If 2014 was a dull year for the Hindi Film Industry compared to 2013, this year was worse if we talk about the Box Office. One film crossed the 300 crore mark domestically (‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’), one film (almost) crossed the 200 crore mark (‘Prem Ratan Dhan Payo’); two in the 100 crore club (‘Tanu Weds Manu Returns’, ‘ABCD 2’). Two biggies released on December 18th and both have grossed 100 crores so far (and counting)- ‘Dilwale’ and ‘Bajirao Mastani’. The hindi version of ‘Baahubali’ itself earned 120 crores. Numbers are quite huge if we consider the worldwide collections of these films but still not good enough for a year.
The hindi version of the ambitious and huge blockbuster ‘Baahubali’ did well too. While small independent films like ‘Masaan’ and ‘Titli’ garnered rave reviews, they went unnoticed at the BO.
The year belonged to Salman Khan if we consider the money his films have been making for the last few years. But this year, the phenomenal superstar also delivered a fine performance in ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ and did certainly prove there can be more to him than those mindless biggies he is mostly known for. 2015 also saw him teaming up with Director Sooraj Barjatya and his fans loved him reprising the role of Prem once again.
It was also a year for Ranveer Singh as he continued to prove his mettle as an actor. If he was his usual self in ‘Dil Dhadakne Do’ which bombed at the BO, he also got to play Bajirao in his second film with Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
So again…
Here, I present my picks for the Hits and Misses of 2015. Do remember these are personal choices and irrespective of commercial success or star power. You may choose to disagree and are most welcome to do so. I am not expecting the awards at the upcoming ceremonies to be in sync with most of my picks.
The Flicks: Top 10
10) A tie:
Main Aur Charles
‘Main Aur Charles’ was quite slow and even at just over two hours, one did feel it was a little stretched but Director Prawaal Raman kept it gripping. Based on the charming, intelligent and ruthless serial killer Charles Sobhraj, this one was worth a dekko on the silver screen for sure. Randeep Hooda sank his teeth into the role of Charles. Cast well, he looked like Sobhraj; must have worked hard on his accent, body language and mannerisms. Adil Hussain as police officer Amod Kanth was brilliant and Richa Chadda was fine as a law student hopelessly in love with Charles.
My Verdict: It was a very cool thriller directed the way it should have been.
At the Box Office: Flop
Rahasya
Loosely based on the Aarushi-Hemraj double murder case, ‘Rahasya’ was a well-made gripping thriller which made you guess till the end who the killer would be. Kay Kay Menon sparkled in his role. It’s a pity that a movie like this goes unnoticed.
My Verdict: Why this film didn’t get a proper release and response is a Rahasya!
At the Box Office: Flop
9) Manjhi
Based on the true story of Dashrath Manjhi (The Mountain Man), Director Ketan Mehta’s movie was about a poor labourer from Gehlaur in Bihar who carved a path through a mountain with just a hammer and chisel. It took him twenty two years. Mehta chose to tell the story of an unsung hero and he did it quite brilliantly. ‘Manjhi’ began with a lot of promise, did lose steam midway but delivered post-interval till the end. It was a small film with a heart. There wasn’t any fancy locations and it was mostly shot on a rugged mountain. Nawazuddin Siddiqui was exceptional yet again.
My Verdict: As Manjhi put it in the movie- ‘Shaandaar Jabardast Zindaabaad!’, this movie was a gem for the sheer reason that it told you a simple true story worth telling. If you ask me, this was Director Ketan Mehta’s best work so far after ‘Mirch Masala’.
At the Box Office: Flop
8) Badlapur
An unconventional crime drama, Director Sriram Raghavan’s ‘Badlapur’ was about Revenge. They say Revenge is the purest emotion; the whole idea of which was twisted here as the hero and villain were both grey characters and their lines blurred. What set ‘Badlapur’ apart from other movies of its genre was the unpredictability. Varun Dhawan’s choice to experiment hit the right note and he delivered a performance worth praise. However, even that paled to an extent since a powerhouse of talent Nawazuddin Siddiqui had as much screen time as the movie’s hero. He was brilliant yet again and brought to his character a certain kind of empathy even if he was so wrong. ‘Badlapur’ was as much his film as it belonged to Varun.
My Verdict: This ‘badla’ wasn’t about good versus evil like most revenge sagas; unconventional and unpredictable, ‘Badlapur’ was ‘BAD-LA’cious!
At the Box Office: Hit
7) Baby
Not half as good as the director’s ‘A Wednesday’ and even ‘Special 26’, ‘Baby’ was still a gripping and entertaining edge-of-the-seat spy thriller. Neeraj Pandey created the same kind of tension as in his previous movies (remember that solo dialogue by Naseeruddin Shah in ‘A Wednesday’ or the con climax in ‘Special 26’?) and by the time ‘Baby’ ended, it turned out to be a good and fulfilling movie experience. There was a lot going in favour of the movie- the awesome performances, direction, dialogues and the background score which created the right impact for a movie like this. Akshay Kumar was excellent and it’s a pleasure to watch him not fooling around in loud meaningless movies.
My Verdict: By the time a year ends, the first few releases of the year are almost forgotten. ‘Baby’ deserves to be recalled.
At the Box Office: Semi Hit
6) Bajrangi Bhaijaan
Eid and a Salman Khan Release is almost synonymous now. Each year, we have been dished out badly directed mindless films cashing in on the superstar’s recent success; minting a lot of money at the Box Office. ‘Dabangg’ was fun while most others might have been plain torture for many (fans must have loved them). And that is why,‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ sprung a pleasant surprise as it turned out to be among the very few well-made films the superstar has been a part of. Director Kabir Khan told us a simple story emphasizing on peace and humanity. It also proved Salman Khan can act and there was little Harshali Malhotra who was the best thing about the movie with her angelic smile and innocence.
My Verdict: ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ had his heart in the right place and so did the movie; directors should give Salman more of such roles. Kasam Bajrangbali Ki!
At the Box Office: Huge Blockbuster
5) Dil Dhadakne Do
Director Zoya Akhtar’s ‘Dil Dhadakne Do’ was a quirky comedy drama about a dysfunctional rich and famous business family. It delivered what the trailer promised and I simply loved DDD. The whole set-up, the humour, the drama, the performances… all worked! A few scenes had me laughing out loud. The script and dialogues were perfect for the mood of the film. The only problem I had was its length. At nearly three hours, it did make you restless and that is because there wasn’t much of a plot here.
My Verdict: It was the kind of movie you would want to watch on a lazy free afternoon with a tub of popcorn, laugh out loud and then leave the hall with a smile on your face.
At the Box Office: Flop
4) Piku
It was a beautiful slice-of-life film which didn’t exaggerate on emotions yet told us the story of a father and daughter just so brilliantly. Director Shoojit Sircar’s ‘Piku’ reminded you of Hrishikesh Mukherjee films; simple story-telling with some humour. With some memorable performances from Amitabh Bachchan, Irrfan Khan and especially Deepika Padukone, this was a smartly scripted good watch.
My Verdict: ‘Piku’ must have made you smile, laugh and get moist-eyed and you didn’t need to be a daughter for it.
At the Box Office: Hit
3) NH10
In the first few minutes post-interval, a somewhat unimportant character rightly summed up the theme of ‘NH10’ – “Yeh Gurgaon mein jahaa aakhri mall khatam hoti hain naa, wohi aapki yeh democracy aur constitution bhi khatam ho jaata hain.” Co-produced by Anushka Sharma, in his second movie Director Navdeep Singh gave us one of the most gripping yet relevant thrillers in recent times. A great script well-directed with a fantastic performance from Anushka makes this one among the best films made this year.
My Verdict: The next time you are on a highway away from the city, you might really want to carry a pistol. ‘NH10’ was frightening and real.
At the Box Office: Hit
2) Tamasha
Director Imtiaz Ali’s ‘Tamasha’ was a love story at heart but mostly about any ordinary person living a humdrum life while there can be so much more to him/her. I have always loved the way Imtiaz tells his stories and this was no different. It made a point on futile ambitions and being part of a rat race without understanding what one exactly wants in life. It was about knowing who you actually are. It was about chasing your dreams. Post a few debacles, Ranbir Kapoor was back with a fantastic performance supported well by his ex-flame Deepika Padukone. But ‘Tamasha’ was complex, uneven and definitely not for the masses and people who don’t like to think much while watching a movie.
My Verdict: A story well told and directed. Take a bow, Imtiaz Ali. It wasn’t his best but still a good watch.
At the Box Office: Flop
1) Talvar
‘Talvar’ was an unsentimental and mostly objective take on the Aarushi-Hemraj double murder case though it did tilt a little in favour of the parents. Vishal Bhardwaj’s tight script, Meghna Gulzar’s deft direction and the terrific performances made this one a must-watch. Irrfan Khan delivered yet another gem of a performance.
My Verdict: A hard-hitting drama which deserved to be made. Excellent. No second thought.
At the Box Office: Semi Hit
The Worst Five
5) Singh is Bliing
Just when you thought Akshay Kumar was choosing decent roles, he was back in another dim-witted no-brainer. Director (!) Prabhu Deva dished out nonsense again. A few funny scenes in the first half made it watcheable but post interval, it was a big mess.
My Verdict: Prabhu Deva should stop (mis)directing and do what he does best- dance.
At The Box Office: Flop. I wonder why. There have been worse movies which turned out big money-spinners.
4) Khamoshiyan
A terrible cocktail of sex and horror, this one gave me a migraine. As if that wasn’t enough, it had some terrible performances.
My Verdict: Yes. I was khamosh after watching it. Speechless. What a movie. Wow.
At The Box Office: Average
3) Bombay Velvet
Often referred to as the Quentin Tarantino of Bollywood, Director Anurag Kashyap surely has a penchant for dark characters and darker story-telling. So when he came up with a film which can be safely termed his most commercial or mainstream so far, one looked forward to it and expected something different. Alas! After watching ‘Bombay Velvet’, you realized some directors are better off with the kind of films they usually make. It wasn’t only disappointing. It was a poorly made movie.
My Verdict: I have never really been a fan of Anurag Kashyap’s movies but it seems he is bad at weaving velvet; this was uneven and the fabric was glossy but common. There wasn’t anything new, different and most importantly, interesting in his way of directing a mainstream movie.
At The Box Office: Disaster
2) Roy
In a scene from ‘Roy’, Arjun Rampal who has just directed his third film (a sequel called ‘Guns-3’) after a lot of turmoil wonders and ponders for a while and tells his assistant (Shernaz Patel)- “I don’t know… yeh film kaise ban gayi…”; the audience burst out laughing and I found my laugh to be even louder than anyone else. Quite similarly in another scene a little earlier, Jacqueline tells Arjun that if the story isn’t going anywhere, one should just end it. Probably, debutante director Vikramjit Singh who also penned the script underwent the same writer’s block his character undergoes in ‘Roy’. We may understand that he was perhaps stubborn on completing his first script but what on earth were the producers thinking while backing it and making a movie out of it? Pointless and very boring.
My Verdict: Massy, classy, experimental… ‘Roy’ was none of them; it was a painstakingly slow, boring and terrible movie… nay… not a movie but a morbid lullaby to give you nightmares.
At the Box Office: Flop
1) Shaandaar
You might have rubbed your eyes in disbelief while watching ‘Shaandaar’ and wondered if it was the same director who gave us ‘Queen’. This one was so bad a movie that it was unbearable after the first five minutes itself. While there was a noble thought somewhere indicating fat can be beautiful, it was so terribly directed that one just didn’t understand why would someone make a movie like 
this. The only saving grace in this disaster was the easy chemistry between Shahid and Alia.
My Verdict: Director Vikas Bahl’s ‘Queen’ was among the best films in 2014. This was the complete opposite. Not shaandaar at all.
At the Box Office: Flop
P.S.- There were some equally intolerable movies made. ‘Mr. X’, ‘Hero’, ‘Katti Batti’, ‘Alone’, ‘Hamari Adhuri Kahani’, ‘All Is Well’ and other movies which you might not even want to recall. It’s difficult to choose the worst five if there are so many in the list. It doesn’t mean these were better; these were unimportant.
My Five Disappoinments
5) Phantom
How does it feel to watch a movie with a similar plot in the same year? Director Kabir Khan’s ‘Phantom’ was a lot like ‘Baby’ but based on Hussain Zaidi’s book- ‘Mumbai Avengers’. Basking in the glory of the huge success of ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’, Director Kabir Khan did the opposite here- ‘Phantom’ wasn’t about a message of peace between India and Pakistan but revenge and justice. It began on an unpromising note but picked up after a couple of minutes. But it remained inconsistent. The major problem with this ambitious film- it was never racy or thrilling which perhaps it was meant to be. There was something missing in the action and even plot; you just didn’t feel great or even patriotic watching it. Saif Ali Khan looked out of place in a role not meant for him.
My Verdict: This Phantom wasn’t the The Ghost Who Walks but a Man Who Stalks… Terrorists! The problem is he just did it too lazily.
At the Box Office: Flop
4) Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2
‘Pyaar Ka Punchnama’ was among the most enjoyable movies I watched in 2011. Its sequel left me a little disappointed. This one was more like the director’s remake of his own film; just that the women are less manipulative this time. PKP2 wasn’t bad but definitely not as funny as the first one.
My Verdict: Had Liquid been here, it might have worked. This Punchnama could have been more fun.
At the Box Office: Super Hit
3) Jazbaa
These days, a trailer release on You Tube and the number of hits it generates are an indicator of what is coming our way. Expectations soar and when the movie doesn’t turn out to be good enough, you are left disappointed. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s comeback film by Sanjay Gupta was just that. While the actress hammed it up and mostly weeped or looked disturbed throughout the movie, an actor like Irrfan Khan was relegated to the backseat. This remake of a Korean film had very little to offer barring Shabana Azmi’s nice act.
My Verdict: ‘Jazbaa’ failed to keep you hooked despite being a thriller.
At the Box Office: Flop
2) Bajirao Mastani
No two opinions on the fact that Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali is a creative genius but I was disappointed this year as well just like I could not like his ‘Ram-Leela’ last year. Visually stunning yet again but over-indulgent, I didn’t have a problem with the cinematic liberties the director took but ‘Bajirao Mastani’ just didn’t click for me apart from the amazing performances by the three lead actors. It emphasized that love knows no religion; it is a religion in itself. Noble thought indeed. But I could not feel for the two characters in love. There was no romance in the supposed romance between Bajirao and Mastani. The drama went overboard at times and it was too long; no movement in plot.
My Verdict: An emotionally manipulative climax might want you to leave the hall with a feeling of watching a nice movie but ‘Bajirao Mastani’ is no classic. The trailer was much better than the movie.
At the Box Office: Not yet declared. My prediction: Super Hit.
1) Dilwale
A typical Rohit Shetty film; there were cars, guns, action, slapstick comedy, some drama and Goa. In the midst of it all was a love story with a twist and there was the magical chemistry of SRK-Kajol. The Director made the most of the pair especially in the flashback, shot well in Bulgaria. But then it dragged in the second half and you just waited to catch a glimpse of the lovely onscreen couple
together; there wasn’t too much of them. With the most number of blockbusters to his credit, Rohit Shetty knows what his audiences want. But he is too mediocre a director to make romance look good. It’s only and only because of the easy chemistry between SRK and Kajol that the love (and hate) story worked here. The two looked great together and you would want to watch ‘Dilwale’ for them alone.
My Verdict: A major disappointment. Had it been directed by someone more competent, ‘Dilwale’ could have been a great masala film.
At the Box Office: Not yet declared. My prediction: Super Hit.
P.S.- I was equally disappointed with Director Dibakar Banerjee’s ‘Detective Byomkesh Bakshy’. This intelligent detective needed a better movie.
Performances of the year and other relevant picks
I’m sticking to one to keep it genuine unless there seems to be two equally best contenders.
Best Actor (Male)– Salman Khan for ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’
Best Actor (Female)– A tie between Anushka Sharma for ‘NH10’ and Deepika Padukone for ‘Piku’
Best Actor in a supporting role (Male)– Nawazuddin Siddiqui for ‘Badlapur’
Best Actor in a supporting role (Female)– Priyanka Chopra for ‘Bajirao Mastani’
Best Performance in a comic role– Kapil Sharma for ‘Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon’
Best Performance in a negative role– Randeep Hooda for ‘Main Aur Charles’
Best Debutante (male)– Nobody really! But give it to Karan Singh Grover if you have to. He does have the potential to act a little.
Best Debutante (Female)– Harshali Malhotra for ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’. Why can’t a child artist win this? She was brilliant.
Best Director– Imtiaz Ali for ‘Tamasha’
Best Film– Talvar
Best Music in a movie– Pritam for ‘Dilwale’
Best Singer (Male)– Arijit Singh for ‘Janam Janam’ and ‘Gerua’
Best Singer (Female)– Antara Mitra for ‘Gerua’
Best Story– Drishyam
Expect bigger movies, more power in star power, stars trying something different and some records to be broken in 2016!
Tags: bollywood Bollywood 2015 Bollywood hits and flops in 2015
