Staff Picks
Passport to Cinema: India
- Keith B.
- Monday, October 21, 2019
Collection
From Bollywood to Tollywood India produces over 1,000 films a year, in Hindi, Bengali and several other languages. Take a journey into the subcontinent, home of many epic musicals and the work of legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray.
Apur Sansar
Published in 2015
Apu Roy (Soumitra Chatterjee), now a young unemployed man, lives in poverty and attempts to be a writer. When his old school friend Pulu (Swapan Mukherjee) convinces him to go on a trip to a family wedding, surprising circumstances end in Apu marrying the bride, Aparna (Sharmila Tagore). Set on being a responsible husband, Apu finds a job and becomes close to his wife, but tragedy strikes, leaving him at yet another crossroads.
Bahubali
The Beginning
Published in 2015
Raised in a remote tribal village, Shivudu grows up a carefree young man who relentlessly pursues is heart's desire. This leads him on an adventure to a completely unfamiliar territory. On this journey, he falls in love with Avantlka, a Nishada soldier.
Bajirao Mastani the Love Story of a Warrior
Published in 2015
Bajirao Mastani immortalizes the journey of star-crossed lovers against the backdrop of war. Set in eighteenth century Hindustan, this romantic war drama is a tale of passion, bravery, betrayal and above all, love. Mounted with lavish sets, elaborate costumes and soulful music, it is one of the most expensive films ever made in India.
Bajrangi Bhaijaan
Published in 2015
A five year old girl from Pakistan gets separated from her mother at an Indian railway station. Lost and hungry she finds shelter at the home of Pavan, an ardent devotee of Hanuman, who sets out on a quest to unite the child with her parents against all odds.
Baladhoor
Published in 2009
Chanti works hard to take care of his family and keep the honor of their good name. But when he saves his sister-in-law's honor, he is kicked out of the house due to a misunderstanding. Now outside the family, can he still protect and care for them?
Bhavesh Joshi Superhero
Published in 2019
The original story of Bhavesh Joshi, an Indian superhero, who sets out to fulfill his slain friend's wish to clean and reform the country, by training himself to fight and wearing a mask.
The Big City
Published in 2013
Set in mid-1950s Calcutta and directed by Satyajit Ray, this story follows the personal triumphs and frustrations of Arati, who decides, despite the initial protests of her bank-clerk husband, to take a job to help support their family. With remarkable sensitivity and attention to the details of everyday working-class life, Ray gradually builds a powerful human drama that is at once a hopeful morality tale and a commentary on the identity of the contemporary Indian woman.
Black
Published in 2005
The film deals with the journey of two headstrong people, Michelle Mcnally, who cannot see, hear, nor speak and Debraj who teaches her to live and seek knowledge.
Chakde! India
Published in 2007
Kabir Khan knows what it's like to come back from the dead. The ex-Indian field hockey captain has now come back to the sport as the coach of the Indian Women's National Hockey team, a team that exists more on paper and less in reality. The girls have never known the thrilling energy of being Team India, but Kabir, once a captain, now forgotten, does. Despite his past, he believes that if only the girls played as one, anything could be possible.
Charulata
Published in 2013
Set in late 19th-century, pre-independence India, this film is about a woman's artistic and romantic yearning. It is about the lonely wife of a workaholic newspaper editor, Charulata, whose beautiful face masks a burning creativity. When her husband's poet cousin comes to stay with them, Charulata finds herself both inspired by him creatively and dangerously drawn to him physically. A delicate tale of a marriage in jeopardy and a woman taking the first steps toward establishing her own voice.
The Chess Players
Published in 2006
The kingdom of Oudh has a gently decadent Nawab (king), who is busy being a poet, composer, singer, dancer, and choreographer, but not a ruler. Mirza and Mir are old friends, living in the capital city off ancestral wealth and taxes on their lands. As the king is obsessed with his artistic endeavors, the friends are obsessed with shatranj (chess). In 1856, the East India Company sends General Outram, the British Resident of Lucknow, to take over the kingdom, under the charge of misrule. The king dithers, the friends play chess. British troops march into the city; the king surrenders without a fight, and the friends remove to a distant village so they can play in peace.
The Cloud-capped Star
Published in 2019
Directed by the visionary Bengali filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak, tells the story of a family that has been uprooted by the Partition of India and come to depend on its eldest daughter, the self-sacrificing Neeta. She watches helplessly as her own hopes and desires are pushed aside time and again by those of her siblings and parents, until all her chances for happiness evaporate, leaving her crushed and ailing.
Court
Published in 2014
"Winner of top prizes at the Venice and Mumbai film festivals, Chaitanya Tamhane's Court is a quietly devastating, absurdist portrait of injustice, caste prejudice, and venal politics in contemporary India. An elderly folk singer and grassroots organizer, dubbed the 'people's poet, ' is arrested on a trumped-up charge of inciting a sewage worker to commit suicide. His trial is a ridiculous and harrowing display of institutional incompetence, with endless procedural delays, coached witnesses for the prosecution, and obsessive privileging of arcane colonial law over reason and mercy. What truly distinguishes Court, however, is Tamhane's brilliant ensemble cast of professional and nonprofessional actors; his affecting mixture of comedy and tragedy; and his naturalist approach to his characters and to Indian society as a whole, rich with complexity and contradiction."--Provided by distributor.
Dear Zindagi
Published in 2016
This is the story of Kaira, a budding cinematographer in search of perfect life. A chance encounter with Jug, an unconventional thinker, helps her gain new perspective about life. She discovers that happiness is al about finding comfort in life's imperfections.
Deewaar
Published in 1998
Two brothers, one a cop and the other a criminal, share a mutual adoration for their mother. Though they care for each other, they end up at odds due to their respective roles.
Eedah
Published in 2018
Their families, who are involved in opposing political parties, hinder a couple's blooming romance.
An Enemy of the People
Published in 2014
A principled doctor meets opposition when he charges that the holy water at a local temple is the cause of sickness in his community.
Fanaa Fanā
(destroyed in Love)
Published in 2006
Zooni, a blind Kashmiri girl, meets Rehan Qadri, a local tour guide and an incorrigible flirt. Her friends warn her against him. Rehan, fascinated by Zooni, wants her to see life as it should be seen, in its many colours. He promises her that time spent with him will be the most precious in all her life. However, Rehan has another side of his life that he has kept from her that destroys her life.
The Forsaken Land
Published in 2008
During a cease-fire treaty between the Sinhala government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a serviceman lives with his wife and sister, when he receives orders from the army that will change their lives forever.
Haider
Published in 2014
Vishal Bhardwaj's adaptation of William Shakespeare's 'Hamlet', Haider - a young man returns home to Kashmir on receiving news of his father's disappearance. Not only does he learn that security forces have detained his father for harboring militants, but that his mother is in a relationship with his very own uncle. Intense drama follows between mother and son as both struggle to come to terms with news of his father's death. Soon Haider learns that his uncle is responsible for the gruesome murder, what follows is his journey to avenge his father's death--Container.
Hathi
Published in 2010
Growing up in a village in southern India, Makbul cares for an elephant named Vikrama. Years later the government sells the elephant in an auction. Makbul is told to deliver Vikrama to the buyer, but he soon realizes that the buyer does not have the elephant's best interests at heart.
The Hero
Published in 2018
A matinee idol Arindam Mukherjee is going by train to collect an acting award. On the train, he is confronted by a journalist Aditi who somewhat unwillingly starts to take his interview. Arindam, won over by Aditi's naivete, starts to disclose his past, his fears and his secrets.
Hirak Rajar Deshe
Published in 2004
Granted three wishes by the benign King of Goblins, Goopy and Bagha possess magical powers which they use against the King of Hirok.
The Home and the World
Published in 2014
Satyajit Ray surveys a love triangle amid social revolution in this fiery adaptation of Rabindranath Tagore's classic novel.
Hyderabad Blues 2 Rearranged Marriage
Published in 2004
The marriage of Varun and Ashwini has lasted happily for six years, but now it's getting just a little bit weary. Ashwini's biological clock is ticking and Varun is unsure about extending the family.
Imaikka Nodigal
Published in 2018
A suave CBI officer is in search of a serial killer who kidnaps and kills the children of important people. The killer, however, is targeting his nemesis next.
Iqbal
Published in 2006
Iqbal is an 18 year old deaf-mute boy, a farmer's son from a tiny village, who dreams of making the Indian national cricket team.
Irumbu Thirai
Published in 2018
A soldier takes on a gang of cyber criminals when money goes missing from his account.
Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham--
Published in 2013
"Rahul falls for the peppy Anjali, which displeases his father, Yash, who wants him to marry the more suitable Naina. After a falling out, Yash and Rahul refuse to have anything to do with one another, a situation that brings anguish to their kin. Pooja, Anjali's sister, joins forces with Rahul's brother Rohan to reunite the shattered family"--IMDb.com.
Kidu
Published in 2019
Students continue with their mischievous ways till a new teacher joins their school and puts her faith in them, despite the opposition from other faculty. While the boys change their ways, a shocking incident leaves a lasting impact in their lives.
The Lunchbox
Published in 2014
Trying to add some spice to her marriage, Ila prepares a special lunchbox for her husband at work. Unbeknownst to her, it is mistakenly delivered to another worker, Saajan. Curious about the lack of reaction from her husband, Ila puts a note in the next day's lunchbox. This begins a series of lunchbox notes between Saajan and Ila, and the communication soon evolves into an unexpected friendship. Ila and Saajan become lost in a virtual relationship that could jeopardize both their lives.
Madras Cafe
Published in 2013
The film is set in the late 1980s and early '90s, during the time of Indian intervention in the Sri Lankan civil war and assassination of former Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. Major Vikram Singh is an Indian Army special officer who is appointed by the intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing to head covert operations in Jaffna shortly after Indian peace-keeping force was forced to withdraw. As he journeys to Sri Lanka, with the intention of disrupting the LTF rebels, he becomes entangled in rebel and military politics.[
Monsoon Wedding
Published in 2009
When one family reunites for an unexpected wedding, sparks fly as love, lust, and secrets are revealed.
Mother India
Published in 1998
Depicts, through one woman's life from marriage to old age, the joys and tragedies of village life in rural India.
The Music Room
Published in 2011
Evokes the crumbling opulence of the world of a fallen aristocrat desperately clinging to his way of life. His greatest joy is the music room in which he has hosted lavish concerts over the years, now a shadow of its former vivid self. An incandescent depiction of the clash between tradition and modernity, and a showcase for some of India's most popular musicians of the day.
Nayak The Hero
Published in 2001
A successful movie actor faces the hollowness of life underneath the veneer of glamor and success.
Neeli
Published in 2019
As Lakshmi learns to accept the setbacks and begins a new chapter in her life, her daughter, Thara goes missing. She embarks on a journey in search of her daughter and comes across four strangers.
Padmaavat
Published in 2018
Set in 1303 AD medieval India, this is the story of honor, valor and obsession. Queen Padmavati is known for her exceptional beauty along with a strong sense of justice and is the wife of Maharawal Ratan Singh and pride of the Kingdom of Chittor, a prosperous kingdom in the north west of India. The legend of her beauty reaches the reigning sultan of Hindustan, Allaudin Khilji.
Padmaavat
Published in 2018
Set in 1303 AD medieval India, this is the story of honor, valor and obsession. Queen Padmavati is known for her exceptional beauty along with a strong sense of justice and is the wife of Maharawal Ratan Singh and pride of the Kingdom of Chittor, a prosperous kingdom in the north west of India. The legend of her beauty reaches the reigning sultan of Hindustan, Allaudin Khilji.
Padman
Published in 2018
Upon realizing the extent to which women are affected by their menses, a man sets out to create a sanitary pad machine and to provide inexpensive sanitary pads to the women of rural India.
Pather Panchali
Published in 2015
Impoverished priest Harihar Ray (Kanu Bannerjee), dreaming of a better life for himself and his family, leaves his rural Bengal village in search of work. Alone, his wife, Sarbojaya (Karuna Bannerjee), looks after her rebellious daughter, Durga (Uma Das Gupta), and her young son, Apu (Subir Bannerjee), as well as Harihar's elderly aunt Indir (Chunibala Devi). The children enjoy the small pleasures of their difficult life, while their parents suffer the daily indignities heaped upon them.
PK
Published in 2015
An alien lands on earth but loses his remote to go home. Does 'PK' return - and as he navigates the human world, what does he gain and lose?
Queen
Published in 2014
Queen is an ignorant Delhi girl who finds herself on a 'honeymoon' all by herself. What happens along the way forms the crux of this sweet, sensitive, fun social drama.
Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi
Published in 2009
A simple and kind-hearted man meets and falls in love with and marries a very free-spirited woman who feels nothing for him, and undergoes a complete transformation in order to win her heart. Bonus features include making of the film, deleted scenes, interviews, and more.
Raees
Published in 2017
A story of an ordinary man with an extraordinary ambition. Armed with a sharp business acumen and determination, the main character goes on to become the single most powerful man in his state. Then he meets the biggest challenge in the form of Majmudar: a no nonsense cop with a passion for solving crimes.
Raid
Published in 2018
A fearless income tax officer raids the mansion of the most powerful man in Lucknow after someone mysteriously draws his attention towards the evidence.
Ranam
Published in 2018
Trapped in a life of crime, a mysterious getaway driver, lives with this code of conduct and protects his only friend. When he meets someone who can potentially change his entire world, he yearns at a chance for redemption.
Rangeela
Published in 2009
Mili is encouraged by her childhood friend Munna to pursue her dream of winning fame as an actress. When Mili is offered a part in a film by a famous actor, Munna feels he's no longer worthy of her affections and decides to leave town.
Ready
Published in 2009
An engineering student falls for a young woman visiting her uncles. A case of mistaken identity finds him kidnapping her before she is married to someone else.
Sanju
Published in 2018
Coming from a family of cinema legends, he himself became a film star, and ten saw dizzying heights an darkest depths: Adulation of diehard fans, unending battles with various addictions, brushes with the underworld, prison terms, loss of loved ones, and the haunting speculation that he might or might not be a terrorist. It is in turns a hilarious and heartbreaking exploration of one man's battle against his own wild self and the formidable external forces trying to crush him.
Shamitabh
Published in 2015
Mute Daanish becomes a superstar when Amitabh Sinha provides him his voice - what happens when ego pulls body and speech apart?
Shyam Bajaj's Jai Veeru Friends Forever
Published in 2009
"Once inseparable pals, Jai (Fardeen Khan) and Veeru (Kunal Khemu) find themselves on opposite sides of the law, each feeling betrayed by the other. In fact, the only person who hates them more then they hate each other is a ruthless gangster Tejpal (Arbaaz Khan), who want s to kill both of them and put them six feet under! Now, through a strange twist of fate, Jai and Veeru are to run ... together! With a little luck, the boys might just get out of this one alive ... if they don't kill each other first!"--Container.
Simmba
Published in 2019
Simmba, a corrupt officer, enjoys all the perks of being an immoral and unethical police officer until a life-changing event forces him to choose the righteous path.
Sita Sings the Blues
Published in 2009
An animated reinterpretation of the Indian epic Ramayana blends the stories of Sita, a goddess separated from her husband Rama, and Nina, an animator whose husband moves to India, then dumps her by email. Set to the 1920s jazz vocals of Annette Hanshaw.
Stars Never Sleep
Published in 2010
Abhishek is a young man in search of recognition. He relocates to the big city to see what the future has in store for him. In Kolkata, he encounters the quirkiness of everyday realities. Strange people bump into him at unexpected turns and make his journey a roller coaster ride. His dream of becoming a hero is entwined with his nightmarish experiences in the city. But Abhishek's ability to see things in a different light keeps him going.
The Stranger
Published in 2014
An enigmatic but friendly long-lost family member visits after many years and shakes up a middle-class household, in Ray's moving swan song.
Tanu Weds Manu Returns
Published in 2015
Tanu and Manu's marriage collapses. What happens when Manu meets Tanu's lookalike Kusum - and when Tanu returns?
Tiger Zinda Hai
Published in 2017
A sequel to the record-breaking blockbuster 'Ek Tha Tiger', that continues the story of two super spies Tiger and Zoya eight years later.
Udhaharanam Sujatha
Published in 2017
Sujatha, mother of a teenaged girl, nurses a dream to educate her daughter by doing multiple jobs at houses abd factories, However, her daughter Athira doesn't take education seriously, believing that being the off spring of a domestic help, she too will end up the same. A dismayed Sujatha is on the lookout for ways to rouse Athira's competitive spirit.
Vanaja
Published in 2006
"Set in rural South India, Vanaja, the 14 year old daughter of a poor fisherman goes to work in the house of the local landlady in hopes of learning Kuchipudi dance. But matters turn ugly when the landlady's son returns pitching her into a battle of caste, class and animus from which there is only one escape." -- Container.