In December, 2020, at the peak of the pandemic, I collaborated with Epsilon Spires, a performing arts venue in Brattleboro, Vermont to curate a virtual movie series called ‘Vidhi’s Bollywood Film Club. I chose each of the films that were…
Read moreStorytelling Special
Laura Gibbs’ book, ‘Tiny Tales from India’
For this episode of Vidhi’s Bollywood Jukebox, I decided to do some storytelling while hosting my show. The oral tradition of storytelling in India is centuries old. Panchatantra and Jataka Tales are some…
Read more
Pandit of Playback: Manna Dey
Eminent singer Manna Dey came to be known for his raga-based songs that brought out his impeccable classical training. I learned a lot of interesting facts about his life while writing this article, especially his story about being afraid to…
Read morePlayback Singers in Bollywood
This episode of my radio show, Vidhi’s Bollywood Jukebox, features excerpts from my phone interview with Bollywood singer KK and songs of other great playback singers from Hindi cinema.
I wrote an article in 2019 for On Stage, a…
Read moreBollywood Antakshari (a sing song game)
In India, a group singing game called Antakshari is extremely popular. Participants either sit in a circle or form groups and begin the round with one Bollywood song. The next participant or team picks a word or the last syllable…
Read moreSufism in Bollywood
Sufi poems and music styles have had a huge influence on Bollywood. The quality of addressing the God or the divine as the beloved in Sufism appeals to the inherently romantic sensibilities of Bollywood music. In this episode, I invited…
Read moreDream Sequence Songs
Songs are an important part of Bollywood and filming songs, even more so. There are many songs in Bollywood that have been shot as dream sequences, allowing the director to take the film’s characters to exotic locations. Oftentimes, the lead…Read more
Mountains Special: Dedicated to Vermont
The first time I visited Vermont, it was at the peak of summer. The verdant mountains, rows of towering pine trees and fresh mountain air reminded me of the mountains in India. That memory, invariably led me to Bollywood songs…Read more
Bollywood in America
Bollywood films shot overseas is not a new concept at all. Right from the sixties, you can see glimpses of Alpine mountains, Swiss meadows, hip European cities and even parts of Japan featured in Hindi movies. The United States of…
Read moreThe Melodies of Rain
Monsoons in India bring with them a multitude of memories and of course monsoon songs. Bollywood’s fascination for rain is well known; be it to depict the longing between two lovers or their union. Songs and song situations in Hindi…
Read more