From the perfect family holiday ripped apart, to a dangerous liaison between a teacher and his underage student, to a RAW agent out to rescue terrorist-captured nurses… 2017 has thrown up a mixed bag of must-see films. Tick them off your list before the year ends…

Secret Superstar

This musical drama, written and directed by Advait Chandan, told the coming-of-age story of a teenage girl who aspires to be a singer. It also dealt with the grittier themes of feminism and domestic violence. The film was hailed for being an inspiring journey towards empowerment, a case for pursuing one's passion against all odds, a testament to the deep mother-daughter bond, and a convincing depiction of teenage years… In short, a must-watch for all!

Newton

Co-written and directed by Amit V. Masurkar, this black comedy was relevant and timely without being boring or inaccessible. The film pointed out the pitfalls of the democratic system, even as it showed that it’s the only one capable of positive change. Newton tickled both, the funny bone and the grey cells as it told its story of a government clerk on election duty in the conflict-ridden jungle of Central India.

Toilet: Ek Prem Katha

A satirical comedy in support of governmental campaigns to improve the sanitation conditions, the film by Shree Narayan Singh held up a mirror to society. It showed us how our gullible villagers, lethargic administration and dishonest officials have actually converted India into the world’s largest cess pool. The cast drew applause for their quirky yet brilliant acts.

Hindi Medium

This Saket Chaudhary directorial was a much-needed comment on the private school system and its importance in our lives. It exposed the absurdities of the current obsession of finding a “famous” school for your child. From how people develop friendships in a queue to receive admission forms to not getting the difference between a five-star hotel and a school, the well-crafted film presented an interesting take on issues that affect our daily lives.

Tumhari Sulu
Director Suresh Triveni told this simple story with a generous heart. One of the most entertaining films of the year, its refreshing narrative ensured the proceedings remained relatable and endearing. With Vidya Balan playing an ambitious housewife who becomes a radio jockey for a late-night relationship advice show, the film was an engaging joyride that carried a progressive social message.

Lipstick Under My Burkha

A black comedy written and directed by Alankrita Shrivastava, it told compelling stories in the seemingly dull lives of four ordinary women in Bhopal. The characters’ secret lives are a reaction against the everyday repressions faced in society. The film gave a platform to women’s sexuality, in a natural manner, as it opened bedroom doors and showed what happens behind them.

Bareilly Ki Barfi

This crowd-pleaser captured the flavour of small-town India, making for an engaging watch with no dull moments. Centring around the lives and loves of a bohemian Bareilly girl who falls for an author and is determined to find him, this sweet, inoffensive romantic comedy was boosted by strong performances, desi charm, and moments of fizzy humour.

Kadvi Hawa

Hailed as a deeply felt, beautifully articulated work of cinema, this Nila Madhab Panda directorial explored climate change and its effects in a dusty, dry, hopeless world. With bitter humour, the film looks at the burden of loan on farmers, the shockingly high rate of farmer suicides, and parents who cannot manage to feed their children. Searing in its realism, this film more than lived up to its name…

Death in the Gunj

Set in 1979, this Konkona SenSharma directorial debut was a coming of age story about a shy student who uses a family road trip to McCluskiegunj, an old Anglo-Indian town, as an escape from his failed semester. The façade of the perfect family holiday is soon ripped apart, as the holiday ends with an implosion. The film drew praise for being a ‘keenly observed drama, rich in atmospherics, brilliantly performed’ and for its slow-burning rhythm.

Haraamkhor

The audacious theme – a taboo relationship between a married teacher and his minor student – was tackled by filmmaker Shlok Sharma without taking sides. This is commendable considering it is the kind of theme that can go against the moral grain of even liberal audiences. Tinged with dark, daring humour, the film showed layers of this exploitative relationship, which go beyond the predator-victim premise.

Shubh Mangal Saavdhan

Director R Prasanna portrayed a frustrating reality of erectile dysfunction in a light, sensitive and sensible manner. The script never belittles the male lead, Mudit’s condition, while the humour is playful, but never prudish. There are provocative elements aplenty in clever and naughty poetry, symbolism and quips. The film works well as a comedy even as it sincerely does a good service to the cause of sex – or the lack of it.

Baahubali 2

This gargantuan regional film strode like a colossus across the county, a cinematic celebration that had every viewer hooked. If the makers had broken the barriers with part one of the film, the sequel to this bilingual fantasy-action film directed by S. S. Rajamouli, was hailed as the kind of sweeping magnum opus that Indian mythos and culture deserves. Not for nothing did it become the highest grossing Indian film of all time!

Trapped

This survival thriller by the very gifted Vikramaditya Motwane was a one-room drama unlike any other. Keeping the audience hooked with occasional humour and a few heart-stopping scenes, the film was more a personal story, a leaf out of Shaurya’s life rather than a cinematic celebration of a survivor. The film’s choice of a local high-rise as the setting for this drama was remarkable as it scored high on claustrophobia and eeriness.

Special Mentions:

Golmaal Again, Tiger Zinda Hai

Kudos to these entertainers that brought in the audiences and the moolah to the cash-strapped, lacklustre year that was the Bollywood box office.

Golmaal Again, the latest in the comedy franchise that has been kept alive for the last eleven years, was replete with moments of absolute fun. The gags in this Rohit Shetty offering might not have been radically different; a lack more than compensated for by the fine acting and hilarious dialogues.

And then, as we near the end of the year, the tiger roars his reign and all is well in the jungle. Tiger Zinda Hai, the sequel to the blockbuster Ek Tha Tiger, is an espionage action drama that follows a daring rescue mission in Iraq. And it is filling up seats faster than they can empty them! This Ali Abbas Zafar directorial, featuring the mighty Salman Khan, has earned a whopping Rs.172.75 crore in approximately five days of its release. It could well become the highest earner of the year, as far as Hindi films are concerned, as it is predicted to cross more than Rs.200-crore in the first week itself. Get out of the way, this tiger is on a rampage!