India's Oscar Entry:Krishna's Birthday

[suchandra]

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

 

Bollwood Perfection

 

Bollywood Perfection

This is the "Krishna's Birthday" scene from Laagan (2001), which was India's Oscar entry for best foreign film that year. The lead male dances as if he were Sri Krsna the cowherder and beloved of all the cowherdesses (gopis) simultaneously. Hence the flute playing gestures which replicate paintings of Krishna, and the jealousy of Radha, his divine consort. The religious theme is transposed to a 19th century village setting in which a village girl finds that she must compete for the attention of the male lead (Aamir Khan, n.b. a Muslim!) upon whom the eyes of a British white lady have also fallen. Many Bollywood films are cheesy, many are worthwhile. This, by the director of the also magnificent Swades (2004), is one of the best.

 

 

 

 

 

 

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmC86-uX7JE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344">

Posted by Michael A. Marcus at <a class="timestamp-link" href="http://thelocalisglobal.blogspot.com/2008/08/bollwood-perfection.html" rel="bookmark" title="permanent link"><abbr class="published" title="2008-08-13T13:55:00-04:00">1:55 PM</abbr>

[stonehearted]

Yep, that was a fantastic film. Nothing cheesy about it at all. I remain shocked that it didn't win. (Does anyone know which film did win?)

[Amlesh]

 

Many Bollywood films are cheesy, many are worthwhile. This, by the director of the also magnificent Swades (2004), is one of the best.

 

I do agree, the Director does make sure that his scripts do contain substance before actually making a movie.

 

Swades was indeed nice, i even liked Jodha Akbar.

 

 

(Does anyone know which film did win?) ...... by stonehearted

If I'm not wrong, it's no mansland.