Bollywood Night
Love Aaj Kal
Thursday, August 4
Doors at 8pm; movie starts at 8:30pm
Free
By popular demand, Bollywood Night is back — for one month only. Every Thursday in August, Betalevel will be your best source for love triangles, disapproving parents, cruel twists of fate, and elaborate song and dance numbers!
As Bollywood becomes an increasingly mainstream, worldwide commodity, the films it produces have likewise become more worldly, less distinctly Indian. The settings, the costumes, the music, all have gradually shifted to a distinctly (or, all too often, blandly) Western aesthetic. They even have onscreen kisses now. Sometimes.
Love Aaj Kal has it somewhat both ways, however, by telling two parallel stories: one, a modern tale of transcontinental love, from London to Delhi to San Francisco; the other, a more innocent memory of long-distance love from a previous generation. Yet, though the attitudes and the fashions of 2009 and 1965 may be different, love remains basically unchanged.
Warning: Our lawyers inform us that we must disclose the fact that this movie stars two of the most attractive actors in Bollywood (or anywhere) today (or ever), Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone. Attendees waive all claims against Betalevel for damage to their eyes, their hearts, or their self-images.
Also: This movie was co-produced by Khan’s production company, Illuminati Films. There is therefore an 11% chance the whole thing somehow plays a part in the global conspiracy. Further study is required.