In the last two weeks I haven’t been able to watch any movies, so this morning as I walked the dogs I scratched my head and stared into the sunrise trying to figure out what I would write in today’s #TATM.
All that staring made my eyes hurt but a ray of light appeared. [corny no? :D ] I remembered that I was supposed to make a post with a list of old Hindi movies I want to watch this year. And that solved the dilemma.
I got thinking about some old movies I’ve watched over time and would like to watch again and 10 jumped out at me with ease. There are some movies that made a mark and some I could watch again and again and never be bored.
Some of these are on Top 10 lists, 100 Must Watch lists and such but some aren’t that famous or popular. Well, these are my favourite movies that I’d like to rewatch this year, at least once. :D
1. Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron - 1983
Director: Kundan Shah
Actors: Naseeruddin Shah, Ravi Baswani, Bhakti Barve, Satish Shah, Om Puri, Pankaj Kapur, ...
This movie was a milestone in India Cinema. A simple yet powerful story with so many hilarious twists and turns that even a non-Hindi speaking person would roll about in laughter. Two photographers stumble upon a murder and embark on a journey of finding justice, but what they find is rampant corruption at every level and no justice to be found anywhere.
2. Chhoti si baat - 1975
Director: Basu Chatterjee
Actors: Ashok Kumar, Vidya Sinha, Amol Palekar, Asrani
Another comedy with some hard hitting truth, this is the story of a simple boy who wants to woo a girl but does know how to. Each time he tries the suave romancer steals the show and the girl from him. Will he get street-smart and learn the ways of wooing? That’s the story.
3. Angoor - 1982
Director: Gulzar
Actors: Sanjeev Kumar, Moushumi Chatterjee, Deven Verma, Aruna Irani
Based on Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors, this is the story of two identical brothers and their man Fridays who are also identical. What follows is a complete mix up and confusion when they get switched.
4. Chupke Chupke - 1975
Director: Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Actors: Dharmendra, Sharmila Tagore, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bhaduri
A newly wedded husband takes up a challenge from his wife to test out her Uncle who is an astute judge of people. With a little help from friends and support from his wife he goes on to baffle the Uncle and create hilarious situations as he plays the role of a driver in the Uncle’s house.
5. Gol Maal - 1979
Director: Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Actors: Amol Palekar, Bindiya Goswami, Deven Verma, Shubha Khote
Amol Palekar plays the role of Ramprasad and invents his twin Laxman Prasad when his finicky boss catches him at a football match. The boss Bhavani Shankar played by Utpal Dutt has very strict rules and believes an man without a moustache is a man without character. The maintaining of a fake twin brother leads Ramprasad into a series of wacky situations.
6. Saudagar - 1973
Director: Sudhendu Roy
Actors: Amitabh Bachchan, Nutan, Trilok Kapoor, Padma Khanna
This a movie with a lot of depth, that it also has awesome music is a bonus. I watched this movie first as a child and have enjoyed it since then. Each rewatch bringing more detail to the forefront. The story is about Moti who collects and sells gurd. He is in love with a PYT but cannot afford to marry her. So, he actions a plan of marrying the woman who makes his gurd to save more money and divorcing her to marry his PYT when he has enough saved. How it all works out is the story.
7. Khatta Meetha - 1981
Director: Basu Chatterjee
Actors: Ashok Kumar, Rakesh Roshan, Bindiya Goswami, Raju Shrestha
A feel good movie that makes me smile. Lots of moments in this movie that I love. Centred around two Parsi families that become one, this is a story of coming together, learning to love, adjusting, sticking it out and standing up for each other.
8. Anand - 1971
Director: Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Actors: Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan, Sumita Sanyal, Ramesh Deo
A complete tear-jerker this is the story of Anand who is suffering from lymphasarcoma of the intestine and is destined to die in a few months. His impending doom though does not stop him from bringing a smile to many a face.
9. Masoom - 1983
Director: Shekhar Kapur
Actors: Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Tanuja, Jugal Hansraj
The illegitimate child of a man turns up one day at his doorstep with a letter saying his mother is dead. What is the impact of his arrival on the unsuspecting wife, his legitimate children and the man himself? Most important what happens to the child who is innocent of all indiscretions of the adults?
10. Khubsoorat - 1980
Director: Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Actors: Ashok Kumar, Rekha, Rakesh Roshan, Shashikala
Manju’s sister Anju marries into a very strict matriarchal family. The family don’t like the rulings of their mother but go along to keep her happy and keep the peace. That is until Manju turns up to visit and then turns their world upside down.
11. Bawarchi - 1972
Director: Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Actors: Rajesh Khanna, Jaya Bhaduri, Usha Kiran, Harindranath Chattopadhyay
This is a hilarious movie about the Sharma family of Shanti Nivas who have been unable to hold on to any cook beyond a few months. Their squabbles and arguments drive every cook away until a young man named Raghu turns up. Raghu gets a grip of the kitchen and the family pretty quickly and soon they cannot do without him.
12. Pestonjee - 1988
Director: Vijaya Mehta
Actors: Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah, Anupam Kher, Kiron Kher
I have seen this movie just once and be warned this one is serious and has depth. I’d like to watch it again and understand it better. The story is about two friends who fall in love with the same girl. One is a serious man and the other happy go lucky. And then the story rolls as the years go by.
I may have made mistakes with the stories and such for all of this is from memory or how I remember the movie. That said these are still 12 movies that have made a mark and deep enough that I remember them even after years.
I used to watch and rewatch some like Chupke Chupke, Khatta Meetha, and Chhoti so Baat repeatedly but even that has slipped by in the last 7 years. I’m looking forward to catching up with these movies through this year.
Each one of them will bring along 3 hours of smiles and nostalgia. :)
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