Articles by Anupama Chopra
Dream factory: Anupama Chopra’s three wishes for Hindi cinema in the new year
‘May we see more original stories, may our stars learn to be more humble, may we tell tales that speak for us all, in 2022.’
Updated on Jan 01, 2022 01:55 PM IST
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? It’s a homegrown superhero!
Minnal Murali starts out in a lungi, with a gamcha for a mask. The made-in-Kerala man of steel is endearing, brash and funny, says Anupama Chopra.
Updated on Dec 18, 2021 07:28 PM IST
Enough of these cheerless warriors in gym-rat bodies, says Anupama Chopra
Too many recent releases have centered on superhuman men bashing and smashing. It’s exhausting to watch, leaves no room for a story, and offers far too little for even the men to do.
Updated on Dec 04, 2021 02:47 PM IST
King of spices: The Rohit Shetty paradox
His films serve up masala and thrills, hyper-masculinity and problematic politics. Crores pour in, but the mix is off-balance, says Anupama Chopra.
Updated on Nov 19, 2021 08:09 PM IST
Is full-blown senior citizen romance finally on the cards for Bollywood?
It’s hard to get right, easy to lose the audience. And yet films like Badhaai Ho have shown the way. What will it take to get a Hindi classic in the league of The Bridges of Madison County, asks Anupama Chopra.
Updated on Nov 05, 2021 10:23 PM IST
Where are Bollywood’s grand, sweeping romances, asks Anupama Chopra
Tales of star-crossed love facing villainous opposition seem to be a thing of the past. The new opponents are much duller: careers, commitment, choices.
Updated on Oct 23, 2021 02:25 PM IST
Cue hits: May Bollywood soar and seduce once more, says Anupama Chopra
Theatres are set to reopen in Maharashtra. The deck is already stacked. It’s now up to filmmakers to make these months count.
Updated on Oct 08, 2021 07:07 PM IST
There are no shortcuts to making great movies, says Anupama Chopra
Anthologies have caught on in the pandemic because they’re easier to execute. But making a short film is a unique talent, and the sad truth is that not even all good filmmakers have it.
Updated on Sep 25, 2021 03:41 PM IST
Not just a pretty face: Anupama Chopra on the rise of the actor-star
New platforms and changing audiences have finally put talent at centrestage in Bollywood. Stardom today must contain skill.
Updated on Sep 10, 2021 04:43 PM IST
War movies and the lesson Haqeeqat has taught us: Anupama Chopra
Chetan Anand’s 1964 film can teach today’s blockbusters a thing or two about the price we pay for the battles we pick
Updated on Aug 30, 2021 12:28 PM IST
A man for all seasons: Anupama Chopra on Netflix’s Ted Sarandos
The streaming giant’s co-CEO has been using charm, drive, a massive budget and his discerning eye to showcase voices from around the world. Notes from a recent conversation.
Updated on Jul 31, 2021 03:22 PM IST
Star wars: The perils of being a movie critic
Too often, the tensions between critic and talent now play out in public. A review isn’t personal, why should the backlash be?
Updated on Jul 17, 2021 01:09 PM IST
Perhaps Clubhouse can help Bollywood keep it real, says Anupama Chopra
The audio-only, invitation-only app could be the antidote to the film world’s PR-managed and airbrushed publicity content.
Updated on Jul 02, 2021 07:36 PM IST
The pandemic is a fitness test for the movie business, says Anupama Chopra
Can Bollywood reinvent itself, learn from those who have survived and thrived in this time, and emerge better, stronger?
Updated on Jun 18, 2021 10:14 PM IST
It’s time for the Golden Globes to step out of the bubble, says Anupama Chopra
The awards are too White, too arbitrary, too much of a closed club. Next year’s bash is being boycotted even by Hollywood.
Updated on May 29, 2021 12:59 PM IST
Oh Bhai! Where’s the Salman we knew, asks Anupama Chopra
This is a man whose stardom just doesn’t fade and whose fans remain as frenzied as ever. So why has he stopped trying?
Updated on May 14, 2021 10:26 PM IST
Fond flashback: One year on, Anupama Chopra remembers Irrfan
His life taught us to navigate death. In the honest note that he brought to each character, we found our better selves.
Updated on Apr 30, 2021 04:40 PM IST
Behind the scenes, where there’s drama, there’s comedy: Anupama Chopra on Call My Agent!
The French series satirised celebrity, laid bare all the backstabbing in service of the art. It will be missed, says Chopra.
Published on Apr 16, 2021 05:44 PM IST
The stars look very different today: Anupama Chopra on changing cinemascapes
It’s a treat to see gifted actors flourish outside the blockbuster ecosystem, through stunning tales told in non-Hindi languages, Chopra says.
Updated on Apr 04, 2021 10:03 PM IST
Dark hall, bright future: Anupama Chopra on the return of moviegoing
At the screening of the first major Hindi film to be released in the pandemic, viewers kept their masks on and were excited to be back. A look at what has changed, and what should.
Updated on Mar 20, 2021 05:56 PM IST
Wonder women: Anupama Chopra picks her top heroines of the silver screen
If not on Women’s Day, when! Here are some of the most fierce, fearless and fabulous female characters to have lit up our screens.
Updated on Mar 06, 2021 07:34 PM IST
Finally in focus, an India we rarely get to see, says Anupama Chopra
Two niche films, Bittu and Pebbles, are making us proud abroad. They deserve to be seen widely here at home too.
Updated on Feb 20, 2021 07:31 AM IST
Adarsh Gourav: A dark horse powers ahead in Bollywood
“His success is thrilling,” says Anupama Chopra in this week’s column. “His talent and hard work shine through in the role of the evil Balram in The White Tiger. I can’t wait to see what he does next.”
Published on Feb 05, 2021 06:21 PM IST
How to Master the masala movie recipe: Anupama Chopra
Visual drama, the money shot, a happy suspension of disbelief— it’s time to bring back some of cinema’s giddiest pleasures
Published on Jan 22, 2021 06:34 PM IST
Let the movies transform and transport you in 2021, says Anupama Chopra
Step outside your comfort zones, travel to new genres. Aim to confound the algorithms by being as unpredictable as possible.
Updated on Jan 10, 2021 04:22 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Anupama Chopra
It’s been overcast but you can still count some stars, says Anupama Chopra
It’s been a year of losses, but not one devoid of cinematic joy. Here’s a list of things that made me happiest in dismal 2020.
Updated on Dec 25, 2020 12:21 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Anupama Chopra
It’s an upstream battle finding the good content in the flood, says Anupama Chopra
Cinema halls, over 40 streaming platforms, more shows, new worlds — curation will be more crucial than ever in 2021.
Updated on Dec 11, 2020 11:02 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Anupama Chopra
Cut! Films that get preachy defeat their very purpose, says Anupama Chopra
There’s so much the right story can achieve, in a cinema-crazy country like ours. But first, and above all, it must be entertaining.
Updated on Nov 29, 2020 03:02 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Anupama Chopra
No exit: It will always be bigger, better at the movies, says Anupama Chopra
It will likely take just one big-ticket release to get film fans in India to return to theatres, rooting for their favourite stars.
Updated on Nov 13, 2020 08:12 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Anupama Chopra
While we’re streaming, these actors are going against the flow: Anupama Chopra
In Bollywood they might have had to play to type. But web series let talented actors make unpredictable choices, and the results are sheer magic.
Updated on Oct 30, 2020 05:41 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Anupama Chopra