Here's my choice. Review on Ten Best Hindi Movies

Another list of 10! Whew! That makes another round of thinking real hard. The history of Indian cinema is pretty vast and there are so many genres from which to choose your list from. So, what I did was to try and list the genres. My categories comprised Action, Drama, Comedy, Tragedy, Historical, Thrillers/Suspense, Children, Romance, and of course, Family Drama. After this I tried to do justice to all these categories by filling them up with as many movies that I thought could make it to my Top-10 list. Once this arduous task was achieved, I broke it further down to the actual Top-10.The criteria was simple. I have selected only those movies that still hold my interest.

Shakti

I loved this movie for the very simple reason that two of my all-time favorite actors, Amitabh Bachchan and Dilip Kumar were pitted opposite each other. Even after seeing this Ramesh Sippy-directed movie so many times, I still get goose flesh whenever the two superstars come together. Their confrontation scenes are very well written and create an aura. Though its theme is similar to Deewar, Shakti, I believe scores over the former for its straight-from-the-heart packaging as opposed to its stylization. Shakti according to me was far superior to Sholay (a masterpiece by itself), and is definitely Ramesh Sippy’s best.

Mera Naam Joker

A film straight from the heart; poetry at its most sublime; creativity at its peak. The film did not work with the audience and Raj Kapoor had to drop the idea of the sequel that he was nurturing. I loved the film as a teenager and still go berserk whenever it is telecast on television. A massive visual-narrative composition.

Anand

Anand was Hrishikesh Mukherjee’ tribute to his friend Raj Kapoor. In one interview, Hrishikesh had stated that a brief illness to Raj Kapoor was the germination point of Anand. He structured his film on the hypothesis that ‘what if a similar ailment were to afflict my friend?’ At the risk of sounding perverse, let me say that it was propitious for Raj Kapoor to have fallen ill when Hrishikesh was at his creative best. This film exemplifies the best of Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s brand of filmmaking – low budget, tight script, and focused narration. Rajesh Khanna excelled in the eponymous role, while the world first noticed the David-then-Goliath-now actor – Amitabh Bachchan.

Pyaasa

Jinhe Naaz Hai Hind Par Woh Kahan Hain? In 1957, when India was still reveling in it’s newly found independence, Guru Dutt had the vision to ask this question. Wonder what our self-styled guardians of society have to say to that? A must-watch.

Golmal

It’s Hrishikesh once again. Watch how the director transforms a wafer thin plot of a middle-class man trying to outwit his employee into a laugh-a-minute riot.

Namak Halal

Remember Amitabh’s interview scene (“Bhairav becomes Baron and Baron becomes Bhairav because their minds are very narrow”) where he baffles the manager (Ranjeet) with his English (“I know so much Angrji that I can leab Angrej behind”)? This one scene itself has made the movie unforgettable. A simple story of a stinking rich hotelier and his loyal servant, Namak Halal saw Amitabh at his best. This is one movie where he made the audience cry with him, laugh with/at him and empathize each and every move that he makes. I somehow find it funnier than Amar Akbar Anthony, Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, etc.

Mughal-e-Azam

In the making for almost 15 years, only K Asif could have imagined the end product that still mesmerizes everyone to date. Each and every frame of the movie is sheer magic.

Ali Baba Aur Chalis Chor

Great fare. As a kid I used to listen to Ali Baba’s exploits from my grandmother. And watching them on screen in this Indo-Soviet production was real fun. It still is. I would advise all the readers of this review to see the movie for themselves.

Khamosh

The director of Mission Kashmir is in awesome form with this sans songs Hitchcockian thriller. The performances are great but the suspense and the way it is treated is even better. Watch it whenever it is beamed on television.

Dilwale Dulhainya Le Jayenge

As fresh as mint. That’s the best way to describe this movie. It makes you want to fall in love right away.