Top Ten DAFs of 2009: Kajol at 5

Manufacturer: Spin Master Ltd.
Series: Bollywood Legends
Character Name: Kajol
Box Year, if Noted: 2006

Why is Kajol on the Top Ten List?

One, she is gorgeous. Two, she's an ethnic doll who looks ethnic. Three, in her leaf green and gold outfit with her long gold scarf, she stands out on any shelf. Yes, the Priyanka Chopra doll is lovely, too. But Kajol packs a bonus with her tooth-baring smile. Where Priyanka seems smug and aloof, Kajol seems warm and welcoming. If Tiara Gold is the "Sunshine Girl," Kajol is la femme dorée, "The Golden Woman." Here's another photo to confirm that subjective statement.




Why is Kajol the fifth doll on the List?

One, limited pose-ability. Two, excessively tiny feet. She has the same body as Priyanka Chopra. Three, the gold dust on her clothes sheds. Most of all, the limited pose-ability places Kajol in the middle of the List. Straight arms and straight legs translate to toy soldier stiffness. A doll this lovely cries for articulation, but she has little in that vein. And she will be a tricky doll to match if I should decide to re-body her onto a more pose-able body. All but one of the dolls ranked higher than Kajol have more articulation.

Kajol, like the other Bollywood Legend dolls, came from Fairy Dust Dolls Ltd. through Amazon.co.uk. Postage to the United States from the United Kingdom was costly, but that was the only way that I knew to get these dolls. If anyone knows of a U.S. source for these dolls, please send that information in a comment.

Top Ten DAFs of 2009: Hrithik at 8

Manufacturer: Spin Master Ltd.
Series: Bollywood Legends
Character Name: Hrithik Roshan
Box Year, if Noted: 2006


Why is Hrithik Roshan on the Top Ten List?

This won't be difficult: Hrithik Roshan is on the Top Ten List because he is a good looking action figure. Oops, did I write action figure? I did. Hrithik is poseable therefore he is an action figure. Or is he a poseable doll? He did come with an extra outfit as shown in the photo above. The doll or action figure discussion can wait for another post .... You can see boxed Hrithik and Hrithik in his original clothes here.


Why is Hrithik eighth on the Top Ten List?



He's cute, poseable, AND an ethnic male. Attractive ethnic males are hard to find [at this scale] LOL. However, he's a little frail. I can pose him, but I do so carefully. My Hot Toys and Power Team guys have more substance to their bodies. Hrithik doesn't have odd proportion problems. His two outfits scream cheap: the gauzy shirt is the worst, but as long as I am happy with the figure, the clothes can be given away or sold. With Esther and Priyanka, I had definite "problems" with their doll bodies. With Hrithik, it's more that other dolls and action figures outranked him points-wise than that he has serious detractions.


I bought my Bollywood Legend dolls from Fairy Dust Dolls Ltd. through Amazon.co.uk. Postage to the United States from the United Kingdom was costly, but that was the only way that I knew to get these dolls. If anyone knows of a closer to the U.S. source for these dolls, please send that information in a comment.

Top Ten DAFs of 2009: Priyanka at 9

Manufacturer: Spin Master Ltd.
Series: Bollywood Legends
Character Name: Priyanka Chopra
Box Year, if Noted: 2006


Why is Priyanka Chopra on the Top Ten List?



Priyanka has not only a pretty face, but a pretty ethnic face. She has a discernible nose, wide mouth, and full lips. Her eyebrows are heavier than usual; her face is broader than usual. Notice her warm complexion and red streaked black hair. Bye bye Steffie and Teresa faces for this Indian doll. Long live la difference!

Also, check the beautiful red scarf and the navy velvety bodice and the vivid red full skirt. I love this colorful outfit. The earrings and bracelets add to the festive air of her outfit. She should dance. I expect the extras from a Bollywood movie to spring from the shelves and to gyrate around her. Music and pagentry wherever she roams.


Why is Priyanka the ninth doll on the List?



Proportions again. Her head is a little large. Surprisingly, her feet are smaller than the current high-heeled Barbie's feet. Her feet are the same size as the Smartees dolls' feet: tiny. Then her limited articulation keeps Priyanka on the lower end of this List. Her knees do NOT bend. Her arms can move up and down from her shoulders, but the inability to bend her knees disappoints me. Straight-legged dolls are tricky to pose seated.

Also, the glitter on the outfit sheds easily. The left earring breaking off, I'll excuse as my clumsiness.

I bought my Bollywood Legend dolls from Fairy Dust Dolls Ltd. through Amazon.co.uk. Postage to the United States from the United Kingdom was costly, but that was the only way that I knew to get these dolls. If anyone knows of a closer to the U.S. source for these dolls, please send that information in a comment.

Video Link of Missing Bollywood Legend Doll

I found these video links of the Shahrukh Khan action figure that I do NOT have now:

Breaking Free of the Box--With Magnifying Glass

Breaking Free of the Box--A Birthday Gift for SRK

He's borrowed some Ken shirts and an Elvis gold jacket in some of the photos.

Bollywood Legend: Priyanka Chopra Arrives!

Today, I picked up the third and last - for this order - Bollywood Legend doll, Priyanka Chopra. I had missed yesterday's delivery so I had to pick her up at the post office.

These dolls are so well packaged, I am almost tempted to leave them in their boxes. Spin Master uses the same clear plastic box construction that Mattel uses on the Jazz Diva Barbie and the Red Queen Barbie only instead of constructing a setting, Spin Master has a reel-strip layout of photos of the actor or the actress alongside the doll. My eyes run from the actor's photo to the doll; the likeness is amazing.

In the package, the dolls and the outfits look like better Barbie quality figures. At this time, I am enamoured of the boxed look; once I get beyond that stage, I will remove the figures and examine the figures and the clothes.

Behold, three of the Bollywood Legends!

Two Bollywood Dolls Here! Kajol and Hrithik Roshan

Two of the three Bollywood dolls, distributed by Spin Master Toys in the UK, have arrived: Kajol and Hrithik Roshan.

I won't post photos of them today, but I will this weekend. Here are links to the toys AND to an article about the launch of these figures:


http://desibbrg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=300904

http://www.ethnicnow.com/channels/film/press-release/3/516/bollywood-comes-to-harrods.html


I LOVE the faces. I'll have to get the last one from the series, Shah Rukh Khan. The figures resemble the actors. The packaging is a clear plastic box with each doll set against photos of the actor. I believe that the third doll - Priyanka Chopra - will reach me tomorrow. When I have the three together, I will photograph them.

Thus far I have NO complaints.

New Terrority - Amazon.co.uk and Bollywood Dolls

I have discovered Amazon.co.uk .

No, I am not claiming I found land or created a website. I realized that I as an
American could purchase some items from Amazon.co.uk .

WWWWWWHHHHHAAAAAA-HHHHHHOOOOOOO!

Okay perhaps every other doll and action figure collector has made this discovery a long time ago. This is great news to me though because now I can get more dolls than I used to. Some things not available here like 12" Bollywood dolls ... now, I MIGHT be able to get them. Might. All dolls and action figures and other items presumably are NOT available. Licensing conflicts. Sigh. But oh the figures I can get.

The Bollywood Legends dolls are by Spinmaster. I see four dolls on Amazon.co.uk through a store called "Fairy Dust Dolls Ltd." The ones I will be getting are Mr. Hrithik Roshan, Ms. Kajol, and Ms. Priyanka Chopra. The fourth doll is named Shah Rukh Khan (male). Photos will be posted after the dolls arrive.

So ... dolls from Japan, from Taiwan, from Canada, and now ... the United Kingdom.

Here is a link for those willing to view new temptations:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Spinmaster-Bollywood-Legends-Hrithik-Roshan/dp/B000GWUPTI/ref=pd_sim_k_h_b_cs_3