Shaikh Ayaz
Ayaz is a contributor based in Mumbai. He writes about Bollywood.
Articles By Shaikh Ayaz
Madhubala’s 86th birth anniversary: Madhubala’s real story is as tragic as her iconic character, Mughal-E-Azam’s Anarkali
Madhubala's 86th birth anniversary: Prithviraj Kapoor is imposing as Emperor Akbar and Dilip Kumar a.k.a Prince Salim is appropriately understated but it is Madhubala’s Anarkali that defines and carries K. Asif’s Mughal-E-Azam on her delicate shoulders.
The meaning of Patriotic Indian, according to Bollywood
Exploring the changing face of nationalism, from the idealistic days of Raj Kapoor and Manoj Kumar down to the jingoistic fervour of Sunny Deol and Akshay Kumar.
From teaching civil engineering to stage acting and cinema, Kader Khan led a dramatic life, both off and on screen
Veteran actor Kader Khan who died today at 81 leaves behind countless cinematic memories. Especially memorable is his legendary pairing with Amitabh Bachchan, Govinda and Johnny Lever.
Zero, Race 3 and Thugs of Hindostan: Presenting the Khans’ box-office report of 2018
'Shrunk' Rukh Khan’s Zero is an official dud, a Rs 200 crore-budgeted space fantasy that's struggling to even make it to the Rs 100 crore club. Zero aside, SRK is not alone in his box-office misery. All the Khans (except Saif Ali Khan) had poor showing this year.
Happy birthday Salman Khan: Five songs that doff their hat to ‘Bhaism’
Celebrating Salman Khan’s 53rd birthday with chartbuster songs from the last one decade that best embody the superstar and his mass-appeal.
Ten years of Ghajini: The film that made an average Indian a number-crunching trade pundit
Remake of a Tamil psychological thriller (itself inspired by Memento), A.R. Murugadoss-directed Ghajini is the inventor of the elusive Rs 100 crore club. It made leading man Aamir Khan a box-office magnet. But does the film hold up well today? A quick glance at its legacy.
Best Bollywood movies of 2018
From Stree to Tumbbad, this was the year of small films that packed in a big punch. Here's our pick of the top 5 Bollywood films of 2018.
Happy birthday, Thalaivar: The mythic legend of Rajinikanth
Happy birthday Rajinikanth: From a bus conductor to near-God status (not to forget, an Internet meme), Rajinikanth has evolved in ways that makes his story almost mythological. Is he even for real?
The glorious legacy of Dilip Kumar, arguably the subcontinent’s first method actor
A man of refined manners, poetry and culture, erudite, actor’s actor, the last great mogul of Bollywood, Dilip Kumar’s towering influence is such that there’s a version of him in every aspect of Hindi cinema.
The mystic with paranormal powers: Rajinikanth’s greatest appeal lies in his connect with the masses
Rajini mania: In an ideal world, the 2.0 star should have been India’s favourite uncle. But he’s not, and this isn’t an ideal world.
The good guys gone bad: Akshay Kumar of 2.0 and others who have turned nefarious before him
From Tabu in Andhadhun to Nana Patekar in Kaala, five recent films in which the hero/heroine made for a kickass super-villain.
3 ways to fix Sunny Deol’s career and the first step is to rescue Sunny Deol from Sunny Deol
Sunny Deol hasn’t had a hit in a while. As Bhaiaji Superhit, a comedy that hopes to parody his action image, releases today, here are ways in which the star can reinvent himself.
Seriously Funny: 10 greatest Bollywood comedies to watch before you die
Making comedies is no laughing matter. As we revisit 10 Bollywood comedies that have tickled us over the years, their impact and reputation is a reminder that funny is a serious business. These madly comic films are a proof that great comedies fuse wit and wisdom and chaos and creativity with equal parts stupidity and sophistication.
Indira Gandhi’s 101st birth anniversary: The Iron Lady is still missing from Bollywood scripts
The life and times of Indira Gandhi is appropriately eventful and dramatic. As we do a quick round-up of how Bollywood has portrayed one of the most powerful leaders in India’s history, a curious truth presents itself — cinema ain’t too fond of the former Prime Minister.
Shah Rukh Khan @ 53: Will Zero be that elusive birthday gift that King Khan has been craving?
Shah Rukh Khan birthday: It's a special birthday for Shah Rukh Khan in more ways than one. At 53, he's busier than ever. As fans await Zero's trailer and birthday celebrations get underway, we look at why despite the star's recent filmography, though every bit eclectic and diverse, hasn't matched audience's expectations.
Aishwarya Rai birthday: Here’s why top filmmakers delight in imagining Ash in period dramas
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan birthday: As Aishwarya Rai Bachchan turns 45 today, we look at three diverse filmmakers — Mani Ratnam, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Rituparno Ghosh — and how they have used the star in their (mostly) period dramas.
On Shammi Kapoor’s birth anniversary, three of his greatest fans share their favourite Shammi song
There's no better way to honour the memory of the Yahoo star than to celebrate his exceptional musical legacy that includes such evergreen hits as Basant, Tumsa Nahin Dekha, Kashmir Ki Kali, Junglee and Teesri Manzil.
Happy birthday Amitabh Bachchan: A look back at ‘1975’ and why it was a banner year for the Zanjeer actor
Ever wondered if the 1970s belonged to Amitabh Bachchan? Is there a year or a particular moment in that decade that could be regarded as his very best? '1975' has a good claim, as this was the year that saw Big B at his peak, both as a star and actor.
The enduring fame, and pain, of Bollywood’s original diva Rekha
On Rekha's 64th birthday, we take a look at her biography, Rekha: The Untold Story, written by Yasser Usman, which attempts to bring forth the extraordinary personality though it takes the familiar route that kept gossip and fan magazines of a certain era in circulation – Rekha’s salacious personal life.
Vinod Khanna’s 72nd birth anniversary: The man from the ’70s who was too good looking to be a villain
The 1970s star and politician who died last year starred in scores of broad-chested male fests. His popular pairing with Amitabh Bachchan gave us such hits as Parvarish, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar and Amar Akbar Anthony. One theory speculates that if he hadn't quit movies in 1982 to follow spirituality, history (and most certainly the career of Big B, a close competitor) would have turned out differently.
