New Delhi: Unlike 2012, this year didn't see my experiments in
the story department of Hindi films. Last year, there were films such
as 'Gangs of Wasseypur', 'Paan Singh Tomar', 'Vicky Donor' and
'Kahaani', which were not only technically sound but also were
experimental in many ways. The cash registers were ringing since the
beginning of 2013, but there were not many films were really 'different'
in their approach. However, there were a few of them which kept the
light of creativity burning. Here is my list of mainstream film stories
which dared to get detached from the usual dance-romance-action league.
Ship of Theseus: It became a mainstream film the moment Kiran Rao came on the board. Anand Gandhi, Pankaj Kumar and Khushboo Ranka came up with enexpected twist in all the three stories. I am particularly impressed with the second story in which the monk realises that he has not denounced the world completely when he was about to die. The way he says, 'I want to meet my mother,' worked on several levels. It was subtle, profound and layered. Ship of Theseus makes it my list for its daring approach.
Shahid: Just one word, daring. We all know how badly an innovative director needs backing from the producers to construct a film without any saleable ingredient. Fiurst fifteen minutes of 'Shahid' covers a span of 7-8 years, and then it goes on to present two years of Shahid Azmi's professional life. The linear structure of the story proved to be a right choice as the trio of Sameer Gautam Singh, Apurva Asrani and Hansal Mehta got into every detail of the slain lawyer's life. I read several reports on Shahid Azmi and the film didn't miss a single detail. Its fantastic detailing brings 'Shahid' to this list.
Ghanchakkar: Yes, it's a debatable choice, but the film's
first and probably the last twist makes it one of the finest stories of
2013. The attempted dark comedy has a bank robbery scene which goes on
to build up the central conflict line. Normally, we see that the
directors focus on discreet scenes and fail to amalgamate them together,
but same was not the case with 'Ghanchakkar'. Against all wishes and
expectations, the hero refuses to remember anything even when he was in
grave danger.
Table No 21: Of course, there were loopholes in the execution, which also turned fatal for the film at the box-office, but giving the story a meaning with its second twist worked in its favour. Aditya Datt's portrayal of ragging and its after-effects was hair-raising. The value of the story forced me to include 'Table No 21' in this list.
Ek Thi Daayan: There wasn't much wrong with the story except the fact that the director succumbed to imaginary box-office pressure during the climax. The build-up of the tension surrounding a witch scared most of the audiences due to the time given to plots. The premise unfolded slowly which provided the viewer a chance to realise the gravity of the situation.
The Lunchbox: A progressive story with a well timed ending. A retired person slowly bonds with a stranger over delicious meals. The simplicity of a complex love relationship pierced the hearts. Its originality fetched my attention.
Special 26: The suspense and tempo. The Bara Bazaar scene is my personal favourite, but it is selected because of the wholesome experience it provides. The three act structure has been followed in an ideal way.
Jolly LLB: Once again, the value and social concern of the film. A well intentioned film, which is basically a story about hope and underdog's triumph, reminded me of 'And Justice For All'.
Honorary Mentions: Two films, a documentary and an Assamese film. Shivendra Singh Dungurpur's 'Celluloid Man' and Jahnu Barua's 'Baandhon'. The first for its focus and the second for its unshakeable faith in humanity.
Ship of Theseus: It became a mainstream film the moment Kiran Rao came on the board. Anand Gandhi, Pankaj Kumar and Khushboo Ranka came up with enexpected twist in all the three stories. I am particularly impressed with the second story in which the monk realises that he has not denounced the world completely when he was about to die. The way he says, 'I want to meet my mother,' worked on several levels. It was subtle, profound and layered. Ship of Theseus makes it my list for its daring approach.
Shahid: Just one word, daring. We all know how badly an innovative director needs backing from the producers to construct a film without any saleable ingredient. Fiurst fifteen minutes of 'Shahid' covers a span of 7-8 years, and then it goes on to present two years of Shahid Azmi's professional life. The linear structure of the story proved to be a right choice as the trio of Sameer Gautam Singh, Apurva Asrani and Hansal Mehta got into every detail of the slain lawyer's life. I read several reports on Shahid Azmi and the film didn't miss a single detail. Its fantastic detailing brings 'Shahid' to this list.
Here is a list of Bollywood films of 2013 which were subtle, experimental, profound yet mainstream.
Table No 21: Of course, there were loopholes in the execution, which also turned fatal for the film at the box-office, but giving the story a meaning with its second twist worked in its favour. Aditya Datt's portrayal of ragging and its after-effects was hair-raising. The value of the story forced me to include 'Table No 21' in this list.
Ek Thi Daayan: There wasn't much wrong with the story except the fact that the director succumbed to imaginary box-office pressure during the climax. The build-up of the tension surrounding a witch scared most of the audiences due to the time given to plots. The premise unfolded slowly which provided the viewer a chance to realise the gravity of the situation.
The Lunchbox: A progressive story with a well timed ending. A retired person slowly bonds with a stranger over delicious meals. The simplicity of a complex love relationship pierced the hearts. Its originality fetched my attention.
Special 26: The suspense and tempo. The Bara Bazaar scene is my personal favourite, but it is selected because of the wholesome experience it provides. The three act structure has been followed in an ideal way.
Jolly LLB: Once again, the value and social concern of the film. A well intentioned film, which is basically a story about hope and underdog's triumph, reminded me of 'And Justice For All'.
Honorary Mentions: Two films, a documentary and an Assamese film. Shivendra Singh Dungurpur's 'Celluloid Man' and Jahnu Barua's 'Baandhon'. The first for its focus and the second for its unshakeable faith in humanity.
