The Decade in Hindi Cinema
A still from Vikramaditya Motwane’s Udaan (2010)
Presenting: The Chakkar’s Top 10 favourite Hindi films of the 2010s.
- Karan Madhok and Prateek Santram
“Jab tak is desh mein saneema hai, tab tak log chutiye bante rahenge.”
Ramadhir Singh, the mafia-don-turned-politician and iconic villain of Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur, warned his onscreen guests—and perhaps, the audience witnessing this moment—of the distracting, dumbing power of Indian cinema. But, in using a villainous heel to criticise the influence of the silver screen, Kashyap actually ended up making us appreciate the art form a little more.
The line is wrapped up within Kashyap’s five-and-a-half-hour roller-coaster of cinematic excellence—Gangs of Wasseypur—one that further reminded us to ignore Ramadhir’s cautions. The 2010s gave us several gems of such excellence, from coming-of-age stories, Shakespearean dramas, understated love stories, path-breaking comedies, and—in the case of GoW—a little bit of it all. If saneema—or cinema—really makes ‘chutiyas’ of us all, we hope that this chutiyapa continues for another decade.
Our personal linguistic limitations forced us to limit our nominees to the ‘Bollywood’ realm. We tip our hat to Indian film excellence in regional languages, including films in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Bengali, Gujarati, Bhojpuri, Kannada, Marathi, Punjabi and many, many more. Hopefully, as our own reach grows, we will be able to acknowledge the best of Indian cinema’s larger breadth in the future.
Presented here is a countdown of our ten favourite Hindi-language films of the 2010s.
[Haider’s] balancing act succeeds to create a film that is poetic, tragic, comedic, full of betrayal, vengeance, love, mystery, and—to quote a memorable dialogue between Haider and the two Salmans—a whole lot of “chutzpah”
10. Gully Boy (2019)
What most of us remember, from one of the last scenes of Zoya Akhtar’s hit, is Ranveer Singh on stage, seizing his moment. “Apna Time Aayega”. The song not only announced the ‘arrival’ of Singh’s character Murad to the big stage of success, but also announced the coming of a new ‘time’: of Indian Hip-Hop music hitting the mainstream. What many first predicted would be a simple adaption of the Hollywood film 8 Mile into an Indian setting turned out to be a masterpiece in its own right: with a strong script, memorable cinematography, and top-notch acting, Gully Boy touched on the themes of Mumbai chawl-life, poverty, Islam, romance, a father-son relationship, class divisions, art, and much more. And then, of course, there was the music, rocket-launching the Indian rap genre, and giving the formulaic Indian soundtracks a stylish new direction for the new decade. - KM
9. Tumbbad (2018)
Horror has never been a genre that has seen ground-breaking films in Hindi cinema. There is also a dearth of good movies based on mythology, which is surprising given the treasure trove of stories that originate in this country. Tumbbad manages to meld both genres while also giving us a style of story-telling that has not been seen before in Bollywood. Director Anand Gandhi and actor/producer Sohum Shah take us back to colonial India and add a layer of fantasy to it. The film is as historical as it is fascinating. Whether it be the slow reveal of the nature of the film or the extensive back-story of the characters, Tumbbad manages to keep you riveted, while creating a world which you get familiar with sooner than you expect. Breakout performances from Shah and Mohammad Salam make it a unique horror experience, the kind where human nature is more terrifying than monsters. – PS
8. Masaan (2015)
Varanasi has long been stereotyped as the town of Indian spirituality, where tradition often insists in interfering with the direction of modernity. It is a ‘small town’, despite its population. Masaan, the directorial debut of Neeraj Ghaywan, tells a small-town story in Varanasi that is universal, intermingles the mythology of the city with the ambitious of the modern world, and highlights the struggles of young characters straddling a foot each in both the divergent worlds. Two stories occur simultaneously in Masaan, as Devi Pathak (Richa Chadha) and her family suffers tragedy, stigma, and blackmail following a sexual encounter interrupted by policemen; and Deepak Kumar (Vicky Kaushal), a boy of the Dom-caste aspires to break out of the caste-pigeonhole in his romantic and professional life. In Devi, Deepak, and a cast of unforgettable characters, the parallels of tragedy, love, shame, and ambition flicker softly in this subtle, beautiful film. – KM
7. Delhi Belly (2012)
Despite producing some sure-fire classics like Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro and Andaz Apna Apna, the comedy genre in India has usually been limited to slapstick, exaggerated characters, or classic Shakespearean themes of deception and miscommunication. It was almost an insult to the sense of humour of the Indian audience that directors and scriptwriters did not bring a more intelligent brand of comedy to Indian cinemas. Enter Abhinay Deo’s Delhi Belly, an audacious risk in its tone, language, characters, and of course, its sense-of-humour. Akshat Verma’s script daringly brings a new comedic voice, building upon the most juvenile source of laughter—diarrhoea—to create a hilarious and sarcastic crime caper. The language of the film is a familiar, adopted English lingo of many college-going Delhiites. Delhi Belly still feels contemporary, even futuristic in its script and screenplay, making us laugh out loud throughout its crisp run time—and then rolling with laughter nearly a decade later. - KM
6. Newton (2017)
Elections are important. They could be for a democracy what a World Cup is to football, or in the Indian context, to cricket. The truth however, is that they are more like the Olympics: Everyone is expected to participate, but the spectacle is mostly uninteresting to the general public despite the importance of the results. Newton (directed by Amit V. Masurkar) takes this idea and shows us the amount of effort that is put in for a rather un-sexy event which could determine the future of a country. An idealistic young election official is sent to a remote part of the country to ensure that the voting process goes smoothly. Grounded in reality, the feature feels more like a documentary, with the crew following the actors, rather than watching the product of an innovative storyboard and excellent writing. Rajkumar Rao—who somehow manages to convince you that he is actually a middle class, ambitious, slightly unlikeable character in each film he does—is sublime. The performer who makes this film deserve multiple re-watches, however, is Pankaj Tripathi. It seems like he’s throwing down challenges to filmmakers throughout this country to give him a role that he can’t do justice to. Newton works because it shows us the possible futility of a majority mandate, even if done with the best and most well-meaning intentions in modern India. - PS
5. Manto (2018)
There is a reason why the best works of Sadat Hasan Manto have not been shown on the big screen before this film. How do you capture the horror or absurdity of partition of stories like “Thanda Gosht” or “Toba Tek Singh”? Nandita Das rises to the challenge and tells us the story of the controversial writer, interspersing Manto’s biography (filled with regular obscenity charges) with scenes from his best known and jolting literary masterpieces. The casting is perfect with Nawazuddin Siddiqui elevating his craft to a whole new level. Rasika Duggal, playing the part of Manto’s supportive wife, is an anchor of the film, as she begins to realise that her husband has left a part of himself in India and is never going to be the same again. While the acting pedigree is top notch, the real standout is the script, as the film really makes you wonder why Manto is still relatively unheard or unquoted in independent India. – PS
4. Haider (2014)
Director Vishal Bhardwaj has long been obsessed with Shakespeare, and released two landmark adaptions of Shakespeare in the modern Indian context last decade: Macbeth became Maqbool in 2003, and Othello was adapted into 2006’s Omkara. But it was in 2014, with the release of Haider, when Bhardwaj reached its true Shakespearean apex, giving the bard’s longest and most-performed play Hamlet the Indian twist it truly deserved. Bhardwaj’s Prince Hamlet is Haider—played by Shahid Kapoor at his very best—and the setting is the conflict-ridden region of Kashmir, where even men of power like Haider’s father disappear into the memory of ghosts (the character Roohdaar played by Irrfan Khan). In Haider, Bhardwaj attempts a high-wire balancing act, presenting the complicated politics of Kashmir as represented by one troubled family. With Tabu as Haider’s mother (Gertrude), Kay Kay Menon as Khurram Meer his uncle (Claudius), and Shraddha Kapoor as his love interest (Ophelia), this balancing act succeeds to create a film that is poetic, tragic, comedic, full of betrayal, vengeance, love, mystery, and—to quote a memorable dialogue between Haider and the two Salmans—a whole lot of “chutzpah” (wink wink). - KM
Gangs of Wasseypur stands out as one of the most ambitious storytelling projects in Indian cinema. To tell a saga that spawns six decades in a 5-hour plus film, while serving meticulous detail to the smallest details is an achievement that continues to be unmatched. Vulgar and violent, GoW take us to the heartland of India and show us a country that many might find hard to believe exists.
3. The Lunchbox (2013)
One of the most critically-acclaimed Indian movies of the decade, The Lunchbox’s brilliance relies on its absolute simplicity. It is, in its very essence, a straightforward narrative building on one of Mumbai’s greatest cultural myths: the famous ‘dabbawalas’ (lunch delivery system) are never wrong. Except in this one case, and this one case becomes the premise of Ritesh Batra’s romantic film. A wrong lunch leads to an unlikely bond between two characters who’ve never met. The lunches stand as a metaphor for larger themes in the lives of the two characters: their separation, their loneliness, the serendipity of their introduction, and the unlikelihood of their union. The Lunchbox is elevated into greatness by the strength of its leads, as Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui translate the recipes of life’s biggest complications with ease—including love, togetherness, and the pursuit of happiness. - KM
2. Udaan (2010)
Coming-of-age films are somewhat of a staple in the storytelling world. Every genre of film—from sex comedies to award-winning dramas—have utilised (or exploited) this genre, in an attempt to describe the difficulties of teenage life. Vikramaditya Motwane’s directorial debut Udaan takes this sentiment several steps further. No, there are no cheap tactics of teenage drug abuse, or first-love with an unattainable angelic classmate. Rather, the film focuses on daddy-issues in the most grounded, real ways. Motwane specifically places a mirror in front of Indian men, questioning their own agency had they faced the same challenges as the young lead Rohan (Rajat Barmecha) in the film. Udaan also happens to have one of the most memorable movie seasons ever (I mean ever in all of cinema) when Rohan’s father (played by Ronit Roy), inebriated, ridicules his own son for not being sexually adventurous. Set in Jamshedpur, this landmark in Hindi cinema showcases that the heartland has more stories to offer than just crime and politics. In scenes like when Rohan steals from his drunken dad, or when one sibling implores another for fair treatment, Udaan explores the humanity of small moments. - PS
1. Gangs of Wasseypur 1 and 2 (2012)
Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece mob film-series The Godfather has spawned a plethora of copycats. At the face level, Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur could be called one of those copies. There is a similar formula: in a crime family saga, the younger brother reluctantly takes responsibility and joins the ‘family business’ after his household is attacked by their rivals. But this is where the similarities end. Inspired by real life events in India’s northern coal belt, GoW stands out as one of the most ambitious storytelling projects in Indian cinema. To tell a saga that spawns six decades in a 5-hour plus film, (it was released in two parts, but shot as one) while serving meticulous detail to the smallest details is an achievement that continues to be unmatched. Vulgar and violent, GoW take us to the heartland of India and show us a country that many might find hard to believe exists.
Beyond the real-life inspirations for the story, the project was anchored by its extraordinary cast. Manoj Bajpai and Piyush Mishra relied on their experience in front of the camera to give fantastic performances. However, a large number of newcomers ended up shouldering much of the weight of the film(s). Nawazuddin Siddiqui finally got a role worthy of his talent, and Richa Chaddha played the part of a wife and mother who has experienced enough loss for five lifetimes. Huma Qureshi, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rajkummar Yadav (he’s in this too), Pankaj Tripathi and Zeeshan Qadri were cast to perfection. But it is the embodiment of Ramadhir Singh by Tigmanshu Dhulia that is a true revelation. The technical detail in this film is also brilliant, as exemplified by the 12-minute continuous shot, following one character as he took the audience on a tour of two houses and the gullies in a Jharkhand town. Sneha Khanwalkar infuses the movie with one of the greatest soundtracks in the 21st century. In GoW, Kashyap gave India a film close to perfection, and it’s our pick for the best of the decade. – PS
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Karan Madhok is a writer, journalist, and editor of The Chakkar, whose fiction, translation, and poetry have appeared in The Literary Review, The Lantern Review, F(r)iction, and more. He is the founder of the Indian basketball blog Hoopistani and has contributed to NBA India, SLAM Magazine, FirstPost, and more. Karan is currently working on his first novel. Twitter: @karanmadhok1
Prateek Santram is the Associate Editor of The Chakkar. Based in Landour, Mussoorie, he’s a teacher, musician, and Lucknow kabab expert. Twitter: @prateek7285
