In a few years I'm going to approach Bollywood as the factory of guilty pleasures. With most of the stars ditching good storytelling and opting to please the masses, it seems it's only downhill from here. But who says you can't enjoy the ride even when you are aware of the impending doom? One aspect where Indian cinema has the edge over Hollywood cinema is the bad films are better here. Come on. Who says that's not a thing? Take New Year's Eve for example. You definitely don't have fun watching that one. But I'm sure even the most elitist audience in India secretly enjoyed a rom-com in this list. The Green Hornet was a bad superhero film. I know an Indian film this year, which is probably worse but I had fun watching it. The Change-Up was a dirty comedy and a bad film. Yes, there is a raunchy comedy in this list which I actually ended up enjoying.
Read on:
The first half of the film is absolute torture. But the second half. Oh that second half. I was choking with laughter. I have a strong bias towards Bobby Deol. But it was Sunny Deol who killed it in this film. The scene where he gets drunk is flat-out hilarious. A laugh-a-minute for an hour and a half. How can you not like?
I like Akshay Kumar like this. When he plays an innocent, perpetually oblivious to common sense. Not an idiot. When he plays an idiot, he fails at comedy. Desi Boyz is directed by David Dhawan Jr. He does learn a thing or two from his father when it comes to mainstream Bollywood comedy. This kind of silly comedy I dig. The bromance works. Also, Chitrangdha. OMFGSOHAWWWTTOMFG.
The loudest laugh from me came when Akshay Kumar joyfully selected OPTION B!!
Salman Khan is my least favorite Khan. But I don't hate him. I'm not like those Salman fans who hate on Shah Rukh. I do not hate on Salman. I really do enjoy his movies. I championed Wanted and Dabangg. Enjoyed them thoroughly. But Bodyguard was outright foolishness. The worst film of 2011. Ready has an equally ridiculous plot. But when Salman maroes a dialogue and the characters in the film applaud, how can you not like?
I could have put Mere Brother Ki Dulhan here but I'm kind of rebelling against the typical romantic comedies with big stars that work more because of star power than making you go "awww". Here's to a film that not only actually feels like a romantic comedy but also decides to (in its own way) comment on today's youth and its infantile obsession of confusing social media networking with real love. A little less texting and a little more communication please. Not to mention the two wonderful leads in Saba Azad and Saqib Saleem. They make this film work and how! (The best debuts of the year)
Ajay Devgn beats Salman Khan at his own game. No other balls-out commercial film this year had me applauding and cheering than this one. Unabashedly over the top and so.. sooo much fun. There are these films that make me go: "Die motherfucker die!!!!". I love that kind. Where after the 3 hours of meandering build up you want the villain to die a horrible, painful death by the hero's hand. The classic HERO and VILLAIN. 2008 had Ghajini, 2009 had Wanted, 2010 had Dabangg and 2011 has Singham. Not Bodyguard. Singham!! Howww can you not like???
I may be a Shah Rukh fan who wanted Ra.One and Don 2 to work and yes, silence all this Salman Khan hullaballoo that has been going since his 3 years of absence. (I like Salman but I love Shah Rukh, keep that in mind dear reader). Don 2 is a bad film. Even though I enjoyed the last hour or so. It is a bad one. But Ra.One is NOT a bad film. It's biggest flaw is it doesn't ease the audience into the fantasy. Starting with that horrible dream sequence was a bad idea.
Ra.One had all the stuff of Bollywood that I like. It had silly comedy. (Satish Shah on a trampoline. Come on.) A silly romantic sub-plot. A song to celebrate random accomplishment of a character (Criminal). A song that stops the movie and just makes you want to dance (Chammak Challo). Good action sequences with a brilliant "interval point". (G.One landing on top the car. Wonderful!). Passable visual effects. But mostly, it had a heart. Have we ever seen a superhero who also has a family? Trust SRK to do that. The father-son story is what clicked with me. Thanks to the kids, this will be playing on TV screens 5 years from now and those parents would be watching and going "Hey, this wasn't that bad". Seriously, that local train scene. I mean seriously. Who can hate THAT?? By any standards, that was absolutely awesome! After Spider-Man 2 and Batman Begins, I wanted an Indian superhero saving a bunch of people in a local train and it finally happened after 6 years.
Ra.One is a classic example of "hype" and publicity ruining a movie, more than brainwashing the audience. I know why you did not like!!
Read on:
5. (tie)
YAMLA PAGLA DEEWANA
The first half of the film is absolute torture. But the second half. Oh that second half. I was choking with laughter. I have a strong bias towards Bobby Deol. But it was Sunny Deol who killed it in this film. The scene where he gets drunk is flat-out hilarious. A laugh-a-minute for an hour and a half. How can you not like?
and DESI BOYZ
I like Akshay Kumar like this. When he plays an innocent, perpetually oblivious to common sense. Not an idiot. When he plays an idiot, he fails at comedy. Desi Boyz is directed by David Dhawan Jr. He does learn a thing or two from his father when it comes to mainstream Bollywood comedy. This kind of silly comedy I dig. The bromance works. Also, Chitrangdha. OMFGSOHAWWWTTOMFG.
The loudest laugh from me came when Akshay Kumar joyfully selected OPTION B!!
4. READY
Salman Khan is my least favorite Khan. But I don't hate him. I'm not like those Salman fans who hate on Shah Rukh. I do not hate on Salman. I really do enjoy his movies. I championed Wanted and Dabangg. Enjoyed them thoroughly. But Bodyguard was outright foolishness. The worst film of 2011. Ready has an equally ridiculous plot. But when Salman maroes a dialogue and the characters in the film applaud, how can you not like?
3. MUJHSE FRAAANDSHIP KAROGE
I could have put Mere Brother Ki Dulhan here but I'm kind of rebelling against the typical romantic comedies with big stars that work more because of star power than making you go "awww". Here's to a film that not only actually feels like a romantic comedy but also decides to (in its own way) comment on today's youth and its infantile obsession of confusing social media networking with real love. A little less texting and a little more communication please. Not to mention the two wonderful leads in Saba Azad and Saqib Saleem. They make this film work and how! (The best debuts of the year)
2. SINGHAM
Ajay Devgn beats Salman Khan at his own game. No other balls-out commercial film this year had me applauding and cheering than this one. Unabashedly over the top and so.. sooo much fun. There are these films that make me go: "Die motherfucker die!!!!". I love that kind. Where after the 3 hours of meandering build up you want the villain to die a horrible, painful death by the hero's hand. The classic HERO and VILLAIN. 2008 had Ghajini, 2009 had Wanted, 2010 had Dabangg and 2011 has Singham. Not Bodyguard. Singham!! Howww can you not like???
1. RA.ONE
I may be a Shah Rukh fan who wanted Ra.One and Don 2 to work and yes, silence all this Salman Khan hullaballoo that has been going since his 3 years of absence. (I like Salman but I love Shah Rukh, keep that in mind dear reader). Don 2 is a bad film. Even though I enjoyed the last hour or so. It is a bad one. But Ra.One is NOT a bad film. It's biggest flaw is it doesn't ease the audience into the fantasy. Starting with that horrible dream sequence was a bad idea.
Ra.One had all the stuff of Bollywood that I like. It had silly comedy. (Satish Shah on a trampoline. Come on.) A silly romantic sub-plot. A song to celebrate random accomplishment of a character (Criminal). A song that stops the movie and just makes you want to dance (Chammak Challo). Good action sequences with a brilliant "interval point". (G.One landing on top the car. Wonderful!). Passable visual effects. But mostly, it had a heart. Have we ever seen a superhero who also has a family? Trust SRK to do that. The father-son story is what clicked with me. Thanks to the kids, this will be playing on TV screens 5 years from now and those parents would be watching and going "Hey, this wasn't that bad". Seriously, that local train scene. I mean seriously. Who can hate THAT?? By any standards, that was absolutely awesome! After Spider-Man 2 and Batman Begins, I wanted an Indian superhero saving a bunch of people in a local train and it finally happened after 6 years.
Ra.One is a classic example of "hype" and publicity ruining a movie, more than brainwashing the audience. I know why you did not like!!
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