We’re hitting that point in the quarter where our friends at other schools are already out for the summer, and thanks to the quarter system, we’re looking at just under a month until we can trade in our school backpacks for travel backpacks.
It’s common to want a little push to get through the next three weeks—something that’s livelier, more entertaining and more musical than your daily espresso shots. If you’re looking to kill a few hours when you’re not living vicariously through your friend’s Mexico photos, check out the following list of Bollywood movies to spice up your last few weeks at DU before summer.
If you’re looking for a good cry: “Kal Ho Na Ho”
Here’s a Bollywood classic involving a girl whose broken family needs help getting back on its feet after the father’s death. This movie features Shah Rukh Khan (a.k.a The King of Bollywood) who appears in most of the classic films. “Kal Ho Na Ho” is typically viewed as the introduction to Bollywood that most people receive because it’s set in New York and can be more relatable than those that are set in India. Despite the tears of sadness that this movie may induce, you will undoubtedly have the same amount, if not more, tears of laughter. Bollywood generally does a great job of making you feel various emotions, regardless of what you’re prepared for, which is probably the result of producing extremely lengthy films.
If you’re looking for a good laugh: “Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani”
A nerdy, goody-two-shoes girl falls in love with an adventurous guy whose passion for travel takes precedence over everything else in his life. The soundtrack has some of the most popular Bollywood songs, most of which you’ll hear if you’re ever at an Indian wedding. If you’re on the fence, check out “Balam Pichkari” and “Badtameez Dil” for a quick sample.
Fun fact: the two lead actors, Deepika Padukone (“Om Shanti Om”) and Ranbir Kapoor (“Barfi!”), went through a pretty rough break up just about a year before this movie was made. Despite how fresh their break up was, they still have the same undeniable chemistry that they had when they were dating.
If you’re looking for a movie about travel: “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara”
This two-and-a-half hour movie has a plotline similar to that of “The Hangover”: three guys embark on a trip throughout Spain for a bachelor party with the overarching theme of living life to the fullest. The title literally translates to “You won’t get a second life.” If you’re looking for a movie about friendship, travel and risk-taking, this movie is the perfect option.
If you’re looking for a solid romance movie: “Veer Zaara”
This is a true Bollywood classic that involves a squadron leader who spends 22 years behind bars for the ultimate sacrifice of love. Fair warning: this was the first movie during which I ever cried, but it’s still one of my all-time favorites. I can guarantee you’ve never seen a romance plot quite like this one. It also provides a brief history lesson on the Indo-Pakistani conflict that we still see today between the two countries.
If you want to get in the perfect wedding season mood: “Band Baaja Baaraat”
Two strangers start their own wedding planning company and face an unexpected obstacle that shatters their partnership and their relationship with customers. This soundtrack is familiar to all of us Bollywood fans, particularly the tracks “Ainvayi Ainvayi” and “Dum Dum” (check out the music videos for them too). As surprising as it may seem, this was the first movie that Ranveer Singh starred in, paving his way for over a dozen future roles.
If you’re looking for a family-oriented movie: “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham”
When “family” and “Bollywood” are mentioned together, this is the first movie that comes to mind. The center of most of Buzzfeed India’s content and a real tear-jerker, K3G (as we call it) explores the complicated dynamic of wealthy Indian parents whose son marries a woman of a lower class. The title translates to “Sometimes happy, sometimes sad,” which is an extremely appropriate title for its storyline. Similar to “Kal Ho Na Ho,” prepare to experience all types of emotions with this three-and-a-half hour movie. Don’t let the length of the movie scare you off, because it truly is loved by everyone who watches it. Pro tip from someone who watched three full Bollywood movies this past weekend: when I’m watching K3G alone, I typically spread it out over the course of a week.
