My Bollywood Experience can be attributed to Netflix streaming videos. Having been a movie lover my whole life, I found Netflix somewhat limited in selections for instant streaming. Watching foreign films with English subtitles was not my idea of entertainment, but I had come to the point of having seen so many American made movies that I was literally desperate. The trend of American cinema was leading towards sequels which are rarely as good as the original screenplay. I started choosing movies according to star ratings, with 5 stars being the best and most popular.
The first Bollywood movie I ever saw is lovingly nicknamed "DDLJ" which stands for Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, which means Brave Heart Will Take the Bride. This film is a romantic musical starring Shahrukh Khan and Kajol. I have always loved song and dance romantic films, featuring stars like Doris Day, Gordon MacRae, Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds, Gene Kelley and Frank Sinatra...to name a few.
Anyway, back to DDLJ....this film catapulted the male lead actor, Shahrukh Khan to stardom back in 1995, to the point where today he has well over a billion fans worldwide. A billion fans....I'm not certain, but I'm sure that number exceeds Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise or whatever American film star you can name.
What is unique to Bollywood, is that kissing is frowned upon, especially for married actors. So it is probably safe to say that nude or lewd scenes probably don't exist. Some things when left to the imaginiation can be so much more powerful!
Since its debut in 1995, DDLJ is still being shown in movie theatres across India every day.....and,.....the theatres are still packed! I must warn you though, Hindi movies are about 4 hours long. Would you believe that I probably watched this film at least 4 times from start to finish.
Needless to say, I was hooked and hooked bad. I don't remember ever having kept pictures of movie stars on my wall when I was a teenager....but at this time in my life I confess I actually put a picture of him on my wall. He is definitely my favorite Indian film actor. Shahrukh lives up to his nickname....the "King of Bollywood." In 2008, Newsweek named him one of the 50 most powerful people in the world. What is even greater is the story of his life. After seeing this film, I had to know everything about this man. I've watched almost all of the movies he has acted in that is available here in America, with English subtitles. I was on YouTube daily looking for anything I could find on him...performances, interviews, movies. My Kindle even has the book....King of Bollywood: Shah Rukh Khan and the Seductive World of Indian Cinema by Anupama Chopra. The man is even a friend on my Facebook account...I am like a crazy woman!
There is a music video that shows his 6 pack abs...and even an interview where he was asked by a woman in the audience if he still has his 6 pack and he lifts up his shirt and bears them! I've watched these more than once! Wow....I've never been this silly! What's come over me! HELP!!!
Phew....be still my heart.....check it out for yourself! How can one man stir billions of fans?...and mind you...not just women fans....men have even kissed his feet! Good luck...and may the force be with you....let me know if you need a lifeline back to reality!
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