about - cheaper productions compared to Hollywood ones, a looser storyline, and lots and lots and lots of singing and dancing! Jab We Met was a more expensive production by Indian standards, as there was lots of different locations and costumes. Perhaps because of that, as well as the really good looking young actors, Jab We Met was a major hit when it came out in 2007.

At one point during the movie, I couldn't help but start to giggle at one of the musical numbers that had particularly cheesy dancing and poor lip-syncing. So I was surprised when I looked up I saw one of the ISB students very whole-heartedly singing along (clearly he was a big fan) and later learned that the soundtrack was also incredibly popular. Everywhere we went in India we heard the songs.

I shouldn't have been so surprised; here's two of the ones that I grew to like the most, and I think you'll have to agree they are quite catchy and nice:
- Tum Se hi
- Yeh Ishq Hai

One face we saw EVERYWHERE in India was this one:

The famous Aishwarya Rai, she was on a bazillion advertisements, billboards, commercials! I saw her in both traditional Indian clothes and modern Western fashions. She seemed to epitomize a high point of Indian beauty as well - I most often saw her face on beauty salon advertisements.

Other movies we watched: I really, really enjoyed Water directed by Deepa Mehta, about an 8 year old girl who is sent to a widow's home in Varanasi after her much older arranged marriage husband dies. In Hindu society, widows are not allowed to remarry.

Grantland also watch Lagaan, which I had watched several years ago and learned how the game of cricket is played.