We are almost at the eve of Year 2006. For Hindi movie fans, this is great time to look back one of remarkable year of changing face of Indian cinema with movies in the genre of fantasy, animation, and realism with typical bollywood entertainers and masala flicks. Let’s look back at year 2005’s my Top 10.
Honorable List, Well made movies Zeher (6/10), Sarkar (5/10), No Entry (5/10), Kalyug (5/10), Salaam Namaste (5/10)
The Top Ten Elite List
10. Iqbal (6/10) Nagesh Kukunoor's IQBAL is story of 18-year-old deaf and mute village boy whose dream fulfilled to play for India’s national cricket team. Even though its inspiring movie, it’s not great. I liked the first half, simplicity, direction, story, Shreyas Talpade as Iqbal, and his sister but I didn’t like the way second half evolved. All sports movies are same - Protagonists have all kind of problems, facing large pile of challenges, rises from the ashes, ultimately their dream comes true. While Nagesh was successful showing challenges and problems, he failed largely the way he used success path and depicting selection politics. It was too quick, easy, and convenient dream. But, it is still a very well effort enjoyable by everyone regardless of his or her age, religion, and gender.
9. Black (6/10) Sanjay Leela Bansali’s Black is inspired from real life story of Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan and Hollywood’s flick THE MIRACLE WORKER (1962). It is story of blind, deaf and mute Anglo-Indian girl, whom a gifted teacher helps to communicate to later find him in same condition. Black was beautifully directed, visually spellbound, masterfully acted by Rani Mukharjee and Amitabh Bachchan. Even though I liked what I saw, it was too boring, slow, and dull. I like grim, dark and depressing movies but I don’t like slow and dull movies and Black is one of those movies. This is sensible fine art made for real offbeat cinema fan.
8. Sehar (6/10) Kabeer Kaushi’s Sehar depicts life of a heroic cop and his fight against a organized Railway contracts crime in U.P. Pros of this movie is Arsad Varsi and Pankaj Kapoor’s acting, realistically treated subject of criminalization of University students and politician-gangster-police-railway contractor-builder nexus. Even though it was genuine good effort, it wasn’t very well done OR I would say, overdone. It seems more like documentary with one-dimensional plot. None of the character except Arsad Varsi is well developed. None of the lead villains are well developed. It was missing cohesive story and screenplay. Pace is episodic - one scene done, move on next one, doesn’t care about previous scenes. Overall, It’s a still a well-made movie. I would put it in my top 10 because of quality of realistic treatment and appeal of repeated viewing.
7. Hanuman (6/10) Rare animated movie in Indian cinema. It has well narrated story of Hanuman’s life including childhood to his role in Ramayana epic. This is fastest Ramayana you can ever see. Animation is at International standard and enjoyable for kids and adults alike. The baby Hanuman is cutest kid I have seen in recent times.
6. Page 3 (7/10) Madhur Bhandkar’s inside look at lives of the rich and famous was one of the most powerful films of this year. For many youngsters in India, Bombay film industry is dream and Page 3 tear aparts that dream by depicting issues related struggling actors, phony lives, celebrities duel lives, and high society taboos. One of biggest problem with Page 3 was its screenplay. Once it exposes core issues in gripping first half, it goes nowhere in second half - Its same wild parties, same mocking of celebrities, and uninteresting repeated story. It makes its point but its impact is not as hammer-strong. Still it is a well-intended effort.
5. Parineeta (7/10) After Sanjay Leela Bansali’s overrated Devdas, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Pradeep Sarkar adapts another Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's Bengali novel, Parineeta but this time with much better treatment, production values, wonderful screenplay, and sepia tone cinematography for period films. Vidya Balan as Lolita was luminous and one of most naturally beautiful character I have seen in recent times. Despite flaws like overblown climax, Sanjay Dutt is little older as Girish, it is still a top rated film.
4. Aprahan (8/10) Welcome to world of 21st century Bihar where criminals, police, government, politician, law, public can cross their lawful boundary with ease. This is world of mayhem where game of ransom and kidnapping is played by either side of law. Ajay Devgan is brilliant as a pawn of kidnapping crime whose dreams were squashed, redirected, and enticed into kidnapping nexus. Nana Patekar is outstanding as a corrupt politician. When I have watched this movie first time, I thought movie was little too long and my current ratings are based on that viewing but I am sure, after subsequent viewing, my ratings might go up.
3. Paheli (8/10) Amol Palekar’s adaptation of great Rajasthani folklore “Duvidha” is nothing but cinematic magic in new age of bollywood cinema. Paheli is magical, luscious, mysterious fairytale. Paheli is fantasy just like Disney movies, Vikram Vetal, and Panch Tantra. It has well crafted screenplay and powerful performances from Shahrukh as sinister Ghost and confusing husband and Rani as Lachchi. Paheli is blessed by high production values of special effects and authentic cinematography. Even though its almost perfect movie, I wish there weren’t lot of unnecessary songs that ruined flow of the movie. Overall, it’s a well-deserved Oscar entry for India.
2. Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (10/10) Sudhir Mishra’s Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi is a love story against a backdrop of a politically decaying India in early post-independence era. Kay Kay, Chitrangada, Shiny Ahuja are outstanding as three pillar of one of the most powerful film made on misguided youth of late 1960s by naxal movement, power brokers, false ambitions in political turmoil India. This is brutal but powerful reflection of our parent’s generation’s ideologies.
1. Matrubhoomi, A Nation Without Woman (10/10) Well, for many of my MS friends, this movie at the top of list is not a surprise. Manish Jha’s Matrubhoomi is a serious satire about alarming sex ratio India is facing due to gender discrimination like female infanticide or abortion. It explores impact of absence of woman in our society. Even though it tackles imaginary futuristic scenario, if even 10% of its true then we are in trouble. Lot of people complained about brutality, violence, and woman oppression shown in the movie but if you try to understand it then its most powerful and thought-provoking movie came out from India. This movie belongs to the elite category of recent Indian cinemas like Company (2002), Chandni Bar (2001), Dil Chahta Hai (2001), Vaastav (1999), and Satya (1998).
Other list
1. Disappointments, Could have been better: D, Kaal, Mangal Panday, My Wife’s Murder, Shikhar, Tango Charlie, Yahaan.
2. Headaches: Bunti Aur Babli, Dus, Garam Masala, Jo Bole So Nihaal, Kisna, KyonKi, Lucky, Waqt.
3. Critically accaimed Movies I Haven’t Seen: Maine Ghandhi Ko Nahin Mara, My Brother Nikhil, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero, Sau Jooth Ek Sach, Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story.
