scorecardresearch
Add as a preferred source on Google
Friday, November 14, 2025
HomeFeaturesReel Take

Reel Take

1942: A Love Story — the swansong that brought R.D. Burman back to stay

Music company HMV had told Vidhu Vinod Chopra it wouldn’t pay if he signed R.D. Burman. Thankfully, he didn’t listen.

M.S. Sathyu’s Garm Hava still speaks to a country wrestling with questions over citizenship

The story of a Muslim family in post-Partition India and the troubles they faced is a powerful call to humanity.

Smita Patil’s portrayal of a flawed, messy actor in ‘Bhumika’ is fascinating and powerful

Based on memoir of Marathi actor Hansa Wadkar, Smita Patil's Bhumika, a film by Shyam Benegal, is a brutal & unflinching look at the life of a female movie star in Bombay.

C.I.D. — when Bollywood musical met noir in signature Dev Anand style

The 1956 classic also introduced one of Hindi cinema's most loved actors – Waheeda Rehman.

Disco Dancer and the era of disco featuring Bappi Lahiri

Bappi Lahiri’s iconic music electrified an entire generation and continues to inspire old-school disco diehards.

Bollywood’s definitive ‘masala’ film, Yaadon Ki Baarat tops the hall of fame

With an excellent soundtrack and a fast-paced and entertaining plot, Yaadon Ki Baraat established Zeenat Aman as a star.

Chhoti Si Baat is the kind of rom com we miss in today’s whirl of swiping and deleting – simple, sweet and funny

Starring Amol Palekar and Vidya Sinha, the classic underdog tale leaves one with a bittersweet nostalgia for a gentler time.

‘Koshish’—the nuanced 1972 film portrayed disability as just another aspect of life

The Gulzar-directed film won Sanjeev Kumar his second National Award and remains a landmark in both their careers.

Teen Bahuraniyan: A quirky family comedy with a touch of female solidarity

Prithviraj Kapoor plays patriarch to his three sons and daughters-in-law in this madcap comedy that's all about loving your neighbour — literally.

‘Dhool Ka Phool’—Nehruvian secularism of Yash Chopra’s first movie is worth remembering today

The story of a Muslim man raising a Hindu child born out of wedlock is not only a plea for communal peace, but also questions the sexist mores of the times.

On Camera

10-point guide to Bihar election results: Lalu, Nitish & BJP’s hawk eye

Alliance partners have not lost any vote share. The central message of this election, therefore, is that the rival can’t take away your committed voters. You have to stitch alliances to bring in the “others”.

Wealth nears $99 trillion, still Asia’s rich don’t have succession plans

Much of this wealth is tied to founder-led businesses that employ millions and help anchor regional economies.

Turkey blocks transport of Apache choppers to India through its airspace, new route being worked out

Indian govt officials last month skipped Turkish National Day celebrations in Delhi, in a message to Ankara following its support for Islamabad, particularly during Operation Sindoor.

Bihar is where politics moves, and everything else stands still

Bihar is blessed with a land more fertile for revolutions than any in India. Why has it fallen so far behind then? Constant obsession with politics is at the root of its destruction.