Movies like lunchbox (no song and dance)

menoninblack thumbnail
Posted: 10 years ago
#1
Hey Guys,
I'm trying to introduce some friends in the US to some Indian Movies. I showed two firangis the Lunchbox and they LOVED IT! I really can't get into the song and dance bollywood stuff ( Please don't hate me!)

I would really love some suggestions of movies with a realistic story and good acting, without any song and dance and extravagant acting. I watched the Ship of Theseus and there was a lot of pseudo intellectual dialogue crammed in that took away from the awesome cinematography, but I'm still looking for a similar style of realism.

I would really love you movie buffs' favorite picks in this genre. Hope to hear from you!



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-Arsal- thumbnail
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Posted: 10 years ago
#2
Earth. Based on the 1947 partition and set in Lahore.
Udaan. There are songs but not the typical dances. It adds to the story. Ronit Roy is brilliant in this.

Ugly. A really well made thriller. Again a brilliant performance from Ronit and Anurag is in top form too. Its his best movie till date imo.

Talaash. Great cinematography, a gripping story and wonderfully enacted.

Kahani. One of the best thriller I have seen. Vidya is superb.

Haider. Vishal Bharadwaj's best. An adaptation of Hamlet with Kashmir as the backdrop. The cinematography, acting and the direction is just brilliant. Kashmir's own story told in the background through visuals and the characters lives is fascinating as well.

Maqbool. Macbeth's adaptation. Tabu, Irfan, Vishal. Doesnt need any more than that.

Omkara. A really good adaptation of Othello. Vishal is really good at adapting Shakespeare; his best work has come this way.

Some others,
Karthik Calling Karthik.
TZP.
PST.



menoninblack thumbnail
Posted: 10 years ago
#3
Thanks Arsal! šŸ‘šŸ¼ 😃
These are great suggestions!! Do you know any realist romantic movies? I am not a big fan of violent ones- like the gangster movies. (soo picky!😵). Has there been a recent movie about love similar to lunchbox?

What I really liked about Lunchbox was that it is unpredictable and quirky. TZP imo was quite predictable and the acting was overdone, but I'm an arm chair critic of course.

Are there any other language films that may follow this format? I'm trying to find Indie films like Ship of Theseus but there aren't many I know.

Thank you!
952723 thumbnail
Posted: 10 years ago
#4
black friday. It has one song but they will enjoy because it completely sets the mood in the film. Its not a dance song but shows a broken man wandering around.
a wednesday

Also from Arsal's list I would eliminate Tallash. Its a pretty pathetic movie.
ChotaBheem thumbnail
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Posted: 10 years ago
#5


I am Kalam
Udaan
A wednesday
Baby
Iqbal
Pushpak
Madras cafe
Rocket singh salesman of the year


Would add more if I remember
Edited by ChotaBheem - 10 years ago
teenplusteen thumbnail
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Posted: 10 years ago
#6
Raincoat
Very much in The Lunchbox space.
menoninblack thumbnail
Posted: 10 years ago
#7
I loved the Raincoat suggestion!! 😊 Thank you guys!
-Arsal- thumbnail
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Posted: 10 years ago
#8

Originally posted by: menoninblack

Thanks Arsal! šŸ‘šŸ¼ 😃

These are great suggestions!! Do you know any realist romantic movies? I am not a big fan of violent ones- like the gangster movies. (soo picky!😵). Has there been a recent movie about love similar to lunchbox?

What I really liked about Lunchbox was that it is unpredictable and quirky. TZP imo was quite predictable and the acting was overdone, but I'm an arm chair critic of course.

Are there any other language films that may follow this format? I'm trying to find Indie films like Ship of Theseus but there aren't many I know.

Thank you!



I agree about TZP. The acting and especially the drama was overdone in parts but its still was a great movie imo. As for the predictable; it was supposed to be that way. Some stories are that way to begin with.

Some others;
Highway is one but then its voilent and dark in parts. Still a good watch.

A Wednesday.
Detective Boyemkesh Bakshi. A really good thriller. Its slow and requires a lot of attention. There are subtle hints and clue spread throughout. I have watched it twice and liked it more on a second viewing.
The climax is what some people have problems with. I really enjoyed it though and thought it was quite fitting.


Oh and Dhobi Ghat. How could I forget this one. A truly wonderful film. Stories of four people, how they overlap and change them. A tale about Mumbai; how surprising, busy and full of life, chances it is.There is romance and quite realistic as well. And its surprisingly unpredictable.

The cinomatography is excellent as well. Some of the shots are amazing.

And I loved how it ended. So open and full of possibilities. Its left to the viewer to form his own conclusion. And that makes it so much more powerful.
Edited by -Arsal- - 10 years ago
Novarieaa thumbnail
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Posted: 10 years ago
#9
I would have suggested No one killed Jessica! But not sure if you would be cmofy to show this film to firangis.
pallavi25 thumbnail
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Posted: 10 years ago
#10
A Wednesday
Baby
Chak De India
Iqbal
Black
Bhoot
Dus Kahaniyan
Rockford
Khosla ka Ghosla
Jaaney bhi do Yaaro
Ittefaq (an oldie, fantastic thriller starring Rajesh Khanna)
Kaun (another thriller)

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