I was a movie buff when I was in school and it continued to be a rage in college.
I knew every single movie which released that time and also knew all the stars, the famous and the infamous ones too! Whenever someone asked me about a song, which was playing somewhere on TV or radio, I would tell the whole history around it without much efforts.
I was so proud of my general knowledge about films in those days..
I still remember those golden movies, which I watched in the cinema hall. The first movie which I remember watching in the theatre was the movie Kaash, starring Dimple Kapadia and Jackie Shroff with a small boy who wants to spend his last days with his estranged parents. He dies, but unites his parents again. I was very touched to watch that movie and till date it remains one of my favorites.
Other movies, which are my all time favorites and which I can watch over and over again are Amar Akbar Anthony, Saagar, Aandhi, Guide, Seeta aur Geeta, Anand, Namak Halal, all Hrishikesh Mukherji movies (Golmaal, Mili, Chupke Chupke etc.) from the older lot. I couldn't watch them when they were released as I was not born then, but I watch them on VCD now.Dil Chahta hai, Hera Pheri, Jo jeeta wohi sikandar, Dilwale dulhania le jaayenge, Dil to paagal hai, tezaab are all masala movies, which I enjoy watching. Being a Maharashtrian, I enjoy all the Ashok Saraf, Laxmikant Berde, Vikram Gokhale movies. I am very proud to mention here that marathi movie "Shwaas" made it to the Oscars. The level of marathi movies has increased tremendoulsy and the variety of themes which are brought up in the movies nowadays amazes me!
Back to Bollywood.
Of the recent lot, which I consider as brainless, yet who have high USP values are movies like Singh is King, Welcome, Housefull, All the best, Namastey London, Golmaal, Chachi 420.
Chak de was a movie which I thoroughly enjoyed watching with my friends in the cinema hall. We cheered for team India as if we were watching a real match. We clapped, we whistled, we shouted. Oh, what fun it was! I do not remember having enjoyed any movie like I have enjoyed this.
Due to 100s of channels on the cable network now, almost all blockbuster movies are shown on television in 4-6 months. The pirated version of the movies is in the market even before the movie releases. It is indeed sad that people do not go to watch movies in the cinema hall anymore, no attraction is left for the same. One of the reason for such a downfall is also the steep increase in the ticket rates. I remember watching movie in my hometown, Dombivli for Rs. 40 in Balcony and now a ticket in PVR gold class at least costs Rs. 600/-. Middle class can't afford to spend so much on a movie and hence they prefer watching the movie on a smaller screen and for almost free!
The larger than life image depicted in the movies lures many a youth to the magical city of Mumbai. And then when they land here, they realize, life is not simple. There are constant struggles, fierce competitions to remain in the rat race of glamour. Many people lose it and only a few like Amitabh Bacchan, Rajnikant make it to the top.
Movies address problems in our day to day life and are also a medium of creating awareness. But movies also propagate violence and crime etc. Clean family entertainers with a good social message are rare to find tody and I am waiting for one such movie which will take me back to the cinema hall.
Are you also waiting for the same?
I knew every single movie which released that time and also knew all the stars, the famous and the infamous ones too! Whenever someone asked me about a song, which was playing somewhere on TV or radio, I would tell the whole history around it without much efforts.
I was so proud of my general knowledge about films in those days..
I still remember those golden movies, which I watched in the cinema hall. The first movie which I remember watching in the theatre was the movie Kaash, starring Dimple Kapadia and Jackie Shroff with a small boy who wants to spend his last days with his estranged parents. He dies, but unites his parents again. I was very touched to watch that movie and till date it remains one of my favorites.
Other movies, which are my all time favorites and which I can watch over and over again are Amar Akbar Anthony, Saagar, Aandhi, Guide, Seeta aur Geeta, Anand, Namak Halal, all Hrishikesh Mukherji movies (Golmaal, Mili, Chupke Chupke etc.) from the older lot. I couldn't watch them when they were released as I was not born then, but I watch them on VCD now.Dil Chahta hai, Hera Pheri, Jo jeeta wohi sikandar, Dilwale dulhania le jaayenge, Dil to paagal hai, tezaab are all masala movies, which I enjoy watching. Being a Maharashtrian, I enjoy all the Ashok Saraf, Laxmikant Berde, Vikram Gokhale movies. I am very proud to mention here that marathi movie "Shwaas" made it to the Oscars. The level of marathi movies has increased tremendoulsy and the variety of themes which are brought up in the movies nowadays amazes me!
Back to Bollywood.
Of the recent lot, which I consider as brainless, yet who have high USP values are movies like Singh is King, Welcome, Housefull, All the best, Namastey London, Golmaal, Chachi 420.
Chak de was a movie which I thoroughly enjoyed watching with my friends in the cinema hall. We cheered for team India as if we were watching a real match. We clapped, we whistled, we shouted. Oh, what fun it was! I do not remember having enjoyed any movie like I have enjoyed this.
Due to 100s of channels on the cable network now, almost all blockbuster movies are shown on television in 4-6 months. The pirated version of the movies is in the market even before the movie releases. It is indeed sad that people do not go to watch movies in the cinema hall anymore, no attraction is left for the same. One of the reason for such a downfall is also the steep increase in the ticket rates. I remember watching movie in my hometown, Dombivli for Rs. 40 in Balcony and now a ticket in PVR gold class at least costs Rs. 600/-. Middle class can't afford to spend so much on a movie and hence they prefer watching the movie on a smaller screen and for almost free!
The larger than life image depicted in the movies lures many a youth to the magical city of Mumbai. And then when they land here, they realize, life is not simple. There are constant struggles, fierce competitions to remain in the rat race of glamour. Many people lose it and only a few like Amitabh Bacchan, Rajnikant make it to the top.
Movies address problems in our day to day life and are also a medium of creating awareness. But movies also propagate violence and crime etc. Clean family entertainers with a good social message are rare to find tody and I am waiting for one such movie which will take me back to the cinema hall.
Are you also waiting for the same?
Ah! Talking of movies!!! I was perhaps as big a movie buff as you are.. But yeah I agree, the quality of movies have gone down and no movie maker thinks his movie is a hot unless there's some obscinity and some lewd jokes along with an item song that has no place in the whole movie.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's amazing to see movies like welcome and the new golmal series becoming huge hits and their stars getting awards after awards.
I wonder what's happened to the entertaining, intellectual taste of Indian audience and critics. On second though on the new genre of movies, we can't blame the moviemakers as they have to supply what the demand is.
However, I thank the select few who manage to bring out not so highly budgeted yet sensible movies like Dhobi Ghat and family entertainers like Khosla ka Ghosla.
nice!!!
ReplyDeletei liked one sentence from ur post very much....
"I was so proud of my general knowledge about films in those days.." :)
There are lot of old good Marathi movies like Pinjara, Saamana(list is very long).Yes, how can you forget "Ashi hi Banvabanvi".
ReplyDeleteAbout Hindi movies, you don't have to watch them in Movie-halls anymore.Within one-month of release they sneak on some Television channel fighting hard for TRPs.
I enjoyed and still enjoy watching movies in single movie halls rather than multiplexes not because of price difference but for some other reason.If you go and watch some movie of Rajnikant like Sivaji-The Boss or Robot in multiplex you will just watch movie but the atmosphere of clapping, whistling in the single screen movie halls kind of add spice to the on-screen experience. Just Awesome !!!
Thats the real India and not the one decked up and flashy without any content, the one high-class observed in PVR's and all!!!
as Indonesian, i didnt watch many bolywood movie...but, alot of bolywood came in to my country...the movie that i think good is 3 idiots...its full of good things that we can get there...
ReplyDeleteLvP
Before coming to Banglore I rarely used to go to movies, but now I watch atleast 2 movies in a month, even my sis asks me - "Dada, how can u even watch that movie, theater ki baat to alag"
ReplyDeleteso I feel its not abt movie, its abt company of pplz and available free time which makes u to watch any movie, & Seems I have quite good company & lot of free time here in Bangalore