First Day Last Show

The podcast is back after a five month hiatus. We break the silence with Shyam Benegal's 1981 masterpiece Kalyug. Kalyug is a an adaptation of Mahabharata. Film was seen as a bit ahead of its times in 1981 the year of its release as it brought together a film maker like Bengal who is seen as pioneer of parallel Hindi cinema and modern day film stars like Shashi Kapoor, Rekha and Raj Babbar. The film presented a mouth watering opportunity to both Saahil and Saqib to construct an episode for the podcast. Hope the listeners enjoy the chat as much the hosts enjoyed the film and talking about it.

In the new episode of the podcast we look back at RK films 1956 classic Jagte Raho - starring Raj Kapoor, Moti Lal, Iftikhar and Pradeep Kumar. in prominent roles. It is a film which we both(Saahil and Saqib) feel deserves to be in all lists that cover great hindi films. By some definition it is also film noir and by most definitions it is a social commentary of a very young nation. The story telling and the larger message still remains very poignant even in today's much complex society and its social equations. We recommend you to watch or rewatch the film and listen to the podcast - not in any particular order!

In the 11th episode of the podcast we discuss one of our absolute favorite films - Omkara. Joining us to do the honors is good friend Professor Kandarp Mehta. Mehta has studied motion pictures as part of his schooling and brings in a qualified take on films as well as literature. This episode is a bit longer but for good reason - as all three of us had a lot to say about Bharadwaj's homage to Shakespeare's Othello.The conversation comprises of direct comparisons with the play and at the same time independently treats it as a film for those who may not have read the play(like Saqib and Saahil). It is also a landmark film in the careers of Ajay Devgn, Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor. It's a long one so get your coffee or chai ready and tap the play button!

In the 10th episode of the podcast we look back at one of the ground breaking performances of Shah Rukh Khan's illustrious career - Darr. The film also starred Sunny Deol, Juhi Chawla and Anupam Kher in important roles. Saahil and Saqib are both very fond of Darr and discuss many aspects of the film in this episode - including its timelessness.This film also provokes a more open dialogue on whether the late Yash Chopra glorified an antihero character played by Khan. The length of the podcast shows the passion this discussion invoked in both hosts. Episode also takes a deeper dive into the evolution of the protagonist vs antagonist debate through the prism of 90's hindi films and fandom. SRK remains the center of this episode as it was one of his most memorable performances. Last but not the least we compare it to some of the recent films where antihero characters are a bit celebrated.

In the latest episode of the podcast we look back at Zoya Akhtar's directorial debut film - Luck by Chance. This film is a personal favorite for both Saahil and Saqib. We believe this film is a masterclass on hidden tendencies of filmy people - their conflicts, insecurities, life lessons and best practices. We explore our favorite moments, grey characters and most impactful scenes of this great film in this podcast. As usual we digress into other topics like nepotism and star culture vs the actor path in films. Please drop your feedback once you are done listening to the episode.

In the first episode of the new year we have taken a break from the normal format of this podcast as we host filmmaker Robby Grewal. Grewal is an ace ad film maker who has also directed four hindi feature films. Grewal is an established name in the world of ad films where he has received many accolades and notable international awards such as the Cannes.His first hindi language film was the crime thriller Samay featuring Sushmita Sen and Jackie Shroff. Samay was first of its kind of a film which can be termed as a modern day police procedural. He has also directed two songs in the recently released Siddhartha Anand film - Fighter. You can already guess by now how excited both of us (Saahil and Saqib) were to pick details from Robby's brain and explore his methods and views on the film craft. It was a great experience for us to bring the insights and minute details from the world of Robby Grewal.

In the latest episode of the podcast we look back at John Matthew Mathan's 1999 classic - Sarfarosh. This film is one of the most quotable hindi films of the last 25 years in terms of fans reciting the lines spoken by lead actor Aamir Khan and other cast members.Like most of our choices this film not only stands the test of time but it is also a first of a kind film which highlights the police procedural aspect in Hindi films. According to hosts Saahil and Saqib the film remains a very crisp tale of patriotism, friendship and treason and its slick attention to detail of its character actors is a peak into the future what is now OTT web content. We urge all our listeners to go watch Sarfarosh and for those who have already watched it - please go watch again!Kya thakur - itna kahne par bhi nahin dekhoge!!!

In the new episode of the series we revisit Priyadarshan's 1993 film - Gardish. It's another film that has left quite an impression on both the hosts at one point. The film had a powerful and practical ending by the norms of the year it was released in. The film's focal plot is the complex father son dynamic - both Amrish Puri and Jackie Shroff are memorable in their respective performances. No conversation of Gardish will be complete without Mukesh Rishi's Billa Jillani. It was one of the most menacing debuts of that era. We disagree a bit on how the film has aged overall but the central characters are still as good as they were in 1993. On that note you can stop reading now and start playing the episode or go watch Gardish first and then listen to us chat about it.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gardish

We are back with a new episode. For the first time in our young podcast series we are dedicating an entire episode to one film. We carefully chose the timeless Hrishikesh Mukherjee classic - Namak Haraam. It is a film that is a permanent fixture in our list of important and great films. This film is seen as one of many films from the socialism focused era of Hindi films. The film has gotten better for both Saahil and Saqib after each viewing over the decades. It is also seen as the pivotal moment in both Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan's respective star journeys. The story of friendship is put under an immense trial of class divide.. Mukherjee has masterly displayed the everyday conflicts of this test in the form of loyalty and conscience. Let us know what you think of Namak Haraam today!

In the new episode of the podcast we revisit the youthful peak of Sunny Deol - 1985 to 1996. Saahil and Saqib both believe that Rahul Rawail's Arjun was the breakout moment as an action hero for Deol's young career back then. This film was a slight departure from the mainstream hindi film's leading men of the past who had fought many a battle against bad criminals and smugglers. This film had new energy and Deol's Arjun Malvankar penned by the legendary Javed Akhtar is a career defining role.However it's Deol's collaboration with director Raj Kumar Santoshi which is the cornerstone of the episode. During a span of six years Santoshi directed some of Deol's best work in Ghayal, Damini and Ghatak. Like many successful actors it is clear that after close to forty years in the film industry as a leading man - Santoshi directed films have had the everlasting impact for Deol the actor. we take a deeper interest in the Ghayal vs Ghatak comparison and the film;s popcorn value! Let us know your opinions on this latest episode.

We break a five month silence on this podcast! FInally an episode to drop. In the latest edition of this show hosts Saahil and Saqib visit the age old debate of cinegoers - actor vs star. This discussion is derived from our respective local ecosystems of real and virtual friends with whom we discuss our love for films. It is a wide ranging discussion on how important a role a culture and society play in consumption of films to off screen depiction of stars and how that carries into our imaginations. Do studios in India create more stars than actors? Are there actors who can fit the bill for both disciplines? We try to contextualize this conversation by using some household names from Hindi film industry and Hollywood. Tune in and let us know if you enjoyed the chat.

In the second episode of the podcast hosts Saahil and Saqib look back at the coming of age roles played by Aamir Khan(Sanju) and Shah Rukh Khan(Sunil) in two of the most talked about films of the 90's - Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander and Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa respectively.According to the hosts the films were a bit ahead of its times and clearly marked a shift in hindi film storytelling for the decade. The two films also depicted the protagonist in a more relatable avatar for the youth of 90's and both Aamir and SRK delivered craft defining roles. In a long episode we also discuss, the cast, music and the personal impact of these iconic films. Suniyega zaroor!

Two film fans get together to reminisce the greatness of one Amitabh Bachchan. It is an incredibly difficult exercise to navigate through a great career like Bachchan's which has lasted the test of time over five decades. That being said the hosts - Saahil and Saqib believe the peak Bachchan years were the late 70's and especially the phase titled The Angry Young Man. During this phase Bachchan had given five great performance where his character was named Vijay and all five of these screenplays were scripted by the talented duo of Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar.It's an homage into the journey of Salim-Javed's famously penned down iconic characters - Vijay Varma(Deewar), Vijay Khanna(Zanjeer), Vijay Pal Singh(Kala Pathar), and Vijay Kumar(Trishul and Shakti).