Bollywood

‘Heeramandi’ is Beautiful But Incomplete

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s streaming debut is characteristically grandiose. But it falls short where it matters most.

‘Amar Singh Chamkila’: An Ode to a Punjabi Folk Hero

Diljit Dosanjh stars in the Imtiaz Ali biopic that isn’t afraid to embrace the violence and vulgarity of the real-life story behind it.

Why Are We Still Talking About ‘Animal’?

Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s paean to violence, misogyny, and daddy issues is a laughably poor film, one that benefits from endless discourse.

‘Fighter’ Review: All Flair, Few Feels

The Deepika Padukone and Hrithik Roshan film has plenty of action, but a tired storyline wastes its immense star power.

‘Baazigar,’ the Killer Thriller Gamble that Struck Gold

The 1993 film with a murderous villain as a hero sent shockwaves through Bollywood and turned its actors and directors into veritable stars.

‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai,’ the Blockbuster Full of Contradictions

The film reinforced the “suitable girl” trope, but also reimagined widowhood and love.

‘Jawan’: What’s Old is New Again — And More Relevant Than Ever

The latest action blockbuster from Shah Rukh Khan showcases the actor’s many avatars, with epic storytelling that has long been missing in Hindi cinema.

‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’ Review: Big Bollywood Romance is Back

But it’s not about the Punjabi-Bengali love story you think it’s about.

Rekha, Mother of Bollywood Queer Icons

The Hindi film industry painted the actor as a vamp and the other woman. Yet she emerged as a flag-bearer for self-love and queer self-expression.

‘Jubilee’ Review: A Dazzling Homage to the Dawn of Hindi Cinema

Vikramaditya Motwane’s ambitious series explores the style and scandal of Bollywood in post-Partition and post-Independence India.

Salim-Javed: Strugglers, Screenwriters, Superstars

The story of Bollywood’s most successful writing duo is as masala-filled as the groundbreaking cinema they created.

How Bollywood Failed Parveen Babi

One of the highest-paid actors of her time is largely remembered through her lovers and by her illness. While others profited from her tale, she died alone at 51.

‘Pathaan’ Marks Shah Rukh Khan’s Glorious Return

The star-driven action flick is well worth the wait. Deepika Padukone and John Abraham take it to the next level.

Deepika Padukone is Building an Empire

The launch of 82°E, her self-described “self-care” brand, is only the start for the Bollywood superstar.

How ‘Jab We Met’ Changed Bollywood Romance Forever

The 2007 film broke the rules with its strong female lead and a romance rooted in friendship. Today, it’s still the perfect rewatch.

‘Vikram Vedha’ Marks the Return of Bollywood Nuance

The remake of the hit 2017 Tamil film gives us delightfully meaty characters who go beyond good vs. evil.

‘Brahmāstra’ Review: Powerful, Yet Fatally Flawed

The epic fantasy film starring Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt is the first of its kind, but disappointingly leans into tired Bollywood tropes.

Alia Bhatt Refuses to Be Predictable

Critics dismissed her after her debut. Peers now call her the best actor in Bollywood. We chatted with the ‘Darlings’ star on how she pulls off powerful character-driven roles.

Northeastern Actors are Finally Getting Their Shot at Bollywood Stardom

Streaming platforms have led to more regional cinema, diverse storytelling, and long-awaited opportunities for northeastern actors. Will mainstream Hindi cinema follow?

Where Has Bollywood’s Romance Gone?

In these divisive times, love remains a mere blip — not the central character it once was — in most Hindi films.

It’s Time to Bid Bollywood Masala Films a Definitive Goodbye

The genre that once crackled with all the dramatic possibilities of mainstream Hindi cinema and united a country has devolved into divisive, repugnant storylines.

Aryan Khan is Paying the Price for Being Muslim in India

Though they couldn’t find any drugs on him, officials arrested Shah Rukh Khan’s son during a drug raid and denied him bail — a reminder that being Muslim in India means living at the government’s mercy.

The Rise of Anti-Pakistan Bollywood

Patriotic movies used to evoke national unity. Today, films such as “BellBottom,” “Bhuj,” and “Shershaah” focus on settling scores with Pakistan.

How Mani Ratnam’s Terrorism Trilogy Stoked 1990s Nationalism

Though critically acclaimed, the director’s “Roja,” “Bombay,” and “Dil Se...” pushed jingoistic narratives that persist in Bollywood today.

The Enduring Love of Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu

The Bollywood superstars remained devoted to each other over five decades despite personal tragedy, jealousy, and a secret second marriage.

How Bollywood Failed Kashmir

Hindi cinema has long viewed Kashmir through a glossy lens, erasing its people, their agency, and their political histories.

Why “Delhi Belly” Remains Bollywood’s Best Slacker Comedy

Ten years ago, Bollywood made a runaway hit about that period in your 20s when life goes to shit. No film has since come close to replicating it.

‘Lagaan’: The Blockbuster That Almost Didn’t Happen

This year marks 20 years since Ashutosh Gowariker and Aamir Khan’s iconic film took the world by storm, and changed Bollywood forever.

Neena Gupta’s Time in the Sun

For decades, Bollywood relegated Neena Gupta’s talent to only supporting roles. Now, at 62, she’s finally getting her shot at stardom.

The Devolution of Journalism in Hindi Film

Bollywood’s ethical journalists are increasingly disappearing from the screen.

Good Ma, Bad Ma

Can Bollywood’s mothers exist between virtue or vice?

How Filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan Weaves Nuance into Marginalized Identities

Whether it’s caste, gender, class, or sexual orientation, the director behind "Masaan" and "Geeli Pucchi" dissects every theme with refreshing sensitivity.

Why Bollywood Loved — and Lost — Fawad Khan

It’s been years since fans have seen the iconic Pakistani actor in Hindi cinema. But they can’t seem to forget him.

Helen, the Glittering Mehbooba of Bollywood

Draped in lace, rhinestones, and fur, Helen claimed and rebranded the archetype of a vamp.

Why Bollywood Queens Start in the South

For decades, Hindi cinema has been sourcing its leading ladies from the Southern film industries of India.

Rekha, Amitabh, Jaya: A Silsila of Deprivation

Decades later, Bollywood’s most infamous love triangle seems even more tragic than we first thought.

Why Nigeria Loves Bollywood

With its emphasis on family values and forbidden love, Bollywood has long been popular in Nigeria, influencing the country’s prolific movie industry.

The Horny Sophistication of “Choli Ke Peeche”

Let’s take a walk down mammary lane and dissect the scandal and power that surrounded one of Bollywood’s most tastefully titillating songs to date.

How “AK vs AK” Forged A New Bollywood Genre

Vikramaditya Motwane’s new Netflix thriller — also a black comedy, an indictment of Bollywood, and a 108-minute-long inside joke — was seven years in the making.

How the Death of a Bollywood Actor Became a Political Proxy War

Sushant Singh Rajput's suicide fueled a four-month-long media circus, with internet mobs and politicians destroying lives and livelihoods in the name of “Justice for Sushant.”