SABC3 has re-introduced a line-up of Bollywood films, on Saturday afternoons at 15h30.
Here's the listing of movies* coming up for the rest of July, as well as August:
Chak De! IndiaOn: Saturday, 25 July 2009 at 15h30
Chak De! India is 2007 sports film about field hockey in India. Directed by Shimit Amin, it's produced by Yash Raj Films, and stars Shahrukh Khan as Kabir Khan, the former captain of the Indian hockey team.
After a disastrous loss to the Pakistani hockey team, Khan is ostracized from the sport. He and his mother are further forced from their ancestral home by angry neighbors.
Seven years later in an attempt to redeem himself, Khan becomes the coach for the Indian women's hockey team with the goal of turning its 16 contentious players into a champion team.
In English the title means "Go For It India!"
Ghandi My FatherOn: Saturday, 1 August 2009 at 15h30
Gandhi, My Father is a 2007 film by Feroz Abbas Khan (not to be confused with actor Feroz Khan) - that was filmed in South Africa.
Produced by Bollywood star, Anil Kapoor, it was first released on August 3, 2007.
The film explores the troubled relationship between Harilal Gandhi (portrayed by Akshaye Khanna) and his father, Mahatma Gandhi (portrayed by Darshan Jariwala).
An interesting aspect of the promotion of the film was that there were intentionally no posters on the city walls in India. The reason for this was that Anil Kapoor and his team decided that posters should not be stuck at accessible heights lest any passerby accidentally or intentionally disrespect it.
An insider said that "people tend to tear out the posters in parts, and taking into consideration the bad habits of many people who spit on walls and do other things, Anil didn't want Gandhi to be disrespected in any way."
Fast fact!Nelson Mandela appeared to the audienc via a video transmission at the South African premiere of Gandhi, My Father in July 2007.
Of this clip, the film's producer, Anil Kapoor, said, "Nelson Mandela sent a special message for the film's opening. Mandela not only spoke about Gandhi, he spoke about George Bush. What was heart-warming and humbling was that he thanked me for making this film, whereas I should thank him and South Africa for letting me shoot 'Gandhi My Father' in their country and allowing me to hold the world premiere there. Mandela identified deeply with the film."
The South African president at the time, Thabo Mbeki, attended along with the rest of the South African Cabinet.
U Me aur HumOn: 8 August 2009 at 15h30
U Me aur Hum is a 2008 film, directed and produced by Ajay Devgan. The movie marks Devgan's debut as a director and stars him alongside his wife Kajol - in their seventh film together.
Other actors include Karan Khanna, Isha Sharvani, Sumeet Raghavan and Divya Dutta.
The story centres round Ajay (Ajay) and Piya (Kajol) - a couple who fall in love at sea and become soul mates. Their relationship soon becomes as choppy as a shipwreck though - Ajay betrays Piya, she doesn't want him back and he has to do everything he can to re-win her trusting heart.
In English the title means "You, Me And Us".
Om Shanti OmOn: 15 August 2009 at 15h30
A 2007 film, Om Shanti Om is directed and choreographed by Farah Khan and stars Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone.
At the centre of the story: Om (Shah Rukh Khan) - an aspiring 70's actor. He meets Shanti (Dipika Padukone ), the love of his life but shortly thereafter suffers an untimely demise.
Om is immediately reincarnated and the story flash forwards to the present day.
Haunted by memories of his past life and his true love, Om attempts to solve the mystery of his death, and also reunite with Shanti.
Other stars in the movie include: Salman Khan, Rani Mukherjee, Kajol, Sanjay Dutt, Priyanka Chopra, Preity Zinta and Saif Ali Khan, who puts in a guest appearance for a special song and dance sequence.
Dhaam DhoomOn: 22 August 2009 at 15h30
Dhaam Dhoom is a 2008 Tamil action and romantic film. Directed and co-written by Jeeva shortly before his death and produced by Sunanda Murali Manohar, its stars Jayam Ravi, Kangana Ranaut and Lakshmi Rai in the lead roles.
Jayaram and Srinath, prominent actors from the south Indian film industry, play other pivotal roles in the film.
The film centres round a Tamil Indian doctor who, two weeks prior to his wedding, goes to Russia for a medical conference. There he struggles to cope with the language because of the Russian reluctance to speak English, and eventually, due to the gruesome murder of a local woman, finds himself in jail.
The doctor's struggle to get himself out of jail in order to get married to his sweetheart in India forms the crux of the story.
The film opened to worldwide audiences, after several delays, on 29 August 2008. Dhaam Dhoom was the last film that director Jeeva undertook before his death which occurred half way through the project's production.
The film was released as a tribute to Jeeva and was completed by his assistant Manikandan, his wife Aneez and his guru, cinematographer P. C. Sriram.
Jodhaa Akhar On: 29 August 2009 at 15h30
Released on 15 February, 2008, Jodhaa Akhar is directed and produced by Ashutosh Gowariker, the director of the Academy Award-nominated Lagaan (2001).
It stars Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in the lead roles. It also marks the debut of newcomer Abir Abrar. Extensive research went into the making of this film which began shooting at Karjat.[5]
The film tells a 16th century love story about a political marriage of convenience that gave birth to true love between great Mughal emperor, Akbar, and Rajput princess, Jodhaa.
Political success knew no bounds for Emperor Akbar (Hrithik Roshan). After having secured the Hindu Kush, he furthered his realm by conquest until his empire extended from Afghanistan to the Bay of Bengal, and from the Himalayas to the Narmada River.
Through a shrewd blend of diplomacy, intimidation and brute force, Akbar won the allegiance of the Rajputs. This allegiance was not universal. Maharana Pratap and many other Rajputs always considered Akbar as a foreign invader.
Maharana Pratap also banned inter marriages between Rajputs who had given their daughters to the Mughals and the ones who did not.
Little did Akbar know that when he married Jodhaa (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), a fiery Rajput princess, in order to further strengthen his relations with the Rajputs, he would in turn be embarking upon a new journey - the journey of true love.
Jodhaa-Akbar is their untold love story.
*Summaries of movies courtesty of wikipedia.
PS: These movies have been broadcast on SABC2 previously.
Related Links:
on location snaps of the new Bollywood movie Luck
BOLLYWOOD STARS & STUNTS IN SEA POINT: 
Hott Goss:Luck opens in South Africa this Friday (24 July) at Ster Kinekor: in Durban at Suncoast and Gateway Commercial; and in Johannesburg at Monte Casino.