There are two fun Hindi films opening this weekend, light and easy. The first - ‘Love Khichdi’ is touted as a true ‘date movie’ by some of the bloggers in India and I’ll allow them to tell me what they know best. The second ‘Daddy Cool’ is with a favorite, though highly underrated, actor of mine: Sunil Shetty.

Since I have not been able to preview either, I can only go by trailers and actors on either projects. As I’ll be busy over at I-View Film, I might wait to watch these on DVDs — LEGAL DVDs. Remember, it’s never OK to illegally download. Films cost money to make, the least you can do is spend a dollar or two on them!!

For ‘Love Khichdi’ all I need to know is that my favorite ‘”Idiot!” cousin from ‘Monsoon Wedding’, Randeep Hooda, plays a chef who ends up romancing seven girls. A Don Juan chef, played by the hunk of ‘D’ company, what more do I need?! I mean, I already have a thing for guys who cook — even Sunil Shetty is known to make a mean meal! — and don’t even get me started on hot Hooda, who sat in the booth next to mine at the Taj once in Delhi and I nearly fell off my chair… Here is a mini taste of the film.

‘Daddy Cool’ promises to be an all-out comedy. The website is quite cool and the film features a trio of comedians that typically bring tears to my eyes, from laughter. And that’s when they work alone! Lets see what they can do when combined. Chunky Pandey, Rajpal Yadav and Javed Jaffrey are quite simply FUNNY.

‘Daddy Cool’ opens in theaters in India and the US on August 28th. ‘Love Khichdi’ might only be an Indian release. Will update you as I know more…

‘Daddy Cool’ image courtesy of Big Pictures Adlabs

Come this weekend, everyone who knows me also knows where to find me: At Lincoln Center, bum flatter for the wear and heart happier for the view, watching South Asian cinema at its best. That’s when the I-View Film festival organized by the Engendered organization for Human Rights takes over the Stanley Kaplan Penthouse, Walter Reade Theater, Asia Society — and even briefly Leela Lounge — for a full three-day weekend of films and fun. Did anyone say work? Unless you are like me — your work happens to be attending rocking events such as this festival — I suggest putting in for some ‘personal days’ on August 28th through the 30th. This festival is going to be just THAT good!

I am sure to be surrounded by some of the most celebrated names in modern Indian cinema. The list is way too long so if I miss someone, I am sorry but when names like John Abraham, Boman Irani, Farhan Akhtar, Tarun Mansukhani, Zoya Akhtar, Shyam Benegal and Mira Nair are thrown at me, I tend to lose my mind with joy! And some of my favorite companies and organizations are involved in bringing this wonderful ‘reunion’ of talent to the Big Apple, including maverick digital distributors Saavn, personal beloved TV station AVS-TV and the wonderful movie-promoting initiative FilmKaravan.

I recently asked the festival’s Executive Director Myna Mukherjee what the general message is this year and she said “Engendered uses art and culture as tools to raise awareness and change viewer perceptions around gender and sexuality which includes women’s issues, minority and health rights, and of course the LGBT community as part of a larger human rights framework. We wanted IVIEWFILM to showcase films that are a true reflection of the many different realities that we as South Asians span and the various ways in which gender and sexuality issues intersects our lives — because ultimately that is why cinema is so powerful — it lets us identify in moments with what is happening on the screen.” 

When I inquired about the particular selection in this year’s edition of the festival, Myna’s words were “It was important for us to show films that were truly a diverse range — from blockbuster Bollywood hits to hard hitting independent cinema, from master directors to first film makers, from entertaining comedies to hard hitting documentaries etc. The festival features films from not just the Indian Subcontinent but from Sri Lanka, Pakistan and even Australia. The overall message of the festival is to reveal and provoke newer ways of seeing and understanding the changing landscape of South Asian genders and sexualities.”

The I-View Film festival opens on Friday, August 28th — at the Stanley Kaplan Penthouse in Lincoln Center — with a star-studded reception and plenary comprising of clips of the participating films and an open discussion with the filmmakers. The night is scheduled to end with music and dancing, including a performance by the talented and exotic Nadia Ali.

Fabulous films then take over the whole weekend, with a Saturday morning screening of ‘Dostana’ — attended by writer/director Tarun Mansukhani, lead actor John Abraham, as well as the fantastically funny Boman Irani — which is sure to be mobbed and loads of fun. Saturday afternoon is jam packed with entertainment, courtesy of a series of shorts exploring ‘Queer Sexuality and Identity’, followed by a screening of the groundbreaking ‘Lets Talk’ hosted by actor Boman Irani and director Ram Madhvani and then a film I have been waiting ages to view ‘Ode to Lata’, with a special appearance by writer Ghalib Shiraz Dhalla. Saturday night’s afterparty will be held at Leela Lounge, courtesy of Bibi Magazine.

Sunday morning will see more shorts, then Shyam Benegal’s ‘Mandi’ accompanied by the director himself, followed by Mira Nair’s ‘My Own Country’ with Nair in attendance, ready to answer audience questions. The closing film of the festival is my personal favorite of 2009 ‘Luck By Chance’ and I can’t say enough about Zoya Akhtar’s beautiful directorial debut, as well as Farhan Akhtar’s touching performance, as a man who would not be half as likable and understandable if played by any other actor! Even though I have seen the film several times by now, I will be right there in the audience on Sunday, cheering on this magnificent piece about the behind-the-scenes antics of the Indian film industry.

Artist and filmmaker Shailja Gupta joined the organization of the festival this year because of her connection with ‘Dostana’ director Tarun Mansukhani. The two worked together ten years ago in Bombay and remained friends. So, when the organizers of I-View knew they wanted to open the festival with ‘Dostana’, she was instrumental in making that happen. “I just started with helping Myna [Mukherjee] in getting Tarun, then Boman Irani and Kirron Kher — who unfortunately had to pull out due to Flu concerns — and that then progressed into becoming festival coordinator” she stated humbly to me. I asked her why ‘Dostana’ and she replied “With the selections of films coming to the festival this year, the message is very much about how Bollywood is instrumental in influencing the minds of those so-called ‘conventional thinking people’, in India and well as here, you know those who don’t want to talk about these issues.

She continued “‘Dostana’ is clearly one of those films, even though some of the elite may not have liked the film because they claim it made fun of the gay lifestyle, I personally feel that even through comedy it has addressed issues which have influenced people in some way. Now the masses are aware in India that there is something called ‘homosexuality’ or ‘gay’ and that is a lifestyle. The most poignant part is that Tarun has shown the mother in the film — played by Kirron Kher — accepting her son’s choice, which turns out to be the main message of the story. Even in families, like mine, in India who would never talk about something like this, they saw ‘Dostana’ and they liked it. Now they know this exists and it’s there, even if there still will be no open discussion about it.” 

So now that I have your interest peaked in the films, here’s a teaser, courtesy of ‘Dostana’. Far from being the official trailer of the film, this is a great slice of the fun and shows all the characters, including my favorite magazine editor played by Boman Irani. Makes you want to start writing for a living, eh?! Pardon the German subtitles but do get into the Miami mood, thanks to John Abraham, Abhishek Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra! And watch out for ‘Dostana 2′ currently being written and cast, amid a frenzy of speculations!!

Luck By Chance images courtesy of Excel Entertainment, Tarun Mansukhani photo courtesy of the filmmaker

All within 24 hours, I saw three chic and savvy celebrities walking around Soho, seemingly with no cares in the world. First up, Marc Jacobs wearing his infamous kilt, a crisp white shirt and sandals! I kid you not, this is exactly the look he wore while breezing through Spring Street. Was he on his way to his own Resorts 2010 show? Only he knows… I followed him for half a minute until he got into a shiny, black Mercedes limo.

Then, turning around from my mini-stalking adventure, I nearly bumped Brooke Shields off her perilously tall heels while she walked up Crosby Street busy with her Blackberry. Yup, Ms. Shields is not an IPhone user, but was conspicuously texting on her dark, shiny BBerry! Anyway, always looks beautiful, simply dressed, hardly a spot of make-up on her and nearly seven feet tall in those shoes!

Next day, I notice this beautiful blond woman walking in front of me — again on Crosby, but this time further up near Prince. She was wearing a simple bright pink dress, phone glued to her ear. Typically, I huff past such a creature and go about my own business, but this one made me look. Turned out to be Katherine Heigl, no make-up - do I detect a celebrity trend? - hair pulled in a pony, and as beautiful as in this Cosmo shot. No, the dress was not this one, but it’s pink right?! She seemed to be quite involved in her phone conversation but still managed to stroll into a couple of shops on the way. This time, I was not stalking, I promise, but she seemed to be following me…

Bottom image courtesy of Cosmopolitan

One late afternoon this past April, I flopped down into my seat at the Hollywood Arclight cinema, weary and exhausted from a full schedule of movie-watching during one of my favorite film festivals — the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles, IFFLA for short. As much as love the yearly event, this time around I really did wish there were fewer films to enjoy and perhaps a clone of myself — shall we call her Filmi? — to attend those double-booked screenings that I always regret missing. Stressed out from an unusually hot LA day and prepared to feel my bum get flatter by the minute, I breathed in a long, deep breath, popped open a box of Goobers and got ready to watch what I thought would be a ‘kids’ movie’ — Piyush Jha’s ‘Sikandar’ (The Warrior).

From the very first frame of the film — produced by master director Sudhir Mishra, in association with Big Pictures — the images, sounds and story captivated me. I knew then and there this was no boy/girl/children movie. This was a serious film for all audiences of all ages and a fantastic teaching tool to enlighten the unknowing out there about the open-ended issues of violence-plagued Kashmir.

The film opens with an eerily tranquil slice-of-life shot of a street market, somewhere in rural Kashmir. Kids playing, men talking, women shopping for vegetables to the sounds of the haunting ‘Gulon Mein (Rang Bhare)’ — a tribute to the original ghazal lyrics by Faiz Ahmed Faiz, whose title means approximately “Let the flowers be filled with colors…”. What comes next sets the tone for a poignant, fascinating film about the spellbinding power finding a lost gun has on the teenager Sikandar, who is played brilliantly by Parzan Dastur of ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ cute Sardar child fame! Because this boy in turn has been pushed to the limits in his own life.

In the process, the film turns into a telling social and political commentary on the seemingly minute reasons behind those giant acts of violence. While a reasonable, fully functioning adult member of a civilized society could face strife, tragedy and hardship with a cool mind, choosing discerning means of solving his or her problems, a young man with a painful past and plenty of conflict in his present may not be so wise. Watch ‘Generation Islam’ by Christiane Amanpour on CNN this week to understand exactly what I mean… Or read actor Sanjay Suri’s interview on Tehelka magazine to see what a brilliant mind and caring heart can go on to create out of tragedy and pain.

While the film carries a strong enough message on its own — with an ending that required a second viewing by yours truly, courtesy of Adlabs’ PR, to fully understand it — it acquired a whole new, deeper meaning for me after my interview with Sanjay Suri, who plays a reformed militant turned politician in the film. I was blown away by Suri’s performance, as I was moved to tears by his interpretation of the HIV-infected title character in ‘My Brother Nikhil’ and his rendition of Sameer in Nandita Das’ ‘Firaaq’, where he plays a Muslim man married to a Hindu woman and faced with an unfathomable decision during the infamous Gujarat riots in Ahmedabad. 

I remembered having read somewhere that Suri hailed from Kashmir and left the Valley as a young man due to the unbearable situation there, but nothing could have prepared me for the stunning piece that emerged from my unassuming and unsophisticated questions. I would be exaggerating if I admitted that I edited more than three words in the whole interview. Suri quite simply and honestly opened up in a touching and illuminating way.

Among his unforgettable words, when asked what it was like to go back to Kashmir for the filming of ‘Sikandar’ he answered, from the heart “It was like going back home without a place to stay!!!” And about what he had noticed to be the most dramatic change in the Valley he said “Kashmir looked like a Beautiful Widow who had lost her color, vibrancy, smile and had an expression of irreversible loss… after the mass migration of Hindus in early Nineties, the Valley was left with just one culture and faith. To me a beautiful garden needs to have all kinds of flowers.” To read the full interview, click HERE.

It turns out that the main message of ‘Sikandar’ has also been the struggle in real life for its actor Sanjay Suri. He is the perfect example of a thinking man turning tragedy into triumph or as Kahlil Gibran wrote “The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain…” His performances now hold new and stronger meaning to me, after finding out what he has been through as a human being.

‘Sikandar’ opens worldwide this Friday, August 21st. The film also stars the dashingly intense R. Madhavan as the army chief and the gorgeous, charismatic Ayesha Kapoor — who stole the show in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Black’ — as the mysteriously unexpected Nasreen. The infectious soundtrack is curated by the musical genius of Shankar, Ehsaan & Loy, Sandesh Shandilya and Justin-Uday. And a hint for getting the ending on fewer tries that me — though there is nothing wrong with seeing the film more than once, I would actually recommend it — keep your eyes on the Hand of Fatima…

FOLLOWING ARE SHOWTIMES IN THE US — COURTESY OF PIYUSH JHA

Big Cinemas ImaginAsian New York, NY - Contact: 212-371-6682 or go to MovieTickets.com

Commerce Center Stadium 18 N. Brunswick, NJ - Contact: 732-940-8361 or go to Fandango.com

Big Cinemas Columbia Park 12 North Bergen, NJ - Contact: 201-865-1600 or go to MovieTickets.com 

MC Mercado San Jose, CA - Contact: 408-871-2262 or go to  MovieTickets.com

Naz 8 Fremont, CA - Contact: 510-797-2000 

Naz 8 Lakewood, CA - Contact: 562-866-2444

AMC South Barrington, S. Barrington, IL - Contact: 847-765-7262 or go to  MovieTickets.com

Big Cinemas Golf Glen, Niles, IL - Contact: 847-299-2366 or go to  MovieTickets.com 

Funasia Dallas / Houston, TX Contact: 972-889-8000 

‘Sikandar’ images courtesy of BIG Pictures, Kashmir photos by ©2009 Sanjay Suri, Piyush Jha courtesy of BigIsBig.com

What brings out a memory in you? To me, the strongest remembrances have little to do with images. Sound - a particular song from my teenage years - or smell - the scent of cologne of an ex boyfriend - always take me back to a place in time, a happy moment, an instant ’till then hidden in the recesses of my mind.

But what if something traumatic happened which simply wiped out all our memory at 15-minutes intervals (it’s an actual condition called ‘Anterograde Amnesia’) then how would we go about our mission in life? How would we know to perform the simplest tasks which make up our routine? In my case, who would tell me to write my column? How would I even remember that I own the computer I write it on? How would I know who means the world to me or who my worst enemy is? That, well not exactly THAT but something like it, is the premises of the US film ‘Memento’, which in turn inspired a Tamil version titled ‘Ghajini’ which finally takes me to the Hindi ‘Ghajini’ starring Aamir Khan.

Aamir Khan is quite simply Bollywood’s golden superstar. The Marlon Brando of the East. If we look at the fluffy films of his early career, we quickly realize just how far he’s come with hits like ‘Lagaan’ and ‘Rang De Basanti’. And ‘Ghajini’ belongs to him, wholeheartedly and completely. Substitute any other actor for the divine Mr. Khan, and the film would have been a flop. But thankfully, we don’t have to go down that route since his presence provides a guaranteed hit. Of course, the Indian film industry is never devoid of controversy, so nay-sayers have claimed all kinds of conspiracy theories, including one that insists the film really did do poorly at the box office, and Aamir Khan is lying to us all, even on national TV. Hum… WRONG! Come on people, this film is worth watching and the Indian audiences knew it. Simple as that.

The premise of the story is similar to the one in ‘Memento’ though I found ‘Ghajini’ way more violent. Where the Hollywood version is a psychological thriller, told in reverse order for the most part, the Bollywood version is made up of two extremes: the love story between Sanjay and Kalpana, alternating with Sanjay’s hunt for her killer, the gangster Ghajini. I never did see the Tamil version, but have heard opposing opinions on it. Was is a flop, was it great? I probably will never know…

What’s amazing to me is that the Independent Film Channel has chosen this film as part of their ‘Wake Up to Bollywood’ series, airing Sundays at 10 a.m. This is not your mother’s Bollywood in any way, shape or form. It is absolutely a wonderful movie, entertaining, complex and brilliantly filmed but it is quite violent. I squirmed through a few scenes, though the love story and the songs are placed at just the right moments to lighten the atmosphere. It’s quite possibly the best placement of item numbers I have ever witnessed. If only Quentin Tarantino added a few more dance sequences. Then I could finally watch his films head on, instead of through the cracks in my fingers…

I must insist you give ‘Ghajini’ a try. Definitely if you haven’t yet watched Aamir Khan in action, this will make you want to rent everything else of his available on Netflix. ‘Ghajini’ is presented as part of the Independent Film Channel’s “Wake Up To Bollywood”series and is made possible by their collaboration with digital media distributing giant Saavn. Remember to only watch and listen to legally obtained films and songs. It’s bad karma to download media illegally. 

So, here’s a teaser, as if I hadn’t peaked your interest already… Watch this song and fall in love - with the man and the clothes, YUM!

Images courtesy of Studio 18, Adlabs

Production designer James Chinlund has teamed up with director Rupert Sanders to bring us the next installation of those forever striking Absolut vodka short films. A sheer minute long, but simply chock full of inventive twists, turns and extraordinary locations, the spot is a must see, which is why I am featuring in my Films column.

Ever opened a fashion magazine? Then you know James Chinlund’s work. He’s the production designer behind the most stunning Gucci, Roberto Cavalli, Miu Miu and H & M images… But if you don’t do fashion - perhaps you’re a guy or just not interested - then you must have seen his work on the Pirelli calendar, the one featuring ultra sexy images of Penelope Cruz and Hilary Swank, or his skills employed in the film ‘Requiem for a Dream’. Trust me, if you have a pulse, you’ve witnessed James Chinlund’s talent.

British-born director Rupert Sanders may not be the best known name in the film business YET. But he is nearly confirmed to direct the next Leonardo DiCaprio film ‘The Low Dweller‘. So, his fame days are coming. Hope he is enjoying the calm before the storm…

I leave you with these dauntingly beautiful images and a few words of caution: Always Drink Responsibly. It’s our right to have fun, but our responsibility to keep our fellow earth dwellers safe.

Images and video courtesy of The Magnet Agency

These days Bollywood is everywhere! And what is even greater, for someone like me who’s been repeating the “Indian cinema is GREAT” refrain ad nauseam, is the quality of the films being shown. Gone are the days of those high pitched voices which turned everyone West of Jamnagar off to the songs, and long forgotten are the wet sari scenes and dancing around the trees. Instead, Western audiences are being treated to some deep and divine entertainment, nothing short of the fabulously legendary US musicals of the Thirties and Forties.

This past June, the Museum of Modern Art in NYC showed some modern breakthrough films in their ‘The New India’ cinematic exhibit, including ‘A Wednesday’, ‘Firaaq’, ‘Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!’ and personal favorite ‘Luck By Chance’. In theaters around the world, the month of August sizzles with new releases: ‘Kaminey’ by Vishal Bhardwaj - a pulp dark comedy, double identity gangster movie with a title most Hindi speakers feel self-conscious uttering out loud - ‘Sikandar’ by Piyush Jha, a poignant film set in volatile Kashmir which deals with the consequences of a teenager finding a lost gun on his way to school and ‘Love Aaj Kal’ by Imtiaz Ali - a modern love story of missed opportunities and the difficult choice we sometimes must make between our lives and our hearts.

Which brings me to Imtiaz Ali’s previous film, a cinematic masterpiece that changed the landscape of Indian cinema, quite literally. In fact, I personally credit Ali with having banged the door wide open for productions to begin shooting their lavish musical numbers right in India! Throughout ‘Jab We Met’ (which means ‘When We Met’) locations in Punjab, Bombay and Himachal Pradesh are the stars of the film, even more than the handsome Shahid Kapur and the perkily adorable Kareena Kapoor - no relation… OK, the two dated for a while, it’s all very old news now and that’s the extent of their connection.

But back to the locations. With all of Imtiaz Ali’s films India is IN, it’s cool, it’s always the place to be. Switzerland’s grassy mountain tops are never in sight, and cities around the world, such as London and San Francisco are good for only two things: making money and getting confused. It’s a message that really sinks in after viewing his films and perhaps he has tapped into a unique thread that can transform Bollywood and make it bigger than Hollywood, even in the West.

In the days when my parents were children, they watched the Musicals of the times to dream of that faraway land named America. My Mom from the cinema halls of Napoli and Dad in the various movie theaters of European towns traveled during Grandfather’s escape from Germany. They watched, separately and without any connection, the same films of hope and a magical place where everyone felt at home. So, the appeal of the musical has long been around and when I hear someone say things like “Aw, those Indian films are all about song and dance. They have no story and no depth” I think they are deeply misinformed. Indian cinema is what cinema was born to be: ESCAPISM. And it is escapism at its best, with lavish costumes, great production numbers and stars we all want to be or date! Don’t believe me, here’s a teaser…

Anyway, back to the film. Why watch ‘Jab We Met’ this Sunday, August 9th on IFC? Because it is a great love story, a wonderful journey through India and a fantastic inspiration to be exactly who we are, but to the max. The costumes - Kareena’s are by Manish Malhotra and to be drooled over, truly - the people, the feelings and the songs are guaranteed to take you to a place where troubles just don’t have the space to exist. 

Imtiaz Ali’s ‘Jab We Met’ is presented as part of the Independent Film Channel’s “Wake Up To Bollywood” series and is made possible by their collaboration with digital media distributing giant Saavn. Remember to only watch and listen to legally obtained films and songs. It’s bad karma to download media illegally. Three words: Don’t do it!

Images courtesy of IFC, Eros Entertainment, Saavn and Cine Vision

The one thing I have an unfaltering belief in, more than anything else in this world, is the inevitable crossover and merger of Hollywood and Bollywood. I don’t mean to belittle Indian cinema by using the dubious B word, but it is a trademark now recognized the world over. When Anuradha Chopra wrote her brilliant biography of Indian Superstar Shah Rukh Khan, her then publishers at Warner Books insisted that she name it ‘King of Bollywood’ because the label carried such an identifiable trademark. Though I do understand all the arguments that are made against the use of the word, one has to admit that it is a great gimmick, it rhymes well with Hollywood and it best describes the magnitude of an industry that is second to none in audience numbers and productions.

Recently though, my redundant refrain of constant promotion for Indian cinema to anyone who will listen to it, has found some worthy competition. I am now in the great company of iconoclasts and visionaries, the latest to join the club is none other than Steven Spielberg himself. The King of Hollywood and Anil Ambani are now $825-million film-making partners!

Befittingly, major US TV networks are beginning to get onboard, but none as deeply and as passionately as my favorite film viewing venue, the Independent Film Channel - IFC. Let me just give you a moment to think over all this information while watching the trailer for their upcoming three-part Bollywood musical comedy mini-series ‘Bollywood Hero’. More from me after the colorful break…

So, liked it? How could you not! This groundbreaking event boasts a collaboration with online entertainment provider Saavn whose mission is to ‘Bring Bollywood to the World’. The mini-series airs its first episode on Thursday, August 6th at 10 and continues on the following two nights, culminating in its finale on August 8th — has got it all: Comedy - by means of Saturday Night Live’s Chris Kattan, who is just simply divine as the second rate actor who publicly denounces Hollywood to end up in Bombay for a starring role in ‘Peculiar Dancing Boy’; Beauty - courtesy of his two stunning female co-stars, Neha Dhupia and Pooja Kumar, as well as personal favorite Merchant-Ivory heartthrob Julian Sands (yum!); Culture - or should I say clash of cultures as Chris’s character discovers that Bombay is not only an ocean or two away from Los Angeles but worlds apart from the life he was used to; Fun - with a story that when recapped inspires giggles and immediate interest from all who hear it; and finally, Style - the choreographer of the dancing sequences is Longinus Fernandes who choreographed the ‘Jai Ho’ dance in this year’s Best Movie Academy Award winner ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ and is joined by Oscar® winner for best costumes in the same film Riyazali Merchant as costume designer on the mini-series. Actually, ‘Bollywood Hero’ is a reunion of sorts for many of the crew on Slumdog. Take that as a good omen!

The series boasts fun guest appearances by the sizzling Keanu Reeves, who appears as a ‘heightened’ version of himself, Jennifer Coolidge (for those who need reminding, she played the hilarious manicurist-friend to Reese Witherspoon’s Elle in ‘Legally Blonde’) and David Alan Grier — “Two snaps and around the world” gay film critic on the Wayans series ‘In Living Color’ — a very funny man in his own right. ‘Bollywood Hero’ also stars Maya Rudolph, Ali Fazal and Rachna Shah, an actress I have now noticed in a few great films.

Accompanying the event, there is even a special ‘Indie Guide: Bollywood’ blog on the IFC website — where you’ll find great interviews and fun facts — as well as the weekly feature ‘Wake Up to Bollywood’ on Sunday mornings at 10, screening Indian blockbusters such as ‘Ghajini’ and Imtiaz Ali’s ‘Jab We Met’. Unfortunately, you might have missed Farhan Akhtar’s ‘Don’ with King SRK himself this past Sunday but still have a few more weeks to go. All courtesy of a sweet licensing deal with Saavn. So, as I’ve been saying for a while now, grab a hot fragrant chai, pick up a pair of marigold colored glasses and start living the magic of Bollywood. Right in your own living room!

All photos Kerry Monteen/IFC. Poster image courtesy of IFC