Rajkumar Santoshi directed Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani in 2009, a fun romantic comedy that became a box-office hit. Four years later, he directed Phata Poster Nikhla Hero , starring Shahid Kapoor, Ileana D'Cruz, and Padmini Kolhapure...

The movie had a similar entertaining, over-the-top comedy vibe, Shahid Kapoor's energetic performance, and a fantastic music album. Personally, it's one of my favourite Shahid Kapoor films, and I still enjoy watching it.

So, why did it fail at the box office? Was it the story, the execution, the timing, or something else?

Let's share your views and discuss...

It made me think: Is Bollywood playing it too safe, or is it just making the movies people want to watch?

Source: The Indian Express: https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/anurag-kashyap-only-patriotic-devotional-films-greenlit-today-tragedy-10929312/?ref=search&term=anurag

I was seeing it on prime today and noticed that the entire sequence in the climax with the song has been cut.
I assume a licensing issue.

Yeh Prem Mol Liya – Title Track

The man who takes pride in being a traditionalist and cinema purist.

Risked a unique release strategy for Hum Aapke Hain Koun.

Delivered a memorable hit with Hum Saath Saath Hain when the industry told him it's too traditional for modern India.

Did it again with Vivah when the industry told him the same.

These are such easy shots too. Even stock images would have done the job. There was 0% need to use AI here.

(I know it may sounds silly & alarmist. But as a fan movies and Barjatya, it feels heartbreaking)

I've made a tier list of Bollywood directors based on their filmography, storytelling, direction, consistency, and overall contribution to Indian cinema.

G.O.A.T.

Satyajit Ray

Hrishikesh Mukherjee

Bimal Roy

Guru Dutt

Yash Chopra

Great

Manmohan Desai

Rajkumar Hirani

Vishal Bhardwaj

Ashutosh Gowariker

Sriram Raghavan

Anurag Kashyap

Good

Farhan Akhtar

Sooraj Barjatya

Imtiaz Ali

Priyadarshan

Shimit Amin

Rakesh Roshan

Rajkumar Santoshi

Zoya Akhtar

Vasan Bala

Neeraj Pandey

Aditya Dhar

Sujoy Ghosh

Meghna Gulzar

Ram Gopal Varma

Anurag Basu

Karan Johar

Nitesh Tiwari

Tigmanshuu dhulia

Mid

Subhash Ghai

Ayan Mukerji

Siddharth Anand

Aditya Chopra

Sandeep Reddy vanga

Maneesh Sharma

Rohit Shetty

Abbas–Mustan

Farah Khan

Kabir Khan

Raj & DK

Ali Abbas Zafar

David Dhawan

Trash

Sajid Khan

Farhad Samji

Milap Zaveri

Ahmed Khan

Vijay Krishna Acharya

Prabhu Deva

Remo D'Souza

Mahesh Bhatt

Shirish Kunder

This is purely my personal opinion, and I'm sure some of you will disagree with a few of my choices.

Which directors do you think I've ranked too high or too low? Who deserves to be in the G.O.A.T. tier, and which directors would you move to the bottom?

Let's discuss..

What does the heart want? Why does the heart want what it wants? Why can others not reciprocate it?

The movie is a coming-of-age romance drama, where the three leads start with three different approaches to love - one who doesn't believe in it and seeks physical relationships, one who thinks he is in love with every other girl every two weeks, and one who regards love as something special, something much more than a physical act- and it explores how the sensibilities of the trio change over time.

The movie works best when it focuses on the little, cosy moments of friendship and brotherhood among the lead trio. They're funny and charming in their own ways. Akshaye fares best here, in both his acting and his character, which has real depth, with mature themes explored through him. The other two can appear archetypal at times, and the side characters are mostly one-dimensional, which is a shame given the runtime. The movie is paced well for the first two hours, but digresses in its final act, where it ditches Akshaye and Saif completely to focus on a very typical 90s/early 2000s love story in Aamir and Preity. Saif's character did not have much to show, but Akshaye's character is really hard done by in the end.

It was Farhan Akhtar's directorial debut. He brings a good story and some fresh ideas, but finds it tough to weave them all together. His heart is in the right place, but he often falls victim to the tropes of his time. For example, the shot in the subway where Aamir and Preity are separated by the door of the metro is excellent and conveys very well what they feel for each other, but then it has to be followed by a cheap scene where Preity feels unsafe in the subway, and Aamir comes to her rescue. The song 'Tanhayee' is shot very well, with Aamir also at his best, but is then followed by a very cheesy reunion.

What a fucking banger album though!

Sad news from the entertainment world. Actor and content creator Divya Vinekar, who appeared as a female police constable in Alia Bhatt and Shefali Shah’s Darlings, has passed away. Her friend and RJ, Rohini Ramnathan, shared the news, describing her death as sudden and unexpected. Divya also appeared in Jalsa.

May she rest in peace. My condolences to her family, friends, and everyone who knew her. 🕊️

I really want to watch Ramayana on the biggest screen possible with the best sound. However, all the IMAX screens near me have it in 3D. I honestly do not like 3D at all. Never understood why it’s even there. I always prefer the 2D version. Even Avatar I watched in 2D and enjoyed it. 3D is kinda annoying. No wonder Nolan never makes movies in 3D.

I’m curious to know if going for IMAX 3D is better or is it better to go for a smaller 2D screen with Dolby atmos. What would you recommend? Would the bigger screen offset the 3D annoyance? Curious to hear your opinion.

I mean, he acted according to his character. His acting was neither too good nor too bad. The movie itself was pretty good, and the songs are evergreen. And he also looked quite cool in this movie.

I think Preity was correct when she said that if you lack ambition I will not want to be your girlfriend. Then why does Hrithik call him when he becomes a Captain and then later when she is a reporter and comes to the place where Hrithik is posted. At the end, Preity was sort of ashamed and embarrassed on her behaviour but she shouldn’t be. She did the right thing at the time and she is allowed to treat Hrithik differently now that he has put in the effort and built a career for himself. My question is, why was Preity shown as if she was embarrassed

Watching this movie at 4 in the morning can be an experience and I wanted to share my thoughts about this movie to you all.

This will be a long read as I wanted to unload everything 😅

🔴BIG SPOILERS AHEAD🔴

The Good

1) Father-Son Relation

Yes Tutti Futti (Bagchi) had adopted him but he was the best father Jagga could've ever had. The way he approached him in the beginning by singing so that Jagga could 'talk' his thoughts was so kind of him. Maybe Bagchi felt that he 'owed' his life but he still loved Jagga. The little things, like hugging little Jagga in the hospital bed, the dance he did when he was leaving Jagga again to try to lighten the mood, the signature hairstyle which he had styled for Jagga, all of these made Bagchi a better father. Of course, not forgetting the tapes which he used to teach him basic skills to survive and be independent, even if he was far away from Jagga.

This is what a healthy father-son relationship looks like (minus being far away, which was for the plot). I wish there were more movies made in Bollywood which focused on this trope in a HEALTHY way.

2) Cinematography

I don't know if it's due to certain color grading, the places the entire movie looked as if we are watching a story book come to life. Like those drawings we used to see in drawing book's first page? It's just like that but even better! Those lucky people who watched this movie in theatres when it was released would've really enjoyed the scenes of this movie. All locations in this movie, Indian and foreign, were so pleasant to look at. Few places, like the hostel, really reminded me of Barfi (in a good way).

3) Music

The musical background gave a really good boost to the movie, reminded me of Disney movies (since it's also a Disney India Production of course). This was a musical done well and I wished there were more in bollywood. Ullu ka Patha and Galti Se Mistake are the most famous out of the album and they deserve the popularity, but something in Phir Wahi song made me sad..Jagga was missing his dad in this and the song conveyed his thoughts so well. Musafir was also really beautiful to hear, almost didn't recognize Arijit's vocals here. Very very underrated songs.

4) Acting

The leads of the movie, Ranbir and Katrina, did well in their parts. Their chemistry during their adventures, their banters, the funny moments were all entertaining. Saswatta Chatterjee (Bagchi) was excellent in playing the father and the 'spy' role. Saurabh Shukla (The inspector), this guy was born to play the inspector role to catch Ranbir in Barfi and in this movie too haha. But very well done by all the casts members. And of course! Junior Jagga's role was played well by Saravajeet Tiwari.

The 'Not so Good'

1) CGI

I'm talking about the ostrich one specifically. It looked weird honestly, not that necessary for the movie.

2) The Train Fight scene

I don't know why they included this part in this movie, they could've showed them getting inside the train as they were but oh well.

3) The Pacing of the movie

Maybe it was just me but almost near the interval part the pacing started to slow down. Kind of felt like the movie was dragging way too much at times but continued watching as after the interval the story was starting to get more interesting.

4) 'Creepy' Vibe from Jagga

He was a good character, why did the makers wanted him to kiss Shruti (Katrina's character) when she was sleeping? I've never liked that part even in the song Ullu ka Patha. Completely unnecessary and not funny. And also in the beginning when he first saw her he was shown following her. Did not like that part too. They could've shown them meeting in a different manner.

Overall Review: Good attempt at musical, few hiccups along the way but still a charming movie to watch. I REALLY wish they could re-release this movie in theatres.

Additional thoughts:

They left the movie at a cliffhanger! The son and father both got kidnapped by Bashir Alexander (the main villian) in the end and we never got to know what happened to them! This is not something that audience have to imagine or should assume it's just an open ending. This can be a continuation or a Part 2 for what happens next. I don't think that'll happen in the current times I guess 🥲 or maybe? I don't know. Depends on the creators. The promotions were very less that time (I don't know much, just the lead cast were having issues and didn't promote much). If this was promoted more I think it could've given a hit at least.

(I searched found that they wanted the movie to be a franchise but was dropped due to huge financial loss. So sad man...)

Also, did NOT expect Nawazuddin Siddiqui to play the role of the double headed main villian(Bashir Alexander) in the end. His appearance had caught me off guard 😂 Good they didn't reveal till the end!

And the way they were mentioning murder, sucide, arms supply and other dark stuff to literal children through musical in the movie (of course might've toned down) was... interesting.

It's a bright movie with dark undertones.

What are your thoughts on this movie? Let me know in the comments :)

Ram Gopal Varma was just crazy for his time. Company was an absolute masterpiece. Yet to watch his other movies like, Satya and Sarkar series. Looking back, that was an amazing era where stories were much harder hitting and actually touched you like art.

Swades, 3 idiots, Taare Zameen Par, Munna bhai series, My Name Is Khan and even slightly more commercial movies like Main Hoon Na and Kal Ho Na Ho.Even the comedies like , Hera Pheri, De Dhana Dhan and Golmaal 3 really scratches a different kind of itch.

I feel like now the more critically acclaimed movies are quite boring, a good chunk of them are biographies, which aren’t always good but are always received well by critics.

Every now and then we do get a Dhurandar but honestly I think Ram Gopal Varma achieved something closer to that level for his time which we didn’t appreciate enough, I feel Rakta Charitra and Rann were also very good movies that were underappreciated, and I feel like the filmmaking standards have not developed as much as they should have for 1-2 decades gap.

Top directors like Ram Gopal Varma, Rajkumar Hirani and even Karan Johar in their prime was honestly something else.

I feel like the era where Salman was doing mass commercial movies which did huge recordbreaking numbers at the box office was when bollywood started going downhill, since more people started embracing the South Indian entertainment style.

Serial number starts from Slide 2:

1. As Madhav "Maddy" Shastri in Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein (2001)

2. As Ramnarayan Tiwari in Ramji Londonwaley (2005)

3. As Ajay Singh Rathod in Rang De Basanti (2006)

4. As Shyam Saxena in Guru (2007)

5. As Nikhil Agarwal in Mumbai Meri Jaan (2008)

6. As Farhan Qureshi in 3 Idiots (2009)

7. As Manoj Kumar Sharma aka Manu in Tanu Weds Manu (2011) and Tanu Weds Manu Returns (2015)

8. As Aditya "Adi" Tomar in Saala Khadoos (2016)

9. As Denzel "Danny" Mascarenhas in Breathe (2018)

10. As Nambi Narayanan in Rocketry: The Nambi Effect (2022)

11. As Rati Pandey in The Railway Men (2023]

12. As Vanraj Kashyap in Shaitaan (2024)

13. As Neville McKinley in Kesari Chapter 2 (2025)

14. As Shrirenu Tripathi in Aap Jaisa Koi (2025)

15. As Rakesh "Rajji" Khurana in De De Pyaar De 2 (2025)

16. As IB Chief Ajay Sanyal in Dhurandhar (2025) and Dhurandhar: The Revenge (2026)

After an uncredited appearance as a singer in the 1996 film Iss Raat Ki Subah Nahin, R. Madhavan made his official Hindi acting debut by reprising his role from the Tamil film Minnale (2001) in its Hindi remake - Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein, which came out the same year.

R. Madhavan also made his directorial debut with Rocketry: The Nambi Effect. For his contribution to the film, he was honoured with a National Film Award for Best Feature Film. He has also received a total of 5 Filmfare nominations. Two of the nominations were for Best Supporting Actor (3 Idiots, Shaitaan), while the others were for Best Debut Director, Best Actor - Critics, and Best Film - Critics (Rocketry: The Nambi Effect). For his contributions to cinema, R. Madhavan was honoured with a Padma Shri this year.

Source: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DerEG4LNHTM/MWd6bjA2OWN0YWowbA==

Source: https://varietyindia.com/janhvi-kapoor-sreeleela-siddharth-guptas-untitled-romantic-thriller-goes-on-floors-in-nainital-exclusive/

The man in question will be portrayed by actor and model Siddharth Gupta

The film will be directed by Umesh Bist (Pagglait)

Let’s take a little trip down memory lane and revisit some beautiful movie posters from old Bollywood.

There’s something so special about these vintage posters, the hand painted artwork, the colours, the typography, and the nostalgia they carry. They had a charm of their own, and honestly, some of them are works of art even today.

Here are a few that deserve to be admired all over again.

The Experimental category has concluded.

No Smoking (2007) wins Best Experimental with 53 upvotes, earning its place in the Best of Bollywood Hall of Fame.

Current Winners

Romance — Veer-Zaara (2004)

Action — Kill (2024)

Comedy — Hera Pheri (2000)

Drama — Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001)

Thriller — Andhadhun (2018)

Horror — Tumbbad (2018)

Biopic — Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013)

Family — Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (1994)

Gangster — Gangs of Wasseypur (2012)

Cop — Sarfarosh (1999)

Sci-Fi — Mr. India (1987)

Fantasy — Jajantaram Mamantaram (2003)

Sports — Chak De! India (2007)

Best Film — Sholay (1975)

Experimental — No Smoking (2007)

---

Now it's time for Best Feel-Good.

Which Hindi film deserves the Feel-Good spot on the Best of Bollywood Hall of Fame grid?

📜 Rules

- Hindi/Bollywood films only.

- One film per comment.

- Upvote existing nominations instead of reposting them.

- The highest-upvoted nomination at the end of the week wins.

- In case of a tie, the higher-ranked comment at the close of voting wins.

Voting closes next Sunday at 9 PM IST.

Let the nominations begin.

Pyaar ke side effects and Shaadi ke side effects are such great rom-coms. I didn't like Shaadi when I was younger because I wanted the "happily ever after" love story. What do you mean people fall out of love after having a kid!

I wonder if there's any rom-com arc left, but I'd really love to see him make more rom coms.