Here is my official top ten Hindi cinema flicks this year, since there is no expected new releases for the rest of the year...

Hindi Cinema 2001

1) Monsoon Wedding
-This film should have been put forward by the Indian film industry towards the oscar's. It could have competed with great flicks like Amile. Monsoon Wedding is perfectly shot, wonderfully performed and very original in its content. This film I compleatly enjoied from start to finish.

2) Lagaan
-The best flick which has all the codes and conventions of bollywood cinema. It certainly has the best soundtrack of the year and is beautifully crafted by its creator and producer Aamir Khan. Even its long four hours running time didn't affect audiences and neither did the cricket match affect female audeinces. The film was a box-office hit and deservingly so.

3) Chandni Bar
- A small production, roughly shot by unknowns and the result is a dark tale of the red light district, which is captured on cellioud with craft and skill. While many male audiences enjoyed the film for the wrong reasons, it is a passionate tale about women in the industry and how they are both winners and losers in society eyes. Tabu should win the award for best actress for this film!

4) Bawandar
Nandita Das in the role that is based on a ture story about a social worker who is raped because of her views on child marriages. The film makes a strong impact that is very harrowing and sadning to the mind. Never was I disturbed, since my cinema viewing of Bandit Queen. The film is very challenging and I'm sure many males in India are very worried about the truthfulness of this film. The film was directed by film maker Jagmohan Mundhra from USA, and beats his perviously directed film Monsoon, which was below avarage. He has directed Bawandar in a way that will leave an impact in your minds forever... Gulshan Grover performance as the lawyer excels and should be nominated for best supporting actor.

5) Abhay
- Kamal Hassan's underestimated tale of anti social behavior. The film didn't click with many audiences, which is too dark and crazed. But the film also has inner soul which when dissected becomes a tale with mad reason. The heavy useage of visual effects, animation, and vivid cinemtography by Thiru (who is one of the best in the field) is spectacular. The film's only weak point is the direction which was harsh in places, but lets not forget that the director Suresh Krishna who brought us many dud ficks like Annamalai, Sangaman, Love & Jagaruti has improved his skill with this movie. God only knows what the film could have been like had Kamal Hassan had directed it.

Abhay is a film not meant to be liked by anyone, but this pyscho loves it..

6) Nayak - The Real Hero
-A remake of the Tamil film Mudhalvan. The film has been changed for north Indian audiences to sell a celluiod vision of India's politics away from courruption. From the director of Gentleman, Indian, Jeans and Kadhalan, Shankar manages to film his messasge in a way that is similar to early B.R. Chopra films. With a great soundtrack and a thrilling fight seqeunce that is India's answer to The Matrix its a film that will gain popularity with future VHS/DVD rental and cable/sat viewing.

7) Aks - The Reflection
-A wonderful debut from director Rakesh Omprakash Mehra, with a film that is a visual treat. But the plot, written by Kamlesh Panday, is too weak and many moments remind me of too many Hollywood films. It might have been original for Indian audiences in the east but for an Asian living in the west, like myself, its a film I have seen before.

Big B performance and technical content are the film's highlight and should be nominated in awards galore. Manoj Bajpai is brill and his dark/infamous speech "Na Koi Marta Hai" is spoken by asian kids in the playground. Raveena Tandon impresses with a role that gives the femme fatal image a new look in Indian cinema (she also looks stunning).

But the long running time and weak screenplay makes this film lagging. Intrestingly this film is compared to Abhay, and while both films has its similarities and its flaws I feel Abhay to be the better of the two because the screenplay of Abhay is more flowing and better composed. Pity that audiences around the world didn't agree but then I am a werid film fan.

8) Dil Chahta Hai
- A wonderful look on three mates who begins thier journey on life, love and friendship. Again the plot is quite freshing especailly during the first half. The film slows down in the second half but the three male leads (Aamir Khan, Akshay Khanna and Saif Ali Khan) shine and is the reason for the film positive responces. A nice effort from director Farhan Akthar, who will go very far in the industry if he carries on displaying such creativity. An excellent 20something movie made for 20 something audiences!!!

9) Kahbi Kushi Kahbie Gham
- A family film directed by Karan Johar. It is a tug of war bewteen old and new values in Indian family and social life. It also pays respect to the Indian culture, and educates us how to love our parents and child. The film is heavliy inspired from the early works of Yash Chopra and Sooraj Barjatiya. Nice performances and great technical content will make this film go far. Will be the biggest hit of the year, but not the best film of the year as the film is filled with a long running time making the polt seem a little slow and overt.

[10] 10)Ek Rishtaa[/b]
- Ok many of you will think what the hell is Sunny thinking, what about flicks like Yeh Tera Ghar Yeh Mere Ghar, Lajja, Moskha & Asoka. But none of these films made me cry or smile the way Ek Rishtaa did. I admit the film is not well made, yet I found some moments in the film to be very heart warming.

The scene with Big B and Akshay Kumar eating a sandwich is another scene which will become memorable in Indian cinema, and the touching song 'Hum kush Hue" was a score that affected me and did what no film speeches could never do during this moment in the film. It certainly had some fine moments, but the weak ass climax and a couple of cliche scenes really was the weakest link in the film, and thus has become a reason why many hated this film.

Intrestingly it is a film that was deemed to be a box office failure but came out on top to be one of Hindi cinema most proftable film this year, even hitting high in UK/US cinema charts. Even DVD sales was quite good according to DEI. It has repeating viewing poteintal, maiing the film more stronger in the next coming years, and never bores dispite having a plot that we have all seen before. The film has a good star cast, and all perform as expected. Its melodrama at its best.

Well thats my controversial top list which is bound to get some boo's (calling me mad and telling me off). But that's cool as I'm use to that.

IM NOT BOOING YOURE LIST SUNNY .....AS I HAVE NOT SEEN BAWANDAR,CHANDNI BAR,ABAHAY,DIL CHAHTA HAIN AND EJOYED REST OF YOURE CHOICES INCLUDING EK RISTAA SO I CAN SEE CONTROVESY

Like look of the top 9 - reservations for 10 :p I’d like to see Monsoon Wedding sometime – do you know when and who’s doing the DVD?

Ali

Am I right in thinking (looking through the Zulm previews) that only one of these currently has an acceptable quality DVD on release?

Mike

You would be right in saying that - which shows the sad state of Indian DVDs ??? I would say these are OK DVDs but have their share of problems too;

Abhay - although not usual DEI quality is still OK
Nayak - ok video, poor sound
Dil Chahta Hai - decent but pixilation problems

and the one DVD quality DVD, Ek Rishta - last decent DVD to come out, still slightly squashed video though.

..of course most are waiting to see how Lagaan is going to turn out from Colombia Tristar.

Ali

I prefered (in order of preference)

1. Dil Chahta Hai (My absolute favorite film ever - I wouldn't say it's the best, but still, it's my favourite:))
2. Lagaan
3. Monsoon Wedding
4. Zubeidaa
5. Chandni Bar
6. Asoka
7. ?
8. ?
9. ?
10. ?

I don't think the Nayak or Ek Rishta fit in here... I haven't seen Nayak but I've seen Mudhalvan and it was a whole lot of crap except for the Shakalaka song which is brilliant. But obviously it's not shot by Shankar cause the rest of film isn't so slick. This Shankar guy is SO overhyped.

Almost the same list as I have except Yeh Tera ghar Yeh Mera Ghar replaces Chadni bar and Chandni bar goes to 7

1. Dil Chahta Hai (
2. Lagaan
3. Monsoon Wedding
4. Zubeidaa
5. Yeh Tera Ghar Yeh Mera Ghar
6. Asoka
7. Chandni Bar

Havent seen K3G. I dont have the elitist attitude that many memebers here have. So I dont automatically hate a Govinda flick or a hyped film like K3G

Yep Mudalvan is a boring film. But it was a huge hit. Never liked any of Shankar's films myself except for Hindustani. I think he is more popular for the huge amount he spends on his sets and special effects. You could think of a Balachandar school of films or a Bharathi Raja school of films or a Manirathnam school of films. I donr think we can think of a Shakar school of films. Same goes with Rajiv Menon. He could as well have been shooting just the songs in his films and we wouldnt have missed much

I agree with most of it except #s 5,6, and 10. Instead of those three, I would have (in no order) Asoka, Zubeidaa, and PTKK. So my list would look something like this:

1)DCH
2)Lagaan
3)Aks
4)Asoka
5)Zubeidaa
6)Chandni Bar
7)Bawandar
Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham
9)PTKK
10)Haven't seen Monsoon Wedding (really want to) so for now I'll put Moksha. But I'm sure Monsoon Wedding will figure somewhere on this list.

1) Monsoon Wedding
2) Dil Chahta Hai
3) Lagaan
4) Asoka (History be damned )
5) Zubeida
6) Gadar (Yes, inspite of all its flaws & the awful climax)
7) Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham
Pyar Tune Kya Kiya
9) Chandani Bar
10)Love Ke LIye Kuch Bhi Karega

Honorouble Mention: Tum Bin, Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, Abhay & Aks

Have not seen 'Bawandar' so it is not taken into account.



Could'nt agree more on this. Shankar is a 'B grade stunt film' director at best. Given the extremely high budgets and the technical expertise thus available to him, it is no big deal to be able to have a few slick stunts and song picturisations in a film.

I, unfortunately have seen Nayak. And believe me, it is as crappy as they get. David Dhawan movies not included, since they deserve the 'crappiest' title to themselves



Edited By Sanjay on Dec. 27 2001 at 09:33

Miramax is handling the distribution of 'Wedding Monsoon' in US and Canada. But I am not sure if that would include the video rights too.

Zubediaa was released late 2000.

I like the works of Shankar. His creativity is quite exagerated but that's his work, which I enjoy. He is the Damon Hurst of Indian cinema. I feel if he worte the scripts but got someone to directed them then the films would have more of an impact. If your reading Shankar I would be happy to do that for you

Nayak was an improvement over Mudhalavan and come on that fight scene was the best. If I would change the film then I would have got Rahman to compose new tunes, used Arjun for the same role (as he exceled over Anil Kapoor), and kill off the romantic seqeunces by having no heronines.

Dont get me wrong. I dont hate any of Shankar's movies since they are good timepass and the movies are in a grand scale. But that doesnt qualify the film to be good

How much I would prefer to see a movie has nothing to do with how good a movie it is. I would watch Jeans multiple times, but wouldnt watch a Chandni bar multiple times. Thats the nature of the movie. Or alternatively you could think that watching it once was enoug to etch it in my memory



Edited By jag on Dec. 15 2001 at 20:04

Shahran, now that you mention it, it could be a December 2000 release. Edited my list to reflect the ommission of 'Zubeida'.



Edited By Sanjay on Dec. 16 2001 at 19:03

I heard that Monsoon wedding was being distributed by Columbia TriStar in India.... so could there be a possibilty they may do the DVD??

Some of my top films of 2001 are:(I am not sure if i will make it 10 )

1) Lagaan
2) Dil Chahta hai
3) Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham
4) Chandni Bar
5) MOnsoon Wedding
6) Bawandar
7) Asoka
Tum Bin
9) Gadar
10) Lajja

I guess i made it but boy i had to think hard as this year was seriously short of meaningful cinema..... however there was anther film i was told is good which was shyam benegals "hari bhari".. I havent seen it so am not sure....