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Tuesday, August 12, 2025
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Reel Take

50 years of Anand — Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s timeless classic is an ode to life

Thursday marks 50 years since Anand was released on 12 March 1971. It was well-received at the box office and went on to become the third-highest grossing film of 1971.

In Hum Dono, lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi turns melodrama into a meditation on love, war & life

Starring Dev Anand in a double role, along with Sadhana and Nanda, Hum Don is film takes on the classic lookalike trope, set against the backdrop of World War 2.

Aakrosh, Om Puri’s masterclass in the art of silence, is especially powerful after Hathras

Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah, Amrish Puri and Smita Patil star in Govind Nihalani's 1980 directorial debut that explores caste politics and the oppression of Adivasis.

Smita Patil in Aakhir Kyon? is an example of how art and mainstream films aren’t so far apart

Directed by J. Om Prakash, the film, also starring Rajesh Khanna, Rakesh Roshan and Tina Munim, was one of Smita Patil's early forays into mainstream Hindi cinema.

Vinod Khanna’s Achanak is a philosophical look at the duty of medical and legal professionals

Written and directed by Gulzar, Achanak takes off from the sensational Nanavati case that was India's first brush with a media trial and a high-profile crime of passion.

Daag, Yash Chopra’s debut as producer, broke the mould with its shades of bigamy

Starring Rajesh Khanna, Sharmila Tagore and Rakhee, the film was a daring choice for Yash Raj Films to debut with, but its massive success made it a risk worth taking.

Feroz Khan’s Qurbani is stylish and sexy and doesn’t take itself too seriously

A high-octane action flick starring Feroz Khan, Zeenat Aman and Vinod Khanna, Qurbani was a smash hit in 1980 and is great fun even today.

Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Majhli Didi is a family drama driven by strong women

Based on legendary Bengali author Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novel Mejdidi, the movie stars Meena Kumari and Lalita Pawar in a progressive take on adoption.

Ijaazat is a strangely poetic take on divorce that was rare in 1980s Hindi films

Naseeruddin Shah and Rekha's portrayal of a divorced couple in this Gulzar film is more loving and honest than many marriages that do last.

Khel Khel Mein had Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh at their fresh-faced, adorable best

Ravi Tandon's 1975 movie was part college romance, part murder mystery. And it had great songs by RD Burman.

On Camera

Hrithik Roshan & Jr NTR in Janaab-e-Aali is exactly what a dance-off should not be

Forget comparing it with classics like Hrithik’s Ek Pal Ka Jeena or the slick title track of Dhoom 2, Janaab-e-Aali does not even come close to Ghungroo.

How mining, manufacturing & power sectors weighed on India’s industrial output since January 2024

India’s industrial output growth saw a 10-month low in June, with Index of Industrial Production (IIP) growing by mere 1.5% as against 1.9% in May 2025.

India expands Southeast Asia defence footprint with new joint venture in Philippines

Memorandum of understanding between SMPP and ADFC was signed during state visit of Philippines’ President to India earlier this month.

Modi’s ready to risk it all for farmers. Farm reform can answer Trump with new Green Revolution

Standing up to America is usually not a personal risk for a leader in India. Any suggestions of foreign pressure unites India behind who they see as leading them in that fight.