Crossing the 100-crore mark is a”Walk in the Park” for Bollywood movies these days. Last few years have shown us how a super dud movie can easily earn crores, just bring together one ‘Dhamakedaar Item-girl’, few nonsensical, gravity-defying ‘action scenes’ and some ‘masala dialogues’. But we have also come across some remarkable movies during this time which prove that there is still hope for Bollywood! So, here’s a list of 10 movies which prove that content is still the king at Box Office.
1. Kahaani
Kahaani altered the rules of entertainment for us. After giving us female-centered hit flicks like No One Killed Jessica, The Dirty Picture, Vidya Balan gave us Kahaani by taking the less-trodden path. And we are not complaining. Our hearts went out to the way the story revolved around Vidya Bagchi (Vidya Balan) and her struggle to find her missing husband all by herself. We experienced compassion, resentment, defenselessness and triumph at a variety of stages. Amazing performances with a story that always keeps us on the edge.
2. Vicky Donor
Vicky Donor was first-of-its kind movie, based on a concept of sperm donation that is generally considered a taboo in society. This movie tried to break the mindsets of the audiences with a gentle comedy. While the newcomer Ayushmann Khurana was very charming, debutante Yami Gautam was a delight to watch as well. The remarkable performances of Annu Kapoor with his ‘sperm-slang’, Dolly Ahluwalia as a typical Punjabi mom and not to forget the super-cool ‘Daadi’ along with the subtle script won our hearts!
3. English Vinglish
Sridevi was back after 15 years, and how! She enacted Shashi with all the intelligence, nuances, and attention the character required. One can’t think of any role in Hindi films off late that is so identifiable for several (too many, unfortunately) women. This movie enlightened and entertained us at the same time. How a housewife is ignored by a husband, disrespected by her children and how she feels when she enters a whole new world, that is all the movie had to say and we give it a 10/10 on all aspects.
P.S- This movie made me see my mother in a whole new light. ^_^
4. Jolly LLB
We went to the theaters expecting a comedy since its Arshad Warsi & Boman Irani together, but the movie takes some very unexpected turns and ends with a climax that leaves us moved and inspired. This classic satire does the required Bolly drama very effectively and pulled our heartstrings. Arshad Warsi delivers well as a struggling lawyer, Boman playing a despicable high-profile lawyer and Saurabh Shukla at his best.
5. The Lunchbox
The Lunchbox is the kind of picture that envelopes you like a warm blanket, charming you with its slow-building affection and life-altering curries. Being a debut film for director Ritesh Batra, he was very successful in stirring our hearts. The way two lonely hearts connect across a big city through a lunchbox was incredible. Irrfan Khan( as Saajan) was undoubtedly quirky and wonderful, while Nimrat Kaur(as Ila) packing away all of her love in the lunchbox made us love her too.
6. Queen
Awesomeness!!! Queen had this word written all over the place. Packed with amazing dialogues, foot-tapping music, an awe-inspiring story-line and our darling Kangana!, this movie was the complete package for us. This movie showed us how the story of a simple girl tasting her freedom for the first time can be enjoyable, funny as well as memorable for quite a long time. Queen immortalized the powerful aspect of femininity. Kudos to Vikas Bahl for this one.
7. Haider
Vishal Bhardwaj blew our minds away with Haider, his best one so far in my opinion. A Bollywood musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s `Hamlet’ set in Kashmir, this brand of cinema is possibly the furthest thing from the movies made just for the sake of earning money. Shahid Kapoor (Haider) plays a poet whose father is caught harboring a militant and had since disappeared. His mother Gajala, played by Tabu and uncle Khurram (Kay Kay Menon) get married and giving way to Haider’s disgust. This movie is so beautifully adapted in the Kashmiri backdrop that it becomes a rare gem!
8. PK
An inquisitive alien comes down to see the wonder that is ‘Earth’ and asks questions that were never asked before and dazzles us with his innocence. Aamir Khan’s magic as PK completely rapts the audiences. PK is a love story between two strangers from completely different worlds. It is also a simple and humane tale of love, laughter and letting-go. Rajkumar Hirani’s work is certainly top-notch and work of Anushka Sharma, Sanjay Dutt, Saurabh Shukla and cameo played by Sushant Singh Rajput is very entertaining.
9. Piku
“Motion se Emotion”, that is what we learned from this eccentric father-daughter relationship saga. The father Bhaskor Banerjee, Bangali (Amitabh Bachchan) is an old, constipated man who likes a true Bengali is brutal and honest. The daughter Piku Banerjee (Deepika Padukone) is an architect in Delhi & a “financially, emotionally and sexually independent, non-virgin woman”, in the words of his father. Piku presents a very realistic view of a typical Indian family. Whether it is sperm in Vicky Donor or “motion” in Piku, Sircar and his writer Juhi Chaturvedi are relentless in their focus upon their characters’ obsessions. An Absolute must watch!
10. Tanu Weds Manu Returns
TWMR starts with Tanu (Kangana Ranaut) saying for her husband of four years: “I think I love him, but I’ve stopped liking him. I like him like a mammal.” At this starting point, we knew something great is about to happen and it did! As we go on a roller-coaster ride with the wild child Tanu, her quiet husband Manu (Madhavan), their families and friends, Manu’s friend Pappi (Deepak Dobriyal) and a Haryanvi sports quota DU student Datto (Kangana again, inspired), we get 2 hours and 20 minutes of paisa-vasool fun. The movie is packed with funny one-liners, one of my favorites being- “Sharma ji, hum jara bewafa kya huye aap to badchhalan ho gaye”.
Well, Bollywood is not about Khans and Khandaan. It’s more than that and these movies certainly proves that. What’s your reaction guys?
