Images

The best and worst of Bollywood in 2015

The best and worst of Bollywood in 2015

This was also the year with unabashed blood and gore on screen.
31 Dec, 2015

2015 was a year of surprises. Films that looked like they would slip through the cracks were the ones that blew your socks off, while the ones that came with pedigree and big stars fell flat.

This was the year the true face of the Indian family came to the fore on celluloid, with films such as Titli, Dil Dhadakne Do, Piku and Dum Laga Ke Haisha chronicling the new Indian family – the one that isn’t living happily ever after.

This was also the year with unabashed blood and gore on screen, and not just of the Singham variety. Whether it was Varun Dhawan smashing Radhika Apte‘s head with a hammer in Badlapur or Anushka Sharma beating a man to death in NH10, some of the most effective films were ones that weren’t queasy about showing violence.

Here’s a list of what we liked in 2015, in no particular order:

Yami Gautum and Varun Dhawan in 'Badlapur'.─Photo: Aayamaza.com
Yami Gautum and Varun Dhawan in 'Badlapur'.─Photo: Aayamaza.com

Badlapur

Coming at the beginning of the year, Sriram Raghavan‘s revenge drama was a punch in the gut. Varun Dhawan shed his lover boy image and transformed into a man consumed by vengeance for those who killed his wife and son.

Taking inspiration from Massimo Carlotto’s book “Death’s Dark Abyss“, Raghavan crafted a searing story that deals with a tried and tested genre in a completely different way and forces you to wonder whether you correctly identified the hero and the villain.

Ayushmann Khurrana and Bhumi Pednekar in 'Dum Laga Ke Haisha'─Photo: Scroll.in
Ayushmann Khurrana and Bhumi Pednekar in 'Dum Laga Ke Haisha'─Photo: Scroll.in

Dum Laga Ke Haisha

Sharat Katariya‘s wickedly funny and brilliantly observed tale of a marriage was a breath of fresh air. Both Ayushmann Khurrana and Bhumi Pednekar were perfectly cast as a couple navigating the bumps of arranged marriage. The supporting cast blended in perfectly and Anu Malik’s score underscored the movie’s old world charm.

Deepika and Amitabh in 'Piku'.─ screengrab from trailer.
Deepika and Amitabh in 'Piku'.─ screengrab from trailer.

Piku

The subject might have been shit, but it was some good shit. Shoojit Sircar‘s tale of the interdependent and almost parasitic relationship between a cantankerous man and his daughter was one of the highlights of the year.

“Piku” had a stellar cast that played off each other perfectly and a story that most Indians could relate to. Deepika Padukone was in the best form of her career in this one, matching up to Amitabh Bachchan and Irrfan Khan in every scene.

'Talvar' was one of those rare films that chose restraint over sensationalism.─Photo: Indian Express
'Talvar' was one of those rare films that chose restraint over sensationalism.─Photo: Indian Express

Talvar

Making an unbiased film based on a notorious murder case that hasn’t been completely resolved isn’t easy. Meghna Gulzar tried, and even though she didn’t quite manage to keep her biases out, she did make a crime procedural that gripped you from the word go. “Talvar” was one of those rare films that chose restraint over sensationalism and managed to convey the tragedy of the Aarushi Talwar murder case.

'Titli' was a no-holds-barred look at the real Indian family─Reuters/File
'Titli' was a no-holds-barred look at the real Indian family─Reuters/File

Titli

Why this film languished in the Yash Raj Films kitty for a year and a half is a question every movie fan needs to ask the studio. Just like his characters, director Kanu Behl is ruthless in the way he steers the film.

This is a no-holds-barred look at the real Indian family, warts and all. With the help of a brilliant ensemble cast and inspired writing, Behl creates the antithesis of the Hum Aapke Hain Koun and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham school of cinema (if there is such a thing). “Titli” is a sign that Bollywood finally realises not all families are happy.

And here’s the worst of Bollywood in 2015:

was an ordeal to sit through, from start to finish.─Photo: Dailymotion screengrab
was an ordeal to sit through, from start to finish.─Photo: Dailymotion screengrab

Bangistan

This is one of those films that must have sounded great on paper, but it didn’t work on the big screen. Riteish Deshmukh and Pulkit Samrat play suicide bombers who are out to sabotage each other’s mission, and first-time director Karan Anshuman probably set out to make a satire on fundamentalism and its roots, but that objective got lost somewhere in a crowded screenplay and some nonsensical jokes.

This one was an ordeal to sit through, from start to finish.

Calendar Girls was a definite hall-of-shame entry.
Calendar Girls was a definite hall-of-shame entry.

Calendar Girls

Madhur Bhandarkar is the new Ram Gopal Varma. A film-maker who has run out of ideas and is hiding behind sleazy scenes and skin show. His latest attempt is worse than earlier ones – a photo shoot pretending to be a film. A definite hall-of-shame entry.

Shaandaar was a huge waste of some really good talent
Shaandaar was a huge waste of some really good talent

Shaandaar

After the successful and much-loved Queen, it seemed Vikas Bahl had everything going for him. He had two of the biggest young stars in Shahid Kapur and Alia Bhatt, but what was supposed to be a stoner comedy/modern fairy tale didn’t quite translate on screen.

The film was full of tepid jokes and scenes and was a huge waste of some really good talent.

the story of a saccharine sweet heroine and a virtuous hero was completely out-dated.
the story of a saccharine sweet heroine and a virtuous hero was completely out-dated.

Prem Ratan Dhan Payo

Sooraj Barjatya‘s films had their time – in the 90s. In today’s day and age, the story of a saccharine sweet heroine and a virtuous hero was completely out-dated.

Salman Khan‘s double role as a prince and a pauper seemed unconvincing and Barjatya’s usual tropes of elaborate song-and-dance sequences punctuated by moral science lectures grated on the ear.

A terrible movie. ─Publicity Photo
A terrible movie. ─Publicity Photo

MSG: The Messenger

It’s not that the film itself wasn’t terrible, because it was. What made this paean to self-declared godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh unbearable is that it was propaganda masquerading as a film. The garish costumes and the nonsensical dialogue didn’t help either.

Also Read: This list of 2015's highest paid Bollywood actors shows female stars earn less than men

Comments

Karma Dec 31, 2015 12:41am
..Yo people, you missed so many films like Manjhi, hunterr, Drishyam, .Baahubali, Masaan, ABCD 2, Brothers, Bajirao Mastani, Tanu weds manu returns and Bajrangi Bhaijaan....
Recommend
Kailash Dec 31, 2015 01:07am
Come on how can MSG be a flop movie? ;) Surprised not to see Bajirao Mastani, and Drishyam. I also liked Baby.
Recommend
koki Dec 31, 2015 02:35am
Did you avoid commenting on geriatric club , Dilwale...?
Recommend
vihaan Dec 31, 2015 08:20am
what about tamasha/BajiRao Mastani/BaBy????
Recommend
Tarun Dec 31, 2015 10:42am
Masaan can be added in that list. Another out of stream movie and came out very well.
Recommend
Farrukh Kiani Dec 31, 2015 11:21am
Titli and DLKH certainly blew my mind. Plot was so real. loved it. Dilwale was actually a big let down so as Tamashaa.
Recommend
OQ Dec 31, 2015 11:55am
How come Drishyam is not on this list. That's the only good Bollywood movie I watched in 2015.
Recommend
Ram wagh Dec 31, 2015 12:45pm
u missed Drishyyam, Tanu weds manu returns, Bajirao Mastani.
Recommend
Karma Dec 31, 2015 02:03pm
...Dum Laga Ke Haisha shows how terrible is for Indian women to adjust to new environment when they get arrange marriage...excellent movie..
Recommend
deven Jan 01, 2016 08:44am
Missed too many. Missing Bajirao Mastani,Dilwale, Manjhi, Bahubali ,Masaan ,Two Brothers and so many more Bollywood films. Yah, if you add regional films to the list then the list will be longer than all the world-wide films put to-gather.
Recommend
Hamid shafiq Jan 01, 2016 09:56am
No film as equivalent to word film related to story acting and script Sorry
Recommend
Someone Jan 01, 2016 12:28pm
@Hamid shafiq Awwwww "word film" like chambeli?? You are right.
Recommend
Umair Jan 01, 2016 01:31pm
"It’s not that the film itself wasn’t terrible, because it was." good one!
Recommend
Tejas Nair Jan 01, 2016 04:53pm
Good list, but you missed a lot of great films of 2015, and a way, way lot of worse films of. Here is the top 15 Hindi movies list in the form of video countdown we made: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnpkJW7Gcn4
Recommend