Best, Worst 2018 Films: Tabloid! Picks
While big stars failed to deliver, it was original story-telling that won the box office.
Bollywood’s biggest (read ‘highest paid’) and brightest helplessly watched as their top projects failed to elicit any interest at the box office, including the always dependable Aamir Khan. Instead, it was the smaller films, with original storylines that won over the masses this year.
There is a lesson to be learned here, and hopefully Bollywood big wigs (here’s looking at you, Khans) took notes for 2019.
THE BEST 1. Badhaai Ho
Here’s an example of how a quirky idea can give birth to a spectacular comedy. Indian National Award-winning actress Neena Gupta is in top form as an ageing parent who has to tackle an unexpected pregnancy in the sunset of her life along with her adorable husband, played by Gajraj Rao. Actress Surendra Sikri as the cranky mother-in-law mixes up things wonderfully. And, it’s not often that a Bollywood film trains its spotlight on a knocked-up couple in their late 50s, so ‘Badhaai Ho’ was a welcome distraction.
2. Stree
In his debut film, director Amar Kaushik combines humour and horror with great dexterity. This horror comedy, set in the quaint town of Chanderi in Central India, had the immensely talented Rajkummar Rao playing an expert tailor. Written by Raj and DK of ‘Go Goa Gone’ fame, there are some sharply written lines that evoke easy laughter and aren’t stale.
There’s nothing more gratifying than watching an intelligent, emotionally complex thriller filled with deceit, betrayal and remorseless sociopaths. ‘Andhadhun’, starring a supremely set of talents including Tabu, Radhika Apte and Ayushmann Khurrana, is an unapologetic celebration of vitriol, darkness and mean spiritedness.
It has a killer plot and some unsavoury souls thrown in for good measure.
Everyone brings their dysfunctional best into this warped, plausible whodunit that veers into the bizarre territory.
4. Veere Di Wedding
Girl power was at its strongest in this cheeky romantic comedy. It’s like that guilty pleasure that’s usually derived after watching a glossy hit sitcom like ‘Sex And The City’. Plucky women, sassy attitude and their collective fabulousness made the women of ‘Veere Di Wedding’ instantly likeable. Starring Kareena Kapoor Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania this friendship romp was a fun watch with fabulous women who embraced their flaws. Director Meghna Gulzar comes up with a winner with this immersive spy thriller.
Powered by brilliant performances spearheaded by Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal, director Gulzar paints a riveting and tense portrait of a coltish Kashmiri bride Sehmat (Bhatt) who marries into an influential Pakistani household filled with honourable army men to distil sensitive intelligence information.
Even Bollywood’s biggest box-office draw and matinee idol, Salman Khan, couldn’t save this doomed adventure directed by Remo D’Souza. Set against the murky world of arms and drug lords, ‘Race 3’ reeked of bad writing, terrible dialogues, pretentious acting and a lame plot.
This was one of the rare instances where Aamir Khan disappointed his legion of fans with his questionable career choices.
Even Amitabh Bachchan’s act as a weathered warrior and Katrina Kaif as a seductive dancer couldn’t keep this ship afloat. Starring Varun Dhawan and newbie Banita Sandhu, ‘October’ was one of those films that took pride in being pretentious, arty and hyperbolic.
The film directed by Aanand L Rai was a creative gamble for the superstar Shah Rukh Khan as he played a dwarf for the first time in his career. It didn’t sweep anyone off their feet.
Director JP Dutta’s long-winded drama, ‘Paltan’, tried to prove that wars are exercises in futility. But the casualty with Paltan were the viewers who had to sit through this tepid war drama.