Best of Bollywood 2013
An Interlude
I decided to take an interlude regarding the best Hindi films of 2013 because my Tintin's Top Thirty Best Bollywood Films article is taking longer than usual (read I'm a lazy ass).
So I created an interlude for my own personal awards for the Best Bollywood films this year.
Why?
Because first I haven't had the chance to watch every Hollywood film (especially the underrated and indie films that I would loved to create an award for eg. The Underdog Awards).
Next because I am seriously fucking tiffed at the stupidity of Indian Film Awards (all of them!)
Seriously the films in contention in Indian awards, make the Oscars look fair and great in comparison (which they of course are, expect the Oscars are slowly but surely losing tons of credibility).
Let's take a look shall we?
At the Filmfare awards; Sharukh Khan has been nominated for Best Actor for at least appearing and dancing on the Awards stage...I mean for Chennai Express. Along with him his director Rohit Shetty has also been nominated for blasting every car and messing the physics in this world...sorry, for best director.
This is just a microcosm of the issue plaguing Indian Film awards whether it be Filmfare or IIFA. Last years awards albeit in favor of the great but not excellent Barfi!, at least had the right nominees on the list.
This year major movies are missing whether it be the widely appreciated The Lunchbox, the poignantly powerful Shahid or the romantic ballad Lootera (especially Lootera, which is practically missing from every award show!)
So I thought I'd make my own awards.
PS: For the Hollywood hopefuls, if you don't mind waiting four-five more months I could present my Underdog Awards of 2013 to the Hollywood films that didn't get the credit they deserved. Although come to think of it, I'll be too busy by then.
So here goes for the awards
Music Category
Best Lyrics
Amitabh Bhattacharya-Lootera
Lootera's snubs all round were a disappointment, one of its major loses being for the lyrics award. Some of the most in tune and poetic music of the year that adapts both its romantic saga and old world charm in the way it speaks to the heart and soul. The words bring out touching sensations from songs such as 'Sawar Loon', 'Zinda' but most imprtantly 'Ankahee'
Best Score
Best Score
Amit Trivedi-Lootera
Apart from the mesmerizing tune of 'Zinda' playing through much of the film and just energizing the viewer up for the intensity in the climax, the slower moments are highlighted by the poignant tunes as well as the soothing melody just flowing in the background yet creating an impact in the viewing experience.
Best Soundtrack
Jeet Ganguly, Mithoon and Ankit Tiwari-Aashiqui 2
Far and wide the best soundtrack of the year. Some of the most killer music from 2013 came from one album and touched the heartstrings like no other. Different Romantic tracks from soft lyrical songs to rock ballads. 'Tum Hi Ho' became the national tune, while every other single whether 'Sunn Raha Hai' or 'Aasan Nahin Yahan' followed suit as chart-busters. When at their best, no one can beat the music brought forth by Vishesh Films.
Technical Awards
Best Editing
Pravin Angre-BA Pass
For a dramtically heavy and intense film, it's quite easy for the viewer to be disengaged especially when most such films use stylistic elements such as a quick cutaway and the director establishes a wider net of the world he has envisioned compromising the run time. With BA Pass, Angre brings a surprisingly great flow to proceedings thanks to the way how each scene is wonderfully interconnected and how it feels like their is no wasted space within the run time.
Best Dialogue
Vipul Vig-Fukrey
While the Delhi styled films are starting to get a bit too much, its always fun to see college students converse in that accent and use words such as Siyapaa and more. In Fukrey's case it helps when the dialogues are simply hilarious even in the most slowest and oddest moments. Indeed Choocha we will get you your 'Campa Cola'.
Best Screenplay
Hansal Mehta and Apurva Asrani-Shahid
Intricate and very focused in its path, the screenplay for the film Shahid unravels the larger story of the life of Slain Lawyer Shahid Azmi and highlights his most noble work as well as the harrowing atrocities committed towards him.The opening narrative visually explores Shahid's mistakes, both highlighting his negative decision but also giving it reason. Further more the screenplay establishes well read backgrounds and character development through out the picture. This all is packaged brilliantly and comes together well beat by beat.
Best Story
Ritesh Shah and Mohan Sikka-BA Pass
Based on the short story The Railway Aunty by Mohan Sikka, Pass is the story of young Mukesh who gets embroiled in the world of male prostitution by his community aunt Sarika. A story so chilling and thought provoking its hard to swallow but one that is vividly detailed and intriguing at the same time.
Riya Vij as Gurpreet Kaur/Gippi-Gippi
It's definitely hard carrying a film on your own shoulders no matter how accomplished your supporting cast (eg. Divya Dutta), especially one that is of an Indie topic, a genre vastly avoided (teen/childrens films) and from a large production house (Dharma).
Riya Vij pulls this off with uninhibited charisma and bubbling charm. She makes you get enamored by the sweetness of somewhat bluntness of the films protagonist Gippi. Easily makes you cheer for her and as easily is also able to make you hate her, though without losing any of the characters essence. Watch out for her in the coming years.
Breakthrough Performance (Male)
While the Delhi styled films are starting to get a bit too much, its always fun to see college students converse in that accent and use words such as Siyapaa and more. In Fukrey's case it helps when the dialogues are simply hilarious even in the most slowest and oddest moments. Indeed Choocha we will get you your 'Campa Cola'.
Best Screenplay
Hansal Mehta and Apurva Asrani-Shahid
Intricate and very focused in its path, the screenplay for the film Shahid unravels the larger story of the life of Slain Lawyer Shahid Azmi and highlights his most noble work as well as the harrowing atrocities committed towards him.The opening narrative visually explores Shahid's mistakes, both highlighting his negative decision but also giving it reason. Further more the screenplay establishes well read backgrounds and character development through out the picture. This all is packaged brilliantly and comes together well beat by beat.
Best Story
Ritesh Shah and Mohan Sikka-BA Pass
Based on the short story The Railway Aunty by Mohan Sikka, Pass is the story of young Mukesh who gets embroiled in the world of male prostitution by his community aunt Sarika. A story so chilling and thought provoking its hard to swallow but one that is vividly detailed and intriguing at the same time.
Main Awards
Breakthrough Performance (Female)
Riya Vij as Gurpreet Kaur/Gippi-Gippi
It's definitely hard carrying a film on your own shoulders no matter how accomplished your supporting cast (eg. Divya Dutta), especially one that is of an Indie topic, a genre vastly avoided (teen/childrens films) and from a large production house (Dharma).
Riya Vij pulls this off with uninhibited charisma and bubbling charm. She makes you get enamored by the sweetness of somewhat bluntness of the films protagonist Gippi. Easily makes you cheer for her and as easily is also able to make you hate her, though without losing any of the characters essence. Watch out for her in the coming years.
Breakthrough Performance (Male)
Sushant Singh Rajput as Ishaan and as Raghuram-Kai Po Che! and Shuddh Desi Romance
Whether it be as the brash yet endearing Ishaan or the ever lovable and goofy Raghu, Sushant Singh Rajput was the big new story of 2013. It's no surprise that Indian TV isn't anywhere close to its cinematic equivalent, yet there are very talented actors languishing, one such having been Rajput.
Shifting gears to the big screen, Rajput got a star debut in Kai Po Che and then a solo lead film with SDR. Both films hitting the right notes, and the actor proving his versatility on screen. Now the next leap he needs to make, is try stealing the show from his co-stars. Watch him in Dibakar Banerjee's next, we know he's molded quite a few great performances from his talents (looking at Abhay Deol from Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! and Emraan Hashmi from Shanghai).
Best Supporting Actor (Male)
And the Nominations are...
Amit Sadh as Omi-Kai Po Che!
Arfi Lamba as Arfi-Prague
Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub as Murari-Raanjhanaa
Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Shaikh-The Lunchbox
Saqib Saleem as Avinash-Bombay Talkies
Anupam Kher as PK Sharma-Special 26
And the winner is...
Rishi Kapoor as Goldman-D Day
If it were up to me (subjectively that is) I would put all three Rishi Kapoor performances into this award as one. From his sweet turn in Shuddh Desi Romance to his sour one in Aurangzeb, but more importantly his bone chilling yet wacky go at playing Dawood Ibrahim through the character Goldman. In his second innings in Bollywood, Kapoor has proven to be a master class actor and his performance in D-Day is a great example of that.
He plays one of the better written Ibrahim based characters, with all the style and flamboyance as well as the cunning yet regret of old age. To think that it was only in 2012, after a staggering career of 40 years that Rishi Kapoor played his first negative role and by his third he's already perfected the art of being a villain.
Best Supporting Actor (Female)
And the Nominations are...
Divya Dutta as Pappi Kaur-Gippi
Richa Chadda as Bholi Punjaban-Fukrey
Swara Bhaskar as Bindiya-Raanjhanaa
Rani Mukherjee as Gayatri-Bombay Talkies
Supriya Pathak as Dhankor Baa-Goliyon Ki Rasleela: Ram-Leela
Konkona Sen Sharma as Diana-Ek Thi Dayaan
And the winner is...
Shilpa Shukla as Sarika-BA Pass
Vivacious, Bold and Unhinged Sarika is the evil that tempts and destroys young Mukesh. Shukla plays her character without any qualms, getting comfortable in her sensuous and bold skin with relative ease. It's her steely resolve that carries much of the edgier portions of the film and makes it a much more entertaining thriller. This is an actor who has gone under appreciated since her magnetic turn in Chak De India! Here she proves why when given a meaty role, she can mold her talents to the films advantage
Before we head on to the next award. I would like to highlight another growing annoyance with many film awards. These awards are so shamelessly hungry for viewership that they actually end with the lead acting awards rather than the awards for director and film, and when stars such as mentioned in the opening part are nominated this just highlights the idiotic methods of Bollywood. These idiotic methods being putting the star above the picture, when that should never and I mean never be the case.
Now onwards
Best Leading Actor (Female)
And the Nominations are...
Parineeti Chopra as Gayatri-Shuddh Desi Romance
Sonam Kapoor as Zoya-Raanjhanaa
Chitrangada Singh as Maya Luthra-Inkaar
Deepika Padukone as Leela-Goliyon Ki Rasleela: Ram-Leela
Mahie Gill as Madhavi Devi-Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster Returns
Sonakshi Sinha as Pakhi-Lootera
And the winner is...
Nimrat Kaur as Ila-The Lunchbox
The heart and soul of last year's quirky masterpiece romance The Lunchbox, Nimrat Kaur gave a tour de force performance that completely overshadowed her thespian co-stars Siddiqui and Irrfan Khan. It's a performance that depends on her very natural, transparent and easily shifting expressions through the film. Her mechanical body language during most scenes especially when cooking and her soft mesmerizing delivery.
And surprise surprise! she hasn't gotten nominated in any category, clearly telling you how fake the awards are when everyone in the world has unanimously named this as one of the best performances in Hindi cinema from the last year
Best Leading Actor (Male)
Shadab Kamil as Mukesh-BA Pass
Dhanush as Kundan-Raanjhanaa
Chandan Roy Sanyal as Chandan-Prague
Ranvir Singh as Varun Srivastav and Ram-Lootera and Goliyon Ki Rasleela: Ram-Leela
Rajkumar Rao as Shahid Azmi-Shahid
Irrfan Khan as Sajan Fernandez-The Lunchbox
And the winner is...
Farhan Akhtar as Milkha Singh-Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
No matter what thespian Nasseruddin Shah says, far and wide whether it be from his physical transformation or the nuances he brings to his portrayal of the Flying Sikh; Akhtar gave the best performance in Hindi cinema of last year. And that's something me and the awards can agree on. The little ticks he brings to the role, from an excited army child beaming with pride when wearing an Indian jersey to the intense man running through tracks and fields but most importantly a broken child when confronted by his haunting past. Akhtar got all this right and more. Indeed it's a performance of a lifetime for any actor, and like with the fans I'm sure Farhan Akhtar cherishes this.
To think just a decade before Akhtar was set to make his foray into film with Directing, and he's turned that into a blistering acting career.
Best Director
And the Nominations are...
Sudhir Mishra-Inkaar
Neeraj Pandey-Special 26
Ajay Bahl-BA Pass
Hansal Mehta-Shahid
Ritesh Batra-The Lunchbox
Shoojit Sircar-Madras Cafe
And the Winner is...
Whether it be as the brash yet endearing Ishaan or the ever lovable and goofy Raghu, Sushant Singh Rajput was the big new story of 2013. It's no surprise that Indian TV isn't anywhere close to its cinematic equivalent, yet there are very talented actors languishing, one such having been Rajput.
Shifting gears to the big screen, Rajput got a star debut in Kai Po Che and then a solo lead film with SDR. Both films hitting the right notes, and the actor proving his versatility on screen. Now the next leap he needs to make, is try stealing the show from his co-stars. Watch him in Dibakar Banerjee's next, we know he's molded quite a few great performances from his talents (looking at Abhay Deol from Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! and Emraan Hashmi from Shanghai).
Best Supporting Actor (Male)
And the Nominations are...
Amit Sadh as Omi-Kai Po Che!
Arfi Lamba as Arfi-Prague
Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub as Murari-Raanjhanaa
Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Shaikh-The Lunchbox
Saqib Saleem as Avinash-Bombay Talkies
Anupam Kher as PK Sharma-Special 26
And the winner is...
Rishi Kapoor as Goldman-D Day
If it were up to me (subjectively that is) I would put all three Rishi Kapoor performances into this award as one. From his sweet turn in Shuddh Desi Romance to his sour one in Aurangzeb, but more importantly his bone chilling yet wacky go at playing Dawood Ibrahim through the character Goldman. In his second innings in Bollywood, Kapoor has proven to be a master class actor and his performance in D-Day is a great example of that.
He plays one of the better written Ibrahim based characters, with all the style and flamboyance as well as the cunning yet regret of old age. To think that it was only in 2012, after a staggering career of 40 years that Rishi Kapoor played his first negative role and by his third he's already perfected the art of being a villain.
Best Supporting Actor (Female)
And the Nominations are...
Divya Dutta as Pappi Kaur-Gippi
Richa Chadda as Bholi Punjaban-Fukrey
Swara Bhaskar as Bindiya-Raanjhanaa
Rani Mukherjee as Gayatri-Bombay Talkies
Supriya Pathak as Dhankor Baa-Goliyon Ki Rasleela: Ram-Leela
Konkona Sen Sharma as Diana-Ek Thi Dayaan
And the winner is...
Shilpa Shukla as Sarika-BA Pass
Vivacious, Bold and Unhinged Sarika is the evil that tempts and destroys young Mukesh. Shukla plays her character without any qualms, getting comfortable in her sensuous and bold skin with relative ease. It's her steely resolve that carries much of the edgier portions of the film and makes it a much more entertaining thriller. This is an actor who has gone under appreciated since her magnetic turn in Chak De India! Here she proves why when given a meaty role, she can mold her talents to the films advantage
Before we head on to the next award. I would like to highlight another growing annoyance with many film awards. These awards are so shamelessly hungry for viewership that they actually end with the lead acting awards rather than the awards for director and film, and when stars such as mentioned in the opening part are nominated this just highlights the idiotic methods of Bollywood. These idiotic methods being putting the star above the picture, when that should never and I mean never be the case.
Now onwards
Best Leading Actor (Female)
And the Nominations are...
Parineeti Chopra as Gayatri-Shuddh Desi Romance
Sonam Kapoor as Zoya-Raanjhanaa
Chitrangada Singh as Maya Luthra-Inkaar
Deepika Padukone as Leela-Goliyon Ki Rasleela: Ram-Leela
Mahie Gill as Madhavi Devi-Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster Returns
Sonakshi Sinha as Pakhi-Lootera
And the winner is...
Nimrat Kaur as Ila-The Lunchbox
The heart and soul of last year's quirky masterpiece romance The Lunchbox, Nimrat Kaur gave a tour de force performance that completely overshadowed her thespian co-stars Siddiqui and Irrfan Khan. It's a performance that depends on her very natural, transparent and easily shifting expressions through the film. Her mechanical body language during most scenes especially when cooking and her soft mesmerizing delivery.
And surprise surprise! she hasn't gotten nominated in any category, clearly telling you how fake the awards are when everyone in the world has unanimously named this as one of the best performances in Hindi cinema from the last year
Best Leading Actor (Male)
Shadab Kamil as Mukesh-BA Pass
Dhanush as Kundan-Raanjhanaa
Chandan Roy Sanyal as Chandan-Prague
Ranvir Singh as Varun Srivastav and Ram-Lootera and Goliyon Ki Rasleela: Ram-Leela
Rajkumar Rao as Shahid Azmi-Shahid
Irrfan Khan as Sajan Fernandez-The Lunchbox
And the winner is...
Farhan Akhtar as Milkha Singh-Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
No matter what thespian Nasseruddin Shah says, far and wide whether it be from his physical transformation or the nuances he brings to his portrayal of the Flying Sikh; Akhtar gave the best performance in Hindi cinema of last year. And that's something me and the awards can agree on. The little ticks he brings to the role, from an excited army child beaming with pride when wearing an Indian jersey to the intense man running through tracks and fields but most importantly a broken child when confronted by his haunting past. Akhtar got all this right and more. Indeed it's a performance of a lifetime for any actor, and like with the fans I'm sure Farhan Akhtar cherishes this.
To think just a decade before Akhtar was set to make his foray into film with Directing, and he's turned that into a blistering acting career.
Best Director
And the Nominations are...
Sudhir Mishra-Inkaar
Neeraj Pandey-Special 26
Ajay Bahl-BA Pass
Hansal Mehta-Shahid
Ritesh Batra-The Lunchbox
Shoojit Sircar-Madras Cafe
And the Winner is...
Vikramaditya Motwane-Lootera
You lose all credibility this year if Vikramaditya Motwane does not win for best director for his work in Lootera. What that basically means is that every Bollywood based award show this year is practically redundant. Motawane's work in crafting Lootera is simply poetry in motion. The director with a deft touch blends both the picture and sound in the film so poetically that he paints like The Lootera himself, his own masterpiece in the form of this film. He extracts career best performances from an unexpected leading pair and cast.
You lose all credibility this year if Vikramaditya Motwane does not win for best director for his work in Lootera. What that basically means is that every Bollywood based award show this year is practically redundant. Motawane's work in crafting Lootera is simply poetry in motion. The director with a deft touch blends both the picture and sound in the film so poetically that he paints like The Lootera himself, his own masterpiece in the form of this film. He extracts career best performances from an unexpected leading pair and cast.
It's a visionary piece of art that is an experience not to be missed. That all is due effort to Motwane bringing together each element of the film in a seamless bind. This kind of old world love saga is hard to perfect in this day and age. Where a master like Yash Chopra failed (Jab Tak Hai Jaan), Motwane succeeds with ease and this is the greatest compliment I can give him.
Best Film
For that you'll have to wait for my top thirty...so till then take care and enjoy the Best of Bollywood 2013 Awards presented by The Comic Caper
'Nuff Said
Aneesh Raikundalia
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