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About me
I'm a French lover of Indian cinema, but I'm also interested in literature, science, art, and reflection in general. This blog will reflect these tastes more or less!
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Categories
- letstalkaboutbollywood (47)
- film reviews (93)
- practical info (1)
- Book reviews (18)
- miscellaneous (3)
- Trip to India (8)
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Sangam, Raj Kapoor's murky waters
(02/01/2009
publié dans : film reviews
)
I don’t know how many of Raj Kapoor’s movies are called “his best”. This one belongs to that collection, judging by most IMDb user comments (on the other hand, very few bloggers have written about ... -
Teesri kasam, melancholic delight!
(02/12/2008
publié dans : film reviews
)
The critical fame of Teesri Kasam, the 1966 film by Basu Bhattacharya, starring Raj Kapoor and Waheeda Rehman, is absolutely justified; it’s a tale of love and sadness, of beauty and melancholy; ... -
Meenaxi, tale of 3 cities: Bollywoodian befuddlement!
(24/11/2008
publié dans : film reviews
)
« Meenaxi, tale of three cities » by M.F. Husain (2004), is exactly that, a Bollywoodian befuddlement. The film is a pathetic attempt at building “something else” than a traditional love-story, ... -
A suitable boy
(18/11/2008
publié dans : Book reviews
)
Well! I’m pleased to announce that I too have escalated the Everest… Er, I mean I finally read Vikram Seth’s 1472 page novel “A suitable boy”, and that it has been a fascinating experience: thanks ... -
Sahib bibi aur ghulam, an Initiation to Desire
(13/10/2008
publié dans : film reviews
)
While I was reading about Satyajit Ray’s Charulata (1964), and thinking of Pakeezah (1972), critics mentioned Abrar Alvi's (or Guru Dutt’s - he apparently was almost as much behind the camera) ... -
Yash Chopra, the power of Passion
(06/10/2008
publié dans : letstalkaboutbollywood
)
Yash Chopra… Say this name and immediately vast landscapes appear, green slopes where lovers mirror their gaze in the other’s eyes, enchanting music lifts up a crowd of spring birds, dark men ... -
Juhi Chawla: what's behind that smile?
(04/09/2008
publié dans : letstalkaboutbollywood
)
What attracts one to Juhi Chawla is her absolutely irresistible smile. Okay, she was “only” a Miss India (1984), but frankly, Yash Chopra’s idea to cast her as Shahruhk Khan’s idol in Darr is not ... -
The Stranger (Agantuk), Satyajit Ray's experiment on humanity
(28/08/2008
publié dans : film reviews
)
The Stranger (1991) is an atomic experiment. Satyajit Ray imagines what might happen when a normal urban family of three (the target) is bombarded with a high-energy free electron in the shape of ... -
Ankur: Shyam Benegal's + Shabana Azmi's manifesto
(22/08/2008
publié dans : film reviews
)
Here’s another beginner – after Aag – Shyam Benegal’s first long feature film shot in 1973, after he had finally got enough appraisal for his work shooting advertisements (apparently more than ... -
Aag (1948): Raj Kapoor's burning idealism
(12/08/2008
publié dans : film reviews
)
Aag: fire. In this Early Raj Kapoor Movie, fire is a symbol of love, naturally, but also creation and destruction. It is fit that this film stands at the beginning of Raj Kapoor’s career (his ... -
Tabu, the dark queen on the Bollywoodian chessboard
(31/07/2008
publié dans : letstalkaboutbollywood
)
I’d seen other films with her before, but I really discovered Tabu thanks to Cheeni kum. “Cheeni Kum” means “less sugar”. And that’s what Bollywood has to offer with Tabu: a less sugary actress! ... -
Pakeezah, Meena Kumari's romantic Swan Song
(22/07/2008
publié dans : film reviews
)
Of all the commentaries I have read about Kamal Amrohi’s 1972 movie Pakeezah, this one (Upperstall.com) corresponds most to what I thought of it : “Pakeezah is a stylized, larger than life ... -
Fire on the Mountain
(10/07/2008
publié dans : Book reviews
)
Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, 1977. Nanda Kaul, an old solitary lady lives in her house on the mountainside. Something depressing about her presence there, as if she was hiding away from some family ... -
Charulata, Satyajit Ray's masterpiece
(03/07/2008
publié dans : film reviews
)
It’s become a recurrent syndrome: I need a second viewing or reading to appreciate some of India’s prominent masterpieces! (For it has been recognised as such, see this link, or this one for ... -
The inheritance of loss
(26/06/2008
publié dans : Book reviews
)
It took me a long time to finish The Inheritance of Loss. Not only because there has been so many things to do in the past months, but also because somehow the novel didn’t correspond to what I am ... -
Calcutta Mail, or why Sudhir Mishra's films have urban settings
(22/06/2008
publié dans : film reviews
)
I watched Calcutta Mail on Jaman (Jaman.com) because of Sudhir Mishra and the good memories I had of Dharavi, Main zinda hoon and Chameli. All three movies are urban movies, and deal with the ... -
Awara's dream sequence: a metaphor of life
(18/06/2008
publié dans : film reviews
)
Hi everyone… Here’s that detailed observation of the dream-sequence in Raj Kapoor’s Awara which I had promised you! I’m in fact quite pleased I had set that aside, because there is so much in it, ... -
Manisha Koirala: the fallen angel?
(03/06/2008
publié dans : letstalkaboutbollywood
)
Like perhaps a number of you, I discovered Manisha Koirala in Dil se, by Mani Ratnam, and was attracted by that irritating mousy character of the terrorised terrorist, who with her distant but ... -
Awaara (1951): the world's most popular movie?!
(22/05/2008
publié dans : film reviews
)
“Oh World, I am a wanderer in your puzzle!” So sings Awaara, Raj the vagabond, as he leaves the prison, and winds his way through village streets and benevolent humanity, his newly found freedom ... -
Naseeruddin Shah: the fox is cleverer than the lion
(14/05/2008
publié dans : letstalkaboutbollywood
)
I’ve been longing to write that LetsTalkAboutBollywood article about Naseeruddin Shah for a long time. He’s one of my favourite Indian actors, if not my favourite. Okay, let’s say he is my ... -
Guide (1965) Anand's romanticized version of Narayan's story
(27/04/2008
publié dans : film reviews
)
Some of you might remember that I had promised to watch Guide, by Vijay Anand, the movie based on R.K. Narayan’s novel which I had reviewed here. I had been encouraged by a number of blog reviews, ... -
Ek chotisi love story: love and desire
(20/04/2008
publié dans : film reviews
)
« This is one of the worst Bollywood films ever made. It tells the sickening story of a 15 year old boy who loves a 26 year old women. Its weird, cos the boy is just so annoying and looks stupid. ... -
Akshaye Khanna: why is intelligence so sexy?
(16/04/2008
publié dans : letstalkaboutbollywood
)
As soon as one pronounces the name “Akshaye Khanna”, a picture springs up, and one sees that curvy mouth, that dimpled chin, those square jaws and above all, the dark cunning eyes that half-smile, ... -
I love Rani Mukherjee's smile!
(02/04/2008
publié dans : letstalkaboutbollywood
)
For a long time now I have been wanting to actually speak about Rani Mukherjee: suspicious, no? I had been doing these comments about all these books and films, which have nothing to do with her, ... -
Pather Panchali, Satyajit Ray's little Song
(27/03/2008
publié dans : film reviews
)
Satyajit Ray’s 1955 “Song of the little road” is a quiet picture of little big events within a rural Bengali family, where the little happenings of childhood occur, and form that most profound ... -
Kaala Patthar, Yash Chopra's Heart of Darkness
(11/03/2008
publié dans : film reviews
)
Kaala Patthar (“Black stone”) is a grandiose epic movie by Yash Chopra which is at the same time a political and social weapon against reckless capitalism and the exploitation of workers, a story ... -
The Guide (R.K. Narayan)
(05/03/2008
publié dans : Book reviews
)
R.K. Narayan’s novel, The Guide, written in 1958, is recognised as one of the author’s best. (It’s selected within a collection of “1000 books to read during your lifetime” collection which some ... -
Ajay Devgan, Bollywood's dark prince
(02/03/2008
publié dans : letstalkaboutbollywood
)
With his title “The dark prince” I am not referring to Ajay’s skin colour of course, even though there are only few among the best-known Bollywood stars that do have a dark skin, but more to his ... -
3 Dewaarein: can a film-director avoid committing himself?
(14/02/2008
publié dans : film reviews
)
3 Dewaarein by Nagesh Kukunoor is a very good entertainer. Its construction is very clever, its rhythm flawless, the actors are truly first class, the suspense is exciting, the photography is ... -
Ayesha Takia: in search of her soul!
(11/02/2008
publié dans : letstalkaboutbollywood
)
One might say the 21 year old glamgirl called Ayesha Takia is rather young to be commented upon at great depth; one would be wrong, because there is a great deal to be said about and around her. ... -
Socha na tha, a successful little romance
(06/02/2008
publié dans : film reviews
)
As boy-meets-girl Bollywood stories go, well, I don’t know whether I’ve not seen the best so far (1)… Socha na tha, directed by novice director Imtiaz Ali in 2005 (he’s done Jab we met since), and ... -
Jagte raho, Raj Kapoor's nightmare
(02/02/2008
publié dans : film reviews
)
To inattentive spectators this 1956 film starring Raj Kapoor will probably seem a little naïve and perhaps shoddy, for it has enough imperfections to justify a less than perfect opinion about it. ... -
Untouchable
(30/01/2008
publié dans : Book reviews
)
Mulk Raj Anand’s small fiction volume « Untouchable », which dates back to 1935, evokes the life of a young sweeper called Bakha, through the description of a day’s happenings, from the morning ... -
The god of small things - and a criticism of Bollywood
(17/01/2008
publié dans : Book reviews
)
Of Arundhati Roy’s very personal novel, no doubt much has been said. In the edition that I have, reviews have been put on the first pages, celebrating its magic, its mystery, its powerful rhythm, ... -
Who's afraid of Mira Nair?
(07/01/2008
publié dans : letstalkaboutbollywood
)
Those who have read this blog for some time know that I had loved Monsoon wedding, that little gem of a film, and well, I’ve recently watched Salaam Bombay and The Namesake, along with Mira Nair’s ... -
Shree 420: Raj Kapoor's masterpiece
(19/12/2007
publié dans : film reviews
)
Another classic ! Raj Kapoor (actor and director) and Nargis are once again at the top of their art, and create a masterful, a superb story of love and temptation, of self-deception and ... -
Rang de Basanti: is sacrifice enough?
(11/12/2007
publié dans : film reviews
)
Rakesh Mehra’s cult movie left me in two minds. I certainly appreciated the fact that for Indians in today’s society, something urgent and drastic has to be done if the democracy must move away ... -
Aamir Khan, mister perfectionist
(06/12/2007
publié dans : letstalkaboutbollywood
)
Let's start by saying I don’t like Aamir Khan. I don’t like him because he’s bossy, because he’s arrogant, because he’s superior. Somehow I never feel at ease with him. He makes me tense; he ... -
A Fine Balance
(26/11/2007
publié dans : Book reviews
)
At the bottom of page 511 [1] of Rohinton Mistry’s novel “A Fine Balance”, one can read the sentence: “the lives of the poor are rich with symbols”. One might just as well say: the book of the ... -
Amu: the need for history
(16/11/2007
publié dans : film reviews
)
Here’s an unassumingly important little film. Shonali Bose's Amu is a kind of a detective-story, with young Indian expat Kajju coming back to the country she’d left when she was 3, and discovering ...