"And yes, YRF Darr being non-cropped is the better choice (over DEI). Irrespective of how good or bad the PQ or audio is, if the picture is cropped, all the good quality is not really worth it. I'd rather watch a grainy noisy uncropped DVD than a high quality cropped DVD."

I totally disagree. While I'd always take "widescreen" (or whatever the director's intent was) over "fullscreen"/cropped (or whatever they did to make it "work" for home viewing), I can't say that I'd be willing to sacrifice picture quality for it. Sure, if the film were 2.35:1, with "good" picture quality, yet also available 4:3, with "very good" picture quality, I'd take the former. If, however, the difference in quality were huge, and especially if the film was shot in 1.85:1, I'm pretty sure that I'd go for the better picture quality. Check out the Lal Baadshah DVD: DEI's is great, but cropped, and Eros's looks and sounds like shit (but maintains the "proper aspect ratio"); I'd pick the former.

Both Darr and Lamhe India-YRF have sad audio quality -- how's it on the U.K./U.S. YRF -- must be the same master...? My VHS tapes sound better ;--)

There's a new anamorphic Silsila too;



Ali

newdeep did u get silsila anamorphic too?

i have both Darr and Lamhe, I'll update you on sound quality, along with Chandni

Wait, how the hell is Silsila "anamorphic"? Wasn't it shot in the 4:3 aspect ratio?

for yrf crooks any thing is possible!! by hook or crook!

chk this also http://www1.yashrajfilms.com/homeent/silsila.htm -- this is also advertised as anamorphic and I am not sure why because Silsila was not cinemascope.

It is most probably an error...

The other cover at http://www1.yashrajfilms.com/homeent/yr ... silsiladvd is what I own and I can tell you it is not anamorphic and neither does its cover say it is anamorphic widescreen.

It looks like the web site has errors... though the DVD cases state the ratio correctly.

waiting eagerly to hear abt audio quality on Darr and Lamhe...

do you have new cover art for silsila or older like US version?

We all have orig YRF US version with STD AR!

i have this coverart: http://www1.yashrajfilms.com/homeent/yr ... silsiladvd

and it is 4:3 as well.

You can see that the U.S. coverart at http://www1.yashrajfilms.com/homeent/silsila.htm also mentions anamorphic -- in error

OK!! I think this US/Indian version of Darr/Lamhe is same!!

If not too much trouble? If you can post screen shots of menues on this dvd! as Darr menues look like sketched art ala cover art style!!

as far as sound I dont expect YRF to not do pseudo 5.1 sound on these dvds and tarnishing purity of orig stereo or dolby surround soundtracks..can u be more specific re sound problems?

On Indian YR Darr and Lamhe, the Dolby Digital 5.1 sounds like Dolby Digital 1.0 -- so even though it is not as bad as Sholay B4U where the same sound comes from all the 5 speakers at the same time, it is still bad because there is no separation... everything is oriented towards the centre speech speaker. Plus, the sound sounds harsh... unduly and unhealthy high treble. The worst treatment is of the "kabhi mein kahoo" song in Lamhe... it sounds artificial... like something was dubbed over the video!!! Other YR releases are good audio even with pseudo 5.1 -- for example, old movies Afsana, Dastaan, CID, etc... all good audio... I don't know why Lamhe and Darr are so messed up.

If the masters are the same as the U.S., then even U.S. releases would be as bad in audio.

Do let me know if you need more description. I'll try to write more on the menu options soon.

It is exactly what it is!! as you described..lol. but thanks god, dialogues dont spill in surrounds!! We might have to tune especially our AV reciever to get it possibly softer?

I still remember I used to have Chandni VCD and it was best stereo sound I ever heard from Chandni, both audio/video.

These findings support my claim, that it is same transfer. Why on the earth yrf, crook wankas will give India superior transfer man? I hate those crooks from the bottom of my heart!!

Now as all YRF dvds are manufactured in INDIA so, now they decided to bring overseas same cover arts too..

u will be surprised to know that only a handful of YR DVDs are sold in India... For example, none of the BR Chopra movies are sold by YR in India -- reason: the licenses are available to other brands such as Shemaroo, Ultra, etc. -- Like Waqt is India is with Shemaroo.

YR began overseas... it is only with Dhoom they came in a big way to India. Right now, in India only YashRaj titles, and some other new titles such as Mangal Pandey and Black are available from YR DVDs... other YR DVD titles such as those on their site are not sold in India and neither shipped to India

You are better off believe me, going with shemaroo, dvds, most of yrf titles have way better treatment by shemaroo..most of BR titles are must! but my most favourite madhumati is snitch better on yrf dvd!
but terrible overall, both ways!!

It is unfortunate that there is THE END for hindi films, esp, old ones those were better than new crap..so if vhs kinda transfer thats what thats what it is!! Those will never see a better day of dvd transfer imho

New day crap, some might make to high def but hopes are abysmal for any thing good!

I have both the DEI/EROS version of DARR and well as the YRF. Sound on DEI/EROS as most all of us know is Dolby 2.0(I think it's stereo surround, like on the DEI/EROS Khalnayak). Clean and Clear. The YRF has a decent 5.1, not anywhere close to the best, but answering your query, I think its definitely way better than Dolby Digital 1.0. Same goes for Lamhe(pseudo 5.1) but no comparison to Dolby 1.0. So its possible that the sound quality for the Indian version could be inferior. It would be great though to see some screen shots of both (Lamhe and Darr) just to compare the versions available in the U.S