Stars: Shahrukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Karisma Kapoor, Akshay Kumar
Directed by: Yash Chopra
Released: October 31, 1997
Dil To Pagal Hai is one of those films that I've been told to watch ever since I first started my journey in Bollywood. The person that urged me the most was my best friend and soul sister Ally (Bollywood-ish) who is Madhuri Dixit's biggest fan as well as the Madhuri/SRK jodi love slave. So when I sat down to watch this film I expected it to be fabulous. The visuals always seemed stunning and in fact - they were. However, I could not get past how dull it was. It moved too slow! I also was not at all enamored by Karisma who was awkward and strange in her role. Madhuri was past the point of having any chance of being bad by the time she made this film, but she looked far too mature for SRK and also, in my opinion, too mature to be playing the girl who skipped around trees and dreamed of teenage love. Which is my interpretation of it anyway. I may someday go back to this film and give it another try, but I wouldn't count on that happening anytime soon.
Lajja Stars: Manisha Koirala, Jackie Shroff, Anil Kapoor, Mahima Chaudhary, Madhuri Dixit, Rekha, Samir Soni, Ajay Devgan Directed by: Rajkumar Santoshi Released: September 19, 2001
Vaidehi (Koirala) runs away from a loveless marriage to Raghu (Shroff) and embarks on a journey that shows her more about life and womanhood than she ever anticipated. Raghu is not exactly the model husband, he's abusive and lecherous. When Vaidehi becomes pregnant, she decides that is enough is enough. As fate would have it, Raghu is involved in a terrible car accident which renders him unable to impregnate a woman. Upon realizing that the child Vaidehi made off with would be the only one he would ever have. This causes him to send his hired men after her to bring her back.
On her way she meets three strong, revolutionary women; starting with Maithili (Chaudhary). Maithili is a bride-to-be from a lovely middle class family. Her troubles stem from her groom's rich and greedy father who demands a large wedding and an even larger dowry; one that Maithili's father cannot afford.
Then there is Janki, my very favorite out of all the women. She is a theatre actress who is unwed and newly pregnant. She is not the submissive mouse that women are so often expected to be, but an outspoken beauty that wants to take control of her life and do what means the most to her. She is in love with a fellow acto and wants nothing more than to be with him.
On her way to her next adventure, she comes across Bulwa (Devgan),a Robin Hood type. He brings her to Ramdulari (Rekha). Her trouble stems from her son's forbidden relationship with the daughter of the head of her village. This struggle and the end result makes for a terrifying scene; one that will leave you shaken and disturbed for a while after you've seen it.
Manisha delivers a fine performance but is completely overshadowed by Madhuri and Rekha. This is my second favorite Madhuri character and performance ever, coming in only after Chandramukhi. It was my first full film with Rekha and Anil as well and I was impressed with both of them. Some of my friends insist that Anil cannot do comedy, but I disagree. Ding dong! Ajay Devgan's character was more or less... well, pointless, but I enjoyed seeing him on screen nonetheless. I believe that Jackie Shroff is one of those actors that cannot be bad and therefore he most definitely didn't disappoint. As for the music, the only song I walked away singing was Badi Muskil, which I still listen to regularly, almost a year after seeing this film.
Now... The movie itself was fantastic in that it showed the true hardships of women in India. Lajja itself means shame and you can see the 'shame' that these Indian women bring upon their family. The thing about this, however, is that the idea of shame is so incredibly backwards. Shame, honor and pride are all so trivial in life and I left this film wishing that the families of these women would have better understood their reasons for what they did instead of going home and crying about how much shame their daughters brought upon them. As for the main character Vaidehi, I was disappointed on her. Woman has husband, leaves husband, leans on thief, leans on bride, leans on actress, leans on Superman, leans on wise village woman, leans on... well, watch the film to discover that one. You get the point, though. She never really learned to stand on her own.
Watch this film, please, and the next time you consider putting a woman down, remember that in the end, they are the strong ones and that they are the ones that have the courage to make a needed change.
Rating: 7/10
Here's a bonus that I couldn't resist:
Chalo Manisha, let me show you how to dance to these steps so you can change your opinion on me completely.
This weeks SOTW doesn’t focus as much on the music (although
it its essential), but more so on the dancing that goes with it and the woman
who brings it to life. As most people know, Madhuri Dixit is a trained Kathak
dancer and she excels at it. It is something she enjoys immensely, and I would
not be surprised if she loved Kathak and dancing in general more than acting. There
are few times in her career where we have been able to see her true talents in
this classical form of Indian dancing, but we get lucky enough in this film to
get quite the treat. Madhuri makes her ghungroos sing with her every move as
SRK accompanies her on the drums. Kathak with drums, the way it’s meant to be.
There are a few different ideas as to where Kathak originated. In the myths,
Shiva created the dance and when he did, I’m sure he had a woman like Madhuri
in his mind. She is never more feminine and graceful in her dancing than when
she does the dancing form that she has been trained to do since she was at such
a young, precious age. So enjoy this Song Of The Week. Enjoy something a little
more out of the box from the other 90s Indian masala films and songs. Enjoy
beauty, in the best form possible.
Namaste aur salaam. Meet Dia (Dixit)! She is a beautiful young choreographer that lives in New York with her young daughter Radha. She is rather successful in New York and enjoying her time but must leave on short notice when she receives news that her old guru from India is on his death bed and fading fast. So fast, in fact, that she doesn't even reach the country until after he has passed away. Being back in her old town bring back many memories, some are down right painful for Dia because they remind her of the relationship that she had and lost with Radha's father. He was an American and in deciding to run off and marry him, she disgraces herself and her family, which is something that is hard to get away from. Her guru's reason for calling her back was to convince her to save the theatre (Ajanta) that they practiced and performed in, a task that he convinces her to do through a video he recorded before his death.
Now with a mission, Dia does the first thing she can think of and talks to the man who wants to destroy Ajanta, Raja Uday Singh (Khanna). Singh is reluctant to agree to her because of the good business he is sure he will get from building a business in the theatre's place, but Dia convinces him to give her a chance. Dia most come up with an amazing performance in two months time, using only local dancers and present it at Ajanta. If the audience loves it, the theatre is saved, if not, the wrecking balls come out. Dia accepts of course!
And of course, nothing can be done without bumps along the way. In this case, the hardest part is finding the right people to play in Laila-Majnu, an old Indian classic, Romeo and Juliet before Romeo and Juliet. Eventually, however, she does stumble upon the right people and is able to get rehearsals going. This is where we meet Imran (Kapoor) and Anokhi (Sen Sharma). Imran is a rugged, tough guy and Anokhi is a tomboy like Anjali in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (with one hell of a runny nose problem). At first she is shot down but later convinces Dia that she can do the job. Once in, she finds herself falling in love with Imran. After a makeover, he finds himself doing the same. This ultimately helps the play of Laila-Majnu become more real.
This was a decent time pass, but nothing extraordinary in my opinion. Ishq hua, O Re Piya, the ever popular Aaja Nachle and the play itself were all winning numbers that I listen to on a regular basis (ESPECIALLY the play. It makes me feel feelings). The acting was, again, decent. I came for Madhuri and stayed for Konkona and Kunal. Their chemistry was fantastic and I wouldn't mind seeing them together again soon! This film was to be Madhuri's major come back and she ended up not being as successful with her comeback from motherhood as Kajol was with Fanaa, but I wish her the best of luck with this next one she has coming up with Dedh Ishqiya and Gulab Gang.
For a very long time, I hated Madhuri Dixit with a burning seething passion. However, even when I did not like her at all, I could still always acknowledge that she was in fact an amazing and accomplished dancer. Now that she is in my top 5 favorite Bollywood actresses, I see it even more. Therefore, I've decided to put together a list of what I believe to be Madhuri's 10 best dances. Here we go:
10. Jungle Mein Sher - Prem Granth
Let's take a look at the first steps of the dance - this girl is jumping/hopping and it looks as if she's flying through the air briefly. The grace and expressions of this number is what gets it a spot on the list.
9. Mera Piya Ghar Aaya - Yaarana
The awesome hip movements in this dance are legend. Madhuri performs it live and you hear the crowd go louder. Why? Because it is perfectly executed with style and grace. Every single step is in time with the music and works perfectly. Hats off both to Mads and the choreographer.
8. Aaja Nachle - Aaja Nachle
When the queen of dance returns - you know she'll bring a great dance along with her. Aaja Nachle is that dance. I don't know whether it is the jingle of her bangles, the twirl of her skirt, her feet or her gorgeous back, but this is to me one of her most sensual songs.
7. Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai - Khalnayak
Where Aaja Nachle is sensual mainly in Madhuri's moves, Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai is sensual also in the lyrics as we become curious to find out what's under Madhuri's choli (blouse) only to find out it is her dil (heart)! Gotta love her sweet navel and graceful feet.
6. Dola Re Dola - Devdas
This is a very popular and famous song because it has two of Bollywood's biggest stars in it. Aishwarya is beautiful and knows the steps, but looks terribly awkward next to Madhuri.
5. Kathak Number - Dil To Pagal Hai
For many reasons, I almost like this more than Madhuri's other famous Kathak number Kaahe Chhed Mohe. It is a perfect display of Kathak dancing at its best. Since she was 3, Madhuri took dancing classes and studied Kathak carefully, which makes it very special whenever you get to see this dancing queen show off her special skills.
4. Dhak Dhak Karne Laga - Beta
What a VULGAR dance! Heaving her bossom like that! Just kidding. There's nothing vulgar about this dance when Madhuri does it. I feel that she's always been good at being sexy but also at keeping the sex appeal to a minimum so she doesn't look bad.
3. Kaahe Chhed Mohe - Devdas
The first song of Madhuri's I fell in love with. Chandramukhi is definitely her best character and this song shows her allure and charm like no other. Brownie points to Mads for being pregnant and dancing in a heavy dress and dupatta while singing about Lord Krishna and Radha!
2. Ek Do Teen - Tezaab
Let me just say that if it were not for my undying love for the classical dances of India, this song and dance would be my number one, especially since it has my favorite expressions. It's no wonder that this dance sequence shot Madhuri straight to stardom. Who knew watching a young Indian girl count to thirteen would be so enjoyable?
1. Maar Daala - Devdas
While Kaahe Chhed Mohe showed Chandramukhi's charm, this showed her spunk and firey spirit as she promptly tells Kali Babu to GTFO with a nod of her head. And of course it also helps that you can see the pain and love in her eyes as she sings the amazing lyrics to this song while looking at Devdas. Outstanding!
When a film weaves magic, when a film defines a movie industry, when a film touches every inch of your heart and soul, it's name is Devdas. This is the first Bollywood movie that I sat down to watch and I was captured by it immediately. It is a timeless story about love, loss and tragedy that is told in the proper Bollywood way: With Madhuri Dixit, fantastic sets and timeless music.
Devdas Mukherjee (Khan) is a young man returning from studying in England. He has been there for ten years, having reluctantly left his home and his best friend Parvati (Rai) in order to study law. His mother, Kaushalya is over joyed when she hears that her son is returning home to her. This happiness is stolen from her, however, when Devdas is more interested in meeting up with Paro than he is his own family. Paro and Devdas' friendship is stronger than ever and a romance erupts between the two. Paro's mother Sumitra (Kher) is very excited about this, as she believes that Devdas will be the perfect husband for her Paro. When she goes to Kaushalya's house for a party and to propose marriage, Kaushalya turns her down and insults her in the most terrible of ways. Sumitra swears to Devdas' mother that her daughter will marry someone richer and of higher status that the Mukherjees - and she succeeds. Devdas is heartbroken over his family's betrayal and his loss of Paro, and he goes to a brothel with his friend from London, Chunnilal (Shroff), or Chunni Babu. It is there that he meets the courtesan Chandramukhi (Dixit) - the woman who is as beautiful as the moon. With the urging of Chunni Babu, Devdas decides to take his first sip of alcohol - an action that sends him on the downward spiral towards his self-destruction.
Devdas is often Shahrukh Khan's most praised performance - and for good reason. He and Madhuri Dixit prove just how versatile they are all in this one film, which is a very rare thing to find. They both are able to pull off the different shades of their characters, be it happy, sad or angry - they were completely convincing throughout.
Yet another thing that makes Devdas so special is that it has two heroines. Many will try to tell you that Chandramukhi is nothing but a supporting character, but that is simply not true. She had just as much influence on Devdas and the movie as Paro and she is the true heart of the movie. Aishwarya Rai was fantastic as Parvati, but I could still think of better actresses. Madhuri was the true gem of the film. She gave life to my favorite character in all of Bollywood. She is the only role that I could not recast, no matter how hard I tried.
As fantastic as the story itself is, one cannot talk only about the story. They cannot talk about Devdas and not mention the amazing music. Personal favorites are Maar Daala, Dola Re Dola and Kahe Chhed Mohe - all of which, Madhuri Dixit shows off her top notch dancing skills in.
I could not have picked a better film to watch for my first Bollywood film. To me, it represents all the qualities that every single Bollywood film should have. And of course, part of what makes it so special is the fact that not every Bollywood movie is up to the standards of Devdas. I recommend this sensational film for first-time Bollywood watchers and anyone else who loves romance, music and beauty.
Okay, I know there are a lot of people who are nervous about what I have to say about their beloved Madhuri and I promise I won't drag her name through the mud and make her look stupid - but I have to be honest, which I think they'd like anyway.
Madhuri Dixit has been in the industry for 25 years. She's won several Filmfare awards and is loved by many people who watch Bollywood and for good reason. She's the most beautiful and graceful dancer I've ever seen in my life and is a master of Kathak dancing. One watches her dance and you are completely blown away. Whether it be upbeat and dance-licious like Ek Do Teen or just screams Kathak like Maar Daala, you simply wish you could dance like she does. If I were to trade places with her for just one day, that's all I would do all day - dance to her big hits. The only place in her dancing that I do not believe she masters is the western dancing. It's not her forte.
However, for an actress, I think Madhuri falls short in some areas. I've seen Devdas and Dil To Pagal Hai, Aaja Nachle, Prem Granth and Dil. She is good at showing good emotion and has very expressive eyes, but there's something about it that just doesn't do it for me. It falls flat. I think she over acts very much. Sometimes over acting is called for and is appropriate, but many times it is not and I feel that Madhuri has a hard time gauging these times. I feel that there are many times when she is overrated and I do not believe that she is the goddess or the queen of Bollywood. The only thing she reigns over, to me, is the dancing.
What can be said for her, however, is that she has a lot of screen presence and charm. She smiles and you have to smile as well. She laughs and you must laugh as well. They're the two most infectious things about her and they capture you as soon as you see it or hear it.
I would very much like to see Madhuri making another movie soon, but if Kajol, Kareena or Kangana were to make one at the same time, I would see theirs first.
She is called the goddess and the queen of Bollywood all at the same time. Well, I don't agree with that, but she is gorgeous. Her smile just radiates happiness, femininity and beauty and that is hard to find all in one woman.
9. Karishma Kapoor
For a long time, I thought that Karishma was... well, ugly. But the more I've looked at her the more I've realized that she has something about her face that is just... gorgeous. My favorite feature of hers is her lips which have a very beautiful shape to them. She has a beauty that isn't straightforward and isn't the kind you see everyday, but it shouldn't be ignored.
8. Aishwarya Rai
This woman is known as the most beautiful woman in the world and all one has to do is glance at her and they know that she is extraordinary beautiful. Her eyes are her most amazing feature. They're a gorgeous bluish green, which is something that we do not see in Asian women very often.
7. Deepika Padukone
Wow. That's all I can say for Deepika really. Wow. She has such presence in beauty, not only in her films but also in her pictures. Like Karishma, she has a different face, but it is seductive and breathtaking.
6. Rani Mukherjee
My favorite feature of Rani cannot be seen, but heard. Her voice is mesmerizing and incredibly sexy. She can make men and women everywhere weak in the knees with just a few words. And to match her voice is an almost equally as beautiful face. She's on the shorter side, but she's full of spunk, attitude and personality that can be rare to find.
5. Shilpa Shetty
Shilpa Shilpa Shilpa... Everything about her face is pleasant to me. She has a cute nose, nice lips and gorgeous, expressive eyes. One of the sexiest women ever to touch the Bollywood screen.
4. Kangana Ranaut
One cannot even begin to comprehend just how much this woman has captivated me, both with her beauty and with her acting skills. There's something quiet, unassuming and mysterious about both her looks and performances that is special considering how loud and overly-energetic some actresses can be.
3. Kareena Kapoor
Many people I know can't stand Kareena - and that's putting it nicely. They find her mean and ugly and the only good thing they usually have to say about her is that she is a good actress. What do I say to them? POO POO! I adore Kareena with everything in me. She's innocence, sex appeal and attitude all in one and she IS a very talented actress. Her tendency to say mean things about her costars can be unbecoming, but hey, not everyone can be perfect like our next two ladies.
2. Madhubala
This woman... is the true goddess of Bollywood and is the true star and face of Bollywood to me. She had such a beautiful, girlish charm about her that I have yet to find in any other actress, Indian or otherwise. She has a strange face that is surprisingly gorgeous and no one can quite compare to her.
1. Kajol
I know no one is surprised by this, but that's because I love, love, LOVE her. Her face is something special and her unibrow gives her more character than all the other actresses on this list combined. She has this "I'm amazing and I know it" look in her pictures that works for her and not for others. Her eyes are soulful and expressive and she has the most beautiful skin I've ever seen. For me, she is the queen of Bollywood now and forever. Forget Madhuri, forget Kareena, forget Aishwarya - she has a talent and a beauty that cannot ever be matched up with by anyone.
