Bombay
1995 - India - 102 min. - Feature, Color
Political Drama, Drama
This powerfully provocative political-religious melodrama is a blockbuster hit in India where it was made. The message in the film was considered so potent by the government that it took two months for censors, police, and politicians to review it prior to the film's release. It is on the surface, a love story between a good Hindu man and a devout Muslim woman who leave their village to marry and live in tumultuous Bombay. There they have twin sons and raise each one to understand and accept the disparate religious traditions of their parents. Within the great city, there is much religious unrest and when the Muslims hear that Hindu radicals have attacked an ancient Mosque, riots explode everywhere. At one point rioters capture the twins and demand they claim their religion; when they cannot, they are doused with gasoline and are almost immolated. Meanwhile, their father, a journalist, attempts to report on the fighting and finds himself faced with blind hatred on either side. To protect their grandchildren, their two grandfathers, traditionally bitter enemies, move to Bombay, and when they too suffer religious persecution, they unite to end the violence. -- Sandra Brennan
Cast: Tinnu Anand, Manisha Koirala
Mani Rathnam - Screenwriter
A.R. Rehmaan - Composer (Music Score)

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
(1998)
Directed by Karan Johar
An excellent film - well worth watching. This film continues the tradition of the romantic family comedy started by HAHK and DDLJ. I dare say it is just as good as either of those two. It stars Sharukh Khan as Rahul (a favourite film name of his these days!), Kajol as Anjali and Rani Mukherjee as Tina. The film starts as a flashback with Rahul at Rani's funeral. We learn that she has died after giving birth to a daughter (confusingly, also called Anjali). The film then goes forward eight years before flashing back to college days with the excuse that Tina has left her daughter Anjali with a set of letters. It is now her eighth birthday and Tina proposes to tell her all...
The film then proceeds to a typical Yash Chopra three way love story. I have to admit, more than one tear came to my eye during this. The interval arrives with young Anjali promising her deceased mother that she will unite Rahul with the other Anjali. The rest is typical Hindi romantic stuff. However, don't let this put you off. This film is excellent. It warrants comparison only with DDLJ and HAHK, not with weaker recent offerings such as Dil to Pagal Hai. The costumes are top class, the songs are the best I've heard in a long long time and the story is very strong. I feel as if I would recommend this picture to EVERYONE, from kids to great grandparents. Also, Rani Mukherjee deserves special mention for a very strong first performance.
If you decide to take the time out to watch this film, you WILL be richly rewarded. Oh and by the way, did I mention it is incredibly funny too?
Cast: Shahrukh Khan, Kajol, Rani Mukherjee, Salman Khan, Anupam Kher, Farida Jalal, Archana Puran Singh, Aruna Irani

Raja Hindustani (1996)
Directed by Dharmesh Darshan
Genre: Drama / Romance / Musical
Two people from opposite socio-economic backgrounds fall in love and get married against the girl's family's wishes. The girl's family then conspires to create a rift between the couple by exploiting the boy's jealous, short tempered nature.
Cast: Karishma Kapoor, Farida Jalal, Johnny Lever, Master Kunal Kemmy

Dil Se
1998 - India - 163 min. - Feature, Color
AKA: From the Heart
Director: Mani Rathnam
Musical w/ Adult Situations
Mani Ratnam, who has proven with films like Bombay (1995) and Iruvar (1998) that it was possible in India to make quality films that could also be box-office hits, chose the 50th anniversary celebrations of Indian Independence as the backdrop for this film about the clash between love and ideology. Amar Kant Varma is the son of a deceased army officer and he lives with his family in Delhi. As a program executive for All India Radio, he travels all over the country to interview common people to mark the anniversary. On one of these trips, he meets a mysterious girl named Meghna at a train station, but loses sight of her before he can get to know her. He sees her again in another town and reminds her of their meeting. Meghna doesn't seem to recognize him. Although she doesn't really want him, he follows her all the way to Ladakh. After two days together, she leaves him to join a group of insurgents on a mission. Amar is heart-broken and marries a girl of his mother's choice. In the meantime, Meghna is chosen to be the main person on a suicide mission targeting the Republic Day Parade. She finds Amar and their destinies entwine. Director Ratnam uses the two characters as symbols for two distinct parts of India at odds with each other -- the big states on the one hand, and the border areas with minority populations on the other. The latter are angry at the central government for having neglected them, which have resulted in a recession. Dil Se, a good example of the energy and imagination of the "Bollywood" movies (referring to Bombay, the "Hollywood of India") from one of the masters of the genre was screened as part of the International Forum of Young Cinema at the 49th International Berlin Film Festival, 1999. -- Gönül Dönmez-Colin
Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Manisha Koirala, Preity Zinta, Raghubir Yadav, Zora Sehgal
Mani Rathnam - Director / Executive Producer / Screenwriter

International Khiladi
1999 - India - 180 min. - Feature
Director: Umesh Mehra
In this Bollywood action opus (complete with several song and dance numbers), a world-wide tribunal of master criminals names Devraj (Akshay Kumar) as the new International Khiladi, or Crime Boss of the World. Devraj doesn't get much of a chance to enjoy his new status before a well-known police informant (Vivek) is found dead, and Devraj is considered the prime suspect by Inspector Amit (Rajat Bedi). The police also discover that Payal (Twinkle Khanna), a reporter, has been raped and beaten, and lies close to death in her apartment. Eager to interview the notorious Devraj, the plucky journalist began following the notorious outlaw, and in their many brief meetings along the way, Payal finds herself falling in love with him. Devraj also developed strong feelings for Payal, but when he discovered that she was also working with the police -- and a close friend of the informer -- her life with the Khiladi moved from risky to potentially deadly. International Khiladi proved to be a box-office success for Akshay Kumar, a major star in his native India. -- Mark Deming

Dil To Pagal Hai (1997)
Directed by Yash Chopra
Genre: Comedy / Drama / Romance
The story of four lovers: Rahul, Ajay, Pooja, and Nisha. This Yash Chopra's fantasy and connection mentions romantic lives as the days go on, and who live in a real nice dream house to consider their dreams come true. It is one of the greatest movies I've ever seen. The acting of Sahrukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Karishma Kapoor is excellent. It has some excellent sequences and exquisite dance sequels. It's a very romantic and melodius movie. Karishma Kapoor is at her best in this movie. Every movie starring Khan is a hit but this one is the greatest hit ever made.
Cast: Karishma Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit, Shahrukh Khan, Akshay Kumar