#film: kal ho naa ho

[theinfinitedivides]

दर्शन. — lit. glimpse, appearance, usually in reference to an auspicious sight. ( crossposted on ao3. one-shot. alt text available in image id. )

[theinfinitedivides]

the gay movie in question:

i need them in a gay movie together!!! it's a dire situation

[timetravellingkitty]

immortalising this

[soupy-sez]

KAL HO NAA HO [कल हो ना हो] (2003) dir. Nikkhil Advani

[deepdwnbodythurst]

[shilzzzmaybe]

a mandatory preity zinta from khnh dump on the occasion of the film's 19th anniversary ‹3

[b-oovies]

Kal Ho Naa Ho, 2003.

aqui apenas legendado.

[musiquesduciel]

Just finished watching Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003) and although I know the movie is based in New York, Sweetu has such strong british-indian energy.

[raviposting]

KAL HO NAA HO + Moments that broke my heart @lgbtqcreators bingo: fave film

[prncssguya]

been on a bollywood binge the past few weeks, some old and new.

films i’ve watched: jawan, pathaan, salaar, animal (phew what was that), radhe shyam, jaane tu ya jaane na, kuch kuch hota hai (rewatch), kal ho naa ho (tear my heart why don’t you), dilwale, om shanti om (masterpiece), dil to pagal hai, mujhse dosti karoge, rocky aur rani kii prem kahaani (alia bhatt yesss), and many more i can’t think of the name right now.

not to be dramatic but i think shah rukh khan invented romance. how does he do that with his eyes?? i watched kabhi khushi kabhie gham and i was not expecting to cry my eyes out. there should’ve been a warning at the beginning to have a box of tissues ready.

continuing my srk marathon with dilwale dulhania le jayenge

[hood-ex]

This got long so I decided to send it in an ask.

So India has like a dozen film industries organized by language. Bollywood is the biggest and that's Hindi. There are also movies n Tamil, Telegu, Malayalam, Marathi, Kannada, Bengali, Punjabi and more. I won't go into all of them because I mostly watch movies in Tamil, Malayalam, and Hindi and the occasional Telegu movie.

(super cool thing is that sometimes, there's actors who work in multiple film industries so it can be like a fun surprise when you see someone you associate with a specific language pop up somewhere else)

I tried to pick based on what you said you liked in one of the other replies. You mentioned you like musicals though so you'll be happy to know that songs are integral to Indian movies. Also these recs are a mix of personal favorites and ones I know to be popular/iconic because if it was just up to me, half of these would be thrillers, horror or crime because I think indian films do those genres really well. They also lean heavily towards romcoms.

Hindi:

Sholay (1975) This is just a classic Hindi action movie starring Amitabh Bachchan, who's possibly the biggest actor from Bollywood in the 70s and 80s Like even i've watched it and I haven't even taken the time to look through 70s Hindi movies yet.

Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993) A runaway bride gets taken in by three kids and they have to hide her so their uncle who's taking care of them doesn't kick her out. The kids are so goddamn cute. This stars two very known 90s stars, Amir Khan and Juhi Chawla.

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) Iconic Hindi romance starring equally iconic pair of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. Shah Rukh is by far the most popular beloved actor in Bollwood since the 90s and arguably still today. Him and Kajol were a big pair that did tons of movies together in the 90s and early 2000s. I cannot understate how popular these two are.

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) Another, arguably even more iconic Shah Rukh Kajol romance but it's a love triangle. Personally, I can't stand this movie but it's super duper popular and also features the love of my life, Rani Mukherjee as the 'it' girl Tina that Shah Rukh's character initially falls in love with.

Kabhie Kushi Kabhie Gham (2001) I'm sorry, I don't know how this ended up being all Shah Rukh Kajol movies but I needed to mention it because this is my personal favorite from this pair and in general. I also love the way this leans into the 2000s aesthetic in the second half and you're going to be baffled and amused by the character Pooja in the second half.

Devdas (2002) Devdas is an epic tragic love triangle featuring again Shah Rukh Khan but also Aishwarya Rai, one of the most influential celebrities to come out of India in the modern age and Madhuri Dixit, beloved actress and dancer from the late 80s/early 90s. The song 'Dola Re' from this movie is one of the coolest dance sequences to exist.

Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003) A modern love triangle- you know, I didn't realize how many love triangles are on here but this one will make you cry. It's a romcom but I promise, the tears will come. And then you'll watch it again.

Om Shanti Om (2007) A love letter to Golden Age Bollywood, this movie is going to pack in approximately 15 references per minute, you won't understand any of them and it will still be an excellent time. At heart, this is a fantasy romance/revenge featuring reincarnation (which is a suuuper popular trope but ended up being sparse on this list). Starring Shah Rukh Khan across Deepika Padukone in her first role (they go on to be a pretty beloved pair though not as much as srk and kajol). I rewatch this 1-2 times a year.

Jodhaa Akbar (2008) Starring Aishwarya Rai again, this is a historical romantic drama set in the 1500s. I always get distracted by how beautiful the costuming in this is. You'll recognize Hrithik Roshan from Kabhie Kushi Kabhie Gham but with the ugliest mustache known to mankind.

3 Idiots (2009) is a comedy/coming-of-age about 3 college friends. Sounds basic but it's really hmm, heartfelt? Starring Amir Khan.

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013) coming of age romance/drama/comedy something about a group of college friends. Stars Deepika Padukone across Ranbir Kapoor (big 2010s actor).

Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavadahn (2020) first big blockbuster type movie about queer people. It made me cry, i made a gif from this my header for like over a year, it's a bit cliche but yk

Telegu

Telegu's really hit it off in the last 10 years or so but I've only a passing familiarity and I definitely can't tell you what's been popular in the last couple decades. BUT

Bahubali 1 and 2 (2015/2017) It was a cultural phenomenon when it came out, because of the effects and cinematography but also largely because of how it's one story split intentionally into two movies. That concept was unheard of in Indian film and the overwhelming success of Bahubali is directly responsible for the dozens of 2 and 3 part film series being produced today in south indian films. It's like an epic fantasy action movie(s) about- actually i'm not going to spoil the plot on this one. In simplest terms, it's about a guy learning about his dad.

RRR (2022) Not a personal favorite but it actually has a tumblr fanbase. Bromance but like two indian revolutionaries fighting against the british in pre-independence India. Really, it's very much about their friendship. Stars Jr NTR and Ram Charan, both of whom are pretty popular Telegu actors. This like Bahubali was an insanely popular hit.

Tamil (this was so hard because i like tamil movies but i don't think they're the greatest. They do however have the best love songs, hands down)

Kadhalan (1994) It's an action romance ft politics and terrorists but at heart, it's a inter-class romance about a college kid that falls in love with a politician's daughter. You may have noted by now that inter-class romances are a BIG theme in indian movies. This stars Prabhu who is still an iconic choreographer and dancer and Nagma.

Minsara Kanavu (1997) a romance Prabhu again and Kajol from all of those Hindi films. The plot is that she doesn't believe in love and wants to go become a nun and he's trying to change her mind because he's in love with her. It would've been so easy to get this film wrong but it ends up being really hard to dislike.

Anbe Sivam (2003) a slice of life about a guy who gets stranded at an airport and makes a friend. R. Madhavan, who plays the friend is the poster boy for 90s Tamil romances and is an excellent romance actor, if you're interested.

Ghilli (2004) A sports player accidentally gets involved with a gang. It's like an action romance featuring some of the most iconic actors in Tamil film, including Vijay and Trisha. I had my cousins dance to one of the songs from this at my wedding. This movie actually just reran in theaters for it's 20 year anniversary a couple months ago.

24 (2016) A guy invents a time traveling machine. I really wanted to include a movie with Suriya because he along with Vijay are like the two big stars of the Tamil Film Industry. They both have catalogs of 60+ films. And in this movie, Suriya plays a triple role.

Malayalam. This one's my native industry which somehow made it really hard to pick movies from because I mostly watch masala films or (like low-brow action comedies).

Kireedam (1989) A action/drama about a guy's downfall. Thematically, think Othello. Stars Mohanlal, the biggest actor in Mollywood and watching him in this movie will show you why.

Killukam (1991) a comedy about a girl, an illegitimate daughter of a supreme court judge, pretending to be mentally ill while searching for her father. Very of it's time but it's classic comedy. Stars Mohanlal again.

Yoddha (1992). One of the rare times that Malayalam film delves into fantasy, this is a movie about a young rural guy protecting a Nepalese kid from a murderous, supernatural cult. It's been a minute since i've watched this so I can't speak to how the cultural aspects were treated but I remember that part of this was shot in Nepal. It's also considered a cult classic. And features Mohanlal yet again.

Aaram Thampuran (1997) Another mohanlal film about a man who gets involved in a village's affairs. Stars Manju Warrior who was a known 90s actress before she got married and quit. This one's an iconic action film but I think that Mohanlal's role in this is like the template of classic Malayalam hero and says a lot about the qualities that make up a South Indian typical movie 'good guy'.

Nandanam (2002) The fact that this movie is this old makes me feel old. A slightly dramatic, mostly realistic interclass romance ft (1) god. It'll give you a fair bit of insight into Malayali culture and class prejudices. Anyway story's about a religious house-servant who falls in love with the grandson of her employer. Or really, the grandson falls in love with her. It's a personal favorite of mine and stars Navya Nair (who is soo underrated) and Prithviraj (who is not, which is to say he's hella popular and currently trying his hand at directing)

Meesa Madhavan (2002) A thief gets wrongfully accused of a crime and tries to prove his innocence ft a romance. It's classic 2000s Malayalam comedy. Features Dileep and Kavya Madhavan who were a pretty popular pair of the 2000s/2010s even and irl had an affair and he divorced his wife for her. (his wife incidentally is manju warrior who i mentioned above)

Classmates (2006) A school reunion unearths old hurts and hidden secrets. It's got everything; mystery, angst, romance, comedy, and an iconic soundtrack.

Notebook (2006) No this has nothing to do with the iconic Nicholas Sparks adaptation. It's about three college friends at an all-girls school and how they deal with one of them getting pregnant. The initial romance is SO cute. The song, one in particular is great. The execution is so-so but for a movie about teen pregnancy in 2006 Kerala, it's not bad. And I would consider it iconic.

****** manichitrathazhu (1993) It's about a couple who move into a new house and the wife gets possessed by a ghost. It's ICONIC. I didn't mention it above because it does dip into horror and you said you didn't like scary movies.

i know this might seem super large and overwhelming. I promise I did try to limit the choices a bit and was at times more or less successful. Anyways I hope it helps some.

Wow, thank you for the explanation and for the long list of recs! Love all the different language categories. Lol! I wish I liked horror movies more, especially so you could share your favs 😆. I might try Manichitrathazhu 🫣. Maybe my friend who loves horror movies will watch it with me.

I'm looking at some of these on Google, and omg, Kabhie Kushi Kabhie Gham is 3.5 hours long 😳. I'll have to settle in with a snack for that one 😆.

These all sound really good though! Thank you for taking the time to compile this list, I highly appreciate it!

[theinfinitedivides]

folks i'm going to need to you sit down for a sec. sit down. are you seated? ok good

how the F*CK did i not realize this earlier

[theyungihven]

ATEEZ X BOLLYWOOD SEASON 2

Time fades away but the moments captured on films last for an eternity. It is your choice to revisit them, enjoying the forgotten times which still reside in your heart.

As an adult whose childhood was filled with these timeless classics, this is an attempt to bring together two things dear to me; bollywood and K-pop. Presenting, a crossover between ATEEZ and Bollywood (late 2000s and early 2010's in Season 2)

just leave a comment under this post to be tagged

SEASON 1

SEASON 2 MASTERLIST (below)

↬ Seonghwa as Rahul in Chennai Express

Kashmir to Kanyakumari

Genre : romance, comedy Synopsis : a north indian guy travelling to goa gets on the train only to be met by a south indian girl who he finds out is running away from home and gets involved with a tamil mob boss and his sidekick.

↬ San as Arjun, Wooyoung as Imraan and Seonghwa as Kabir in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

Oh Foolish Heart!

Genre : romance, comedy Synopsis : The trio finally go on a spain trip but things start going downhill when their unresolved issues come in between until Arjun meets Zoya brings him back to Earth.

↬ Yunho as Abhimanyu and San as Rohan in Student Of The Year

Is There Someone else?

Genre : romance Synopsis : Abhimanyu is a full ride student from a middle class family while Rohan is the son of a billionaire. When they meet, clashes happen because opposites attract but they find a common ground. However, things go downhill when Rohan catches his best friend kissing his girlfriend.

↬ Wooyoung as Guru in Ek Villain

A Summer Miracle

Genre : romance, angst Synopsis : They say love finds you when you least expect it and it did find Guru on a Summer Morning which tied his heart forever to a girl who was the epitome of happiness.

↬ Jongho as Jay in I Hate Luv Storys

I Hate Luv Storys

Genre : comedy, romance Synopsis : Shaken by personal traumas, Jay swears to never fall in love but life reminds him that there's always this one person for whom you'll risk everything

↬ Hongjoong as Aditya in Jab We Met

My Stella Maris

Genre : romance, comedy Synopsis : Geet, the epitome of sunshine meets Aditya, who is a depressed millionaire, on a train he never planned to get onto but she just had to be there. However, Geet becomes his stella maris, his north pole star as she guides him out of the sea of darkness in which his mind was once emerged.

↬ Mingi as Kabir in Yeh Jawani Hain Deewani

The Traveller without a home

Genre : romance, comedy Synopsis : Kabir dreams of travelling in order to discover new things but when he meets Naina after a almost a decade, he realises that he was actually running away from himself.

↬Yeosang as Rahul in Aashiqui 2

In depth of love and despair

Genre : romance Synopsis : Rahul, a singing sensation, falls in love with Aarohi, a woman who sings in a bar. He helps her accomplish her dream of becoming a famous singer but his own shortcomings jeopardise their future

↬ Wooyoung as Aman and Yeosang as Rohit in Kal Ho Naa Ho

Let there be a tomorrow...

Genre : romance, angst Synopsis : Aman changes the pessimistic Naina's view of life and makes her fall in love with her friend but little do these two know that Aman loves Naina secretly.

SEE YOU SOON!!

[tiredguyswag]

omg you’re so right 💔💔💔💔 im so sorry poor widdle cracker I’m sure your feewings must’ve gotten so hurt 😩😩😩 literally every single Indian responding to this post is a delusional bitch who doesn’t know how to read thank you for opening my eyes to the light 🤩 thank you white baby

it's been nice knowing you all

[bollywoodirect]

Remembering Achala Sachdev, Hindi cinema’s one of the most respected screen mothers, on her birth anniversary today (03/05/1920).

Achala was born in Peshawar in 1920. She started her acting journey with a movie called "Fashionable Wife" in 1938. Later, she moved to Pune after marrying Clifford Douglas Peters, who owned a factory in Bhosari.

Her career in the Hindi film industry began early, and she also worked with All India Radio starting from the 1940s. Throughout the 1950s, she appeared in many Hindi films, gaining fame for playing maternal roles. One of her most famous roles was as Balraj Sahni’s wife in the hit movie "Waqt" from 1965, where she was part of the iconic song “Ae Meri Zohra Jabeen”. Many fans started calling her Zohra Jabeen after that.

She acted in several memorable films, including "Azaad", "Arzoo", "Amanat", "Waqt", "Mera Naam Joker", "Julie", "Karm", "Haqeeqat", "Himalay Ki God Mein", "Hum Panchhi Ek Daal Ke", "Prem Pujari", "Hare Rama Hare Krishna", "Chandni", "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge", "Kabhi Kushi Kabhe Gham", and "Kal Ho Naa Ho". Additionally, she appeared in English movies like "Nine Hours to Rama" and the Merchant Ivory film "The Householder".

Achala Sachdev passed away in Pune on April 30, 2012, due to respiratory failure.

[whenthegoldrays]

Hi, what's up? Tumblr user movietonight here. Your drama recs so far have been very brainworm. Do you by any chance also have any movie recs (any language)? My concentration span is currently more movie than tv show length considering I'm witnessing the collapse of 2 governments this week. The brainworms are keeping me busy. I hope you're having an okay time!

Hey friend! I'm flattered to be asked for recs! Let's see what I can offer you...

I'll limit myself to two time travel movies (or one and a half, sort of). The first is Before You Say I Do (2009), which is on Tubi. It's a Hallmark movie, but definitely one of the better ones in my opinion. It's about a man who tries to go back and prevent his fiancée's traumatizing first marriage. The other is Ditto (2022), a story of university and first love which feels like it falls in the time travel media spectrum between Twinkling Watermelon and Il Mare (2000) (which is... also a good one, but not as good as the American remake, The Lake House, which you might already be familiar with!)

A little-known one I'll always recommend to anyone who wants recs is Dutch film The Surprise (2015), a darkly hilarious movie about a suicidal man and woman who fall in love at exactly the wrong moment. (ofc, there would be a trigger warning there for suicide attempts).

Not sure what your streaming service options are rn, but if you have Peacock and you haven't watched The Fall Guy (2024) yet, you need to! It's an action flick with a side of murder mystery, but it's really about love 😌

I don't know if these are brainworm-y enough, and I'm coming up a little dry on more recs right now, but also feel free to go through my #movie recs tag for more good stuff! If you're interested in Bollywood, there's Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001) or Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), ohhh or if you want any random old movies that barely make sense but will make you laugh and stick in your brain for a while, I can recommend Happy Go Lovely (1951) (David Niven plays a millionaire mistaken for a newspaper columnist opposite Vera-Ellen's ballet dancer trying for a big break), or Escuela de vagabundos (1955) (Pedro Infante plays a mysterious man who shows up at the door of a mansion asking to use the phone and finds himself with a job as the chauffeur) (hilarious and supremely quotable movie, at least in my household ><)