‘Kings of Bollywood’ film series at University of Wisconsin
By JENNIFER HOPFINGER
The series begins February 6 at 7:30 pm with a screening of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), starring Shahrukh Khan and Kajol. DDLJ, as the film is known, shot Khan to superstardom and is still showing in theaters in Mumbai, making it the longest-running movie in history. Khan’s character in DDLJ became the archetype for the modern romantic Bollywood hero—brash, hip, and Westernized, but Indian at heart. Often referred to as “King Khan,” the actor has a fanatical following and outdraws Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt combined. Khan’s 2004 film, Swades: We the People, will be shown on February 26 at 7:30 pm.
If Khan is king, then Amitabh Bachchan is god. His 1975 film, Sholay, the first “Curry Western” (the Indian version of the Spaghetti Western), is one of the most beloved Bollywood films ever. That same year, he appeared in Deewaar, a groundbreaking film that established him as the “angry young man,” a character type that reflected the frustration and disillusionment of the times. Bachchan went on to excel in drama, action, romance, and comedy, making him the quintessential “masala” actor. The “Kings of Bollywood” series will show his 1976 film Kabhi Kabhie on March 20 and his 1979 film Kaala Pathar on March 27.
The “Kings of Bollywood” series is part of the University of Wisconsin’s Cinematheque program, a coalition of academic departments and student film groups that showcases films which would otherwise never reach Madison theaters. The Cinematheque is the screening facility of the Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research and a member of the International Federation of Film Archives. Cinematheque screenings are free and open to the public.
The Cinematheque is located at 4070 Vilas Hall, 821 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin; (608) 262-3627; cinema.wisc.edu.
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January 8, 2010
