#the romance hero of Bollywood

[maibearcore]

Me and my non-canon & angsty ships against the world ˗ˏˋ 𓅰 ˎˊ˗

They started dating ok?!

They are together and happy idgaf about canon.‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡🪐༘⋆

࣪ ִֶָ☾. They deserve better and they also deserve therapy. 🧸ྀི

Weak Hero Class 1 (2022), Squid Game (2020), Ballerina (2023), Beyond Evil (2021), Tomorrow (2022), 25-21 (2021), Raazi (2018), Sita Ramam (2022), Sanam Teri Kasam (2016), Laila Majnu (2018), Kill (2023).

[byvishanti]

honestly why is it so hard to find poc/desi (specifically bollywood actually) male faceclaims below 40-50 age.

[triviareads]

So uh, it just clicked for me but Talia Hibbert tends towards writing her South Asian heroes as daddy types which is WILDLY hilarious to me because just from personal experience desi men are like the opposite of that, like, genuinely the most mama's boy-types.

[authorpayaldedhia]

His Puppet: Standalone Movie Superstar Billionaire Bully Romance (Encounter Series Book 3)

Read this possessive bully romance

Other books in the series. A Coincidental Encounter (read it now) Not a Coincidental Encounter (read it now) Rehan, the enigma of Bollywood, comes face to face with a woman who bewilders him. Who is she? With innocent eyes and the prettiest face, Rehan had never met someone more genuine. But her eyes held pain, too much pain.She begged him for a chance, and he gave her, not knowing she was the…

[lastofthe20thcenturygirls]

I will be ur new srk mutual 🫶 which one of his films should I watch first?

such a beautiful ask 🥺

if you're in the mood for a romance movie

1. Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge: it's as old as me and still running in a theatre after all these years. it's literally that movie. the biggest reason he's called the king of romance and there wasn't even a kissing scene in this. hasn't aged. beautiful soundtrack. and the infamous mustard field

2. My Name is Khan: 14th feb 2010, 3pm show in a single screen theatre and i had the time of my life watching my first srk movie in "talkies". i was so happy i was gonna cry finally in a theatre and wept i did. he was so fucking good in this kajol's comeback directed by karan johar. lots of tears. and some more. 9/11 background but it's a love story still. he should have won the national award and that jury will end up in hell someday :)

3. Veer-Zaara: romeo and juliet's tragedy is nothing compared to veer-zaara's. the songs the music the acting the actors the director the writer everything was just so good. a lot of people don't know this but eye acting was actually invented by shah rukh khan

4. Dil to Pagal Hai: a musical about a musical the soundtrack slayyyyed then it slayyyys now. underrated on current tumblr but i think i am starting to prefer that because DTPH is mine. i never had a crush on shahrukh but if any character of his ever came close it was from this movie. one of his sexiest characters imo. did i mention the songs were way too good.

5. Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham: shahrukh really cries like children do. who knew weeping can have range. great songs great cast. kajol in orange. srk in see-through shirts. it's actually a family drama but it's fun also his mother in the movie has a superpower.

6. Om Shanti Om: no bollywood movie has ever bollywooded the way OSO did. love friendship reincarnation hero heroine villain nepotism revenge action comedy great music (and one more thing but that's a huge spoiler) it really just had everything. one of the finest masala movies ever made. it's tumblr's favourite as it should be. also this movie is how i learnt san francisco rhymes with disco

if you're in the mood for thrillers

7. Baazigar: the directors were having trouble finding the lead actor because nobody wanted to take the risk then srk told the producer that nobody can play this role as good as he can and he became the first actor in the history of filmfare to win the best actor award after playing a negative role. a cult classic.

8. Darr: it's the 90s it's the hero heroine villain era when the audiences think the people who play villains are bad people irl and dislike them. sunny deol an already established "hero" is the hero of the movie and srk is the villain a scary stalker and what happened was that the audiences really loved him instead. (my sister got scared of him enough that she started crying in the theatre and my parents had to leave mid-movie a wuss). something that couldn't have been achieved by just anyone except the future king of bollywood. oh lots of switzerland. also the legendary director of the movie kinda adopted srk and started casting him in every movie of his afterwards.

9. Fan: about an obsessed fan (not me just tbc). underrated af.

about brothers and mothers

10. Karan-Arjun: family evil rich guy poor villagers a mother's wait reincarnation revenge very 90s. used to watch it every time it was on tv. also it was shot in my state 😎

11. Main Hoon Na: a cool srk entry. action comedy friendships a whole college adopting a grown up as their big bro beautiful sarees the best dressed character who then got a make-over 🥲 (the only one flaw of the movie) a villain (which was getting rare in the 2000s) the best ending credits ever and whatnot. it was farah khan's directorial debut and she brought fun back to bollywood with her bestie <3

the only coming-of-age movie he did

12. Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa: i was younger than 4 srk wasn't my favourite "hero" yet but his character from this movie was my first blorbo. my murderous rage awakened for him. the first character i ever related to was also from this movie. gangster uncle 🤜🏾🤛🏾 me. srk was so baby (he was like 28) there was also ra ra rasputin in this. srk loves this movie so do i.

[jalebi-weds-bluetooth]

hello hello hello Jalebi! And I’m sorry it was really weird of me to not say hello in my previous ask :((

In context with the same (ask), I really loved that you pointed out all the scenes with the song, and how it impacted the whole story build up. Yk, Before watching ipkknd, I went through a whole phase of watching the ‘realistic’ romance movies in Hollywood. The ones that make the viewers relate with the protagonists, because we’ve all been heartbroken in some point of our lives, and that all romances do not end up in happily ever afters. The before trilogy, 500 days of summer, eternal sunshine of the spotless mind, normal people and many more. My perspective on love and romance changed completely over the past 2-3 years, and it kind of was good because I got familiar with the real picture. (I grew up watching bollywood films and read wattpad as a teenager, which was obviously, really like a strawberry-duniya) But now, I’m finding myself again going back to my childhood dreams and fantasies, like love is ‘meant to be’, or ‘true romance is aided by the divine’, ‘the red string theory’ and something of that sort. I’m scared that this might end up making me feel that ‘realistic love’ is inadequate. I have fallen in love with the way romance and love has been portrayed in ipkknd, and I don’t think i am getting over it anytime soon.

Hello hello,

Omgh Anon please don't worry - I wasn't in the best mood either!

Ok, time for Jalebi to crack her knuckles and give a drop of two of reality sweetness and advice.

Romance is really about the way you feel. The way you imagine it to be. There's nothing ever right or wrong about the way romance works because there's no one way to define this notion of romance.

You see the best way to understand this is to really understand the way IPK showed how Arnav and Khushi experienced romance.

For Khushi always believed in what films and books sold her - she believed romance to be flowers, stars, seeing the person everywhere and so on and so forth. Thus when she fell for Arnav, she literally felt all this because this is how she was conditioned and believed romance would be.

Arnav, pragmatic in nature, truly never believed in the commercialized version of romance. What he did believe in was care being romance. He did NOT believe in Anjali's definition of romance. What he did believe is what he saw between Anjali and Shyam. The fact that his sister, so deep in love, cannot function if her beloved is in danger. She has a strong physiological response to Shyam. And Arnav does believe Anjali loves Shyam and vice versa. He does not believe love making the heart go fast, but he is aware of how an extreme emotion can affect the body. So the night he understands love (which he has been questioning for some time now) he realizes his care for Khushi was exaggerated, he collapsed at the thought of her harm and his extreme physiological reaction - racing heartbeats to restlessness - it's all due to and for Khushi, leaves him in a sombre realization.

The point here being you can never point out which version of romance is more accurate cause even if fiction, people feel love differently even for the most basic things.

If you are a romantic at heart and now believe larger than life things - from fate to God - play a role at romance, then even the most realistic thing like the person you like dabbing away your snotty nose during a cold will feel like the MOST romantic thing in the planet. You will see fate in this, you will feel the violins.

But if you're a realist at heart, then even at the most GRAND entry of your crush - helicopter and all - you will see the smallest things that matter to you. Such a small smile your hero throws your way before he goes for his day.

What we must understand though is that situations don't lead to love. Your feels and circumstances are two very separate things. I, at one point, used to believe that "Oh I'd get great love only if I go through the intense difficulty and push pull and fight with destiny"

Now that is a problem because a lot of the circumstances in IPKKND are best left to fiction. If realistic love doesn't appeal to you on screen - totally makes sense, heck I'm always down for grander schemes of love ON screen.

But in real life, it's really the realistic love that leaves you with the joy the grander shows love. It's the green flags, the safety, security and just goodness of it all that's really appealing.

Trust me when I say this, an honest intelligent conversation has had my heart racing faster than being backed into a wall 'a la Khushi'.

And the human mind is such, it can frame events into your head based on your definition of romance.

If I'm a hardcore romantic, then I will find divinity in reality and if I'm a realistic I will find realism in divinity. Because when I'm liking someone, I'm trying to find WHAT appeals to me.

And one really important thing to realize is that fate does NOT dictate one to be in your life when they're causing you grief. IPKKND is written as a romance that was not meant to have happened.

If you get an ASR - run. If you get a Khushi - run as well. One is too egoistic and the other is too idealistic.

Also realism does not mean passionless or things not being fated. It just shows you multiple other perspectives can happen. Yes, there's a certain escapism in these fantasy stories, but I also believe remarkable things can happen to absolutely ordinary people as well.

And you don't have to get over IPKKND at all - enjoy the vibes, enjoy the feels. Don't idealize the situations that Arnav and Khushi faced to get to love, but definitely idealize the power in their love.

Love's power is universal.

Love love love,

Jalebi

P.S: Talking about realism, it is interesting to note that the second time Khushi actually falls for Arnav (not infatuation) is when the littlest things happen.

A box of bangles cause her previous one broke, assisting her in serving the guests cause the waiters ditched on her, or simply telling her that the saree she chose first was the better one.

Nothing remarkable at ALL and this is as realistic as love gets, and as beautiful too.

The grand gestures of dance, kiss and mehendi's 'A' make her uncomfortable. His soft smile and showing up, personally, to her house in the morning is what touches her.

[77bat-man77]

The Marvels had so much potential. It could have been about friendship, sisterhood and overcoming your past mistakes but it somehow failed in all those aspects.

In my opinion the movie could have been saved if they did these things-

1. Spent more time flushing out Monica's and Carol's relationship like it could have shown a cute past memory of them together. Like Carol saving Monica when she is falling while they were flying a plane and this scene should cut off before she saves her. Then at the end of the movie, the complete memory should've been shown to give us hope before Carol fails to save Monica.

2.Given Kamala's family something to do. It showed that they were scared for her but it could have been done better. Like Muneeba could've been really worried and Nick Fury could have had a nice moment with her and advised her. And before the climax Muneeba would get over her worries and tell Kamala to go save the day but come back to her safe.

3.Flushing out Aladna and Carol' romance with its Prince. Like a big Bollywood musical sequence that showed them falling in love. Carol should've married him for love not just for some legal reason. Then it would show her leaving Aladna and her love because the rest of the universe needed her.

4.The heroes should've kept failing because they were out of sync. Aladna should've been completely destroyed and their Prince dead. And in the end when they come together, they beat the villain. The villain dying on her own was stupid. Carol would be mad at Kamala because she was the reason they escaped and Aladna was destroyed.

5.No Valkyrie cameo. The Skrulls should've been left on another temporary planet and their leader should've told Carol that sooner or later the Kree would find them.

6.Monica realised earlier that Carol can save Kree sun but it will kill her so she doesn't reveal it. At the end she tells Carol this and after everything is done, Carol reignites the sun and in the process kills herself.

7.Before she goes to save Hala's sun, Carol would have a nice moment with Kamala. She would forgive Kamala for taking them away from Aladna. And she would tell her to carry on her name and legacy. She would also say goodbye to Fury.

8.Nick Fury oversees a peace meeting between the Skrulls and Kree that would potentially stop the animosity at the very end with Goose with him. The Kree would call Carol their saviour, replacing the Annihilator name. Two of Fury's people would be shown over a call with him, raising the Flerken kittens on a different planet.

9.The introduction of Kamala should've been her saving the Jersey city from some villain and Muneeba being angry at her for risking her life. At the end she would leave home to go save the city again bit with Muneeba's blessing. It would be a funny twist if the Khans are shown to have kept a Flerken kitten.

[mlwritersguild]

MWG 2022 WRAPPED LIST - PART NINE

Continuing with some more lighthearted fics, this part should be sure to get you laughing. This selection is coming to you straight from the MWG clown car! To recap, our January event, as usual, was to recommend and review our favorite fics that we read in 2022! To make things a little bit more interesting and fun, we treated it a bit like an awards ceremony or spotify wrapped. If you know the tumblr accounts of any authors on AO3 that were mentioned but not tagged, please tag them! Continuing with our rec lists, here's part nine!

Here are the MWG nominations for best humor/crack fics!

crème brûlée and vodka by @fictionalinfinity

lovesquare // chat fic // crack // fluff // mentions of djwifi

les illuminations en douche et d'autres miracles pubères by noirshitsuji

lovesquare // crack treated seriously // identity reveal // chloe/alya/nino // meta humor

oh god juleka you weren’t supposed to actually kidnap her oh my god by @justanotherpersonsuniverse

julerose // crack/humor // juleka & kagami

only idiots try to woo those who are already in love with them by missecchi

lovesquare // crack // romance // identity reveal // teen and up // innuendo

operation marichat by @coffeebanana

lovesquare // djwifi // crack treated seriously // identity reveal

Tera Hero Idhar Hai (Your Hero is Over Here) by @hanaasbananas

adrien & plagg // lovesquare mentions // fluff and humor // crack // bollywood movies

The Hazards of Being Bald by @nomolosk

adrien & marinette // crack // humor // hawkmoth defeat

The Ladyblog Comment Section by DragonsandInk

lovesquare // fluff and humor // slice of life // the overuse of social media comment sections

these little words by @multimousenette

lovesquare // texting/messaging fic // bad flirting // humor

See you tomorrow for part 10!

[fujihime-litg]

Thanks for tagging me @jamals-wifey @elliesmith33

JOY LIST

My Sister, Mom, Step-dad, and Dad My Cat Playing Visual Novels(Our Life, College Craze, etc) Reading Interactive Fictions (Wayhaven Chronicles, Fallen Hero etc) Romance Club and LITG Movies (Hollywood, Bollywood, Korean, Japanese etc) Good Health Eating out with my sister or friends in a good restaurant Green Tea / Matcha Going to white sand beaches with sky blue sparkly water

tagging: @sophie9608 @kunepie @squishy-noodles @brasister - I'm not sure who else but I think most people here have already done this or tagged.

[desimoviereviews]

Jawan: One of SRK's Best Movies

Follow me on Instagram: @thatguyanesejournalist

Let’s talk about Atlee’s Jawan

Azad is a jailer at a women’s prison who moonlights as a vigilante with the aim to rectify corruption in Indian society, targeting a specific individual whose actions and status have caused extreme suffering for civilians.

I’ll be honest. The plot could have easily been a two-dimensional hero versus villain story that we’ve all seen too many times. However, adding the stories about Kalki’s father and Dr. Eeram’s “negligence” really brings a depth to the plot that proves this film is not just a story about a protagonist and an antagonist: it’s a story about the people of India.

For example, to avenge thousands of farmers’ suicides, the team holds passengers of a train hostage until they get paid ₹40,000 crore ($4,818,532 USD) so they can repay the loans of the Indian farmers. The viewers finds out through one of the most emotional scenes in the movie that Kalki’s father, who was a farmer, committed suicide so that his family could pay off the loan on their tractor with the money they would receive from his death. In real life, more than 12,000 farmers in India commit suicide every year due to debts. These anecdotes in the film bring a touch of needed reality to the plot; in fact, the reality-based conflicts are something I think Bollywood needs desperately these days.

Personally, I think this is one of SRK’s best movies. I’ve been waiting to see what movies SRK was going to churn out now that he isn’t doing purely romance movies anymore. I think Jawan is a great example of the content SRK is capable of creating without being a romance hero. And you see this with Azad and Vikram Rathore, who aren’t your typical protagonists. You would expect the protagonists to take the main spotlight for most of the movie. However, SRK shares the screen with a plethora of other female characters and doesn’t overshadow their acting or stories. 

One character that I absolutely adored was Narmada. As a female protagonist, she wasn’t the “damsel in distress” that needed saving all the time. In fact, she was a tough character throughout the movie who held her own, even when she found out Azad’s real identity as a vigilante. I really do appreciate Narmada’s character arc and the fact that she could always defend herself as an individual.

A quick shoutout to Kalee Gaikwad and how effortlessly Vijay Sethupathi acted in his role. This was actually the first movie I’ve ever seen him in, and he conveys the psychotic qualities of his character without it seeming fake or unconvincing. I have a whole bunch of Vijay Sethupathi movies lined up for me to watch for the future!

Also, another shoutout to Aishwarya Rathore and the wonderful Deepika Padukone. Even though her cameo in the movie was short, it was an impactful one and gave me major Om Shanti Om vibes. I love how her character was also strong and independent, refusing to be coerced by Gaikwad and his scheme to frame Vikram.

I loved the movie so much. There was impactful dialogue throughout, even though some parts did sound a bit preachy but still fit the message that the movie was trying to convey. The references to SRK’s iconic movies didn’t go unnoticed by me, and it was done in a way that didn’t make me cringe. I also appreciated the way there were numerous fourth-wall breaks that seemed like SRK was addressing the real-life viewers during the film’s most crucial moments; by staging this scenes as messages to the actual people, it causes viewers to think about their own political landscape in their country and how they can impact their own government (LEGALLY, PLEASE).

All the songs on the soundtrack, composed by Anirudh Ravichander, were pretty catchy to me. Welcome to another episode of me having a hard time to curate my song list. At the end of the day, I included both popular and seemingly underrated songs from the film. Give them a listen! 

Aararaari Raaro

Chaleya

Zinda Banda

The movie is 2 hours and 50 minutes long. Stream the extended cut on Netflix, grab a snack, and enjoy!

Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

[theincorrigiblemagpie]

I watched Madhumati (1958) last night. I can't believe it took me so long to watch this movie given its legacy.

And I enjoyed it very much.

I've never been a Dilip Kumar fan but after this... I get it. I really do.

I have been a Vyjayanthimala fan and she's delightful, as always.

I had no idea Ritwik Ghatak wrote the script? And you see it. The "raja" wields his unearned wealth and power like a bludgeon. He's an entitled, lecherous, boorish thug who has no respect or consideration for those he considers his social inferiors.

He both admires and resents the hero for his ability to stand up to him.

The raja's corruption has tainted his staff at the timber mill which is the economic backbone of the estate.

The supervisor takes a cut from the meagre earnings of the daily wage workers. The foreman hides discrepancies in the accounts. And they're in conflict with the local Kumaoni people.

Right off the bat, the foreman and an assistant warn our hero that the locals are all thieves. But they're the only thieves we encounter.

And all of this is just the background to the central storyline, which is a romance. A good one!

Anyway, I get the Madhumati hype. And I get why Bimal Roy's daughter accused Om Shanti Om of plagiarism. OSO walks a thin line between referencing Madhumati and basically having a near identical climax.

(I personally do think OSO is a solid tribute to not just Madhumati, but a lot of Bollywood storytelling conventions, people, incidents, and more, and I'd let it go.)

Also, what a bananas good soundtrack. Salil Chowdhury and Shailendra casually landing basically every song.

If you enjoy old fashioned Bollywood entertainers, I think you should deal with the grainy film and sound, and watch Madhumati.

[triviareads]

do you have diverse modern romance recs?

Yep! I've (mostly) organized it by author:

Naima Simone: I'm obsessed with literally everything this woman writes, both Harlequin and not Harlequin. Naima writes a lot of fabulous Black heroines (and she writes great body diversity as well) and a decent amount of POC heroes as well. My favorites include . Black Tie Billionaire (Black heroine, Asian hero), Secrets Of A One Night Stand (Black heroine, Pacific Islander hero), and Trust Fund Fiancé (both the hero and heroine are Black). The best thing about Naima's books is just the uniformity in how she writes every body type as attractive and desirable and the sex is very hot. Would absolutely recommend.

Katrina Jackson: I haven't talked about Katrina enough, when she's out here doing the most for mafia romances and spy romances with diverse characters. I could happily read her novella Beautiful & Dirty over and over, but it's a prequel to the mafia series which ends with my favorite, The Don, which has a Black heroine. Katrina also wrote a spy series (The Spies Who Loved Me!) and the first in that series, Pink Slip, has a Black heroine who's lusting over her married bosses (the wife, Monica, is Latina I believe) and surprise, they're both into her too.

Angelina M. Lopez: Angelina writes excellent Latino rep. Her fictional town Freedom, Kansas, which is the setting in multiple stories, has an amazing Mexican-American community she builds on. I'd recommend After Hours on Milagro Street, which has a Mexican-American heroine, as well as her upcoming Full Moon Over Freedom, which is next in the series. The way she melds culture, magic, and romance is gorgeous. Also! Lush Money, which is set within this universe, has a Latina heroine and is very fun and worth reading.

Tara Pammi: If you want to read about Indians in India or Bollywood-centric romances, Tara is the author. I liked Claiming His Bollywood Cinderella and The Secret She Kept in Bollywood (that man is suuuch a DILF he's great).

Jadesola James: I've talked about her before (see here) but Jadesola has written a couple Harlequin Presents stories set in Africa. I'd recommend The Royal Baby He Must Claim and The Princess He Must Marry, which are about sisters who are Nigerian princesses.

Talia Hibbert: The Brown Sisters books are bangers, sexy and emotionally comforting at the same time. I'd recommend all of them: Get a Life, Chloe Brown, Take a Hint, Dani Brown, and Act Your Age, Eve Brown. I also love her novella Guarding Temptation, which has both a Black hero and heroine and Wanna Bet? which has a Black heroine and a British-Indian hero (thanks for reminding me @viscountessevie).

Wrong to Need You by Alisha Rai: The hero and heroine are in-laws (well, her husband, his brother, is dead) so the romance was very emotional and slow-burn, but the pay-off was absolutely worth it. The heroine Sadia is Pakistani-American, and the hero Jackson is of Japanese and Hawaiian ancestry. Alisha also delves pretty deep into South Asian family dynamics which hit a liiiittle too close to home, but I can't deny the accuracy.

Reel by Kennedy Ryan: This a romance between an actress and her director (both are Black) and I particularly appreciate the amount of research Kennedy Ryan put into the Harlem Renaissance, Black artists of that era (she created a fictional artist to base the movie off of), as well as their contributions to the Civil Rights movement which I think isn't discussed enough.

Sink or Swim by Tessa Bailey: See here.

From what I recall, Katee Robert did a pretty good job of body diversity without super explicitly mentioning race in her Fairytale Villains Who Fuck Wicked Villains series.

[badedramay]

I’m going to say something unpopular which is that, I don’t think Fawad and Mahira should’ve played Sikander and Liza in a 2023 adaptation of JBHSSL. Even if this drama was being made 5 years ago, they could’ve worked, but not anymore. I’m glad it’s not them, but I will acknowledge that the actual casting is pure nepotism if the rumors are true.

Anyway, FK is over 40 and Mahira is also 38. Listen, they look PHENOMENAL for their ages, and Bollywood and Lollywood have serious ageism issues (where a 31 year old actress will start playing mothers to 20-something actors but 55 year-old actors will romance girls who are 19). Those are important issues for another post.

But specifically speaking of the characters of JBHSSL, Mahira and Fawad just don’t look like Sikander and Liza, young adults who are lost in several ways when they cross paths, anymore. Fawad Khan is a gorgeous man but he can’t pass for a 20-something anymore, and neither can Mahira. It was difficult enough accepting her as an MPhil student in HKKST, and that was already two years ago. They just don’t have that same youthful innocence that they did, and that’s ok, they’re humans. They’re not supposed to look the same for 12+ years.

And I’m not saying that only people who look like they’re in their 20s can be romance leads, but for this specific novel, unless they significantly change timelines, that bit of naïveté of youth is important and I just don’t think it would be believable coming from them at this point.

We are a country of over 200 million people. We should try and recruit new talent because we have more than plenty, which is another reason I’m bringing up not defaulting to the same stars over and over again because they’re, well, “stars”. I completely understand bringing MK and FK on board because they are some of our biggest stars, and we should all be rooting for this drama to be a hit since it can open doors for more Netflix ventures, but I agree with what the casting directors reportedly did here. They brought on massive stars to build hype and pretty much guarantee views but they also tried to do some realistic casting in terms of ages as well. You can say it’s low key unfair to Mahira and Fawad fans to bring them on board and use their names but not make them the stars, but they’ve both been in this industry for 15+ years; nobody forced them to do this. I’m sure they can see the value of being in the first ever Netflix project for a country. They want their names out there as much as their fans do, trust.

that's the thing. this novel has been in the news to be adapted for YEARS. literally..YEARS!! i remember when Balaa was on air (2018) and Bilal Abbas was THE rage on social media..he gave off immaculate Sikandar Shehryar vibes to me. i couldn't believe anyone else to do that role more than him in those days. he looked the part, he gave off the aura of the part. back then Fawad was so distant from PakTV as a whole that just on that principal i didn't want him to be part of the project. but then years passed and nothing was confirmed and actors aged up and changed their style so I just forgot about it all. Namal Khawar when she was doing Anaa was gave the perfect Liza vibes. she could pull off the half Pakistani, half Italian heritage and Namal is an artist irl so like..WHO ELSE COULD'VE BEEN BETTER?! and then Namal and Hamza got married and Hamza toh hai hi Hamza..he pulls off silent broody somber romantic hero extremely well (Mann Mayal is a great example). what better pairing than them?! but again..years passed. nothing happened.

i digress. i meant to say that for YEARS fans have been fancasting this novel. ab finally jaake there's some confirmation about this project and it is a mix of some of the old favorites and some completely new names so I get why there's such "strong" backlash from the fandom. this backlash is not 100% because of the acting prowess or star power of the actors supposedly playing the lead roles but more due to the sentiments attached of the fans with their personally preferred casting that they'd have been hoping to be canon for years. FaHira fans aren't as mad about Fawad and Mahira not playing Sikandar and Liza as they are mad that the two aren't paired romantically. chances are if they are given the confirmation that Fawad and Mahira, while not playing the lead roles of the novel, will have their own romantic track in the drama and the fans will shut up. unhen sirf apni jodi ka romance chaiye, aur kuch nahin. FaHira fans have always disliked the Fawad-Sanam jodi because in their head it's blasphemous for Fawad to have two successful romantic jodis that continue to garner praise. if Humsafar was a hit, so was ZGH. and ZGH toh was a bigger hit in India. the fact that it was Sanam Saeed who was also considered for Raees and the only reason she couldn't make it to the auditions was due to her wedding proves that Indian filmmakers had noticed Sanam's potential to be received well in India. Mahira Khan is not as "exclusive" as the fans thought she was. and yeah, that hurts their ego.

The casting IS messy, YES but considering the story it is also FINE. i am reading that Netflix wanted Fawad, MK, and Hamza for the project so they had to be cast one way or another. fact is that these actors with their age and seniority can NOT pull off the characters as WRITTEN in the novel. the limitations of the body can not be overcame by sheer force of the fandom. yeah..but they can be accomodated in the adaptation if they play completely different roles. there's nothing wrong with them playing older generation in a flashback. so what? didn't Fawad and Mehwish play great grandparents or something to Ms. Marvel in one episode? DIDN'T THAT ONE SINGLE EPISODE HAD THE WORLD PRAISING THEIR CHEMISTRY AND STORY???? it was nothing more than a one episode cameo but it was done WELL and it WORKED. just because these actors are potentially playing the parents of the leads of the novel doesn't mean they will necessary be relegated to insignificant roles. Farhat Ishtiaq is GOOD when it comes to expanding the story of her novel to accommodate the demands of TV adaptation. she has done that in Diyar e Dil, Yaqeen Ka Safar, and Mere Humdum Mere Dost. are the makers absolute FOOLS that they'll cast some of the BIGGEST names of the industry that are widely known internationally and give them no significant story line or characters??? c'mon now.

Actors can play characters older than their real life age on screen more convincingly than the actors playing characters younger than their age. Ahad can pull off the carefree youth of Sikandar just as well as he's capable of portraying the angst of a 30 something Sikandar. Fawad cannot do both the things. THAT'S A FACT. THAT'S A FACT!!! Ahad and Khushhal can pull off a sibling bond with both the bitterness of youth to the understanding of maturity that Hamza and Fawad cannot. bhayee aap se KIS NE KAHA HAI ke Netflix pe show karne ke liye aapko Oscar nominated hona laazmi hai. HAVE YOU SEEN NETFLIX ORIGINALS?????? they literally adapt dramas from novels all around the world and cast up and coming actors from the industry ALL THE FREAKIN' TIME!!!! this is NOT a new phenomenon. had Netflix wanted to they could've simply gone over every contender's head and take completely NEW actors for the project from Instagram content creators lot and that would've STILL fit their MO. yahan toh phir bhi they are taking established names. like???

so yeah, the casting is messy but not irredeemably disastrous. once they officially reveal the actors and their characters, the fans will come around it. as for the new audience that Netflix is of course targeting to get via this project..they'll don't care about the casting as much anyway. the only absurd decision the makers have done so far is the way the project was announced and confirmed. not a single word from the actual people making the show but plenty of noise from unconnected sources. that ain't it bruh. this should've been done via a proper press conference like how Parwaz Hai Junoon was announced (even uss time pe bhi the casting had ultimately changed but hey..it got the buzz going on in the right manner!)

[cant-get-worse-than-this]

So i just watched an action hero, and i LOVE IT.

I love the fact that unlike most Bollywood movies it wasn't completely centered on a guy impressing a girl and all of that. As a matter of fact, the heroine came for 1 song at the end of the film. Romance films are nice but this was so refreshing.

Also, am i the only who noticed the tension between bhoore and maanav? Like they were about to kiss in every scene I'm sorry-

[randomscribbler-guywholovedher]

Best date idea

In a world where fleeting romances and whirlwind affairs dominate, an extraordinary love story unfolds before us. Amidst the shimmering lights and bustling crowds, our eyes meet, and the world around us fades away. In that magical moment, we create our own universe, bound by a love that defies time, just like the movies that inspire us. The touch of your hand sends electric tingles down my spine, igniting a flame within me that burns brighter than the sun.

Our hearts are entwined in an unbreakable bond, seeking solace and forever in each other's arms. I, a firm believer in everlasting love, find guidance in the melodies of vintage classics, where romance soared to celestial heights.

In this era of technology and fleeting connections, our love story carries echoes of a bygone era. We become guardians of handwritten love letters, pouring our emotions onto the pages, each stroke of the pen etching words of passionate devotion. The tapestry of our eternal romance is woven with threads of fervor and affection.

We dance to the rhythm of our hearts, synchronized with enchanting melodies that narrate the tale of our love. Through the ups and downs, we stand strong, knowing that our love can conquer any obstacle, just like the heroes and heroines we idolize.

Our love transcends the transient nature of relationships; it is a symphony that resonates for eternity. In the simplicity of our togetherness, we find comfort, cherishing the warmth of our embraces and the sweetness of our kisses.

With every heartbeat, we create moments that rival the most iconic romantic scenes from movies. May our love shine as a beacon of hope, inspiring others to believe in the power of forever. Our love story is destined to be celebrated in the grand tapestry of Bollywood romance, leaving an indelible mark on hearts everywhere. @randomscribbler-guywholovedher

himym ted mosby edits

[salmankhanholics]

★ Amaal Mallik says he is 'indebted' to Salman Khan, talks about their Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan song!

February 24, 2023

Amaal Mallik made his debut as a music composer in Bollywood with Jai Ho. The year was 2014, when he entered the world of showbiz with the Salman Khan film. Recalling his first Hindi film as a music composer, Amaal feels he didn't deliver well. However, he learnt a lesson, went through another year of hard work and delivered chartbuster songs.

After collaborating with Salman on Jai Ho, Amaal reunited with the superstar for his upcoming film, Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan. In an exclusive chat with IndiaToday.in, Mallik spoke about his upcoming track with Khan.

AMAAL MALLIK ON SALMAN'S KISI KA BHAI KISI KI JAAN SONG

Speaking exclusively with IndiaToday.in, Amaal Mallik opened up about his reunion with Salman for Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan. He also revealed an unknown fact about his track with the superstar.

"Now, eight years later, we are doing a heartfelt song together. Last we collaborated on Main Hoon Hero Tera and now we are coming together and I hope people love it. I can only say that it is a track about romance and love. It is something I made as a composition in 2012 and he remembered that tune as he had it in his recording. He remembers songs and has them on his phone. He said, 'I am doing this song and you have to start working on it.' That's what we are doing right now," said Amaal.

He added, "As we speak, tomorrow, we have recordings for it. The melody is something that I made in 2012 and the whole arrangement, production and beats I am doing now. So my 2023 ka mind is going to work on 2012 ka brain. It is a nostalgic feeling. He had like 4 to 5 songs, out of which Hero was released. He also liked this song. Today, I am doing it for his film. I hope all listeners, Amaalians and Salman Khan fans are ready for a song that is about falling in love and being in love. It is another love song by me, but this time it is with Salman Khan."

'I OWE MY BEGINNING TO MR SALMAN KHAN'

Going down memory lane, Amaal recalled how he got his big break in Bollywood with Jai Ho. He expressed gratitude to Salman and said, "I owe my beginnings to Mr Salman Khan and sir is someone who believed in me that I could be a composer at 23. And I remember, during Jai Ho, I was asked what credit would go. So I said you can give the credit as music produced or beats by Amaal Mallik. He looked at me and said, what kind of credit is that? Music composer banna hain ya nahi banna hai? He was like, otherwise, don't give me the song. I was thrown into this industry like that. Of course, struggles are there. It was not easy to reach him. That is another chapter of life. But once he liked it, he gave me such a big platform to debut on. He took Armaan (Malik) as a vocalist and Salman Khan's voice was Armaan's voice when he was 19. He took a big risk for both of us. And I personally felt I didn't understand much about what to do. I was young and didn't deliver well in Jai Ho. Later, when I did a song with him, Main Hoon Hero Tera, which created history, by then I understood what his fans also like about him and what kind of music they like. In the first film, you don't know, whatever you have been guided about - you try your best."

Before signing off, the music composer stated, "He loved EDM music. That's why we did songs likeTumko Toh Aana Hi Tha, Love You Till The End and the Jai Ho title track in the film. There were EDM-driven club anthem kind-of productions. But his audience is very massy and commercial. They love to see him in either beautiful songs like Teri Meri Prem Kahani (from Bodyguard) or Character Dheela and Dhinka Chika. So, these two spaces are something fans love about him. Even though Salman sir listens to different kinds of music, he is aware and he knows what works for him, but he also knows what works for his fans and they will love it. That surety which he has helps a music composer know what to do. By then I understood where I went wrong with Jai Ho. I am glad that my first film, in spite of it being the biggest launch, I didn't deliver well on music. It taught me a lesson and made me go through another year of hard work so that I could do something like Main Hoon Hero Tera and Sooraj Dooba to take my career forward. I am indebted to him for believing in 23-year-old Amaal Malik, who thought he would debut as a composer at 32 or 33. It was his belief that I became this."