Among all that unmitigated trash that is produced in such great volumes in Bollywood and across all the other “*ollywoods” in India (Hollywood inspired nicknames – 18 of them just in India!), it’s super easy to lose hope that there might be any entertainment worth our time and energy.

Then, out of the blue, I received an unexpected gift. Two gems from my home country, over one fun filled weekend.

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The older of these two gems had been released a few weeks ago in India but I just now got the chance to watch it. This movie, Dum Laga Ke Haisha is one which, unfortunately for me, I got to see only on a teeny, tiny tablet. It tackles a weighty problem (literally) with sensitivity and is about the last thing that I would have expected from the glamour-obsessed, thin-fixated film industry of India. Unique and wonderful, this entertainer was a sweet delight, despite the darn issues that I had with image size (no pun intended) and quality.

Trailer of Dum Laga Ke Haisha:

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Luckily for me, I was able to catch the other gem on the big screen the very next day.  Run, don’t walk! Go see Piku in a theater near you. Before it disappears. What a joy it is!

I try my best not to overuse the word awesome, but in this case it’s a perfect fit. Deepika, Amitabh, Irrfan – all of them are simply awesome, as is the supporting cast. I must also mention the other stars of the show – the writer and director who made this wonderful thing happen.

And I do declare that the real win belongs to us, the viewers.

Trailer of Piku:

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My hats off to the makers of both these all too rare (and therefore all the more precious) Bollywood gems.

There are numerous reviews online for both of these films should you care to check, but I wouldn’t bother with any of them. Just trust me. 😉  Really, have I ever let you down?

Watch the trailers if you must, using the links I’ve provided above, but then gather up your friends and find a way to watch both of these films soon.

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You know how there’s all kinds of interesting news coming out of India these days?  Like Amma getting a free pass. And Salman bhai too.  All of this can make one feel rather sad, troubled and disillusioned about serious issues. Like justice.

But hey, forget all that serious stuff for a few hours. Give yourself permission to while away that time in some fun and sweetness. For a change.

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