Movies:Best of 2011

If you thought Hindi Cinema was just about love stories and dancing around trees, then the releases of 2011, will definitely force you to think again. The year brought on celluloid some brilliant stories and showcased the gamut of talent we have. I would call it the "coming of age" year of sorts - where some movies with thier content, acting, cinematography and graphics competed with Hollywood. Also, 2011 marked the debut of 3D Bollywood films! Here is a list of the top 10 movies of 2011 in the order they were released.

No One Killed Jessica:Inspired by the infamous Jessica Lal murder case of Delhi, this film stars Vidya Balan and Rani Mukherjee in lead roles. Vidya plays Jessica’s sister and Rani portrays a fearless reporter who wants justice. This docu-drama is sensible, sensitive,in your face and thought provoking. 

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Tanu Weds Manu: Rustic and bucolic in its feel, this rom-com is lighthearted with the right amount of drama,action and one-liners. Even though the audience has a clear idea on how the movie will end, it still keeps the audience engrossed,entertained and amused.You will fall in love with this one.

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Pyaar ka Punchnama: It is battle of the sexes in this young, hip movie which stars a host of new faces portraying a variety of identifiable characters. It explores the clichés attached to the genders or gender type-casting in its storyline. Pyaar Ka Punchnama was the surprise package of the year and a definite must watch for the youth!!

Zindagi Naa Milegi Dobara: Watch three friends embark on an once-in-a-lifetime journey to Spain - indulging in some extreme sports while there.Fresh, Fun, Full of witty one-line breathe fresh air to the age old "sseize the moment" philosophy depicted in this movie. The films has Hrithik Roshan,Abhay Deol, Farhan Akhtar and Katrina Kaif in the leads and has some breathtaking cinematography.

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Singham: If action-comedy is your forte, then the Tamil remake Singham does the trick. Ajay Devgn plays the though cop unafraid to do some breathtaking stunts and Prakash Raj does justice as the egoistic comic-villain. The storyline is tight and plays up village ethics and value systems as apposed to the convoluted city ideals. Unlike recent remakes, it does not have boorish language nor any gruesome violence sequences - giving it a mass appeal. 

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Ra.One: is Bollywood's first full fledged sci-fi adventure flick. It marks the onset of India’s new superhero G.One played by none other than Shahrukh Khan. Kareena Kapoor plays the "Chammak Challo" and Arjun Rampal plays the Raavan aka Ra.One. Released during Diwali time, it has an apt story of restoring the reign of good over evil in the world.The film has three versions -Tamil, Telegu and Hindi. Available in 3D

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Desi Boyz: join this mad comedy ride with the two hunks - Akshay Kumar and John Abrahim who take to being male escorts in London, when hit by recession. Add Deepika Padukone and Chitrangna Singh to the equation and the mercury starts soaring. Desi Boyz is perhaps the best comedy flick of the year directed by David Dhawan's son Rohit Dhawan.

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Bodyguard: starring noneother than Salmaan Khan as the Bodyguard of Kareena Kapoor this is an action-comedy. Salmaan returns after Ready in top form with some memorable one-liners. The storyline has something new to offer and the chemistry between the protagonists is smoking hot!
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The Dirty Picture: Film is the biographical account of southern siren Silk Smitha. Her rise to stardom and her ultimate tragic downfall.Viday Balan's unapologetic portrayal of the sex-symbol is commendable. The Dirty Picture has it all - plunging necklines, dumpy hemlines, crassness aglore. However the intentional indecency is supported by a decent, touching storyline so the skin-show doesn't come across as sheer shameless sleaze.Click here to read complete review 

Don-2: Stylish in its look, this action-thriller sequel takes the story forward of the indisputable Don played by none other than Shahrukh Khan. Lara Dutta and Priyanka Chopra add oodles of Oomph to the movie.Witty dialogues, stunning locales, greedy henchmen and some gut wrenching stunts are the USP of the film along with the ruthless, greedy Don. Available in 3D.

Other films which deserve a special mention are the films  Ready which along with Bodyguard set the box office ringing, starring one of the most bankable stars of the industry Salmaan Khan. An art house film which made its way to commercial audience and won appreciation was Aamir Khan's Dhobi Ghat. Ranbir Kapoor proved he is rightfully the heir of Raj Kapoor in his acting talent as showcased in the film Rockstar. If you are a die hard Amitabh Bachchan fan then watch him spoof his own movies in the light hearted action-comedy flick Bhuddah hoga..tera Baap. What a year 2011 has been, with these movies, its a wrap!

Agneepath: Chikni Chameli

After "Sheila Ki Jawani", Katrina Kaif now returns to the screen as "Chikni  Chameli" in a marathi mulgi avatar. The song sung by Shreya Ghoshal is an item number from Karan Johar's upcoming flick Agneepath. The remake stars Hrithik Roshan as the memorable Vijay Dinanath Chauhan aswell as Priyanka Chopra and Sanjay Dutt. The song "Chikni Chamali" is the hindi version of the popular marathi number Kombadi Palali from the film Jatra. No surprises here as the music directors for both films are the duo Ajay-Atul.

Agneepath is due to release on January 26th, 2012, Katrina's item number will definitely turn up the heat this winter! Check out official preview below:

Don 2: Mujhko Pehchaan Lo

Review: Dirty Picture

Verdict: Good
"K" Rating: 3.2 [in its genre]

Watch: DVD

If the boorish,in-your-face trailers of this movie left you astounded, then the movie will leave you gasping for air. Known for her raunchy movies, Ekta Kapoor's latest outing The Dirty Picture has it all - plunging necklines, dumpy hemlines, crassness aglore. However the intentional indecency is supported by a decent, touching storyline so the skin-show doesn't come across as sheer shameless sleaze. Infact the story and the subject kind of justify the rest.

The Dirty Picture is the biographical account of southern siren Silk Smitha. Her rise to stardom and her ultimate tragic downfall.A trend setter in the movie making business who turned even flop films into cash cows but faced the wrath of the so called keepers of moral police. She was condemed and denigrated by the very people who gave her the very work. The flick falters in the ending - the "downfall" seemed to be a bit hurried, also the sequence of Silk seeing her reflection and "waking" up to reality reminds one of the flick Fashion. Rajat Arora's dramatic dialogues and witty one-liners are impactful and also sprinkle plenty of humor. Dirty Picture spoofs heavily on the southern film industry. 

Hats of to director Milan Lutharia for setting his film in an era [the 80's] in an environment [South Film Industry] completely foreign to today's audience. Everything from the fashion to the flab - alien in today's times, has been dished out for the audience.Music by Vishal Shekhar is apt for the film as it recreates era beautifully.Bappi Lahari's "Oh lala" complements the item numbers and is well contrasted with the soft soulful "Ishq Sufiana".

Vidya Balan's sheer audacity in portraying a sex-symbol with an unapologetic attitude is commendable. Its a risk which her contemporaries would think thrice before undertaking as it could backfire tarnishing her image. She stuns the audience and critics as she dawns the avatar of "Silk" to the hilt.  The male ensemble caste stands firm on its own ground. Naseeruddin Shah is convincing as the aging, south superstar. Tushar Kapoor is comic. Emran Hashmi as the archetypal serious director brings class and morality to the movie. 

This movie is not for the faint hearted nor the family audience[A certificate] but definitely for those who go for shock value. We would categorize it right up there with Dev D. Look beyond the packaging and you'll find a thought provoking story.