dailyO
Art & Culture

6 super films Indian cinema gave us in 2017

Advertisement
Suhani Singh
Suhani SinghDec 20, 2017 | 15:03

6 super films Indian cinema gave us in 2017

It was a lean year for Bollywood when it comes to films that left a vivid impression. SS Rajamouli's Baahubali 2: The Conclusion was not one of them - the only spectacle of the year, wowing with its visuals and scale. It was yet again the indies that saved Hindi cinema the blushes as superhits like Golmaal Again! and Judwaa 2 proved that Bollywood just isn't interested in revising the formula or growing up.

Advertisement

Many fell short on the promise they initially delivered, getting struck by the infamous curse of the second half such as Hindi Medium which turned a gem of an idea into a preachy affair in the finale.

Konkana Sensharma's fine detailing of her characters in A Death in the Gunj has us excited for what she does next and Angamaly Diaries! was the most fun we had in a cinema as we relished the street food and street violence.

Here's the super six of the year.

Trapped

In Trapped, Vikramaditya Motwane replays everyone’s worst nightmare: to become a non-entity in a crowded city, both unseen and unheard. And with the talented Rajkummar Rao to live out that modern day horror with a rat, a cockroach and a pigeon for his co-stars, Motwane creates a compelling and gripping survival drama that touches upon loneliness, loss, delusions and adversity.

trapped_122017024400.jpg
Trapped

Trapped is a grim reminder of Mumbai’s cold-heartedness and how easy it is to be forgotten in the cacophony.

Baahubali 2: The Conclusion

Maintaining interest in the sequel, arriving two years later no less, is not an easy feat. But SS Rajamouli and his team of technicians and craftsmen delivered a part two that lived up to all the lofty expectations. There was romance, misunderstanding, conflict and a satisfying explanation for the epic betrayal. Like in part one, the action here too was full of ingenuity and wit such as the flexible coconut trees that become poles to vault over a fortress. In Rajamouli, Indian cinema has got a one-of-a-kind visionary, our own Cecil B DeMille.

Advertisement

Lipstick Under My Burkha

"Pata hai hamari galti kya hai? [You know what's the mistake we make]" asks the sexually assertive beautician Leela (Aahana Kumra) to Shirin (Konkana Sensharma, fabulous), the demure housewife and mother of three with a secret. "Hum sapne bahut dekhti hai. [We dream a lot]" Alankrita Shrivastava's film is a plea for women to not give up on their dreams and make their voices heard in the patriarchal order.

lumb_122017024424.jpg
Lipstick Under My Burkha

That she does so without being preachy and in an engaging manner makes her drama more potent. Shrivastava never makes drama queens of her heroines no matter how desolate their existence may seem to be. This is fearless, frank storytelling that keeps you invested in the fate of the quartet.

Bareilly Ki Barfi!

There are movies that make you want to browse the internet to revisit memorable scenes. Ashwini Iyer Tiwari’s Bareilly Ki Barfi! is full of many such endearing moments.

bkb-690_122017024233.jpg
Bareilly Ki Barfi!

Most of them belong to Pankaj Tripathi, Seema Pahwa and Rajkummar Rao, who make BKB that rare romantic comedy where you cared more for the supporting characters than the actual leads. Their comic timing and organic performance that gives this film a fillip.

Advertisement

Tu Hai Mera Sunday

Mumbai Meri Jaan may as well be an alternative title for Milind Dhaimade’s delightful debut which gives a real sense of the charm of Mumbai through a plethora of characters, lived-in and outdoor spaces and lovely candid conversations and banter.

tu-hai-mera-sunday_122017024443.jpg
Tu Hai Mera Sunday

The independent film reminds that there’s no better smell than team spirit, the significance of not letting work engulf you and why the Maximum city despite all its problems – lack of space being primary – is one of the few places that offers you hope.

Newton

An allegorical tale of India's complex polity. A coming-of-age story of an idealistic election officer. A subtle, clever critique of the election process. A dark comedy. A bittersweet reality.

newton_122017024826.jpg
Newton

There are many ways to look at Amit Masurkar’s second feature but there is only one way to assess it: it’s the one of best films in the last decade.

Masurkar and co-writer Mayank Tewari through their nuanced writing draw attention to the impoverished adivasis, a populace whose issues rarely make it into the mainstream.

a-death-in-the-gunj_122017025723.jpg
A Death in the Gunj

PS: Like us, if you can't get enough of Newton and Trapped, find the films on Amazon Prime Video. Don't miss A Death in the Gunj, also up on the streaming service.

Last updated: December 21, 2017 | 16:31
IN THIS STORY
Please log in
I agree with DailyO's privacy policy