My favorite films of 2010 (Part Two)

TOP TEN INDIAN FILMS OF 2010

  10. BREAK KE BAAD/ I HATE LUV STORYS

(tie)

Since the past few years we have seen a wave of films for the “urban” audience, films for the “youth”. People like you and I. One scene involving the actress getting drunk toh banta hai. (This is to show that the youth of today, especially the female Indiane, is very "advanced" and "modern", you see)

There is a common thread running through these movies and some conspicuous attributes: 

1. They are set in a metropolitan city (preferably Mumbai or New Delhi with or without an excursion to a foreign locale and not just for a song), is a romantic comedy and/or a coming of age film. 

2. The major turns in the story are not borne out of a parent causing an obstacle between two lovers, or a love triangle, the obstacle comes from the within the characters themselves. Their stupidity and immaturity. Heard of this before? Yes you have… in your lives. But not so much in movies.

3. And, of course, starring one or two of these actors: Ranbir, Imran, Shahid, Neil, Farhan, Deepika, Sonam, Priyanka, Genelia a.k.a the young blood of the Hindi film industry. (Enter Ranveer and Anushka)

Love Aaj Kal (2009), Wake Up Sid! (2009) and Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na (2008) being the ones that worked. Anjaana Anjaani (2010) and Aisha (2010) being the ones that didn't.

Break Ke Baad and I Hate Luv Storys worked for me. Yes, both of them. 

Break Ke Baad because I loved the fact that Aaliya (Deepika Padukone) breaks up with her boyfriend, giving preference to her career over love. When was the last time a girl did that in our movies? (Refer to reason 2). Also, that it talks about a "break" in a relationship. Again, not seen in our movies.

I Hate Luv Storys because... okay I'm biased here.. because, he meets the girl he falls in love with, in a film theater. The movie starts there and then it ends in a film theater. I'm sold, right there. This one very obviously talks about how people discern the concept of love in the wake of Hindi romantic films. (Probably not exploring it as much as it can be but what the hell)

This brings me to one more facet that runs common between these movies. That is, the impact of romantic comedies and our perception; our idea of love, as its inevitable consequence. (This has been clearly shaped by DDLJ for my generation at least). I like that these characters mention films and talk about them like we do. Movies and its impact are a part of their lives and so is ours. I like watching romantic comedies too. When our country is finally churning out good ones after a long hiatus, I don't have any reservations in liking them. Sue me.

9. ISHQIYA

Ah the dialogue! The narrative may have skidded off track a few times but that dialogue never did. Abhishek Chuabey's ear for the vernacular is commendable. Oddly enough, I'm not really a fan of the songs, did nearly nothing for me. But what did it for me was Naseeruddin Shah's performance. His unrequited love story made me root for him all the way through.

8. DABANGG

 

Dabangg takes last year's Wanted and adds more character to the Salman Khan archetype established before. Chulbul Pandey has already become an iconic character in Hindi filmdom, a superhero of sorts, his quirks notwithstanding, our very own Rajnikanth. A smart move and Salman Khan nails it.
Munni Badnam Hui is probably the best item song ever (in essence). The song that I love the most out of all is Humka Peeni Hai. All the ingredients of a commercial masala film are here. I love movies which make me go "Die motherf***er, dieeee!!!". Ghajini did that in 2008. So did Dabangg. Hud. Hud.

 

7. BAND BAAJA BAARAAT

This film had me at "Binness". What I wrote about romantic comedies above, applies here. And then some. This film is really done well. I'm not really a fan of Ranveer but I would like to see more of him. Anushka Sharma, on the other hand, just blew me away. In no time we will see her acting talents rivaling those of Priyanka Chopra (the only other young actress considered as a "good" actress). It's a shame that she is overshadowed by the "new boy". (Marketing has its down side too).

The love story, the chemistry, the dialogues, the Delhi-ness, it all works wonderfully well here. I want more like this, for sure.

6.  PHAS GAYE RE OBAMA

Phas Gaye Re Obama is a terrible title for a film. The only factor to have kept me from watching it. I'm glad I finally did. It is the only film to have probably dealt with the “America is the best place on earth” delirium that most Indians live in (or the West in general). It is charmingly written and directed by Subhash Kapoor and with an able cast to perform it how could it not turn out a small little gem? I actually did not get annoyed by Rajat Kapoor for the first time.

But the one actor who stood out for me is Manu Rishi. Actually, let me just say it: The best male performance of the year. (Ronit Roy, a close second). He plays Anni with such charm, such effortless charm, that it’s hard not watch him even when he is just standing on the side of the frame and not saying anything.

5.  RANN/ RAKHT CHARITRA

I am a Ram Gopal Varma fan. Right from the days of his first Hindi films - Kaun (1999), Satya (1998) and Company (2002). I even enjoyed Bhoot (2003), Sarkar (2005) and Sarkar Raj (2008) immensely. Yes, there have been a few misfires but it's easy for me to overlook them somehow (as I said, I am a fan, I don't use the word lightly). These misfires occur when a filmmaker is as prolific as he (directed almost 30 films in 20 years). Take Woody Allen for example (46 films, like woah), who gives out a Match Point (2005) after a Celebrity (1998). No, he is nowhere near Woody Allen. Just saying.

Rann features a incredible performance by Amitabh Bachchan (the man is still going strong, like it or not) and a thing or two you may like to know about the television news industry. It is very easy to make a movie like this sensational, which in turn becomes bad. Varma doesn't go there, he sticks to the dramatic overtones he is a master at.

Speaking of high octane drama - Rakht Charitra is Ram Gopal Varma going all out!

It features an annoyingly awesome voice-over narration and bizarre slow-motion shots. This is his most violent, most dramatic, most bloodiest of all films. Pratap Ravi (Vivek Oberoi) goes on a killing spree to avenge his father’s death. Dressed in the black garb of the grim reaper, then in the khadi vardi of a policeman and finally in the white safari suit of a politician. (Drool) The second part has Surya taking revenge on Ravi for almost the same reason.

(Side note: Kaun is my favorite Ram Gopal Varma film)

 4. UDAAN

I call Udaan – “Wake Up Sid, with balls”. Sure that movie was a wonderful, relatable coming-of-age film. Ranbir added the star value to it and the story was sugar-coated enough for us to come out and feel good about ourselves or the characters. It was made by a production house which follows those sensibilities and that's fair. Udaan doesn’t do that. I’m not even saying Udaan does it better. Both films have got a lot of heart. It just does it differently. Importantly.

Ronit Roy’s powerhouse performance is disturbing and moving. Rajat Barmecha is believable. The scene with him trashing his father's car is one of the most iconic images to have dawned the screens this year. Heart and balls - a perfectly good combination.

 3. ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAAI

Finally! A gangster film that is also a period film also not containing a plot lifted from a Hollywood movie. But that’s not it. It is also a very good one. The shows typifies the two sides of Indian gansgterism – One that is a good-doer, the one who warrants power and uses it wisely, played by Ajay Devgan and the other who does good only for himself and uses his power with vain played by Emraan Hashmi. Sultan (Devgan) keeps his friends close, Shoaib (Emraan) follows Don Corelone’s motto.

It was a breath of fresh air to see Bombay (it was called that then, right, Mr. T?) in its 70s avatar. The retro-styling was luscious if not accurate. The story is not something great, the screenplay stumbles many times but not so much that it falls. It is also a mentor movie of sorts. Well the pupil didn’t learn too well and that makes it a great watch.

 2. KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY

 
  

This is a movie about a chapter in Indian history we know nearly nothing of. To be honest, I love it just for this reason. The rest is all an added advantage. For example a terribly underrated performance by Abhishek Bachchan. Abhishek has this knack of turning in these elegant muted performances. He did it twice before in Sarkar and Sarkar Raj. He does it again here. I wonder why they go unnoticed. Maybe because they are restrained. Maybe if he was the "angry young man" like his father and not the "silent young man" people would have heard him. 

The movie is divided into clear three parts. One is the set-up, the assembly of the team. Then the three major action set-pieces, three shoot outs. The grand shoot-out in the middle of the film is riveting. The last two are also as riveting, if not more. I loved the love story between, Masterda (Abhishek) and Kalpana (Deepika). Not much is spoken between them. Just glances. One conversation where they discuss their love for each other is enough. This could be easily mistaken as "half-baked". The straightforward story-telling of the event can be easily mistaken as "lack of character development" or "one dimensionality". Trust me, it's really not. This film is probably more important than Lagaan (2001), maybe not better, but important. It's very easy to make a patriotic movie calling it "Swades" and adding a 5 minute a sappy song talking about Mera Des. I find the image of a man just before he is hanged, looking at his country's flag, to be more arousing.

I think Lagaan (2001) is arguably the greatest Hindi film ever made. Swades (2004), I admired, with a few reservations. But Jodha Akbar (2008) was a big fat mess. There is no time spent here on showing how cool our hero is fighting with an elephant. Here, our hero is set on one thing and he wants to see it through. 

It's strange how you can make a bad movie work in India. It's strange how people judge movies on the basis of everything else except the movie itself. (Yeah, I know you haven't seen it)

1.  DO DOONI CHAAR

 No movie this year had me hooked from start to finish like Do Dooni Chaar. At a point it was so wonderful that I told myself, let it not go downhill from here, please! (You know that can happen with most movies made in our industry). But it just kept getting better and better. One funny scene after another. One quirky character after another.

Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh should be applauded for this. Doing a small movie like this, which rests solely on its script and the director’s eye for detail. Habib Faisal, who wrote Ta Ra Rum Pum (2007), a similar story, re-tells it here in the way it should be told. Not bound by a big studio and a star cast. The supporting actors, the two kids – Aditi Vasudev and Archit Khanna sometimes steal scenes from the veteran actors. This is quite easily the most wonderful time I had while watching an Indian film in the theater. An absolute delight.

A round up of the Top Ten:

1. Do Dooni Chaar
2. Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey
3. Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai
4. Udaan
5. Rann/ Rakht Charitra (tie)
6. Phas Gaye Re Obama
7. Band Baaja Baaraat
8. Dabangg
9. Ishqiya
10. Break Ke Baad/ I Hate Luv Storys (tie)

What are yours?