Top Bollywood Crossover Films

In addition to my K-drama obsession, I also LOVE Bollywood movies: the music, the romance, the color!  And guess what?  3 Idiots is about to get released on DVD in the U.S.!  3 Idiots is one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films of all time.  Hindi cinema as brought us stories of singing and dancing since the early 1900’s, and entered a “Golden Age’ in the 50’s and 60’s.  The brightly colored sets, grandiose musical numbers have inspired other wondrous films such as Moulin Rogue!   In addition, serious tales like Slumdog Millionaire and Bride & Prejudice have captured the hearts here in the West.  To celebrate its release on DVD April 26^th, we’re going to take a look at some of the globally successful films from Mumbai that you may not be as familiar with.

3 Idiots

Releasing on DVD Tuesday, April 26^th – 3 Idiots is a story of two friends that go looking for their lost buddy.  Bets are made, a wedding is crashed and an unexpected visit to a funeral keeps the boys on their toes.   This feel-good film broke all opening box office records in India, has won numerous awards, and is now hailed as an “all-time blockbuster”.

Pardes

This tale of a “foreign land” was one of the first major Bollywood films to do well in the US.  Ganga, a girl growing up in a conservative family in India travels to America to meet her new husband, but falls in love with his friend Arjun instead.  Pure love must prevail as the two star-crossed lovers try to prove their love to their families.

Lagaan

This sports musical is set in the Victorian person of the British Raj and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language film in 2002.  With a stint at Sundance and praise from the likes of Roger Ebert, Baz Lurhmann – this visual masterpiece is definitely worth checking out.

Kites

This film opened in 208 theaters in North America, and was the largest US Bollywood release of 2010.  J is a dance teacher in Las Vegas and marries immigrant women to help them secure their green cards.  Little does he know, he’s about the “marry” the woman of his dreams.  In a crazy twist of events, they run from the police and share great newly-wed moments together.

Kaminey

Drugs and horseracing make this musical dramedy of two struggling brothers in this fast-paced action and dark humor that’s universally appealing.  Crooked copies and a pregnant heroine make this film one intense wild ride.

Just some fun Bollywood crossover films for you to watch while waiting for 3 Idiots to release in the U.S.  Yes, I've seen almost all of them.  Oh, and here's more info about 3 Idiots (we'll be featuring a review and giveaway of this great Bollywood crossover film soon!): 

The Biggest Hit in the History of Indian Cinema

3 Idiots
Available on DVD April 26th Featuring All-New Never Before Seen Bonus Features

SUMMARY:Own the award winning hit Bollywood film that had Indian audiences raving when 3 IDIOTS arrives on DVD April 26th from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Bollywood's highest grossing film ever stars award winning actors Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Sharman Joshi. All-new, exclusive bonus features make this DVD a must for fans. 

In the tradition of Ferris Bueller's Day Off comes this refreshing comedy about a rebellious prankster with a crafty mind and a heart of gold. Rascal. Joker. Dreamer. Genius... You've never met a college student quite like "Rancho." From the moment he arrives at India's most prestigious university, Rancho's outlandish schemes turn the campus upside down, along with the lives of his two newfound best friends. Together, they make life miserable for "Virus," the school's uptight and heartless dean. But when Rancho catches the eye of the dean's sexy daughter, Virus sets his sights on flunking out the "3 idiots" once and for all. .

3 IDIOTS won 6 FilmFare Awards in India including Best Picture and Best director. It also swept the International Indian Film Academy Awards with an impressive 16 wins.

3 IDIOTS 1-disc DVD

Street Date: April 26, 2011

Screen Format: Widescreen

Audio: English/Hindi 5.1 Dolby Digital

Subtitles: English, Spanish and French

U.S. Rating: PG-13

Total Run Time: 164 minutes

Closed Captioned: Yes

3 IDIOTS Special Features:

� Idiots in Ladakh

� Aal Izz Well

� 100% Idiots

� Making of Miss Idiot 

I did not receive compensation for this blog post.  Any and all opinions here are mine.