Elite Top 10 Bollywood Movies of 2006. Review on Ten Best Bollywood Movies of 2006

Looking back at 2006, sometimes it feels like Bollywood is coming of age with the films like Rang De Basanti and Omkara and at the same time, it feels like Bollywood coughs out same age old formulas of Karan Johar's ultra-melodramas or Kunal Kohli's regressive films or Rakesh Roshan's laughable superhero flicks or Sanjay Gupta's flashy remakes of foreign classics. It seems like Bollywood takes 1 stride further and 2 strides back and ultimately playing the catching game with the standards set by their predecessors of 50s-70s. Another interesting thing about 2006 is remakes, RGV's Shiva, JP Dutta's Umrao Jaan, and Farhan Akhtar's Don proves that old is gold and its always better to leave them untouched.

Well Made Movies:Ahista Ahista (5/10), Taxi No. 9211 (5/10), Pyar Ke Side Effects (5/10)

Honorable Film - Malamaal Weekly (6/10) Ever since Priyadarshan came out with Hera Pheri in 2000, he has become king of countless slapstick comedies. Among them, Malamaal Weekly is the only movie can come close to intelligent comic situations of Hera Pheri. The story of lottery seller and how villagers comes to know about winning lottery and tries to go after winning money of dead winner is full of witty one-liners and rib-tickling comic situations. Paresh Rawal proves again that he is king of comedies and equally well supported by Om Puri, Asrani, and Ritesh Deshmukh.

*The Top Ten Elite List

*10. Vivaah (6/10) Vivaah continues the tradition of unique family-oriented and Indian cultured soap operas of Rajashri productions. Suraj Barjatya (Maine Pyar Kiya, Hum Aapke Hai Kaun, and Hum Saath Saath Hai) is known for drawing viewers into near perfect families before striking melodramatic tragedy. Vivaah continues that tradition. It’s a story of how two young birds get to know each other via engagement and how they fell in love in between the period of engagement to marriage and how that love helps them to overcome the problems they will face in future. Both Shahid Kapoor and Amrita Rao treated as prince and princess and equally supported by talented cast like Anupam Kher and Alok Nath.

9. Corporate (6/10) Corporate is the middle part of promising young director, Madhur Bandarkar's corruption trilogy after 2005's Page 3 and upcoming 2007's Traffic Signal. It shows us cruel side of corporate world by rendering the story of how two giant consumer company’s wages war against each other to capture the market. Although Corporate is well-made movie stamped by usual Bandarkar touch, it seemed rehashed by Madhur from his past ventures like Chandani Bar, Satta, and Page 3. Bipasha Basu proved again that she couldn’t act with her stone-faced image. Overall, it’s one of the better movies came out this year compared to others.

1. Gangster (6/10)** A well-made romantic thriller from Mahesh Bhatt camp. It’s a story of undercover cop who pretends to fall in love with gangster’s troubled girlfriend to know whereabouts of gangster. If Shiney Ahuja as gangster and debutant Kangana Ranaut as his drink-addicted girlfriend were amazing then Emraan Hashmi was impressive rendering his performance as a cop. A captivating screenplay, unexpected twists and turns, memorable soundtracks, and low profile production values made this movie surprisingly enjoyable.

1. Being Cyrus (7/10)** It’s a quintessential Hollywood film-noir made for Bollywood. It’s a story of how seemingly friendly yet mysterious Saif Ali Khan ruins Parsee family of Naseeruddin Shah, Dimple Kapadia, and Boman Irani. An excellent slow-paced script, powerful performances, and crisp direction of Homi Adajania make it one of the most underrated thrillers of this year.

1. Kabul Express (7/10)** A rare Aditya Chopra production with utmost sincerity. Debutant filmmaker, Kabir Khan’s first film is cry for Afganistan. It’s story of multi-cultural group thrown into heartland of cruel yet beautiful land of Afganistan and how American and Pakistan government’s ever-shifting alliances changes their life. If you can digest anti-american/anti-pakistani screenplay then masterful cinematography of rural landscapes, dark message-driven humor makes it thought-provoking action adventure.

5. Dor (7/10) Being lifetime student of Hrishida’s moviemaking, Nagesh Kukunoor tributes this down-to-earth middle-class film to Hrishida. It’s a story of two women grew up in two different cultures and journey they have to go through for their beloved ones. Nagesh’s refreshing direction and Sudeep Chatterjee’s breathtaking cinematography of Rajasthan and HP are hallmarks of this film. Both Gul Panag and Ayesha Takia successfully carry the film on their tender shoulders. Although at times it bogs down in the middle, overall it’s a wonderful tale of love, loss, faith, determination, and courage.

4. Khosla Ka Ghosla (8/10) Dibakar Banerjee's Khosla Ka Ghosla is most underrated movie of this year at least for me. It showcases how far middleclass family can go to save their entire life's savings. Simple yet captivating story, 70s-80s style cinematography, refreshing screenplay, true-to-life direction, and Anupam Kher and Boman Irani's acting is true highlights of this film. This is a reminder of yesteryear's authentic Indian movies of Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Sai Paranjpe, and Basu Chatterjee.

1. Lage Raho Munnabhai (8/10)** Second film of Munnabhai series where Munnabhai meets Mahatma Ghandhi and teaches Gandhigiri to everyone is one of the most exclusive idea of this year. Rajkumar Hirani’s crowd-pleasing screenplay, Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi, Vidya Balan’s masterful performances, and term called Ghandhigiri make it enlightening and awe-inspiring flick of this year.

1. Omkara (9/10)** Vishal Bhardwaj’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s Othello in the heart of rustic Indian plateau of UP in contemporary times is a prime example of what jealousy can do to the person and how it can be exploited and applied on weak hearts. Mega star cast of Ajay Devgan, Saif Ali Khan, Naseeruddin Shah, Vivek Oberoi, and Kareena Kapoor, Tassaduq Hussain’s brilliant cinematography, multitalented Vishal Bhardwaj, and romantic song of the year - O Saathi Re makes it must see film of this year.

1. Rang De Basanti (9/10) Once in a while comes a movies that forces you to think, forces you to take the blame, and forces you to do something, Rakesh Omprakash Mehra’s RDB is one of them. It’s a story of free-spirited careless Indian youth and how historical facts and events transpire in their life shapes the India’s future.  Even though Aamir Khan plays the key character in this film, real hero of the film is innovative screenplay and how story masterfully interweaves past and present threads and forces viewers to act on future thread. Overall, it’s a message-driven, thought provoking, and cult-classic saga.

Other list

Disappointments: Humko Deewana Kar Gaye, 15 Park Avenue, Fanaa, Don, Zinda, Yun Hota Toh Kya Hota

Headaches: Umrao Jaan, Dhoom 2, Krrish, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, Darna Zaroori Hai,  Banaras, Woh Lamhe, Naksha, Darwaza Bandh Rakho

Stupid slapsticks laugh riots, enjoyed it in parts:Chup Chup Ke, Golmaal, Phir Hera Pheri