My mates have been telling me for years that they’d love to learn about Bollywood and watch a film or two, but they just don’t know where to begin. If you’re anything like them, then Bollywood for Beginners is just for you. I’ve teamed up with the National Media Museum to screen a number of classics from the last five decades over the coming months. I’ll be on hand at every screening to tell you about the key personalities, explain why the films contain all that singing and dancing, as well as the features that have made these films the classics that they are today.
The season kicks off with Sholay (1975), which is generally accepted as one of the greatest Hindi films of all time. Sholay means Embers or Flames of the Sun. The film’s brilliant script, memorable dialogue, mega star cast and technical excellence are still revered to this day. As Bollywood director, Shekhar Kapoor, who has also made films like Elizabeth and Bandit Queen, famously said: “Indian film history can be divided into Sholay BC and Sholay AD. There has never been a more defining film on the Indian screen.”
It’s a great film for beginners of Bollywood film since it needs very little cultural explanation. With a script heavily influenced by Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Sholay tells the story of ex-cons Veeru and Jai who are hired by a retired police officer to capture the notorious bandit Gabbar Singh. It’s a typical Bollywood film with heroes and heroines, songs and dances, romance and comedy, as well as a heavy dose of emotion.
I hope this has whetted your appetite to watch this Bollywood classic. But just a word of warning – at 3 hours 20 minutes, Sholay is long even by Indian standards, but fear not, we’ve even built in an interval! Although the film isn’t available to book just yet, it needn’t stop you from saving the date in your diary.
Sholay (PG), subtitles
Sunday 27 May only, 11.45am – 3.45pm
National Media Museum (booking details coming soon)
Irna Qureshi blogs about being British, Pakistani, Muslim and female in Bradford, against a backdrop of classic Indian films.
Will it really be on 70 mm as the poster promises? (*v*)
Good question and great observation! And I suspect you already know the answer is no, because the poster is a 37 year old classic too!
No, it was not a 70mm print, but Sholay came across wonderfully on the big screen. Now I know what all the fuss was about. I understand the next Bollywood for Beginners will be on 1 July, and will feature Devdas. So I’ll be making the journey from London yet again.