By Vidya Pradhan There was a time when movies from Yash Raj Films(YRF) were the most anticipated events of the summer. Tight scripts, sharp dialogues and crisp visuals were wrapped in a tasty confection decorated with chaste but gorgeous white-clad heroines and Swiss locales. YRF has been responsible for mainstream classics like Deewar and Trishul but lately, the prestigious banner seems to have gone into a prolonged slump. I can almost pinpoint the beginning of the decline. The year was 1995, and young Aditya Chopra has just helmed one of the biggest Bollywood hits of all time, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge. Thrilled by the success of DDLJ, the elder Chopra passed the baton, content to direct the occasional movie under what was now, for all practical purposes, his son’s production house.

By Aarti Johri Our local town newsletter arrived a few days ago. In one corner, there was a small note, “Bullis goes to Bollywood”, it said. Our small town, whose demographics read- 73% white, 21 % Asian, 2.66% other- has just one public school. This announcement was that of its spring auction, a fundraiser with a 'Bollywood' theme. For me, the announcement established once again, India is “in”.

By Vidya Pradhan  After being sneered at, looked down upon, and generally treated as the shameless tramp of the global movie making industry, Bollywood is being given more than a modicum of respect these days. Even the venerable Economist gave it a block, pointing to the increasing ...