1. Merry Christmas
Release date: January 12
What: A lonely man and a single mother chance upon one another on Christmas Eve in retro Bombay. What follows is a slow-burn thriller, tempered with the bits, bobs and beats that are a trademark of director Sriram Raghavan’s style but also distinguished by territory unfamiliar to him — romance.
What worked: The homages and hat-tips to cinema of the Golden Age, a delightful Vijay Sethupathi with a nuanced Katrina Kaif acting as the perfect foil, the rewarding twists and turns in the plot.
What didn’t: The polarising climax that felt underwhelming to some viewers.
t2 review: Even at its most chaotic, there is control both in terms of craft and clarity that Raghavan brings to the film. There is no screaming or shouting, no loud moments of exaltation or sadness. Everything unfolds in ways that lead you forward but without any kind of handholding.
Watch it on: Netflix
2. Fighter
Release date: January 25
What: Good looks, good looks and more good looks. That, and a little bit of desh bhakti, a whole lot of enemy bashing and some Top Gun-inspired stunts in the air summed up this action extravaganza directed by Pathaan-War man Siddharth Anand. Fighter didn’t do as well as expected, but it remains one of the top earners of the year so far.
What worked: The smouldering chemistry between Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone, paired in a film for the first time, Hrithik’s swag as Patty, some of the aerial action, party hits like Sher khul gaye and Ishq jaisa kuch, the visually appealing locales.
What didn’t: Too much of a seen that-heard this feel, amateurish in parts, Deepika given short shrift with her Minnie seeming to be a gender empowerment box that Fighter was desperate to tick off, a rookie villain in newcomer Rishabh Sawhney.
t2 review: Siddharth Anand consistently keeps the audience engaged with the combat scenes, both in the sky and on the ground. The action is visceral, expertly involves the audience sitting in a dark theatre in a collective response of claps and gasps, and keeps the film constantly entertaining.
Watch it on: Netflix
Fighter Sourced by The Telegraph
3. Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya
Release date: February 9
What: A robotics expert falls in love with a robot his company has created in this film which seemed like most of it had been made after culling notes from ChatGPT. However, in a season where Bollywood has failed badly, Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, in retrospect, was at least semi-watchable. But that title... enough to make your jaw ache!
What worked: Some of the comedy bits, a fun Kriti Sanon as the robot SIFRA (aka Super Intelligent Female Robert Automation), the soundtrack, with chartbusters like the title track and Laal peeli ankhiyan and Shahid’s much-missed moves.
What didn’t: A comedy that isn’t layered enough to be a cautionary tale, surface-level treatment of a story with potential and promise.
t2 review: Convoluted, incoherent and unnecessary for a large part of its 143-minute runtime, this is the kind of film that robots could — and should — sue humans for making.
Watch it on: Prime Video
Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya Sourced by The Telegraph
4. Article 370
Release date: February 23
What: One of the first films in election year to be tagged ‘agenda-based’, Article 370 served as an explainer to the present regime’s abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir. Uri maker Aditya Dhar’s (he functioned as the producer here) ability to thrill and entertain even while working within the framework of propaganda filmmaking made Article 370 worth a watch. Also, the film is a bona fide hit at a time when most biggies are falling by the wayside.
What worked: The fact that the powerplay here was not limited and determined by testosterone — a spectacular Yami Gautam as a field agent and an assured Priyamani as a bureaucrat, technically well made, works best as a thriller.
What didn’t: Distortion of facts, tinged with propaganda.
t2 review: As much a celebration of the government as of the people of Kashmir, the film is also a tribute to the personal sacrifices of those who helped accomplish a task of this stature.
Article 370 Sourced by The Telegraph
5. All India Rank
Release date: February 23
What: Marking the directorial debut of writer Varun Grover, this simple yet profound film focused on a young boy in the ’90s preparing for the joint entrance exams, governed more by his father’s dreams than swayed by his own. The film, unfortunately, barely lasted in theatres.
What worked: Its sweet, sincere and personal tone and treatment, a coming-of-age drama that thrives on humour and observation, natural performances from its mostly new cast.
What didn’t: Lacks entertainment value, familiar look and feel.
Watch it on: Streams on Netflix from April 26
All India Rank Sourced by The Telegraph
6. Laapataa Ladies
Release date: March 1
What: More than a decade after Dhobi Ghat, Kiran Rao returned to the director’s chair for this satirical tale of two brides being unwittingly switched in rural India, which called for laughs but also functioned as a telling social commentary.
What worked: The perfect balance between a gently biting satire with a strong feminist heart, loaded with meaning and metaphor, a succinct portrayal of the Hindi heartland, heartfelt performances from Sparsh Srivastava, Pratibha Ranta and Nitanshi Goel, a sparkling act from Ravi Kishan, Kiran in full control of her craft.
What didn’t: The attempt to tick off some woke boxes in broad strokes.
t2 review: At its heart, Laapataa Ladies is a simple tale of switched identities, but Kiran makes it much more. With the aid of situational comedy and some crisp-as-a-whip lines, the filmmaker casts an eye on the plight and pathos of women.
Watch it in: Still playing in cinemas
7. Shaitaan
Release date: March 8
What: A happy family of four find their lives torn apart when a stranger walks into their holiday home and casts a spell on the teenaged daughter. A good-vs-evil story with an occult twist, Shaitaan is one of the biggest box-office successes of the year so far.
What worked: A scene-stealing act from R. Madhavan as the antagonist, Ajay Devgn in familiar saviour dad mode, an impactful turn from young actor Janki Bodiwala, some thrills and chills, gets the beats of the torture-porn genre right.
What didn’t: Parts of it are recycled in rinse-repeat mode, an overcooked climax filled with mumbo-jumbo.
t2 review: Shaitaan is fairly gripping if a superficially mounted thriller is what one is looking for. The film limps towards what is an overcooked climax replete with the kind of occult gibberish that Bollywood has never been able to get rid of.
Watch it in: Cinemas
Shaitaan Sourced by The Telegraph
8. Madgaon Express
Release date: March 22
What: Actor Kunal Kemmu made his directorial debut with this rip-roaring watch that took the three-friends-in-a-comedy template and imbued it with sparkling lines and situational comic scenes. The film has found many takers and is a decent hit.
What worked: The haha-a-minute plot, the fun jugalbandi between Divyenndu, Pratik Gandhi and Avinash Tiwary, Kunal’s strong writing and directing blending contemporary and classic comedy, the avoidance of boorish comedy and bawdy dialogue.
What didn’t: Scenes drag on long after they have lost their edge.
t2 review: A heady mix of slapstick and situational comedy, this is a rare Hindi film in recent times that despite bursting at the seams with cliches and stereotypes, manages to turn most of them on their heads, coming up with a bona fide laugh riot.
Watch it in: Cinemas
9. Crew
Release date: March 29
What: Three air-hostesses, friends in the air and on the ground, find their world turned upside down when they chance upon a gold smuggling racket within the airline they work in. Crew has been a notable box-office winner, becoming the highest opener for a female-led film globally.
What worked: The fun and electric chemistry between Tabu, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Kriti Sanon, a rare film led by women which shows them having fun and not leading a female empowerment mission, some crackling lines and scenes featuring the three leading ladies.
What didn’t: The wafer-thin plot, some parts are stretched while some are glossed over.
t2 review: The trio are a hoot, putting life and soul into characters that could have easily become the sum total of only their synopses in the film’s script.
Watch it in: Cinemas
ONLY ON OTT
10. Bhakshak
Release date: February 9
What: Based on real-life events, this is the story of a feisty female journalist who takes on the system to expose a prostitution racket being carried out in a women’s rehabilitation centre. Bhakshak released directly on streaming.
What worked: A strong and sincere performance from Bhumi Pednekar as the lead, the slow but sledgehammer-like sucker punch treatment, the film’s constant call to consciousness.
What didn’t: Preachy at times, especially the speech at the end.
t2 review: Debutant director Pulkit pulls no punches in telling this hard-hitting story. Bhakshak rests solely on Bhumi’s shoulders and the actor excels.
Watch it on: Netflix
Which was your favourite Hindi film in the first three months of 2024? Tell t2@abp.in
