Bollwood - As we head into what is anticipated to be an epic year for film in India, Shalandra Bunseelal reflects on the top 5 movies of 2018 that are still making waves. They are:
1. Raazi
Megha Gulzar masterfully directed this gripping spy thriller that kept us on the edge of our seats. Sehmat, Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal received loads of acclaim for their power-packed performances.
This intense thriller worked with a female protagonist and extreme jingoism. Overall, a mature tribute to an ordinary girl, who becomes a wife and a spy who went on to achieve extraordinary things.
Cleverly and beautifully crafted, Raazi was high on emotion with a heart-warming story.
2. Padmavaat
The grand epic featured the tale of a beautiful Rajput queen, Rani Padmavaat, her husband Maharwal Ratan and the evil sultan, Alauddin Khilji, who becomes obsessed with the queen when he hears about her beauty.
Though dogged by controversy, Padmavaat was majestically captured and produced on a lavish scale with opulence and grandeur. The movie also produced award-winning performances including Ranveer Singh, Shahid Kapoor and Deepika Padukone as lead character.
With breath-taking cinematography, Padmavaat was a visual brilliance.
3. Andhadhun
The brilliant Sriram Raghavan added another crafty thriller to his impressive resume with this unpredictable dark piece, which told the unusual tale of a blind piano player who witnesses a murder. The cat and mouse game between the lead characters was perfectly portrayed by Ayushmann Khurrana and Tabu. Well-paced with outstanding direction, Andhadun was nothing short of mind-blowing. Even the debatable climax was perfect.
Ayushmann Khurrana delivered his career best performance.
4. Badhaai Ho
The year 2018 was another incredible and unconventional one for Ayushmann Khurrana who delivered this impressive release.
He played Nakul, a middle class young man who has his life turned upside down when his mother makes the startling announcement she is pregnant.
Full points for a clever story, witty dialogues, and showcasing some relevant social messages. Badhaai Ho worked for family audiences with a bold yet simple story.
Amazing direction which has to go down as one of the finest movies produced by Bollywood.
5. Sanju
Incredibly well presented with good intentions of showcasing the legendary Sanjay Dutt, the brilliant film-maker Rajkumar Hirani created Sanju with strong performances and powerful dialogues. Ranbir Kapoor delivered a career highlight in a drama that tried to cram decades of the actor in three hours.
Though Hirani delivered his usual magic, his glorification of Dutt was a shortcoming. The movie also had an impressive supporting cast.
My Best of the Best
1. Best actor: Ranbir Kapoor for Sanju
2. Best actress: Alia Bhatt for Raazi
3. Best director: Sriram Raghavan for Andhadhun
4. Best supporting actor: Vicky Kaushal for Sanju
5. Best supporting actress: Katrina Kaif for Zero
* Bunseelal is founder of Star Attraction and the official representative of Colors TV in South Africa. He is also a movie critic and presenter of the Breakfast Show on Eastwave Radio. Write to him at [email protected]