Film Actually: TOP 10: Spotlight on Bollywood

So, I watched "Taare Zameen Par" recently and it reminded me how much I sometimes enjoy Bollywood films. You must be wondering how a young black man from the Caribbean got into Indian cinema right? Basically, I went to a small liberal arts college in the US and my closest friends were somehow predominantly desi (people from the Indian subcontinent/South Asia and their diaspora). Hence, there were quite a few occassions where we would gather and watch Bollywood movies. Now, with the LAMB hosting a Bollywood-themed edition of Foreign Chops, I really felt the need to do a special post on the Indian film industry. Westerners are mostly oblivious to this world of film, which actually produces way more films than the Hollywood system. I'm no expert, since I actually have a love/hate relationship with Indian movies. I have issues with the unnecessary length of the films, which often discourages me from watching them. Despite this, I've enjoyed enough of them to consider myself a fan. Without further ado, here are some top 10 lists of my favourite things in Bollywood cinema:

TOP 10 FILMS

My favourite Bollywood film is most definitely "Salaam Bombay!", but I'm sticking to post-1990 films due to the requirements of the Foreign Chops feature.

1. Taare Zameen Par

A poignant story about caring for special needs kids.

2. Earth

As devastating as any other civil war movie you could watch.

3. 3 Idiots

There's some silliness that I didn't like on a first watch, but on repeat viewings the admirable story holds up well.

4. Rang De Basanti

A stirring reflection on the effects of Indian independence. Gets a bit crazy in the end, but still good overall.

5. Dostana

Purely a guilty pleasure. I can feel the Bollywood experts scorning me already.

6. Lagaan

A triumphant film surrounding a game of cricket and featuring spectacular musical numbers.

7. Dhoom:2

Fun, escapist action movie. It's got everything - hot chicks, cool gadgets, chase scenes etc.

8. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge

Say the abbreviated "DDLJ" to any Indian and they will know exactly what you are referring to. This iconic 1995 film can still be found playing in some Indian theatres today!

9. Chak De! India

An inspiring Indian take on the typical "sports movie".

10. Parineeta

A deeply romantic love story.

TOP 10 ACTORS

Shah Rukh Khan is a glaring omission from this list, but I've never been a huge fan of his. He is undeniably "The King of Bollywood", but it also means that he often gets miscast in films.

1. Aamir Khan

He's da man! I just love him in everything, he can do it all. No surprise that he's in 5 of my top 10 films.

2. Nandita Das

Her work in Deepa Mehta's films is breathtaking.

3. Kareena Kapoor

She has a great gift for comedy.

4. Saif Ali Khan

Plays the hopeless romantic quite well (see Parineeta, Dil Chahta Hai).

5. Kajol

She's great in romantic roles, always creating good chemistry with her screen partners.

6. Aishwarya Rai

World-renowned for her beauty, she's a pretty good actress too (see Jodhaa Akbar, Devdas and Dhoom 2).

7. Abhishek Bachchan

He brings this effortless "cool" persona to his roles.

8. Hrithik Roshan

Delivers one hell of a movie star performance in Dhoom 2. Also, this man has got some serious dance moves!

9. Irrfan Khan

A talented actor who is adept at working within the different styles of Hollywood and Bollywood filmmaking.

10. Akshaye Khanna

I didn't like the popular film "Dil Chahta Hai" so much, but this guy was excellent in it.

TOP 10 SOUNDTRACKS

Of course, a key component of most Bollywood films are the extravagant song-and-dance numbers. Here are my favourite soundtracks with sample musical scenes that I love.

1. Lagaan (by A. R. Rahman)