100 years, 100 Movies: My favorite Bollywood films Part 1

100 Years, 100 Movies: My Favorite Bollywood Films

Part 1

With Bollywood completing its 100 years of cinema this year, I thought my blog should celebrate this milestone achievement of the second most popular cinematic industry in the world (it might even be the most popular in some cases). Of course I celebrate this as my 100th post on the first year anniversary of my blog.

So with that I decided to write up a post on my favorite Hindi films numbering to of course a hundred. Before I do that though let me lay out a few ground rules;

1) The selection process for my favorite 100 was very difficult, I may not have gotten it perfectly right for myself but still this is the 100 I ended up with. In this case I also decided not to fully rank these hundred. Meaning while they will be numbered 100-1, the films are not in ranking order and are just grouped randomly as such.

2) These are my favorite 100 films, not anybody else. This means that the selections are of my opinion and in no way should deter or disgust anyone else. These are also not the 'Best' 100 films in Bollywood, I haven't watched every Bollywood film to rank the best. While I  adore the likes of Guru Dutt's 'Pyaasa' and 'Kaggaz ke Phool', they list on best films but I don't enjoy them that much.

3) I haven't included films from the year 2013 as it is still in progress. At the end of the year the films from 2013 will have their own feature, still they will not be updated to this list. 

Once again fair warning, these films are not ranked in any order from least to most favorite or vice versa. These films are just numbered 100-1 for the sake of it. But they are my 100 favorite films.  Enjoy!

100. Mother India

Director: Mehboob Khan

Cast: Nargis as Radha, Sunil Dutt as Birju, Rajendra Kumar as Ramu, Kanhaiyalal as Sukhilala 'Lala', Jillo Maa as Sunder Chachi, Kumkum as Champa, Chanchal as Rupa with Mukri as Shambu and Raaj Kumar as Shamu

Genre: Social Drama

Best Scene: The finale when all hell breaks loose and Radha must decide between her evil son or true justice as he kidnaps Rupa, she shoots him proving that theirs nothing above righteousness for a woman dubbed as the Mother of the village. The Mother of the village being a microcosm for India. 

Best Performances: Nargis as Radha

Best Dialogue: "Tu mujhe nahi maar sakti, tu meri maa hai."-Birju ('You cannot kill me, your my mother')
                         "Mein pehle ek aurat hoon."-Radha ('But first, I am a woman')
  

I thought I would start this list with the most quintessential classic Hindi film of all time, and what better than the Oscar Nominated Mehboob Khan post-independence epic; Mother India. 

The film tells the struggles of a mother in raising her two children after her husband decides to leave her due to an incident that questions his ability to earn for his family. Radha with her sons tries to pay of her debts and also brings renewed hope to the poverty stricken village eventually becoming an all encompassing 'Mother' figure to all. However her own struggles through the years also cause the embitterment of her eldest son Birju, who ends up becoming a dacoit. In turn Radha is forced to kill her son for the greater good, showing her resolute nature against the forces of wrong even if they are closer to her. 

The film itself runs in a flashback narrative, thus establishing a brilliant character study on Radha. Its surprising till this day that in 100 years no other female character has been portrayed in script and on screen as brilliant as Radha (although there are many strong female characters who have come close).

Nargis who portrays the character gives her all with this role and far outshines her strong supporting cast, she gives a tour de force performances of dramatic brilliance. Her expressions and body language convey the struggles and hardships plus strength and courage of Radha's character superlatively. Its a role and performance etched in cinematic history, whether Hindi or otherwise. 

Raaj Kumar as Ramu did terrifically in his limited role as Radha's husband where as Rajendra Kumar as Radha's eldest son Ramu was understated and subtle as to not take away from the much more forceful performances of his co-stars.

As for every great protagonist, you require an equally great antagonist. Sunil Dutt just one film old portrayed this antagonist in younger son Birju with furious intensity and boiling passion. His anger rose with the majestic body language and gave the young actor a shining opportunity with an equally multifaceted character.    

The films script however isn't very original, it draws quite a bit influences but more so is a remake of Mehboob Khan's own 1940 feature Aurat (Woman). What the film does however is produce much more stronger dialogue, an enhanced sense from the already great portrayal of the empowerment of women in Indian society in Aurat and a better insight in Indian nationalism post the independence of India. 

The films scripting also dwells on a lot of motifs tied into the major theme of female empowerment. Radha's character is considered to be an amalgam of multiple female characters in Indian mythology including Radha (the lover of Lord Krishna) and the ever morally powerful Sita (of the epic Ramayana). 

Mehboob Khan's directing really merged well into the scripting itself (as he was one of the co-writers). His sensibility really brought out these themes and also the characters own personal issues in perfect light. Its quite the major reason why the film is considered such a magnum opus. 

Unfortunately most people especially of a younger generation now would only know of this film as the movie that brought yesteryear actors Nargis and Sunil Dutt together after an incident on set. 

The film however is a classic of epitome brilliance that is worth revisiting for its sheer detail in its performances, writing and deeper subtext on both the strength of India's culture as well as the struggles of post independence especially on those of lower class. 


99. Sholay

Director: Ramesh Sippy

Cast: Dharmendra as Veeru, Amitabh Bachchan as Jai, Sanjeev Kumar as Thakur Baldev Singh, Hema Malini as Basanti, Jaya Badhuri as Radha, Amjad Khan as Gabbar Singh, Satyen Kappu as Ramlal, Mac Mohan as Sambha with Asrani as Jailer and Helen as Dancer in 'Mehbooba Mehbooba'

Genre: Action/Romantc/Drama/Comedy (Basically Masala film)

Best Scene: Jai knowing that he's wounded and Veeru needs to get to the ammunition in a stand-off against Gabbar's men, decides to sacrifice himself by blowing everyone together with a dynamite stick...the final tear filled end between the two men who will never even let death break their bond

Best Performance: Amjad Khan as Gabbar Singh

Best Dialogue: Too Many to decide... 

My second film on this list can be possibly considered the greatest masala film in Hindi cinema that is a true definition of what Bollywood is known as globally, none other than the all time blockbuster; Sholay. 

Sholay defines the mixture of several genre most notably action in Hindi cinema history. The film is about two thieves; Jai and Veeru, inseparable friends (as the song 'Yeh Dosti'-'This Friendship'-states) who are hired by a former inspector Thakur to eliminate notorious bandit Gabbar Singh from the village of Ramgarh. The film then follows the heroes as they fight to save Ramgarh in order to secure the wanted price tag and extra from Thakur in capturing Gabbar, but finally understanding more about the life of honesty and being better men as well as keepers of justice. 

The film has its influences steeped in multiple westerns especially those of master of the genre Sergio Leone. Its spaghetti western style also influences the traits of its protagonists as well. This in turn creates what is one of the better aspects of the films narratives, as the two main characters are actually morally gray and while they develop into stronger and more honest characters they still hold at least in Veeru's case (since Jai unfortunately dies) a sense of moral imbalance. Though this is not so much shown, since the films main agenda is entertaining and this it does in spades. 

Ramesh Sippy proves as a director to understand the audience's tastes and he gives them what they want. Stylishly Indian shots establishing the overt machismo of his characters and truly accentuating the screen presence of his four male lead characters specifically Veeru and Jai's. He also presents a talent in crafting his action set pieces with an exciting vigor.

This could not have been possible without the aid of his writers; Salim-Javed. The ever popular and smart duo always had a knack of understanding main stream cinema when it came to scripting its characters (especially male characters) and most importantly dialogues and scene interactions. 

Who can forget classics such as; "Kute me tera khun pi jaonga" ("You dog, I will drink your blood"), "Yeh Haath hum ko dede thakur! ("Give me your hands, thakur!") "Tera kya hoga kaalia" ("What will happen to you now Kaalia") among countless others. This also brings me to Salim-Javed's most brilliantly written part in the film; the character of lead antagonist Gabbar Singh. Many may criticize him now as a singularly one note mustache twirling trope of a villain. But the fact is this character writing works in the favor of the film and makes Gabbar one of the most unapologetic and ruthless villains to grace the silver screen, his constant stream of endlessly quotable dialogues and ruthlessness is written with utter brilliance but performed with much better devotion. 

Amjad Khan the actor who portrayed Gabbar not only launched himself but also his character into the stratosphere of the annals of Hindi cinema. No other villain till this day comes close to the majestic performance that Khan brings to this role. He spouts the dialogues with the gleefulness of a child (albeit a very terrifying one), he struts with a mighty presence and literally sweeps the film out of the heroes feet. Not to say that Bachchan or Dharmendra don't perform well, they just don't match up to Khan's sheer brilliance. 

Bachchan brings his flavor of hard boiled 'angry young man' feel to the film, he compliments it well alongside Dharmendra's own comedic style of heroism. Dharam Garam as he is fondly known, is well considered as one of the greatest action star of Bollywood history. Even then Dharmendra is quite the versatile actor, and it is in full view with this movie. He plays the comedy with wacky wit, romances in an oddball Hindi film style (with the specially OTT suicide pretend scene; 'Khud Jaonga Marjaonga'-'I will jump, I will die'-so firmly etched in any fans memory). When the dramatics really kick into the film, it's when Dharmendra really hits his stride. Performing with an ability to surprisingly match at least the intensity of Khan, Dharmendra really defines the Indian hero. 

The two are aptly supported by their leading ladies, and also their wives Jaya Bachchan and Hema Malini. Although limited in roles, they did well enough. Sanjeev Kumar also provided ample support as Thakur, his performances is all in the expressions especially the boiling rage seething in his red eyes once he finally confronts Gabbar in a final showdown (after having lost his hands to him). 

Sholay is possibly the most entertaining full on hardcore masala film, and a film that defines the out and out style of Bollywood. It broke multiple records for its time becoming an all time blockbuster (and deservedly so, unlike many films of this generation). It also is the reigning king of the Golden age of Hindi cinema. 


98. Saaransh


Director: Mahesh Bhatt 

Cast: Anupam Kher as BV Pradhan, Rohini Hattangadi as Pravati Pradhan, Soni Razdan as Sujata Suman with Madan Jain as Vilas and ? as Gajanan Chitre

Genre: Social Drama

Best Scene: Pradhan is haggling with custom officials for his son's ashes, its a scene filled with despair for the old man having to struggle to get the last remains of his young son

Best Performance: Anupam Kher as BV Pradhan

Best Dialogue: Can't remember it fully but there was a dialogue where Anupam Kher with fury shouts at the officer that he's asking for his sons ashes not something else...sorry   


Director Mahesh Bhatt may as well be considered one of the most cynical men in the film industry, his social and political views are quite strong and etched into many of his finer films. Bhatt who as a producer now tries to bring a modicum of social subtext to his films is negated by his directors, writers and himself. 

Bhatt's films (those that he produces) these days have an overflowing in your face shock appeal mixed with a brazen style of writing that apes multiple Hollywood films. His writers and his writing since beginning even when he was in the directors chair have failed to create any original characters. They provide him with multiple stock characters that can be identified at least more than once through his filmography. He himself has become ignorant or content with the kind of films his banner produces, and he personally directed through his peak phase and later years.  

It is why only a few films directed by Mahesh Bhatt really shine through, and among them is the 1985 Indian Oscar entry (unfortunately not nominated) Saaransh; starring a relatively fresh Anupam Kher.

The film dictates the story of an elderly couple (BV Pradhan and his wife Parvati) living in Mumbai. They end up going through a depressing time in their lives, when their son is murdered in New York over a mugging. With a dead son and no income coming into the house, they rent out one their rooms to an aspiring actress in Sujata. 

Sujata is having a torrid affair with a political prodigy in Vilas, who fears telling his politician father Gajanan of his love. When Sujata becomes pregnant things take a turn for the worse, Gajanan refuses to allow Sujata as his daughter in law and threatens her to abort the child for the sake of his election. 

Pradhan hesistant, keeps Sujata in his home and begins a long struggle against corruption. On the other hand, blinded by superstition Parvati believes that the child Sujata carries is her son reborn. Against all odds Pradhan must fight both the physical and spiritual (metaphorically) demons within his life. 

As mentioned before, director Mahesh Bhatt is quite the cynic and it shows in this masterpiece of his. Yet the film also bursts with a renewed sense of hope by the end, it can be chalked up as a typical sort of happy ending; but the message ingrained within it is mind opening. 

A way to watch out for this would be the constant change in poise and stance that Pradhan adopts through the film. Slouched with the realization of his son's death, burdened by a world against him and ready to suicide and resolute when struggling against the forces of injustice and corruption while facing Gajanan. 

This all can be attributed to one man; Anupam Kher. Kher at that time a ripe age of 29 pulls of the character of a 70+ year old with aplomb. It is considered by far one of the greatest leading man performances in Hindi Cinema history, and established Kher as a gem of an actor among multiple generations.

Apart from this, the film's spectacle is really seated in its smaller moments. Like with Pradhan struggling to get his sons ashes from the customs, Parvati urging Pradhan that the next time he decides to suicide he will take her with him and of course the constant delusion hanging over Parvati's head regarding her son's rebirth into Sujata's son. Scenes of routine between the elderly couple life holds a depth to what is just a normal everyday life occurrence for the audience, these small on goings just amplify the inner grief of the protagonists thanks to both actors expressiveness and the narrative flow. 

The script is worked in a crafty form, as it enables the balancing of the two highlighted issues that drive the plot below the surface. First is the more outward struggle for Sujata and Vilas's love with the backdrop of the corruption perpetrated by Gajanan against Pradhan. Then there is the fight against superstition under the surface of the two grieving parents. 

Both plots get ample time to build and move around in dynamic directions, creating forces both physical and mental for its lead protagonist in Pradhan to overcome and for not just him but the other characters to build from. 

This all would not have come together in a visually appealing yet also poignantly fitting form if it weren't for the touch of Mahesh Bhatt. His handling off the sub textual social issues plaguing the characters, is remarkable. 

By far Bhatt's most accomplished piece and a work that stands the test of time due to its still relevant (unfortunately) social issues, great supporting cast but above all a brave and mesmerizing performance by Anupam Kher. 


97. Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa

Director: Kundan Shah

Cast: Shahrukh Khan as Sunil, Suchitra Krishnamoorti as Anna, Deepak Tijori as Chris, Ashutosh Gowarikar as Imran, Kurush Debo as Yezdi, Aditya Lakhia as Tony, Satish Shah as Simon, Rita Bhaduri as Mary Gonsalves, Anjan Srivastav as Vinayak, Saddiya Siddiqui as Nikki, Ajit Vachani as Charles, Goga Kapoor as Anthony Gomes the Don, Virendra Saxena as Vasco, Ravi Baswani as Albert Gonsalves with Naseeruddin Shah as Father Braganza and Juhi Chawla as Girl

Genre: Romantic/Comdey

Best Scene: If you watch the whole movie then the pictured song 'ae kash ke hum hosh mein ab' takes a very poignant meaning. We probably see Sunil at his happiest when he's dancing and having fun with Anna, while also witnessing his dreams of unrequited love. 

Best Performance: Shahrukh Khan as Sunil

Best Dialogue: "Idhar jaa rahe ho yah udhar jaa rahe ho...kidhar bhi jaa rahe ho...sab rasta God ke paas jata hai."-Father Braganza ('Whether you're going here or going there...wherever your going...all roads lead to God') 


Before we got Shah Rukh Khan the brand, the star, the icon; there was Shah Rukh Khan the raw but talented actor, KHKN is proof of this. This is Kundan Shah's second film as director after the seminal cult hit Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron (on this 100). 

The story follows a down on his luck Sunil, who is the most lovable guy around; though not according to his father.  Sunil awaits the arrival of his childhood sweetheart Anna, who joins his band and they begin to become a success. 

But Sunil has to fight off the advances of the rich and intelligent Chris to win Anna's. He does so through nefarious tricks, eventually causing a rift between the two but getting caught. Opportunity strikes once again when Chris is denied marriage to Anna. Sunil then consoles her eventually realizing that she is still in love with Chris, in a heroic fashion Sunil makes the two lovers meet and becomes a mature man from a boy. 

Heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time, KHKN is one of my favorite films simply due to the lightheartedness of its characters and the sweetness of its basic plot which thankfully never falls into sappiness. The film is a revelation of a young SRK's skills, and proves why till this day he garners the stardom that he does. 

Kundan Shah however is the true master of the picture, his execution in the film is pitch perfect and surprisingly sometimes much better than his previous work (mostly due to the higher budget). There's none of the darker comedic and cynical tones from Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron, but the romantic and comedic tones are balanced well and produce a visually emotive film. 

It helps that it also has that filmy sensation within it, music no matter what anyone else says is a great staple of Hindi Cinema. Songs are what create an identity for Bollywood films, and it was never more evident than in the romantically indulged 90's. 

As such the soundtrack with KHKN is touchingly soothing. The picturesque way in which the romantic tracks are envisioned is melting, 'Ae Kaash Ke Hum' is a personal favorite and really highlights Sunil's pining for Anna and his constant aim in making her happy. 

Back to the performances itself. Kundan Shah returns with some of his earlier cast members from his directorial debut. Satish Shah embodies an Indian Christian father of average mean easily. The always reliable Ravi Biswani plays off the snarky comedy perfectly against Sunil himself. Naseeruddin Shah also embodies his character of Father Briganza with great earnest, going above his plot moving-guide to Sunil-character without any issues. 

The films real finds however are its three leads. Deepak Tijori as Sunil's romantic foil in Chris, brings about a very matured and intelligent vibe from his character. He essays his romantic scenes with ease, and also expressively promotes his own not so much explored love for Anna quite well. 

Suchitra Krishnamoorti produces that aura from Anna that makes her so lovable, and Sunil's unwavering but eventually one sided love for her believable. She also carries herself in such a way that its hard for the audience to hate her even when she doesn't notice or want to end up marrying Sunil. 

Finally we come to the now big star; Shah Rukh Khan. As I mentioned before, this was SRK before he became a big star. While he still is a great actor, the fact that this is considered one of his best performances till today even after uncountable amount of movies it shows that the man does need to straddle line between a great talent and just a star. 

To be fair though, SRK along his character's writers pioneered a new brand for a hero's image. Alongside KHKN-where he portrayed a hero as an actual loser-there is his negative work in Daar and Baazigar that established the kind of range an actor can have even when being a lead hero. These characters were all possible to envision as the leads of their own films, only due to SRK's charisma and stunning screen presence. 

A fun and truly lovable film by the once great Kundan Shah, highlighted by an earnestly likable character portrayed superbly by Shah Rukh Khan. 


96. Vaastav

Director: Mahesh Manjrekar

Cast:Sanjay Dutt as Raghunath 'Raghu' Namdev Shivalkhar, Namrata Shirodkhar as Sonia, Sanjay Narvekhar as Dedh Footya, Monish Behl as Vijaykanth Namdev Shivalkhar, Shivaji Satam as Namdev, Reema Lagoo as Shanta, Deepak Tijori as Sub-Inspector Kishore Kadam, Mohan Joshi as Home Minister Babban Rao, Ashish Vidyarthi as Vitthal Kanya with Mahesh Manjrekar as Himself and Paresh Rawal as Mandavali Badhshah

Genre: Crime/Thriller

Best Scene: When Raghu descents into madness, with the Police on his heels he returns home in a deranged state. He eventually begs his mother to shoot him and free him from his life

Best Performance: Sanjay Dutt as Raghu and Reema Lagoo as Shanta

Best Dialogue: "Asli hai asli...pachaas tola, pachaas tola...kitna? pachaas tola"-Raghu ('Its real, real...50 tolas, 50 tolas...how much? 50 TOLAS!') Its Dutt's arrogant and showy delivery to his family regarding his pimp jewelry that works here more than the words. 

There's certain roles and characters that truly define an actor, such as mentioned above with Anupam Kher its the character of BV Pradhan in Saaransh. As such with Sanjay Dutt its the role of Raghunath 'Raghu' Namdev Shivalkhar, more so than his latter work as Munna Bhai in the Munna Bhai series. 

Raghu is the true definition of an anti hero and one of Bollywood's most important at that, the character is compelling with a rich back story and an even richer development through the film. It also helps that Sanjay Dutt plays him with such fortitude but also vulnerability. Specifically watch for the scene where he finally breaks down in front of his mother, Dutt brings a array of emotion to the scene and Reema Lagoo is unparalleled in playing that generations typical Bollywood mother.

While not a particularly massive hit or a depressing failure, the film still attains cult status due to its endlessly quotable lines and scenes. Apart from this really the film doesn't have much going for it, I will admit that it is highly flawed and tries to come off a bit hardcore by putting on the mask of 'reality' in Mumbai. 

Still the film is entertaining as hell, the names of different gangsters are Mumbai slang crazy and hit the right notes. Mahesh Manjrekar's zaniness as a director is in full view through the film. 

Why it features on my hundred favorites is for two reasons; 

1) The fact that this is an unapologetic gangster movie, that just hits a brilliant tempo and never lets go. It has full on entertainment, including action, thrills and romance in spades. 

2) And the aforementioned work of Sanjay Dutt. Its hard to not come back to the actor, as Dutt just towers over the film with such a charismatic presence. As mentioned Raghu truly is a character that defined and will keep on defining him as an actor for years. 


95. Pyaar Ke Side Effects

Director: Saket Chaudary

Cast: Rahul Bose as Siddharth 'Sid' Bose, Malika Sherawat as Trisha Mallick, Ranvir Shorey as Narayanan 'Nanu' Iyer, Sophie Chaudary as Tanya AKA Baby Girl Vol 3, Suchitra Pilai as Anjali 'Dracula', Sharat Saxena as Retd. Major Gen. Veera Bhadra Mallick, Tarana Raja as Sahlini with Aamir Bashir as Kapil and Jas Arora as Vivek Chaddha

Genre: Romantic/Comedy

Best Scene: Any scene where Sid breaks the fourth wall and explains to the audience the different side effects of love and break ups

Best Performance: Ranvir Shorey as Narayanan 'Nanu' Iyer

Best Dialogue: "Agar Shaadi itni aachi hoti, to tumne aaj kaal kisi superhero ki shaadi ki baat suni hai"-Nanu ('If marriage is GOOD, then have you till this day heard of any superhero getting married?!')

"Superman ki shaadi nahi hui hai, Batman ki shaadi nahi hui hai...SHAKTIman shaadi nahi hui hai, aur woh to sala Indian hai. Uski toh maa pakadeti usko hahaha"-Kapil ('Superman hasn't married, Batman hasn't married...heck Shaktiman (Indian superhero) hasn't married, and he's INDIAN! His Mother will be eating his head.')

"Tum ko kya lagta hai, in Superheroes ki shaadi nahi hosakti...because Shaadi hone ke baad, koi bhi aadmi super nahi retha. Imagine tum jah rahe ho duniya bachchane aur achanak tumhare cellphone pe phone aata hai 'Darling tum aaj kabh aarahe ho, dinner me biryani banai hai, mujhe McDonald lekhe chalo'..."-Nanu ('What do you think? superheroes can't get married?!...cause after marriage, no man can remain Super. Imagine you're going to dave the world and then your phone rings and your wife is like 'Darling when are you coming home, I've made Biryani for dinner, take me to McDonalds.'...')

"...Biwi kahegi tum underwear kapro ke bahaar kyu pente ho...abh imagine agar aap superhero hai aur aapko underwear ander pehna hai to faida kya hai?!"-Nanu ('...the Wife will say why do you wear your underwear on top of the clothes...now imagine your a superhero, and you have to wear the underwear inside then whats the point?!')

The whole conversations between Sid, Nanu and Kapil are a riot especially when watched in context of the film. 
 

New age romantic comedies back in the early 2000's were getting quite the boost. As now, even then it would be hard to find a Romantic Comedy that isn't typical, has a heart and can genuinely be funny. Pyaar Ke Side Effects is one such film.

Bolstered by an array of great supporting players, most notably Ranvir Shorey and a terrific comedic act by leading man (and one of Bollywood's most underrated actors) Rahul Bose. The film sees commitment phobic Sid facing the doom of marriage when his girlfriend of three years; Trisha proposes. A roller-coaster ride ensues as Sid meets his skeptical and strict Father In Law, Trisha's ex-fiancee who she ran away from at their wedding (convinced by their wedding DJ; Sid) and his own Brother in law depressingly waiting for the birth of his first child. Sid in a prideful moment cancels the marriage, and ends up facing the consequences of heart break.

One of the things the film does superbly is the breaking of the fourth wall, Sid at certain phases through the film faces the camera and speaks directly to the audience. He explains the different Side Effects of Pyaar (Love) and Break ups. Bose does wonders with these bits, his expressions and dialogue delivery are top notch. Apart from that there are other visual elements that work so well without overbearing on the narrative. 

The fact that it has a great re-watchable value is why this makes the list, after a certain times and at a certain age such comedies easily become meaningless and the dialogues as well as the actions on screen get lamer. With Side Effects, till this day I am laughing out loud every time Bose makes remarks on relationships, or when Ranvir Shorey is on screen. 

Shorey is a splendid comedic talent that can work either in a mainstream capacity as a character actor, or as a sensational leading man in Indie cinema (watch his double act in Mithya, unfortunately not on the 100 list). Here he plays Bose's roommate and DJ friend, consistently on the look out and failing to hookup with anybody. Watch him in scenes where he says his ex-girlfriends name when with another woman, or the discussion he has regarding Superman and the symbolism of his underwear above the costume.

As for everything else, both the script and the direction is done by Saket Chaudary. Chaudary brings the flavor of urban lifestyle to the film with its fashionable yet realistically dressed characters. The comedy may be a bit juvenile and stereotypical regarding the subject, but it's still quite hilarious and bolstered by some subtle poignant moments as well. 

Music is one of its greater assets, and is incorporated into the film in a creative and distinct manner. 

All in all, this is one rare great rom-com worth watching, that doesn't really let its much cruder elements affect the simplistic yet entertaining plot. A sequel comes out next year, however the two leads are replaced by actors Farhan Akthar and Vidya Balan. It's titled; Shaadi Ke Side Effects (The Side Effects of Marriage). 


94. A Wednesday!

Director: Neeraj Pandey

Cast: Naseeruddin Shah as 'Common Man', Anupam Kher as Commissioner Prakash Rathod, Jimmy Shergill as ATS officer Arif Khan with Aamir Bashir as Jai Pratap Singh and Deepal Shaw as Naina Roy

Genre: Thriller/Social Drama/Action

Best Scene: When the common man reveals his motives for what he did, Nasseer sir plays with subtlety but powerfully exudes the poignancy of his actions

Best Performance: Naseeruddin Shah as 'Common Man'  

Best Dialogue: "Aam aadmi ki tarah jiyo, aam aadmi ki tara bardaash karo, aur aam aadmi ki tarah maaro."-Common Man ('Live like a common man, tolerate like a common man and just die like a common man'), presenting the frustrations of the common man in this world 


Two films in and Neeraj Pandey has proved himself as a stellar craftsman of an entertaining thriller. Both this and Special 26 (released this year) are intense rides bursting with thrills. 

A lot of people dictate how Indian films constantly copy Hollywood films, as well as remaking too many films from the South side of India. A Wednesday is one such film that has been remade in both Tamil and Telegu as well as, a Hollywood film starring Sir Ben Kingsley called A common man. To skeptics of Bollywood's potential, this comparison works like a charm and can prove the oft chastised industries greater prowess. For those who know good Indian cinema need not be compared with its American counterpart, A Wednesday is as excellent as it ever was.

Neeraj Pandey weaves such a emotionally powerful tale centered around two protagonists, that its hard to imagine this is his first film. He is the true hero of the cinematic experience, juggling the roles of director, script and screenplay writer. 

The film plays as a voice over; with Mumbai Police Commissioner Prakash Rathod dictating the tale of one Wednesday that forever changed his life. Taking place between the space of four hours, A common man sets up a base of operation on a rooftop of an in construction building.  He has hidden a bag in the washroom of the Police station, and proceeds to play and intricate and elaborate game with the said Police. From getting terrorists free too bombing them on whim, the man races towards his very human goal for non-trope reasons; which are not personal but rather highlight the humanity of people in this world. The plot uses details from the real life incident of train bombing in Mumbai at July 11th 2006. 

Directed and scripted with intelligence, the films underlining message is so powerful that it hit me very emotionally, gaining its name on my 100 favorite list.

The films major narrative relies on powerhouse performances by its two leads. Both thespians Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah give their best, and prove why among countless years of toiling against star power they have emerged as icons of Hindi Cinema. Anupam Kher is powerful in his role and echoes a wonderful range of emotions. Anything said about Shah, does not do justice to the talent the man has an actor. Without even forming an overt sense of method acting, Shah really gets into the skin of the character and highlights beautifully the reasons of his actions. By the end of the film like with everyone else in Rathod's office, you hope that the Common Man can get away with his actions and you cheer him on till the nail biting but very serene end. 

Apart from them, the underrated Jimmy Shergill adds a great performance to his repertoire and Aamir Bashir thrills as well alongside Jimmy, their chemistry works great in the subtle intense action moments.  

Countless thrillers pertaining to the subject of terrorism are made in Bollywood as well as else where, but A Wednesday hits the nail so easily because of its emotional connection it forms with the audience and the realism at hand.   


93. Jhankaar Beats

Director: Sujoy Ghosh

Cast: Sanjay Suri as Deep, Rahul Bose as Rishi, Shayan Munshi as Neel, Rinkie Khanna as Nicky, Riya Sen as Preeti with Vijayendra Ghatge as Mr Kapoor and Juhi Chawla as Shanti

Genre: Musical/Comedy

Best Scene: The final showdown where we witness the trio of DNR about to win the contest

Best Performance: Rahul Bose as Rishi

Best Dialogue: "Can we please have my clients CELLOTAPE back!"-Lawyer, just watch the scene to understand why it's so funny 


A homage to iconic yesteryear composer RD Burman. 

Beats is the story about Deep and Rishi, two buddies at an advertising agency with the ambition of winning a local club battle of the bands known as Jhankaar Beats. For the past two years they have been losing, and for both it has caused friction in the family life on way or the other. 

Deep is happily married to Shanti, with a daughter and another child on the way. At the same time his annoying Mother in Law comes for a visit. Rishi on the other hand is on the throes of a divorce with his wife Nicky, due to his stubborn and immature nature. The two get prepared for the contest, but require a talented guitarist and in comes in Indraneel (their boss's son). Neel who has his own issues of love, and along the two they set out to solve al their problems at work, home and on stage. 

The films a lovingly hilarious adventure, lighthearted and visualized with mesmerizing subtlety. Its crisply edited with a brilliant structure of the scenes, worth watching are the different ways the camera work and visual elements aid the comedy in flowing. 

Apart from that, the music is brilliant. If nobody remembers this low key movie, they do remember the music till this day. Especially the joyful 'Tu Aashiqui Hai'. Also the dialogues are rib tickling, centered around laugh out loud moments the dialogues hit both the write note and tone. Who can forget the harrowed scene where the divorce lawyer asks for his clients cello-tape back. 

The dialogue also works best when the two male leads are on screen, their chemistry is bolstered by everyday conversations, insults and most importantly a love for Burman's music and constant references to the iconic film Sholay (See above).

The story is also well written in the subtler romantic and dramatic points, but its only Neel's romantic sub plot that's a bit distracting and annoying due to how half baked it is and the performers involved.  

Speaking of performers, Juhi Chawla as the veteran film star is simply excellent as the logically sound wife to Suri's Deep. Her character solves everybody's issues, and Chawla plays this out very well. 

On the other side is Sanjay Suri. I've spoken above about underrated actors like Shergill and Bose, Suri doesn't fall under this category because he isn't even rated. Sanjay Suri is an under appreciated actor in modern HIndie cinema, and it shows here. 

Bose gives another stellar showing, his comic timing equaled with the mannerisms of a childishly aloof Rishi is perfect. He also gets range to work with in the latter dramatic portions. Watch him in the final scene as he gets forgiven by his wife, and stupidly asks for his tapes back before anything else. 

Jhankaar Beats plays well for a time pass fun film, its got a lot going for it. It's enhanced by some great tunes, that channel the style of the great RD Burman thus making it a superb homage. 


92. Ishqiya

Director: Abhishek Chaubey

Cast: Vidya Balan as Krishna Verma, Naseeruddin Shah as Khalujan/Iftikhar, Arshad Warsi as Babban/Razzak, Salman Shahid as Mushtaq Bhai with Adil Hussain as Vidyadhar Verma/Shyam Prasad Kulshreshtha and Rajesh Sharma as Kamalkant Kakkad

Genre: Black Comdey/Crime

Best Scene: When Mushtaq has the duo of Babban and Khalujan inside a dug pit for their graves, the interaction is hilarious

Best Performance: Vidya Balan as Krishna Verma 

Best Dialogue: "Apka Ishq, Ishq! Aur hamare Ishq, Sex?!"-Babban ('Your love is love but my love? is sex?!'), when questioning Khalujan's love for Krishna after Krishna and Babban have been sleeping together behind his back.
 

Vishal Bhardwaj is probably one of the greatest writers and composers in Hindi Cinema history, mixed with a writer who can weave words together like magic in Gulzar and you have the recipe for a surefire success at least on paper. 

Then adding in a debutant director, even one who helped in the script can become a major risk to get the right visual execution. The risk however paid off because the said director; Abhishek Chaubey, has been honing his skills under the watchful eye of Bhardwaj himself. Asissting him in countless of his successful projects, Chaubey gets to shine (and how) by bringing together the whole unit in order to give us a stunning piece of entertaining art in Ishqiya. 

Ishqiya a black comedy thriller is the story of an Uncle-Nephew duo of thieves/criminals; Khalujan and Babban, on the run from their boss Mushtaq after they botched a job. They end up in a village in UP, at the doorstep of Khalujan's old acquaintance Vidyadhar Verma. 

Here only his widow Krishna lives, and the two seek refuge for a while. Krishna is a mysterious women who ends up seducing the two men for her own means. The only question is; What's her end game?

The films USP as mentioned rides in its smart and effective writing which threads between subtly intense, darkly comedic and poetic romance. The three lead characters are well fleshed out. Their actions and end game of the whole narrative is emotionally highlighted much better as we get to know them in the slower non showier moments of the film.

When we're watching Krishna manipulate her way between the uncle and nephew, we see her as the silent and sweet Krishna unleashed rather than Vidya Balan. Or when Khalujan wonders around dreaming of Krishna with a pure heart in the song 'Dil to bacha hai ji'. Then we are witness to the bearing of a man's soul trying to not only experience his love but also recapture the moments of fleeting youth, and there we see Khalujan not Nasser Sir. 

While the writing can be credited, its not the only one that works right. These characters are brought to life by their respective actors, among the supporting cast Salman Shahid is a riot as the goon boss Mushtaq Bhai. He plays it so smarmy and with that raspy sort of delivery, that you truly in comedic fashion fear for the lives of the protagonists. I say comedic because he isn't the main villain. 

That credit goes to Adil Hussain who slips into the skin of his character brilliantly, even while his turn is a bit oddly executed in favor of the twist. He brings an earnest but hidden layer to his early scenes with Balan, and then does a plausible yet wondrous 180 degree turn when he goes all ruthless and determined to keep his criminal empire running. 

Babban is another similar extension of Warsi's role as Circuit (from the Munnabhai films), just with a darker edge. A completely different side of the coin to his Uncle, Warsi brings out his headstrong lustful mannerisms out through both body language and delivery. 

Then there's of course Nasseruddin Shah, any praise I heap on this fine man is less. Shah as you might gather is one of my favorite actors, and possibly one of the best actors in cinematic history not just in India but around the world. His performance as Khalujan is one of the closest amongst his modern works to his stunning portrayals of old times in films like Aakrosh, Sparsh and Janne Bhi Do Yaaro. Khalujan is fully realized with heart and soul as much because of Shah as the writing. 

Of course he is far outshone by none other than Vidya Balan. Balan is possibly the only A-list actress of the past two generations that hasn't needed to be paired with mega blockbuster stars (like the Khan trinity) to make a mark in the industry.  

It highlights her staying power, as well as the kind of writing her female (something you rarely see given roles beyond the male) characters get and how some fans understand great cinema. Obviously in the acting department, she blows her contemporaries both male and female out of the water. 

Her Krishna is sweet, demure yet also feisty, sexually appealing and an all round cunning bad ass. Balan peels all this layers in a very detailed manner, keeping each of this characteristics through the end and forming them together into a full package. She embodies the multiple aspects of the character and the story with exceptional results. 

Speaking of exceptional, who can forget the music. Music is an important aspect of Hindi cinema, and don't let some stereotypical films fool you. If done right, Music can enhance the storytelling while also keep the viewer invested. The sufi and poetic influences in the music are abundant, there's also a sense of rustic charm that suits the setting. These tracks are mesmerizing especially the sweetly sung 'Dil to Baccha Hai Ji' (by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan) and the peepy 'Ibn-E-batuta' (Sukhwinder Singh and Mika Singh)

All in all, I would say Ishqiya rates as my favorite film that has been worked on by Bhardwaj whether it be in writing or composing. While he's definitely got better works in his repertoire, this one is his most entertaining. 


91. Gangs of Wasseypur


Director: Anurag Kashyap

Cast: Manoj Bajpai as Sardar Khan, Nawazuddin Sidiqui as Faizal Khan, Richa Chadda as Nagma Khatoon, Huma Qureshi as Mohsina, Piyush Mishra as Nasir, Jaideep Ahlawat as Shahid Khan, Reema Sen as Durga, Vipin Sharma as Ehsaan Qureshi, Pankaj Tripathi as Sultan Qureshi, Vineet Kumar Singh as Danish Khan, Jameel Khan as Asghar, Satya Anand as JP Singh, Zeishan Quadri as Definite Khan with Raj Kumar Yadav as Shamsad Alam and Tigmanshu Dhulia as Ramadhir Singh

Genre: Crime/Thriller/Black Comedy

Best Scene: That's hard to think off considering there were so many great ones

Best Performance: Manoj Bajpai as Sardar Khan

Best Dialogue:There are also too many good dialogues, these two stand out as the kind of double meaning dialogues littered through the film categorized between perverted or film history

"Us harami ko Mitana Hai Hamein, Goli Nahin marenge , Keh k Lenge uski"-Manoj Bajpai ('I want to remove that asshole from this world, I won't just shoot him, I will attack him from the front')

"Hum to sochte the ke hum Amitabh Bachchan paida hue hai Sanjeev Kumar ke ghaar meh, saala hum toh Shasi Kapoor nikle!"-Faizal ('I thought I was born the superstar with the villainous father, but damn I turned out to be the side hero')  

Hindi Cinema just got it's own Godfather crime anthology!!!  The movie chronicles the tale of Gang war between the Khan clan lead by a surreal Manoj Bajpai (fame Satya) and dynamic Nawazuddin Siddiqui (fame Peepli Live) against former coal mine owner and criminal businessman Ramadhir Singh (Tigmanshu Dhulia) and the feared Qureshi muslim clan. It's a complicated anthology of crime in Wasseypur in India so instead of explaining the plot I would suggest you hurry and go watch the two parter now!

Debuting at the Cannes Film Festival Director Fortnight 2012, GOW is a critically acclaimed and commercially successful film. It's feel is reminiscent of Sergio Leone spaghetti westerns (The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and Once Upon A Time In America), Martin Scorsese mafia crime thrillers (Goodfellas), Francis Coppola's classic family Mafioso/gang war dramas (The Godfather Trilogy), Quentin Tarrantino narrative flow (Pulp Fiction) and Coen Brothers dark humor (The Big Lebowski and Fargo) but is essentially rooted in Indian aesthetics.

Anurag Kashyap is the star of the show, he brings the realistic feel of crime ridden Wasseypur to life on the big screen. His characters are harsh, bloody and powerhouses. As director, Kashyap is able to bring forth stellar performances from every member of his colossal ensemble cast but also define a gritty cinematography and crisp dialogue's as well as a briskly paced but overreaching and wholly satisfying script (penned by debutant actor Zeishan Quadri and others). It is the first Indian movie (both parts were played as one) to be screened at the monumental Cannes Director Fortnight and that speaks volumes of the movie and it's content.

Both parts are pitch perfect and rarely falter, the actors on screen make due to prevent any scenes from lagging. Among Part 1 the lead role (of Sardar Khan)is played by the underused and driven method actor Manoj Bajpai. He proves his mettle with impeccable dark comedic timing and devilishly charming antics. His dramatic delivery and slick expressions are a treat, the passionate way in which he explains to his wife as to why he is steeped in crime brings forth a trope not typically seen in revenge films; the monologue as to why revenge is the only necessity for a protagonist. . He is aptly supported by his large cast, notable performers of which are; Richa Chada's feisty Nagma, Piyush Mishra's troubled narrator Nasir, Nawazuddin's junky Faizal and debutant actor Tigmanshu Dhulia as powerful Ramadhir.

Where part 1 builds slowly towards crescendo, it's part 2 that provides the pay-off. It is specially intriguing to see part 2 and even part 1 play off Wasseypur's situation itself. Part 2 is much more blood soaked and feverish, mirroring the state of Wasseypur itself. Where the gang war in the first part resulted between Sardar Khan and Ramadhir Singh, the second one provides a change in tempo as multiple hooligans begin to want to reign over as crime lords of the murky city.

Part 2 sticks to it's guns as the pay-off and provides a higher dose of action. The only problem within part 2 is there is excessive violence which has no dramatic resonance. It's the performances that lead the second part to a closer range with the first. Leading Part 2 is Siddiqui's Faizal who goes from a down in luck junkie into the intimidating mafia boss of Dhanbad and Wasseypur. Nawazuddin reminds the viewer of a young Al Pacino in his stunning leading man performance, his character is a stirring mix of both Michael Corleone and Scarface. It's deadly to watch his turn as he realises his friend's betrayal and hand in murdering both his father and brother and soon chops off the said friend's head thus declaring his arrival. It's also interesting to witness his chemistry with debutant actress Huma Qureshi (as his wife Mohsina) who provides the moral support but is the dominator within their relationship.

With Siddiqui's character arc it is impossible for him to gain the deeper layers of humor and romanticism  provided for Manoj Bajpai's Sardar. Thus it falls on his other brothers to give some enhanced support, chief among these is Definite Khan (Zeishan Quadri) who is violent, savage and witty. Quadri who makes a debut with this film, makes most of his role as the step-brother to Faizal and plays his character with under the surface wickedness. It's a testament to the unknown talent that he handles both the new world of acting and crafts the 300 plus minute story (yes Zeishan Quadri is also the writer for GOW). The other actor is young Aditya Kumar as Perpendicular, his character doesn't get a lot of screen time but stays with the viewer. Perpendicular brings black humor and a window into the youth that is swayed by crime within Wasseypur.

Overall I can guaranteed say that this movie(s) stands as a revolutionary in Gangster flicks, not only for Hindi Cinema but for the genre itself. I can place this among classics such as The Godfather Trilogy and Scarface. I Suggest if you are an avid fan of crime films, this two part masterpiece is for you. Plus check out the zany soundtrack which moulds in the background, perfectly with the montage sequences.

For easier purposes I just copied my analysis of the two part saga from my other post.

After that time I have watched the film about 5 times. While this might be Kashyap's most viable commercial film, it still contains such minute details worth catching in a re-watch. With GOW this comes in the form of small jokes, such as where background politicians of the country debate the National Anthem and each one is unable to get it right. 

These things really make a fun re-watch, and GOW is no exception. While its not my favorite of Kashyap's work (that goes to No Smoking), it is his most fun filled. 


So that's it for the first part, come back next time for;

90. A fun filled rom-com with a donor twist, 
89. a classic pertaining to a woman that makes life beautiful again for a family under their Matriach (of course in the most sincere way possible), 
88. a prince fighting against his own father for a love that has societal barriers in India's royal times, 87. A boy who decides to dream big rendered around the accomplishment of taking down a kite, 
86. an IDIOTic journey to find a lost friend who once discovered your true self for you, 
85. the burning embers of forbidden passion,
84. India's favorite pastime in India's darkest time, the true fight of the underdog,
83. the mysteries of man wracked by past horrors and guilt bound by family, playing out in English,
82. A bomb and a man stuck together fighting to do what's right
81. the satirical outburst of the media on a unsuspecting debt ridden man desperate to die

Can you guess all ten of these films? 

'Nuff Said

Aneesh Raikundalia