Shaikh Ayaz
Ayaz is a contributor based in Mumbai. He writes about Bollywood.
Articles By Shaikh Ayaz
Bharat is yet another Salman Khan film designed singularly to flatter the ‘Bhaijaan’ mythology
A look at what works in Salman Khan's latest Eid release and what doesn't. Mostly though, it plays out like a three-hour-long “Being Human” advertisement, telling us how good Bharat is and how he is a metaphor for India itself.
Here’s why Chembur’s iconic RK Studios will be missed
Raj Kapoor set up RK Films in 1948 and started constructing RK Studios in Chembur in the 50s. It is often said that the studios was not just his workplace but a “temple” from which the man behind classics like Awaara and Shree 420 drew his sustenance. As the famous studio downs its shutters, we revisit its legacy.
Bollywood’s Clint Eastwood: Revisiting the musical hit Qurbani on Feroz Khan’s death anniversary
Feroz Khan passed away a decade ago on this day, sharing his death anniversary with great friend Vinod Khanna. Qurbani is their best-known partnership. A self-styled Clint Eastwood, Khan was 41 when Qurbani released. It's the actor-director's 21-gun salute to male gaze and friendship. A look back at the 1980 hit.
Vinod Khanna: The ‘Number 2’ who was nothing short of numero uno of the 1970s
It is Vinod Khanna's death anniversary today. Here's revisiting the life and times of a star who started out as a villain before achieving fame as a charismatic leading man. And then, one day, he threw it all (the success and stardom) away for spirituality.
Farooq Shaikh’s 71st birth anniversary: An indispensable star who had no wish to be remembered
Investing each of his roles with what Amitabh Bachchan described as “quiet honesty,” the late star of Chashme Buddoor and Saath Saath, who died of a heart attack in 2013, embodied the boy-next-door.
A tribute to Shashi Kapoor on his 81st birth anniversary: The many faces of the legendary Shakespeare Wallah
He was a born star. Starting out as a child artiste, Shashi Kapoor went on to become a leading romantic hero of his time. As a producer, the late star of hits like Deewaar and Trishul showed a rare audacity as he bankrolled parallel cinema classics, putting money where his mouth was. Not to mention, theatre which remained his first love. Here's why Kapoor will always be more than just a good-looking Bollywood hero.
Bollywood’s favourite baddie Danny Denzongpa’s most entertaining performances
Few actors are as iconic as birthday boy Danny Denzongpa, who over the years has entertained and enriched Hindi cinema with his sophisticated and extravagant villainy – and at times, truly memorable character roles.
Happy birthday Sanjay Leela Bhansali: 5 beautiful moments from SLB’s films that prove his auteur touch
Sanjay Leela Bhansali thinks big. His films are grand, baroque and larger-than-life. More often than not, his best is reserved for music. Here's looking at five high watermark moments from his long and distinguished career.
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.
