Take a trip with us along some travel films in Hindi cinema. We discuss Karwaan (2018) with the great Irrfan Khan and other people Pitu also liked very much and Suhana Safar (1970) with the great Shashi Kapoor and Sharmila Tagore and other people Beth also liked very much. What pleasant films we chose! As it should be - nobody wants to be taxed or vexed on the road. Highlights from Suhana Safar: Chudiya Bazar Se https://youtu.be/2HJlAZNJFdE?si=jskQ_srKWNmbburc and some screen grabs on Beth's old...
Jul 16, 2025β’56 minβ’Ep. 152
Dazzling, devotional, dangerous orange guides our choices today! Beth was bamboozled by the marigolds in Mira Nair's Monsoon Wedding, and Pitu saw spiritually-inspired sacrifice in Aditya Chopra's Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. Loveβor loves plural, reallyβare at the center of these films, which is not unusual on this channel, of course, but these feel a little different. We also discuss some of the meanings of orange and some of our favorite orange costumes in films. Subscribe to Filmi Ladies on Spotify ...
Jul 09, 2025β’1 hr 10 minβ’Ep. 151
We talk about her films a LOT, so you knew this was coming: superstar Aishwarya Rai! We both like her acting in general, so we dig into why we think she's good, why other people think she's bad, and what kind of burden it must be to know that no matter what you do or say, someone will hate it. How can one woman manage the burden of being TMBWITW, getting abused by a mega-star, being a face and body of India's economic liberalization, and marrying into the Bachchan family? We're tired just thinki...
Jul 02, 2025β’1 hr 20 minβ’Ep. 150
To close out Pride month, we look at 3 Indian films that feature LGBTQIA+ characters: Fire (1996), Nil Nirjane (2003), and Arekti Premer Golpo (2010). Previously, we've discussed Maja Maa https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdhvj0tN5ww and Badhaai Do https://youtu.be/iolSwAuT7IU?si=qp6wt9cMluLUCRZ_ And of COURSE we did a whole episode on queer icon REKHA. https://youtu.be/UPgobOdmKHs?si=dvvduK7zu_YFdQUh Subscribe to Filmi Ladies on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7Ib9C1X5ObvN18u9WR0TK9 or Appl...
Jun 25, 2025β’1 hr 3 minβ’Ep. 149
We would be remiss if we only talked about MAAs in Bollywood and ignored the PITAJIS. We bring two very different movies that depict different aspects of fatherhood - father as a human being first, and father who must grapple with passing the torch to his son. Beth discusses Ray's Apur Sansar (1959) and Pitu discusses Boman Irani's The Mehta Boys (2025). [We know Apur Sansar is not exactly "filmi" but neither is Masoom that we did for maas, so it all evens out.] We also discuss quintessential fa...
Jun 18, 2025β’1 hr 9 minβ’Ep. 148
Meena Kumari is famously known as the tragedy queen of Hindi cinema, and she's an actress whose filmography we've mostly avoided so far. Inspired by a subscriber's comment, we decide to give Meena's light-hearted movies a shot, and discuss Miss Mary (1957) and Kohinoor (1960). Pitu has seen the error of her ways and is no longer calling her Moaning Myrtle. She is now Merry Meena. If you haven't seen her dance with puppies at the puppies' birthday party in Mem Sahib, please stop what you're doing...
Jun 11, 2025β’59 minβ’Ep. 147
We've discussed Indians making films set elsewhere, and now it's time to flip the script: foreigners making films set in India! Don't worry, we steered very, very clear of the Eat Pray Love trap π€’. We joined a Wes Anderson dysfunctional family in Darjeeling Limited (2007) and studied a fictionalized take on real-life drama in The Bengali Night (1988). Their characters may be lost and overwhelmed in India, but it's less because of India and more because of their own baggage and foolish choices. ...
Jun 04, 2025β’1 hr 20 minβ’Ep. 146
Yellow is so many things - it's cheery, happy, positive, optimistic, and literally sunny as in the color of the sun! But it's also a color associated with fear, unease, cowardice, and the oppressive heat and dangerous conditions of the desert. We discuss the positive aspects of yellow through the 2014 movie Khoobsurat and the more seedy aspects of yellow in the 2007 noir film Manorama Six Feet Under. - What are your favorite yellow films? - Is Juhi Chawla the living embodiment of the color yello...
May 28, 2025β’1 hr 12 minβ’Ep. 145
Beth has been waiting for this episode for years: it's finally time to talk about her very favorite star. And the thing is, Rani is so, so much more than a star - she's an ACTOR. We discuss some of our favorite films - many of which have featured on this podcast already - and a few that we've never seen before. Not surprisingly, we both love her comedic chops and went for Aiyyaa (2012), Chori Chori (2003), and Hadh Kar Di Aapne (2000). Beth also checked out her debut, Biyer Phool (1996), in whic...
May 21, 2025β’1 hr 17 minβ’Ep. 144
Happy Mother's Day or as we call it - Maa Divas! CineMAA has many interesting maas and in this episode we discuss them. There's the martyr maa, wholesome maa, unhinged maa, idealistic maa, sauteli maa, vengeful maa, even the sexual maa. We discuss what motherhood means through two very different movies - Masoom (1983) and English Vinglish (2012) Tell us your favorite cinema maas and also your favorite thing about your own maa! Subscribe to Filmi Ladies on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7I...
May 14, 2025β’1 hr 22 minβ’Ep. 143
This week we're looking at movies tinged with green. The color may connote envy, luck, and eco-consciousness...but we both went literal and chose films with beautiful greenery. Sudani from Nigeria (2018) is a sweet slice of outsider life in Kerala, and Khoj (1989) has strange goings-on in the hills of Nepal. Subscribe to Filmi Ladies on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7Ib9C1X5ObvN18u9WR0TK9 or Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/filmi-ladies/id1642425062 @filmiladies on In...
May 07, 2025β’1 hr 6 minβ’Ep. 142
We time travel to 19th century Britain for our next installment of Filmi Ladies book club. We discuss Dil Diya Dard Liya, a 1966 adaptation of Wuthering Heights; Sangdil, a 1952 adaptation of Jane Eyre; and two versions of Great Expectations, a 1998 Hollywood version as well as Fitoor from 2016. All are fairly emo and very, very filmi. What are your favorite British novels and their adaptations? To watch our Jane Austen episode, go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fNDFUXWZkM&t=1s Subsc...
Apr 30, 2025β’56 minβ’Ep. 141
We love Tabu! And so does everyone else apparently. What's not to love? She's strong, fearless, complex, talented and plays complicated characters with an astounding ease. Truth be told, we may be a little scared of her? Pitu desperately wants to have tea with her but is also nervous about it. We discuss her movies Kadhal Desam (1996), Astitva (2000), and Haider (2014), with a momentary foray into a favorite scene in Andhadhun (2018). What are your favorite Tabu films or performances? Subscribe ...
Apr 23, 2025β’59 minβ’Ep. 140
Blue is so many things: it's clear blue skies and the ocean, the excitement of tropical holidays, but also the snobbery of the blue-blooded and the preppy set. It's also the beloved morpankhi color of peacocks and the monsoon rains, as well as the sadness of feeling a little down or downright depressed. We explore the depths of the color blue (pun intended) with Blue (2009) and the angst and melancholia of Hyderabad Blues (1998). What are your favorite movies that are blueβeven if they give you ...
Apr 16, 2025β’51 minβ’Ep. 139
Special guest Vikas Raheja from the Let's Talk, Melbourne podcast joins us to discuss NRI films. All your favorites come up, with special attention beyond the SRK-Chopra-Johar of this genre: Dil Chahta Hai (2001), Bollywood Hollywood (2002), and Flavors (2003). Listen to Vikas's podcast. https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/vikas-raheja/ Subscribe to Filmi Ladies on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7Ib9C1X5ObvN18u9WR0TK9 or Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/filmi-ladi...
Apr 09, 2025β’1 hr 39 minβ’Ep. 138
Brown is so beautiful: natural and warm and sturdy, it reminds us of coffee and tea, trees and stones, antique furniture, fine leathers, furry friends, and, in the case of our chosen projects, the symbol of legal authority (khaki) and ageless history (old papers and ruins). Pitu watched Vikramaditya Motwane's new series Black Warrant (2025) and Beth watched the Bengali archaeology adventure Guptodhoner Sondhane (2018). Tell us what films you think of when you think of brown? And what amazing cho...
Apr 08, 2025β’1 hr 6 minβ’Ep. 128
Wherever could we find purple prose in Hindi cinema??? The Dirty Picture (2011), that's for sure. π π π We also discuss the lavender marriage in the lovely queer rights film Badhaai Do (2022). Purple has a fascinating history that Pitu shares in the beginning of this episode. We're lucky to have such easy access to this strong, confident color today! Subscribe to Filmi Ladies on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7Ib9C1X5ObvN18u9WR0TK9 or Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas...
Apr 08, 2025β’56 minβ’Ep. 133
We time travel between 1950s Hollywood and 1990s Bollywood to discuss two movies that are same same but different - Sabrina (1954) and its Hindi adaptation Yeh Dillagi (1994). Ole Ole indeed! Subscribe to Filmi Ladies on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7Ib9C1X5ObvN18u9WR0TK9 or Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/filmi-ladies/id1642425062 @filmiladies on Instagram Pitu is @pitusultan on Instagram Beth is @bethlovesbollywood on Bluesky Email us at filmiladies at gmail See o...
Apr 02, 2025β’58 min
We are not aMUSEd. Ugh, these movies. It's Beth's fault that we watched them, and we're both glad to have finally seen these films and we can have informed opinions...but unfortunately those opinions are quite negative. The real takeaway is that men authoring stories about how women inspire them is quite unnecessary and just takes up more air in the room that could have gone to women authoring their own stories. Β―\_(γ)_/Β― If you want more on Gaja Gamini, see our friend Carla (Filmi Geek's) blog....
Mar 26, 2025β’30 minβ’Ep. 136
Yes yes, we've already done an episode on Shashi Kapoor, but his filmography is so vast and varied that there's always room for another! We both chose a film for his young, middle and older years, so there are 6 films under discussion today: Dharmputra (1961, his debut as an adult), Pyaar Kiye Jaa (1966), Chori Mera Kaam (1975), Trishna (1978), Pyaar Ki Jeet (1987), and In Custody/Muhafiz (1994). If you want to read Beth's post on Chori Mera Kaam, it's here https://www.bethlovesbollywood.com/200...
Mar 18, 2025β’1 hr 26 min
Natural, raw, vivacious, spirited or annoying, grating and shrill? Opinions abound on our next superstar, Kajol! We discuss her work in some of the most iconic blockbusters co-starring Shah Rukh Khan, as well as some of the smaller films and unusual roles she's done. Films discussed: Hamesha, Minsara Kanavu/Sapnay, and of course Gupt.What are your Kajol opinions? Subscribe to Filmi Ladies on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7Ib9C1X5ObvN18u9WR0TK9 or Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com...
Mar 12, 2025β’1 hr 14 min
These films had us ALL STIRRED UP! The great Indian Kitchen, starring the wonderful Nimisha Sajayan and Suraj Venjaramoodu and directed by Jeo Baby, is a quiet, clear, almost documentary-like look at the erosion of a woman's life and self in her in-laws' house. The Hindi remake Mrs., starring Sanya Malhotra and Nishant Dahiya and directed by Arati Kadav, is a slightly different but still very effective flavor. Subscribe to Filmi Ladies on Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/7Ib9C1X5ObvN18u9WR0T...
Feb 26, 2025β’1 hr 13 minβ’Ep. 132
Before you dismiss gray, think about all it can represent: ambiguity, aging sadness, life-giving rain, sublime and enduring stone, mysterious or cooling shadows, or even the beautiful and essential mid-tones of anything sketched in black and white. We went with two very different films from the 2010s: Masaan (2015) and Raees (2017). Subscribe to Filmi Ladies on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7Ib9C1X5ObvN18u9WR0TK9 or Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/filmi-ladies/id1642...
Feb 19, 2025β’1 hr 1 minβ’Ep. 131
Happy Valentine's Day! What could be a messier and filmier way to celebrate Valentine's than discussing that most dramatic of story lines - the love triangle? Guest Manish Mathur joins us on this episode where we discuss Manmarziyaan (2018), Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), and Shakespearewallah (1965). You know you want an episode that covers Merchant Ivory, Bhansali, and Kashyap in the same discussion! What are your favorite love triangles? Manish hosts the podcasts Bollywood Drafts and the form...
Feb 12, 2025β’1 hr 23 minβ’Ep. 130
This amazing all-rounder required looking at different kinds of films: of course Rangeela (1995) and Ek Hasina Thi (2004), but also Khoobsurat (1999), Dillagi (1999), and Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya (2001). ππ½ππ½ππ½ Subscribe to Filmi Ladies on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7Ib9C1X5ObvN18u9WR0TK9 or Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/filmi-ladies/id1642425062 @filmiladies on Instagram Pitu is @pitusultan on Instagram Beth is @bethlovesbollywood on Bluesky Email us at filmil...
Feb 05, 2025β’1 hr 10 minβ’Ep. 129
We travel to colonial Bengal and encounter the idle rich, a bejeweled beauty, a perennially bemused bumpkin, and a sparkly, sprightly lady - and of course a crumbling haveli with bad juju. In this episode we discuss Saheb Bibi Golam (Bengali, 1956) and Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam (Hindi, 1962). Read Prof. Philip Lutgendorft's essay on SBG (Hindi version): https://indiancinema.sites.uiowa.edu/sahib-bibi-aur-ghulam. Subscribe to Filmi Ladies on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7Ib9C1X5ObvN18u9WR0TK...
Jan 22, 2025β’1 hr 13 minβ’Ep. 127
This is the first episode in a new series about films we associate with particular colors. Black may be the most complicated color, evoking traits from elegance and edge to sadness, anger, mourning, and destructiveness. For a color that can be so striking, it often screams "don't look too closely." Neither of us could resist choosing a black and white film, but that's where the similarities end: Satyajit Ray's Nayak (Bengali, 1966), where black is cool, distant, and protective, and Bramayugam (M...
Jan 15, 2025β’1 hr 9 minβ’Ep. 126
Happy New Year, friends! We hope 2025 is kind to all of us! In the spirit of the new year, we discuss movies that discuss new beginnings. Beth chose Queen (2014) and Pitu chose Bend It Like Beckham (2002). So many lovely things to say about these films that celebrate believing in yourself and taking chances. β¨οΈ Subscribe to Filmi Ladies on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7Ib9C1X5ObvN18u9WR0TK9 or Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/filmi-ladies/id1642425062 @filmiladies on...
Jan 08, 2025β’1 hrβ’Ep. 125
Bringing the energy we want for 2025, it's everyone's favorite bolt of sunshine: Juhi Chawla! In talking about a range of her films - Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988), Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993), Yes Boss (1997), and 3 Deewarein (2003) - we also discuss her unique traits, why she's so good with Shah Rukh Khan, whether comedy really is not as well regarded as drama, and what acting even IS. Did you expect all of that in an episode focused someone who's considered a bit of a lightweight? Neither di...
Jan 01, 2025β’1 hr 16 minβ’Ep. 124
Let it snow!! Snow conjures up visions of giddy delight, snowball fights, hijinks, romance, hushed wonder but also eerie, claustrophobic scenes invoking dread. We discuss two movies where being snowed in is a thing. Junglee (1961) and Gaddaar (1973). (Beth couldn't find Junglee with subtitles online, but Gaddaar is on the Internet Archive! https://archive.org/details/gaddaar-1973-hindi.-dv-drip.-480p.x-264.-aac.-arabic.-e.-subs.-chapters.-tmb.-by.juleyano) What are your favorite snow movies or s...
Dec 25, 2024β’1 hr 1 minβ’Ep. 123
