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Reel Take

Sunil Dutt sold 7 cars to make Reshma Aur Shera. It’s an Indian Romeo & Juliet story

Set in Jaisalmer, Reshma Aur Shera is a love story caught in the crossfire of family vengeance. It was a Box Office flop but its visual boldness is timeless.

With Aavishkar, Basu Bhattacharya turned his troubled marriage into a masterpiece

Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore played a couple falling apart in Aavishkar. Basu Bhattacharya based it on his own marriage and even filmed it in his house.

Hariyali Aur Rasta was a romantic drama that questioned arranged marriages

While Manoj Kumar’s Shankar is easy on the eyes in the first half and turns into a Devdas-like figure in the second, it’s the two female leads who drive the storyline.

Feroze Khan’s Dharmatma released the same year as Sholay and Deewar. It still stood out

Feroze Khan paid close attention to the sartorial choices of each character. His eclectic wardrobe featured colourful scarves paired with shirts left unbuttoned till his navel.

‘Love Story’ launched Kumar Gaurav as teen heartthrob of 1980s India. He was a nepo baby

Music carries the film’s romance. Songs such as ‘Dekho Maine Dekha Hai Yeh Ek Sapna’ and ‘Kya Ghazab Karte Ho Ji’ express the hope and the giddiness of young love.

Ek Dil Sau Afsane exposes a society obsessed with male child. It remains relevant even today

The grandmother's insistence on consulting a girl’s astrological birth chart to determine her capacity to bear a son underlines how superstition and patriarchy are deeply intertwined.

Amitabh Bachchan learned a trick from Meena Kumari. It became a style statement in ‘Sharaabi’

Bachchan’s characterisation of Vicky Kapoor, the spoiled child of a wealthy businessman who becomes a raging alcoholic—but without a mean streak—cemented his cult status.

Jackie Shroff, Dimple Kapadia & a kid with cancer—Mahesh Bhatt’s 1987 Kaash has aged well

Mahesh Bhatt's Kaash is not just about death. It is a story of life—with all the tragedies and little joys, mistakes and reparations.

‘Abhinetri’ starts conversation on married women and work. Happy, neat ending takes priority

The tragedy of the 1970 movie lies in its squandered potential. As young actors, both Hema Malini and Shashi Kapoor's performances lacked emotional depth.

When Rajesh Khanna was upstaged by a toddler. Aakhri Khat is a forgotten gem

Director Chetan Anand didn’t let Rajesh Khanna sleep for three nights before shooting a pivotal scene. He would call him in the middle of the night.

On Camera

Why Modi, BJP should worry about bad blood between CEC Gyanesh Kumar and Rahul Gandhi

If there is bad blood between the CEC and the Opposition leaders, it will shake the people’s faith in election results. It’s the worst thing that could happen to Indian democracy.

Navigating Trump’s tariffs is no child’s play. Indian toymakers are losing out on orders, enquiries

Indian toymakers are now exploring new markets, but they want govt to negotiate a trade deal with US soon, introduce incentives and subsidies to make the industry more competitive.

What is Project Sudarshan Chakra, announced by Modi from ramparts of Red Fort

The project is meant to be a ‘protective shield that will keep expanding’, the PM said. It is on the lines of the ‘Golden Dome’ announced by Trump, it is learnt.

War of IAF, PAF doctrines: As Pakistan obsesses over numbers, India embraces risk, wins

Now that both IAF and PAF have made formal claims of having shot down the other’s aircraft in the 87-hour war in May, we can ask a larger question: do such numbers really matter?