You can buy DVDs from the following sites .
UK http://www.indiandvdfilms.com
USA http://www.indiaplaza.com..http://www.indiaweekly.com
Produced and marketed by DEI.
Compilation of some of Shah Rukh Khan's greatest hits from his films. 22
songs.
The audio for the first 5 are in outstanding 5.1 Dolby Digital. The remaining 17 are in mono. Video is mostly superb, especially the selections from "English Babu Desi Mem", "Pardes," "Dil Se" and "Trimurti."
As usual, very cool main menu graphics are supplied by DEI. Particularly the nice venetian blind graphics- closing and opening as each song ends and the next song begins. This DVD collection is also available by EROS/B4U. As is the case with "Parinda," stick with the higher quality version done by DEI. Highly recommended.
More reviews at:
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Mansion/4639/enter.html
..Irwin Marin
The new audio DVDs coming out are going to have completely loseless compression due to a system developed by Meridian company .Also software downloaded from www multimania.com plays any area DVD on the computer .
Music Box Vol 2 - Media Digital 1999-no subtitles
Picture quality - Perfect
Sound- Perfect , Dolby AC-3 2 Channels
22 great hits . The box lists 20 but there are 22 and absolutely the best is Manoj Bhajpai in the 22nd from Satya - sapno-me milti hai (she meets me in dreams) . Sounds exquisite , great picturization at the Videoscreen awards - just dont know why it sounds perfect Maybe some Rmimers can listen to it and tell us why . This song will become one of immortal ones -who is the female singer ?
Another good one is the Arabic Malu malu - all will watch it for the great video but once again appealing to dumb distributors PUT THE SUBTITLES on in different languages and watch the market explode . What does it take to translate a five minute song in different languages ? After watching the subtitles once , one will understand the lyrics and then it can be watched without them.
Just hitting the number on the remote will take you to the song eg if you want no.7 hit 7 on the keypad and wait a second .
Another touching one is by the Persian girl Anaida doing 'Janat se bi haseen hamara Hindustan ' ( Our India is more beautiful even than heaven ) -not true but touching nevertheless .
For those who want to brush up their Devanagri , 18 by cousins has them reading out the verses as the words roll by -what a great way to learn the language -somebody must bring out a DVD soon . Also like Usha's Mera naam chin chin chu and Haiya and most of the others . Absolute must have DVD .
The songs listed are 1 Mehndi ki raat -Models 2 Janam samjha=Asha 3 Mera naam Chin chin -Usha Uthup 4 Munda South Hall da - Sukhvinder 6 Pyar se -Nadem 7.Duniya -Rageshwari 8. Tum Mile -Criminal 9Chura liya -Sagoo 10 Kinna sona -NFAK 11 Haiyaa -Kavita 12 Disco Deewane -Sagrika 13 Bollywood -Models 14Punjabi Munde-Sukhbir 15 Sajjay-Man mohab 16 Kahi deep -Sonali 17 Mujhse lagan =Neeraj 18Sa Ni -Colonial cousins 19O jane jana -Sharon 20-Hum sab ek hain -Anaida 21 Ati kya kahndala -Govinda , Rani 22 Sapno me - Bajpai
These DVDs can be purchased from www.indiaplaza.com or
www.indiaweekly.com in USA and www.digitalvideodirect.co.uk
in Europe or your local south asian video store
Pehla pehla pyar - (first love) , 3hrs , no subtitles ,
Media Digital
Starring Tabu and others
Picture quality -excellent
Sound -Excellent
A superb comedy concerning a scatterbrained Princess -Tabu- who escapes from the bad Uncle . Filmed at Bhavan palace in Jodhpur and Switzerland . Tabu is one girl who looks sexy even in Jeans -see the rain dance . As bedroom scenes are generally not allowed these Bollywood movies excel at semi erotic dances and the 'anghuta lagwale-get a thumbprint of my love ' is very good indeed .
Pity it is not subtitled , Media Digital could easily increase their market share tenfold . An interesting idea is the menu of 10 forthcoming movies each of which has a hit song from the movie .
Long da Lishkara -Punjabi -80s -no subtitles
Gurdass Mann , Harpreet Deol , Raj Babbar -Apollo video
Picture quality -poor
Sound -Excellent
Remember these are all subjective assessments . The print seems to have been made from a second generation VHS tape , colors are OK but resolution is bad - it is full screen though .
Ordinarily one wouldnt recommend poor picture quality DVDs but if one cant get hold of any other kind then it is worthwhile to purchase ones like this one to refresh one's Punjabi - spoken excellently here with very few English words and the women look healthy and not the usual skinny kind in Bollywood movies and the Punjabi folk songs are quite good .
If original film prints are not available then DVD is still better than VHS because of the great reduction in bulk and the better sound . Its time the Indian , Punjab and other govts set strict standards for DVDs to protect the consumer and only gave exemption in certain cases where the original prints are simply not available .
Good quality DVDs can greatly enhance a region's attractiveness as a tourist area .
Salaakhen 1998 -no subtitles -Asian Video Movies Canada
Raveena , Sunny Deol
Picture quality -excellent
Sound -excellent -Dolby 2 channel
A great movie with some great songs . Of course the main attraction as always is Raveena ! She has this sensous sway - see 62.54mins and 61.20 which she did in 'kisi disco' in BMCM which is a heart stopper . I dont think any other actress could have done 'Cheez has mast mast' in Mohra or 'Kisi disco mein jayen ' in BMCM or 'Akhiyon se mare goli' in Dulhe Raja better than Raveena .
She also has this ability to go from being an absolute stunner in a cream yellow outfit 62.50 to Oh god that hairystyle ! - 63.00 mins in just one song .
I thought the song 'mere piche pad gayen hai bicchho (-scorpions (men) have started coming after me ' was done by Raveena in the Zee song charts but here it is Manisha -maybe they changed after the movie had been picturized .
Pity its not subtitled but otherwise another must buy..
Haseena Maan Jayegi -1999 -Eros -English subtitles
Govinda .Karishma , Pooja Batra , Sanjay Dutt
Picture quality -barely acceptable -halfscreen
Sound- Perfect
Who in his right mind likes Halfscreen ? Its like watching a movie through a letter box . Normal humans see the world throught the central cones and dont care what goes on in the peripheral rod vision -its just for danger awareness anyway. The saving grace is that subtitles are on the blackened part of the screen . Still its hard to get used to the tiny figures after watching excellent full screen movies like Khandan or Jhanak .
One has to watch a five B4U add at the start - good idea to keep movie prices down but really they need to go back to DEI or Superdigital ( provided they improve their sound) and forget about these Hong Kong makers until they improve the quality .
One of Eros's new offerings I think without DEI and the quality has plummeted . A pity as this one of the top comedies of 99 and Govinda deserves top actor award -plays his own uncle . Pooja Batra is a must see for those who like tall leggy beautiful women.
The subtitling is literal and excellent and its a pity it wasnt extended to the songs which have quite simple lyrics like 'What is your mobile number?' . Really mad not to complete the job if you have got a good subtitler.
Choreography is superb , there is one song with Karishma at 106 min with much flinging of the arms ( its not Bhangra) which I think has been copied from a current MTV star who dresses as a schoolgirl with pony tails (cant quite remember her name) .
Some of the songs esp the last one will make it to the wedding dances and Bollywood concerts . Really is an excellent comedy and Eros need to redo this disc ( main problem is the resolution and speckling ) and bring out a platinum edition in glorious full screen.
Released by EROS Entertainment, 140 mintes. Starring Sushmita Sen, Sharad Kapoor, and Mukul Dev. Digital transfer by DOT MEDIA. English subtitles on dialogue and songs (nice), unfortunately the subtitles appear at too fast a rate, making them difficult to follow. Video quality isn't up to DVD standards as the colors bleed in many scenes. The Dolby Digital stereo audio has problems with the level of the volume, which fluctuates annoyingly throughout the movie.
Dastak is a wild, fascinating film about Miss Universe Sushmita Sen, playing herself, who is stalked by an obsessive, mentally unstable fan played by Sharad Kapoor and who seeks protection from Inspector Malhotra (Mukul Dev). Dastak is a never dull, over-the-top action drama, that holds the viewer's interest throughout. Featuring excellent songs by Rajesh Roshan such as "Kal Beeyt Gaya Ye To." The musical highlight of the film is the highly enjoyable picturization of "Piya O Piyo." In which, the scantily-clad Miss Sen is directed with great flair by Mahesh Bhatt in a song which features many fine special effects and inspired choreography.
Dastak is not great cinema; it has a cliche filled plot, and caricatured acting that stretches the movie's credibility. Nevertheless, Dastak is such a fun film, that it may be worth buying the DVD even with the sub-standard transfer done by Eros and Dot Media.. Recommended but with strong reservations..Irwin Marin
Picture quality -soft focus , halfscreen ( ? widescreen)
Sound -good Dolby 2 channel
A disappointment from videosound . Their movies mastered by Superdigital - Gharwali , HDDCS etc. have always been pin sharp overcoming the defect of flat sound , but this one is just too soft focus . Go back to Superdigital mastering please .
Havent seen the movie yet and will add more comments later.Mo
Asian video movies wholesale of Toronto
Mahima , Sanjay , Chandrachur Singh
Picture quality -good , color rendition is very good
The songs have been mastered well but in between the picture
is quite noisy .However the movie is so good that one should
definitely buy or rent this DVD .
Story of a crooked lawyer without a conscience -are there any other kind :) ? -who starts to see sense after he is brain damaged in an accident .
Mahima is superb -one actress with the golden touch - all her movies so far have been hits -Pardes , Daag , Dil Kya Kare and she is very good in the comedy scene when she has had enough of her mother in law , gets drunk and starts chasing her round the house and the courtyard with a broken bottle .
There is one excellent Punjabi song - Lucky Kabootar with some gorgeous looking girls and another with Bhangra base but the most addictive one is Mahima's Rajasthani - Dil dhadke , superbly choreographed by Thanuram .
The reason why so many girls in different countries are doing these songs and dances even when they dont comprehend the language is not difficult to understand after you see 'Dil dhadke-the heart is beating fast and my left eye is twitching ' dance .
There comes in Bollywood movies often a time when all the ingredients fall in place -the fabulous costumes , lyrics , music , choreography , setting and the song and dance becomes compulsory watching again and again - Rekha's in Qila , Madhuri's naughty 'choli ke peeche -what's behind my blouse?' , Waheeda Rehman's snake and temple dance in Guide , most of Raveena's but especially mast mast in Mohra , the Shiv/Parvati dance in Jhanak , jhanak, and here Mahima's in Daag .
Those with exams to do dont get this DVD as you will spend too much watching the songs on this one - it would be interesting to start a thread to list other people's favourite song and dance ie filmi music video and try to find the common ingredients which make them so compelling watching..
Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt -Superdigital
subtitles not needed
Picture quality- Okay
Sound -good .
Picture quality suffers a bit from it being a live recording but is OK . Sound sounds trifle flat - I think Superdigital still have not got it quite right -maybe taking out too many of the superharmonics .
Panditiji has modified the guitar by changing the main strings and a number of sympathetic strings to make it sound like a sitar . Elijah Waid wrote 'with blinding speed and faultless legato , Bhatt is one of the most versatile and expressive slide players in the world '.
Am not an expert on music so I cant comment . However all these concerts sound as if it takes too long to tune the instrument and the real exciting fast stuff comes at the end .
It has Raga Gawati , Des . Pahari and Bhiarivi .
English Babu Desi Mem -English subtitles -1996-DEI Shah Rukh Khan , Sonali Bendre
Picture quality -Perfect
Sound -Perfect
A great movie of an orphaned girl who adopts an abandoned
child and becomes a go-go dancer to support both . Along
comes his uncle from England to take him back after many
years . Dances are great , settings are good . The Qawali
-When I see your face , I see God in it ' - is superb.
Must see ..
Qila - 98 - No subtitles -Indus Video
Dilip Kumar . Rekha , Mamta , Mukul Dev
Picture quality -good
Sound -excellent
One of my favourite movies of 98 - for a review see http://www.indolink.com/bollywood/mvierevs.html
The five songs-'Wah bi wah, Kurte ki bhainya , Prem hi Radha , engagement song and Akhiyan , are sensational and truly addictive . Couldnt stop playing them for months . Watch for that laced chain mile kind of dressing Mamta is wearing in 'Akhiyan' -sung I think by Asha - name of the singers is given in the end titles .
I thought there were no chapter stops at the songs but I could be wrong -have to check it again . The song menu however can get to them too . Rekha's 'Prem hi Radha..' is fabulously danced . A competition between Dalip where he plays out a tune and she and her dancers have to match it with their steps . They are all dressed in the absolutely gorgeous eye catching temple dancing girls outfits seen carved on Hindu temples thousands of years old . Just love the deep bongo kind of drums at the start . This song alone is worth the price of the DVD .
I like Urdu lyrics termendously but occaionaly its great to have pure Sanskirt temple ones as in this song and another favourite in the film 'Taqdeerwala' .
Picture quality is fair good would have preferred it a little more pin sharp . Mukul Dev has done a tremendous job with his Punjabi accent and Dilip Kumar is a true master -just look at the way he does the 'Prem hi Radha' song . There is also a biography on this DVD . Apparently Rekha is 5' 7 and Mamta 5'5 -hard to believe , she looks a lot shorter , maybe because she doesnt wear high heels .. Must see DVD many times..
DVD players are now around the $200 mark . Anyone who hasnt got one , go and get it . Watching the Shantaram classic DVD at night is a great way to end the day on a very pleasant note.
Baba Digital - English subtitles - 3hrs -single side two
layers -Dolby 2 channel mono - ? 1950 -color
Picture quality -Perfect
Sound -Very good .
Starring -Gopi Krishna and Sandhya
Wow what a movie ! These discs have obviously been mastered by somebody with a love for classical movies and dances as the print is so good . This is one movie that MUST be remade as there are probably not enough good prints left for worldwide distribution and it really deserves to be seen on Imax .
The sets and costumes and songs and music should stay the same but one would need new actors and actresses - probably Salman Khan as the hero and either Raveena or Aishwarya Rai or Madhuri who I think are the only ones who could do these classical dances . Sri Devi and Rekha in another era .
Go first to chapter 18 - curiously not in the song menu -and see God Shiva's tandav dance of death when he gets really mad at humans and wants to destroy the Universe by opening his third eye and frantic efforts by his wife Parvati to placate him . Something one would never tire of watching again and again.
Maddeningly the songs are not subtitled and a pity as it would have made the DVD even more enjoybale for those who dont understand deep Hindi/Sanskrit in the classical songs They only have a few repeating verses and its time the DVD people started doing it .
Other classical folk songs from Hindu mythology are the ones where the Gods get a bit worried at Rishi Valmitra who is praying hard to get the boon of becoming immortal and send a beautiful Aspara to ruin his prayers and she does a very effecive erotic dance in front of him .
Sandhya has done a remarkable job in this movie . There is also a dance on stilts and a trailer from another movie where she dances with 8 pots on her head - from bigger to smallest on top . It has to be trick photography as even the Chinese acrobats are not that good but I will probably get angry email from her .
There is another great dance with Lord Krishna dancing like Peter Pan trying to molest Meera , it looks like it anyway . Loved the title sequences at the start - on a kind of Rangoli with English and Hindi titles to give it a classy touch .
The sound apart from the songs has a bit of background noise but ignore it and get this DVD . Well done Baba video and lets have lots more of these classical movies , maybe pump up the sound volume and subtitle those songs or get in touch with me .
Once again , a real beaut of a movie .In this movie 'Jhanak' , have a look at the beautiful car the actress gets out of at the start of the movie . Its some kind of Morris limousine but I couldnt identify it . Anyone know what it was and where one can get one now ?
I am going to make a prediction that this dvd from www.indiaplaza.com or www.indiaweekly.com or www.digitalvideodirect.co.uk is going to take the world by storm . Its going to be the first Bollywood DVD to sell a million discs . Its a must have one for those who love Indian classical music and dance . Other movies have bits of it , but this one has extended periods five to ten minute ones . It would be interesting to hear what non South Asians like Irwin , Richard , Singrah and others have to say about this movie .
Its not just the dance movement , its fabulous costumes , superb sets -the last one with mountains on the stage and when Shiva does the Tandav dance the storm whirls and swings Paravati round and round , the earth shakes and the dance by Sandhya is just fabulous .
Even the other dances , the huge hall in which they are performed has beautiful carved pillars with statues of Gods and Goddeses . Contrast that with the recent movie Dil Kya Kare where the first half looks like TV soap opera . Bollywood should provide escape and fantasy and never realism!
Who could do the role again ? Urmilla might be a good choice but a surprising one might be Tabu . She has the very expressive face one needs to convey emotions in Bharatnatyam and classical Indian dances but would have to put in six months of hard work to learn the dances -she did a fairly good job in Chachi 420 -albeit a brief one .
Its time to make another movie like this full of great classical music and songs and dances .
Its amazing how the music from these movies resonates in the ear and sounds so much more three dimensional than modern music . It has to be the fact that the frequencies that the 'ear cant hear ' havent been cut off , as they are in modern computer synthesized music ..
Baba Digital , 103mins , Dolby 2ch mono , USA made
No subtitles
Picture quality -excellent , glorious full screen
Sound-excellent
Must have disc for some of the lesser well known classical songs from 50s and 60s movies . The sound quality is great and its good to hear the Indian instruments as they are meant to be played .
I dont like this somebody else's idea of hit songs .Would have preferred all the songs from say 3 movies on one DVD and that way one can collect all the songs ever sung for the movies without missing any . One good thing I liked is that the Daba Digital logo goes off after about 30 secs into each song . All others should do the same . The movies featured are
Do Ankhen barah hath . Navrang , Jhanak jhanka payal baje , Sehra , Parchhain , Jal Bin Machali , Subah ka tara , Geet Gaya pahtrom ne , Stree , Boond Jo nan gaye noti , Toofan aur deeya , Pinjra
And there also trailers of 6 other movies .