This post has been in my head for a while now, and it has just been made fresh by the fact that “Water” did not win in the Oscars for “The Best Foreign Film”. What a shame - “Water” by Deepa Mehta may have been on a sensitive (but real) social topic that was prevalent in India about 60 years back, but the movie was very well made movie and the story line did not lack anything. It does portray a not-so-nice image of the practices in the early times of India but nevertheless, the audience should understand that things are not that bad these days in India. Did it lose because it may have been too crude - well we would never know.
On the other end of the spectum there are movies like Salaam-E-Ishq (and anything with Salman Khan) and Golmaal that should just NOT be made, and if made then it shouldn’t be watched ! Indian cinema also doesn’t know how to make sequels - Phir Hera Pheri was a disgrace to the first movie (phir hera pheri) ; Dhoom 2 was all about the glamour and glitter - had no story at all. I think Dhoom was much better. Kkrish was also no better (not that the ET ripoff “Koi Mil Gaya” was any better !) - just the special effects were good in these movies - which of course was done by companies from out of India ! Movies have become just a 2-3 hour commercial piece of crap - filled with endorsements !

And then there were some really good movies (though some may not have done all that well in the Box Office) - Movies such as Taxi No. 9211, Dor, Lage Raho Munna Bhai, Khosla ka Ghosla, Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. (a total timepass movie) were really nice and well made with some very basic story lines - Elegance sprouts from something that is very basic - I truly believe in that ! Guru was another well made movie and Sam says it well in his blog - “They don’t call him Mani Sir for no reason”. A little over the top for me Sam, but nevertheless the story telling is done well - the good and the bad parts !

What I guess I am implying here is that I expect more out of Hindi movies and the people who make it. People in India are really creative and I hope that is exposed via the movies that they make ! One statement pretty much sums up what is happening in the Indian Cinema world -

“In the Hindi film industry, mediocrity is king!!”
- Anurag Kashyap

I came across this comment in Sams blog - he is probably more passionate about Indian Cinema than I am ! Check out his blog too…