Note: This doesn't include those films which although got released in India in 2015 but were officially premiered last year or earlier.
7. NH10
NH10, a crime thriller film
directed by Navdeep Singh starring Anushka Sharma and Neil Bhoopalam in the
lead roles, revolves around a hapless Gurgaon couple which accidently witnesses
the coldblooded murder of a boy and a girl committed by a bunch of rogue
villagers in the name of honor killing. It
can be described as a taut thriller that simultaneously serves as an effective
social commentary on plight of women in a typical patriarchal setup. But, it
spends little time on trying to analyze or understand the major causes that
give rise to prejudice against women. Sharma shows good range and seems quite
convincing in the action sequences. Barring its sensational music, NH10 doesn’t
come across as a crowd puller and it will best be appreciated by serious
viewers.
Bombay Velvet has been on the receiving end of flak from all sections of the audience for its pretentious, self-indulgent style but that doesn’t deny the fact that the movie is technically brilliant with music, sets, costumes, cinematography, and performances that offer an unprecedented degree of resplendence. Bombay Velvet is not an easy film to appreciate for the masses, mainly because of its excesses. It would take a diehard cinema enthusiast to truly enjoy it. The movie is quite high on violence quotient and those with weak hearts would find certain sequences quite disturbing. But, as a mere exercise in style, Bombay Velvet is a commendable attempt that’s way more alluring than the trash that Bollywood churns out day in and day out.
Our full analysis of the film can
be read here
Gabbar is Back, an action thriller
film directed by Telugu filmmaker Radha Krishna Jagarlamudi, starring Akshay
Kumar, presents the tale of grief-stricken man who
turns into a vigilante and decides to clean up the system from corruption by
kidnapping and murdering corrupt public servants. Gabbar is Back is a rare Hindi film that
perfectly blends entertainment with some decent fodder to ruminate upon. It
offers a nice blend of action, drama and suspense in equal parts. And while the
relevance of its socio-political commentary cannot be overemphasized, barring a
few high points, the movie can best be described as average. Like most
Akshay Kumar films, Gabbar is Back is a one-man-show and is marred by its weak
supporting characters, predictable plot twists, weak romance quotient, and
over-the-top action sequences, but Akshay's intensity and timing are
impeccable. Despite its flaws and
gimmicks, the film simultaneously entertains and makes us think.
Our full analysis of the film can
be read here
Piku, directed by Shoojit, stars
Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, and Irrfan Khan in the major roles. The
movie revolves around a Bengali father-daughter duo: Bhaskor Banerjee who is a
70-year-old widower suffering from chronic constipation and his caring 30-year
old unmarried daughter Piku who is an architect by profession. Part family
drama, part road movie, Piku is a unique cocktail of human emotions that tugs
at our heartstrings, making us laugh and cry at the same time. It teaches us
about the meaningfulness of life while depicting how most of us fail to savor
its true pleasures while we still can. The strongest point of Piku is the
performances of the leading cast. It makes for a great family viewing and can
be enjoyed by anyone and everyone.
Our full analysis of the film can
be read here
Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! is a suspense
thriller film directed by the Dibakar Banerjee based on the popular sleuth
character created by the Bengali writer Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. It stars
Sushant Singh Rajput, Neeraj Kabi, and Swastika Mukherjee in major roles. Set
in 1942-43 Calcutta with the carefully chosen World War II backdrop, Detective
Byomkesh Bakshy! can best be described as a marriage of commercial and
experimental filmmaking. And those who think that Hindi cinema is not good
enough to make great suspense thrillers anymore certainly need to watch this
film. Dibakar Banerjee needs to be congratulated for recreating the City of Joy
and for eliciting worthy performances from his entire cast of actors. The movie
has some pacing issues but despite the flaws it proves to be quite an
enthralling experience. While the movie may disappoint the hardcore Byomkesh
Bakshi enthusiasts, it has all the elements to satisfy the masses and the
classes alike.
Our full analysis of the film can be read here
Shamitabh, written and directed
by R. Balki, stars Amitabh Bachchan, Dhanush and Akshara Hassan in the pivotal
roles. Balki delivers yet another unconventional film in form of Shamitabh,
which revolves around a highly talented but dumb aspiring actor who borrows
another man’s voice to shoot to fame in Bollywood. Shamitabh can be best
described as an earnest expression of Balki’s love for cinema. The movie offers
endless tributes to various stalwarts of cinema like Charles Chaplin, Alfred
Hitchcock, and Amitabh Bachchan himself.
It is also aimed to be a satire on the lack of originality and
creativity in Hindi cinema. While celebrating the power of cinema and its
indelible impact on the masses, the movie simultaneously mocks the desperation
people show to climb the ladders of fame. Balki doesn’t back down from taking a
swipe at the media either. Balki seems to be making a statement about the
growing commercial opportunism as well the fast dipping standards of cinema. Shamitabh
is part entertaining and part thought-provoking but there are also some glaring
flaws and inconsistencies. It’s also Balki’s most ambitious film yet. The
overall chemistry between the movie’s three lead characters is nothing short of
brilliant; some of the scenes between Dhanush and Bachchan are pure gold.
Shamitabh comes across as a breath of fresh air, but it certainly isn't
tailor-made for casual viewers on the lookout for a popcorn flick to spend a
cozy evening. However, a truly lover of cinema cannot afford to miss it.
Our full analysis of the film can
be read here
Badlapur, directed by Sriram
Raghavan and starring Varun Dhawan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and Huma Qureshi in
the major roles, presents the tale of a young man who seeks to avenge the
coldblooded murder of his wife and kid committed by two bank robbers. The tragic
loss of his wife and kid creates a void in his and he believes that his only
way to redemption is through revenge. Badlapur marks Sriram Raghvan’s
return to his favorite film noir genre. There’s no denying that it’s a
tremendously bold attempt on the part of Dhawan to take up such a rugged and grayish
role in a mainstream Hindi feature film. Badlapur is part psychological
thriller, part character study that entertains while simultaneously making the
viewer think. While the movie has several spine-chilling sequences, a la Alfred
Hitchcock, there are also some light moments that provide some respite from the
ever brewing tension. Ragahavan shows us how people change with time and
adversities. How life can change at a moment’s notice. That honesty and
integrity are the last things on anyone’s mind in a diabolical world rife with
criminals, corrupt officials, manipulative social workers, pimps, prostitutes,
and opportunistic journalists. That redemption can never be achieved by
treading the path of destruction. There is a great moral dilemma at the core of
Badlapur which makes its more than a quintessential tale of revenge. Badapur is
technically brilliant with some topnotch direction, cinematography, editing and
music. The acting is solid all-around with shape-shifting Nawazuddin Siddiqui
and bold, dashing and dangerous-looking Varun Dhawan leading from the front and
ably supported by Huma Qureshi (a couple of dance sequences in the film featuring
Qureshi are tantalizingly erotic and immensely add to the movie’s entertainment
value), Radhika Apte, Divya Dutta, Yami Gautam, and Vinay Pathak. Badlapur has
less style and more gore compared to previous Sriram Raghavan films. The best way to enjoy Badlapur is to watch it
with an open mind.
My full analysis of the film can
be read here
Readers, please feel free to share your thoughts/views by leaving your comments in the box below. As always your valuable thoughts are highly appreciated!
— Murtaza Ali
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What about Baby? Probably one of the top films of the year next to Badlapur.
ReplyDeleteYeah, Baby was a nice film but didn't find it relevant enough from the cinematic point of view! :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat does that mean? You found Gabbar Is Back to be more relevant?
ReplyDeleteOpinions are opinions, but Baby is one the best reviewed films of 2015.
You see various criteria have been considered before closing in on these these 7 films. First and foremost, considerable importance is given to films which offer some food for thought and have cinematic flair in addition to being socially relevant. Apart from these, various other aspects like direction, screenplay, editing, cinematography, music, and the quality of acting have also been taken into consideration."
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion Shamitabh deserves to be in the top 3 if for nothing else then certainly for Balki's love of all things cinema... the film is both a satire as well as an ode to Hindi cinema... like Bombay Velvet, it's full of tributes to stalwarts of cinema: be it Chaplin, Hitchcock, Cary Grant, Marlon Brando, Clint Eastwood, Robert De Niro, Rajnikanth and Amitabh Bachchan himself... more than anything, it's Balki's statement on the lack of creativity and intent in Hindi cinema... the song "Piddly Si Baatein" highlights how brainless escapist entertainers end up making millions at the box office. It is also important as Amitabh Bachchan delivers yet another career defining performance... it's certainly one of his very best performances as well... the monologs, soliloquys and dialogs, non-verbal gestures are a real treat to watch! smile emoticon.
And Gabbar is Back offers a powerful socio-political commentary... and it's seldom been done in Hindi cinema in such an emphatic and effective manner!
As for Baby, it was an escapist entertainer at best and as good as it was, for me, it just couldn't top these seven films!