Anna_Screengazer Reviews

Dost (1989)

It's a B movie - so what?

[9/10 · 2 August 2012]

I fail to understand how anyone can discard this as "awful" - that is, unless they hate Hindi cinema and/or family movies altogether. This is one of those endearing, feel-good films. It has nice outdoor sequences filmed in jungle area near Chennai and Hyderabad, Mithun lookin' good, beautiful romance scenes (as risqué as 1989 Bollywood lets them be), picturesque if unfeasible local tribes, comic presence by Asrani and Kader Khan (the latter acting as delirious as usual) - and superb acting from a trained monkey and a trained elephant who play Mithun's best friends. Too bad these two didn't receive star billing: they fully deserved it.

Like Grains of Sand (1995)

Not your average love story/gay movie

[10/10 · 18 September 2005]

I think this movie is underrated. To me it felt like a gulp of fresh air. Some people complain about the implausibility of the plot, overlong sequences and lack of sex (the latter being, I believe, the main reason for "implausibility"; and how come there are no drunken teenagers talking dirty?!); but it's just not their thing, and good for them if they can't relate to the story. The performances are great; I'd really like to see more of the actors in other movies. The emotions are genuine. The whole unrequited love thing is presented with uncanny subtlety. And it does give you the tingly feeling you expect to get from a good movie.