A Desi entertainment blog that promotes authentic and unfiltered perspectives.
(1)
A community where individuals can freely express their opinions, engage in insightful discussions, and enjoy the myriad of Desi content!
Happy Republic Day! 🇮🇳
••••••••••••••••••
What better way to celebrate Republic Day than watch a web-series about one of the most patriotic aspects of India, cricket? Thanks to Siddhant for this thoughtful review of Inside Edge Season 3, a thrilling web-series that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Read our full review on our website (https://lcadesiwood.com/bold-controversial-yet-full-of-twists-and-turns/).
END OF YEAR REFLECTIONS
*****************************
2021 is now behind us thankfully. A ton of movies came out, with some of them receiving critical acclaim and many of them flat out bombing upon release. However, which film release truly stood out from the pack? We invite you to check out our newest post, which offers one perspective towards answering this difficult question. Thanks to for the write-up, and please like and comment below if you happen to dissent.
Link to post in bio!
The pursuit of self-fulfillment ***************************** In our newest post, learn more about the conflicts that arise when educational excellence comes at the cost of inhibiting personal freedom. It’s a tough balance to achieve, and much has to do with the way our parents might’ve approached these challenges.
“This is the tribute to Thaila-“ HOLD UP
••••••••••
Tamil culture has been a surprisingly common feature in Bollywood and Hindi TV, whether it be classics like Chennai Express or modern takes like Meenakshi Sundareshwar and The Family Man. Despite the frequent portrayal, how accurate and truly inclusive are these depictions of Tamil culture? Read our latest post to learn more about how harmful these Tamil stereotypes have been in misinterpreting a diverse people and culture (link in bio).
Feel good film or feel bad film?
••••••••••
Kollywood and Tollywood put out a long list of classic feel-good films in the 2000’s. While there’s no denying that these movies were great for their time, how have the themes and characterizations expressed in those films aged into the modern era and influenced what we see wrong in Desi society today? Read our latest analytical post to find out (https://lcadesiwood.com/a-look-back-at-2000s-feel-good-films/). Link also in bio.
Be a wife or live my life?
••••••••••
Marriage makes man husband and woman wife, but why is being a wife and being a working woman mutually exclusive? Heroines, as heroes do already, deserve the charming characterizations and prime time spotlight, regardless of their marital status, but the characterization of married actresses starkly congrats the characterization of married actors.
Check out our latest post (link in bio) that highlights some examples in Tamil and Hindi cinema of actresses who had successful characterizations before their marriages, only to take the sidelines after tying the knot.
Joker teased his cards too much? 🃏
••••••••••
There’s a certain artistic beauty in villain characters. Timeless classics like Gabbar Singh from Sholay or newer stars like Bhalla from Baahubali, they steal the show. However, many villains are characterized in such a predictable, stereotypical trope that bores us with an overly dramatic or basic storyline. Where are those unique villains that explore the shades of gray that get overshadowed by the overtly black-and-white villain characters?
Check out our latest article (https://lcadesiwood.com/villain-characters/) for specific examples of these unique villains and some stereotypical villains.
••••••••••
South ➡️ North
••••••••••
Many of us Bollywood fans have seen South Indian actor Madhavan’s iconic Bollywood movies or heard Dhanush’s infamous lover boy song, “Why This Kolaveri Di.” But many of us haven’t seen the failed efforts of numerous other South Indian actors and actresses who tried to break into the big Bollywood box offices. Why have some South Indian actors seen success in their Bollywood transitions while others haven’t? What factors influence these transitions?
Check out our latest article (link in bio) for a detailed breakdown with specific examples of successes and failures with these industry transitions.
••••••••••
The other gender 🚶🏽
••••••••••
After analyzing the ideal wife of Indian cinema, we’re back with an other of our “ideals” as portrayed in cinema. While it’s great that the characterization of women in Desi cinema is brought to the spotlight, not enough attention is brought to the toxic and unrealistic depictions of men. We can’t leave the other gender out in the dust when advocating for more genuine cinematic representations in society, can we? Read our full article for more on how these stereotypes manifest and why they are toxic.
https://lcadesiwood.com/ideal-male-of-indian-cinema/
••••••••••
Gully Boy review! 🎶
••••••••••
Gully Boy has received a lot of praise among critics and mass audiences in the past few years for offering a unique storyline to Bollywood that strays away from the typical mass and masala. However, here’s our hot take on how this film that’s won multiple cinema awards is overrated and plagiaristic. Link in bio for the full article!
••••••••••
Ratsasan review! 👻
••••••••••
Ratsasan was one of the highest rated Tamil movies released in 2018. What made it such a brilliant masterpiece? Was it the unique storyline, the thrilling suspense underscored by a brilliant background theme, the stellar acting, or the culmination of these in a raw and authentic directorial? Check out our latest review to find out what makes this one of the best Tamil movies in modern times!
••••••••••
Commercial success or artistic beauty?
••••••••••
Karan Johar and Anurag Kashyap have garnered both critical and popular acclaim for their generation-defining work over the past couple decades - Johar with his commercial, happy-go-lucky protagonists and Kashyap with his dark anti-heroes. Which style do you vibe with? Check out our latest article for an in-depth comparison of these two unique, influential directors! 🧠
••••••••••
Shoutout to our newest writer, , for his first article!
••••••••••
💥NEW MEMBER SPOTLIGHT💥
Let’s welcome Siddhant (Sid) Rao to the blog! An avid follower of Hindi, Marathi, and Punjabi films, Sid brings some much needed North Indian entertainment expertise and insight to the table. In his free time, you can find Sid trying to connect the dots with everything going around the world while trying to learn more about those respective cultures. Stay tuned for the 🔥 content in the very near future 👊👊
Trend or truth?
••••••••••
Ludo. Paava Kadhaigal. Solo. What do all these recent films have in common? They’re “anthologies”, which are films comprised of multiple short stories/films tied together by a common theme. Check out our latest post that dives deeper into why anthologies have become so popular, how they affect audiences/directors/casts, and if they’re here to stay for the future! What are your thoughts?🤔
••••••••••
Fan or devotee?
••••••••••
While Kollywood has been home to some iconic cinema actors, it’s also been home to some iconic fans who take fandom to a whole different level. Check out our latest article, which explores the idol worship of stars in Kollywood and how it manifests in society: performing Hindu rituals, paying thousands of dollars in tickets to ensure their stars’ films don’t flop, constructing temples and statues for the star, voting stars into political power...sadly the list doesn’t stop there.
https://lcadesiwood.com/celebrity-idol-worship-in-kollywood/
••••••••••
💥SYSTEMIC ANALYSIS💥
-
-
Serials and mass-hero movies have been a vital part of how our Indian entertainment industry has formed. However, the continuous emphasis on ideals pertaining to the pitied female of a serial and the glorified male of a film has its consequences. Does society reflect these ideals? Check out .ka’s newest post to find out 😈
-
-
💥SYSTEMIC ANALYSIS💥
-
-
Serials and mass-hero movies have been a vital part of how our Indian entertainment industry has formed. However, the continuous emphasis on ideals pertaining to the pitied female of a serial and the glorified male of a film has its consequences. Does society reflect these ideals? Check out .ka’s newest post to find out 😈
As always, the link to the post is in our bio!
-
-
Another day, another systemic issue. The LGBTQ+ community’s representation in Indian cinema has historically been very insensitive and crude, both explicitly and implicitly. Many Indian movies depicting this community have sadly caused more harm than good. On the bright side, there have been a select few hidden gems that present a decent characterization of the LGBTQ community.
——
Check out our latest post for an in-depth analysis on these Indian movies depicting the LGBTQ+ community! 🏳️🌈
-
-
https://lcadesiwood.com/lgbtq-representation-in-indian-cinema/
💥SYSTEMIC ANALYSIS💥
-
-
Courtesy of , we’ve got a banger for you all highlighting just how problematic the teaser for the Telugu film “Vakeel Saab” has been for audiences all around. As a remake of the famed Hindi film “Pink”, check out what makes this teaser a little different from the original Hindi version as well as the consequent Tamil remake. Shoutout again to for his debut post with us 👏👏
https://lcadesiwood.com/vakeel-saab-already-a-failed-remake/
-
-
NEW MEMBER SPOTLIGHT, pt 9! 💫
-
-
Meet Venkat Ravuri, an undergraduate student at UNC-Chapel Hill. He’s joining our team as a versatile writer with expertise in Tollywood, Kollywood, and Bollywood with a real knack for spotting the under-appreciated aspects of cinema. He’s grown up as a huge Mahesh Babu fan and his dad actually went to school with the Tollywood superstar. Can’t wait to see what you’ve got in store for us, Venkat! 👀
✨NEW MEMBER SPOTLIGHT✨
-
-
Meet Connor Warmuth, a junior at Vanderbilt University who’s got direct experience working as an actor in a commercial as well as in other settings! He brings a unique perspective to our blog with his background, and we cannot wait for the incredible reviews and takes that you’ll have for us 😈👊
NEW MEMBER SPOTLIGHT, pt 7! 💫
-
-
Meet Ashwin Thiagarajan, a recent graduate from UOP pursuing a career in electrical engineering. Ashwin is yet another versatile movie buff with expertise in 3 prominent Desi industries. Fun fact: he met two of our other blog writers on some Facebook meme pages! We’re excited to have you onboard Ashwin📽
✨SANKRANTHI SPECIAL✨
-
-
This past week has been absolutely jam-packed with regards to film releases in honor of Sankranthi! From Krack and Master to Red and Alludu Adhurs, you’re guaranteed to remain glued to your couches and screens. Shoutout to .art (Sruthi Yejju) for this list, and stay on the lookout for some more spicy updates 😈😈
💥TRIBUTE TO KAMAL HASSAN💥
-
-
In an era dominated by crowd-pleasing superstars such as Rajinikanth and Chiranjeevi, there is much to be said about the “road less traveled by” with the work of Kamal Haasan. A controversial figure at the time, some of Haasan’s biggest films explored conflicts and themes deemed “off-limits”, sparking many food for thought-type conversations within the mainstream Desi audience.
Shoutout to Nikkhil Niranjan for writing up an outstanding post covering Haasan’s legacy in detail 🎥✨
https://lcadesiwood.com/kamal-haasan-appreciation-post/
NEW MEMBER SPOTLIGHT PT 6💫
-
-
Meet Yogesh Kumar, a student from Hyderabad currently studying at UIUC! Yogesh is as versatile of a movie buff as they come, as he’s an avid follower of Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu films. In his spare time, Yogesh enjoys traveling, watching Indian cricket, and absorbing information from all over. We can’t wait for your exciting, thoughtful takes 👊👊
NEW MEMBER SPOTLIGHT, pt 5! 💫
-
-
Meet Nikkhil Niranjan, a student at Vanderbilt Univetsity from Chapel Hill, NC! Nikkhil brings yet another fresh perspective into the analysis of various cinematic elements and motifs in Desi entertainment. He’s a huge Kamal Hassan fan and is also related to famed Kollywood actor Vijay 😲😲. We’re super excited to see what you’ve got in store for us!!
⚡️TOP 5 MALAYALAM FILMS 2020⚡️
We finish off the week and 2020 as a whole by presenting to you some gems courtesy of the Malayalam film industry. We’ve hoped that you’ve enjoyed the lists we’ve put out, and we’re looking forward to a brighter, more prosperous 2021 😈
💥2020 KANNADA FILMS💥
-
Want to broaden your tastes a little bit? Check out our list of the top Kannada films of 2020 that you’re gonna want to take a closer look at 😈
list templates
🔥TOP 5 HINDI FILMS OF 2020!🔥
-
COVID-19 tried its hardest, but it couldn’t quite eliminate Bollywood films, good and bad, from still being produced and released this year. Above, you’ll find our top picks for 2020, and we want to know whether y’all agree with this list or whether you feel like some of your favorites were left out!
-
✨ TOP 5 TELUGU FILMS 2020 ✨
-
Here’s a mix of multiple genres for our audience’s multiple movie palates. What were your top Telugu movies of the year? Comment below!
-
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Lights, Camera, Action: Desiwood posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Send a message to Lights, Camera, Action: Desiwood:
Want your business to be the top-listed Media Company?
