10 BEST Hindi Films Of 2016

2016 has been quite a pleasant year for Bollywood courtesy some really fine & well made movies. I went through some of the finest cinematic experiences this year.
So here I pick the top 10 gems of the year.

1) PINK - Directed by Aniruddha Roy Choudhury

This solid realistic court room drama was both high on substance as well as execution. Excellent screenplay and writing backed by stellar performances helped it become the most appreciated cinema made in recent times.

2) KAPOOR AND SONS - Directed by Shakun Batra

Dysfunctional family sagas in Bollywood are hardly made to perfection. But this delightful film was an exception. Beautifully crafted and presented to the audience, this one is a winner in every way. Acting by all was impressive but particular worthy of mention is Fawad Khan who stole the show with a pitch perfect nuanced act.

3) DANGAL - Directed by Nitesh Tiwari

Dangal is an almost perfect biopic on an unsung Indian champion and his heroic daughters. Aamir's top class vision and show made this authentic emotional cinematic journey an engaging experience.

4) UDTA PUNJAB - Directed by Abhishek Chaubey

Udta Punjab is easily the boldest & bravest movie I saw this year. A striking take on a relevant issue like drugs abuse, this robust film amazed us to the core. Brilliant ensemble cast, fabulous music & sharp direction all helped the cause.

5) AIRLIFT - Directed by Raja Krishna Menon

This was an another real story of our forgotten heroes told mavelously on celluloid. It has patriotic emotions that gave me goosebumps. Rousing treatment to the script and Akshay Kumar's riveting act are the film's biggest highpoints.

6) NEERJA - Directed by Ram Madhavani

Once again a biopic is in my list, this time it's of a braveheart whose courageous tale was shown with utmost sincerity and credibility in this heartbreaking gem. Gripping storytelling with assured direction plus Sonam Kapoor's first rate acting were all commendable.

7) DEAR ZINDAGI - Directed by Gauri Shinde

This sweet little rejoicing feel good flick gave me smile for the most part. Finely helmed by Shinde, this attempt about 'loving your life' made us realize how important is the value of life despite hurdles & complexities.

8) FAN - Directed by Manish Sharma

This film based on a moviestar's ardent fanatic and how his love turned into psychic obsession worked for me because of the heartfelt first half and an extraordinary performance by Shah Rukh Khan in it. Inspite of the film's constant lacunas post interval, FAN was an appealing watch.

9) RAMAN RAGHAV 2.0 - Directed by Anurag Kashyap

Like any Kashyap movie, this was too dark, edgy & unpredictable. Nawazuddin Siddiqui's incredible work plus the compelling storytelling overpowered many flaws of this unique crime drama.

10) ALIGARH (Directed by Hansal Mehta) & PHOBIA (Directed by Pavan Kirpalani)

At number 10, I have both these bold yet exciting small wonders as tied. Aligarh was wonderfully created on a disturbing subject in which the central role was brought to life by faultless performance from Manoj Bajpayee.
       Phobia, on the other hand, was a cleverly constructed psychological thriller where the leading lady, Radhika Apte was in supreme form.

Thus, these are the ones that according to me, result in the most impressive movies to come out this year.

Best Of Bollywood 2016 Awards By Me

We saw various genres of quality movies this year. Among them, the ones that deserve to win awards in the following categories are as follows :-

1) Best FILM - PINK

2) Best DIRECTOR - Abhishek Chaubey (Udta Punjab) & Shakun Batra (Kapoor And Sons)

3) Best ACTOR - Shah Rukh Khan (FAN)

4) Best ACTRESS - Alia Bhatt (Udta Punjab/Dear Zindagi)

5) Standout Performer MALE - Aamir Khan (Dangal)

6) Standout Performer FEMALE - Radhika Apte (Phobia)

7) Surprise Performer Of The Year - Fawad Khan (Kapoor And Sons)

8) Most Entertaining ACTOR - Shahid Kapoor (Udta Punjab)

9) Most Entertaining ACTRESS - Fatima & Sanya (Dangal)

10) Best SUPPORTING ACTOR - Shah Rukh Khan (Dear Zindagi)

11) Best SUPPORTING ACTRESS - Kareena Kapoor (Udta Punjab)

12) Best Entertaining FILM - Dangal

13) Best Thriller FILM - Raman Raghav 2.0

14) Best Romantic FILM - Ae Dil Hai Mushkil

15) Best Action FILM - Dangal

16) Most Coolest FILM - Kapoor And Sons

17) Best Offbeat FILM - Aligarh

18) Best JODI - Ranbir & Anushka (Ae Dil Hai Mushkil)

19) Best SONG - Jabra Fan Ho Gaya (Fan)

20) Best SINGER MALE - Amit Mishra (Bulleya - ADHM)

21) Best SINGER FEMALE - Palak Muchhal (Kaun Tujhe - MS Dhoni The Untold Story)

22) Best LYRICS - Baabu Haabi (Da Da Dasse - Udta Punjab)

23) Best MUSIC - Pritam (Ae Dil Hai Mushkil)

24) Best Actor in Negative Role - Jim Sarbh (Neerja)

25) Best Actor in Comic Role - Aparshakti Khurrana (Dangal)

26) Best Debutante Male - Diljit Dosanjh (Udta Punjab)

27) Best Debutante Female - Ritika Singh (Saala Khadoos)

28) Best Debut Director - Aniruddha Roy Choudhury (Pink)

29) Best STORY - Kapoor And Sons

30) Best SCREENPLAY - Udta Punjab

31) Best DIALOGUES - FAN

32) Best ENSEMBLE - Udta Punjab

33) Best Child Actor - Zaira Wasim (Dangal)

34) Best Cinematography - Shivaay

35) Best Choreography - Kaala Chasma (Baar Baar Dekho)

36) Best Special Effects - FAN

37) Best Costume Design - Ae Dil Hai Mushkil

38) Best Background Score - Dangal

39) Scene of the Year - When Gaurav & Aryan Meet For The First Time In Jail (FAN)

40) Pathbreaking Cinema Of The Year - Neerja

So this is my personal choice on movies that should win the abovementioned awards.

Thank you!

My Take On DANGAL - "Sincerity, Genuineness And Stellar Performances Make It A Fine Film"

Dangal, the last big film of 2016, is a biography of Mahabir Singh Phogat, an Indian wrestler turned coach, whose daughters Geeta & Babita Phogat win gold at commonwealth games for India. This is an honest take on an unsung son of the country. This cinematic saga has immense earnestness and is filmed with utter authenticity which makes the movie a believable experience. We witness Phogat's pathos, his obstinance to build his daughters capable enough to fulfil his dream, his extreme efforts, etc. All these seem quite real. We feel for phogat's family. The first half is amazingly solid and credible. Post interval, the film dips occasionally, becomes cliched at places, overdrama plays it's part too for the sake of commercialism and the climax isn't riveting as it should have been, although it's feel good. But despite these hindrances, Dangal succeeds to keep us engaged. It's sporting actions are perfect, dialogues are impactful, music & background score are good and performances are top notch. The two young girls, Zaira & Suhani, playing young Geeta & Babita respectively are deeply likeable while the adults, Fatima who plays the main Geeta Phogat & Sanya who becomes Babita Phogat are first rate. Particularly, Fatima shines in every scene she's in. She has a fabulous screen presence, terrific body language and emotes with panache. Sanya, meanwhile, underplays her part with brilliance and impresses in a great amount. Others like Aparshakti Khurrana, who leaves a lasting impression, provides full on amusement via his comic timing and Sakshi Tanwar does very well by making her presence felt in a part that doesn't require much to do. The only weak link is Girish Kulkarni, who usually a fine actor, is cursed with an ineffective role as the coach of Indian wrestling team. And that leaves us to Aamir Khan who is at top of his game as the central character. Not even a single false note is there in his performance. He adds the right blend of aggressiveness & vulnerability and brings life to his part by being so. One of his best acts this has to be. Overall, the vision of director Nitesh Tiwari is well backed by his commendable guidance. He commands the film to its merits and excels in doing that for the most part.

Thus, Dangal results in being a sincere attempt. It has emotions that are genuine and hence they appeal to us. It's not a great classic yet it's a must watch as it believes in determination & hardwork leads to triumph plus it roots for women empowerment in a bonafide way.

My Rating - 4/5

Aamir packs a solid punch & the girls are incredible. Enough reasons to watch this fine film.

My Take On DEAR ZINDAGI - "Rejoicing Feel Good Happening Piece Of Cinema"

Dear Zindagi directed by Gauri Shinde whose directorial debut English Vinglish was about the journey for self respect of a sincere family woman, is one of the most nicely made films that are women centric. Here with Dear Zindagi, she tells us the story of again a woman , quite younger this time, whose life is troubled and complicated, thus needs mental support to stabilize. It's an attempt that has it's heart at right place. It's relatable and does succeed in moving you where it's needed, but not completely. The first half particularly falters at places. We hardly feel for Kiara in her pathos initially as they don't quite look genuine. I mean the troubles that she deals with seem unconvincing. There's not much depth in it. However the movie lifts up once we meet Kiara's therapist cum teacher cum friend Jahangir Khan or Jug who starts bonding with her and together they give us some of the best moments in the film. Also the dialogues written are too impressive, delivered nicely by both Alia Bhatt and mainly Shah Rukh Khan who is at his charismatic form. The camaraderie they share are magnetic and emotional at the same time. The film is boasted by these 2 pitch perfect performances too. Alia, after imparting a knockout act in Udta Punjab, once again sinks her teeth into this complexed character marvelously and skilfully performs. She is slowly turning out to be a powerhouse of talent. Kudos to her. SRK, in a 'Gyan Guru' avatar, looks fabulously charming and comes out as the soul of this feel good lovely little film. His lines are inspiring and emotions are strongly felt. Other actors are just about okay in their parts but worthy of mention among them is Yashawini Dayama as Jackie(Alia's best friend). She's funny as well as damn good. Another merit of this film is it's soundtrack by Amit Trivedi! His score is fabulous and songs are nice & soothing.

Thus, Dear Zindagi is neither as good as Queen nor convincing as English Vinglish, yet it works because of its 2nd half that is filled with breezy moments including a heartfelt climax. And mainly DZ is both watchable plus likeable due to the brilliance of Alia and magic of SRK.

My Rating - 3.5 / 5

It's one of the better films I have seen this year. Don't miss it friends!

My Take On SHIVAAY - "Watch It For Ajay Devgn's Acting & Some Stellar Action Sequences"

Shivaay is an ambitious project that could have hit the jackpot but lost it's momentum completely after a positive commencement. Apart from a handful of arresting bits, this one falls flat as a movie in totality. Neither consistently engaging nor it has anything exciting to offer. Moreover the script is so lame & predictable that even occasional surprises look ordinary. The stale & uneven plot ruins the grandeur touch of this so called thriller. What works however is the super terrific performance by Ajay Devgn. It's a committed effort by the actor who is in his top gear and comes out as the film's biggest strength. He was the reason why I kept my patience on to watch it fully. But the same can't be said about him being the director as he failed there. The problem actually is he couldn't command the film and as a result it turned out to be a slog. Action portions no doubt are brilliantly shot, cinematography is first rate too. The little girl Abigail is endearing but the appealing emotions that were required in a family conflict & bonding, are missing here. I mean the melancholic moments hardly seem moving barring a few good scenes between the father-daughter duo. The character of Erika is simply bizzare & valueless. She's wasted and so are the other actors.

Overall, Ajay glitters as an actor but falters as the helmer of this lavish action flick. It's only fine in parts, otherwise a mediocre outcome. Thus, an one-time watch it is.

My Rating - 2.5/5

Shivaay deserved a stirring screenplay and judicious editing. Then it would have been a winner all the way!

My Take On AE DIL HAI MUSHKIL - "Lacks Novelty But Worth Watching"

Well, ADHM is an honest attempt by a filmmaker who is in his zone here. The movie is fun, moving but not entirely engaging and most importantly there's nothing new in it. Kjo through his movies talks sensibly about human relationships & their complexities. He's quite good at that. He did that marvelously in all his movies(especially in KANK and barring SOTY). Here he's in command too. But the screenplay offers hardly anything novel. Initial parts of the protagonists in this drama will remind you of 'KKHH' friendship between Rahul & Anjali, then post intermission, you will see 'KANK' like scenario and the plot ends with ingredients of 'KHNH' pathos. So it's a mix bag of Kjo's previous endeavours, however his presentation here is good & appreciable. I mean he very well knows how to use emotions where with heartfelt songs, meaningful dialogues and lovely performances. And there lies the strength of this film. Music is fabulous. The title track is a complete winner followed by Bulleya & Channa Mareya. Performances are so good too. Ranbir emotes with beauty. He's fantastic in all the melancholic bits. He makes you feel & root for him. No doubt he's an arresting talent. Anushka does her best here. I have never seen her this good before. She's the heart of the film and congrats to her for such a powerful act. Aish still looks amazingly beautiful. She delivers shayaris with panache but i found her role less effective. Fawad Khan has a sparkling screen presence. Wish he had a better part too(which I believe has been cropped up for the much talked about controversy). Nonetheless, he's a gem of an artist. And then there is SRK in one scene where he utters the film's most significant line which actually takes the film forward. What a charmer he's, that even in just a scene, he absolutely made his presence felt.

Thus, ADHM is a modern take on love, friendship and their dichotomy. An unrequited love story that's low on amusement yet is nicely made. Ultimately, it gives out the message which Kjo told us long back in his dream debut, 'KKHH', and that's 'Pyaar Dosti Hai'.
It's no 'KKHH' or 'KHNH', still it's a fair emotional cinematic experience. Neither great nor appalling. It's pretty much a soothing watchable experience. It won't be liked by masses though as it's not everyone's cup of tea.

My Rating - 3/5

Don't expect much and you won't complain. Watch it for its merits!

My Take On MS DHONI : THE UNTOLD STORY - 'Promises A Lot, Gives Very Less'

When a biopic of a notable personality becomes hagiography than a biography, typically commercial cinema than being originally appealing piece of art and unduly lengthy instead of perfectly inspiring, it fails to connect. And Alas! This MS Dhoni saga turns out to be a disappointment. Really had expected a lot but the above mentioned hiccups hampered this promising film that has a few terrific moments and could have hit a sixer, had it been aptly & more genuinely executed!!
It's surprising actually since a fine director like Neeraj Pandey has helmed this one.
The problem here is, it looks less of a biopic and more of a glorifying tale, that to told, in an 'Average Bollywood movie' way!! People won't be inspired as the struggle of the protagonist seems lame & unauthentic. Dhoni's romance, on the other hand, has been more highlighted. Thus it fails to strike a chord according to me.

However, Sushant S Rajput's beautifully committed performance is the film's biggest highpoint. He's absolutely a joy to watch on screen. I felt for his pathos, smiled for his success here.
Wish he had got a better film than this. Similarly, the shining legacy of MSD deserved a better biopic.

My rating :- 2.5 + Extra .5 (because of Sushant S Rajput) thus that makes it 3/5

Dhoni fans will love the movie, but the fans of good cinemas will come out with dissatisfaction. Another biographical movie (after Mary Kom & Azhar) falls flat!