The Best of Bollywood and OTT Content in 2020!

 This year has been tough for the movies and everyone associated with cinema. In 2020, a total of 27 notable releases came out in theatres, and approximately 35 movies released on OTT platforms like  Netflix, Prime Video, Hotstar, etc. Considering the dull and gloomy 2020 has been, the Bollywood Elephant has decided to only focus on the positives and the best films and series 2020 has offered!  

                                           

First, we pick the best actors, music, dialogues, singers, story, screenplay, direction, and finally my Top 5 films of the year!

FILMS:

Best Actor (Male): This year it was really tough to pick 1 when one is spoilt for choices. However solely based on this man's phenomenal performance as Aaloo and the entry scene in particular sealed the deal for me to pick him as the performer of the year (male). Rajkummar Rao yet again proved how effortlessly he transforms from Aaloo in Ludo to Montu sir in Chhalaang! I wish he gets his due at the box-office soon!

                                           

Special Mention: As a middle-class man tired of his work who stumbles upon a bag full of cash, Kunal Kemmu's comic timing and perfect antics lifted his movie, Lootcase, a level higher! 

                                                

                                                   

Best Actor (Female): As Amrita, Taapsee Pannu breathes a new life into the hard hitting drama 'Thappad'. Her vulnerability, her angst was pitch-perfect and there is absolutely nothing her performance fell short of. Thinking about her climatic act in the movie still gives me goosebumps.

                                                 

Special Mention: As a mother determined to make a comeback to Kabbadi, Kangana Ranaut was astounding as Jaya in Panga.

Best Supporting Actor (Male): This was a battle of fathers but as a father standing by her daughter who is willing to divorce her husband, Kumud Mishra was phenomenal and effective as Sachin Sandhu in Thappad. What words, what emotions especially when he confronts his son!

                                          

    

Special Mention: Another father who decided to be his daughter's biggest cheerleader, Pankaj Tripathi was endearing as Anup Saxena in Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl.

                                                   

Best Supporting Actor (Female): As a mother reluctant about her daughter's decision to divorce her husband, Ratna Pathak Shah was great, phenomenal, and incredible as Sandhya Sandhu in Thappad. Her confrontation scenes with Kumud Mishra are absolutely a testament as to why we love her!

                                        

      

Special Mention: Picking a single special mention is tough therefore all the ladies in 'Thappad' namely Tanvi Azmi, Geetika Vidya Ohalyan, Dia Mirza, Maya Sarau were spectacular as the supporting cast.

                                                    

       

Best Music: It is a battle between 'Malang' and 'Love Aaj Kal 2' for this one and the Aashiqui 2 trio: Ved Sharma. Mithoon and Ankit Tiwari win this by a whisker! Malang had 2020's best music.

                                                   

  

Best Playback Singers:  

Crooning to Love Aaj Kal's 'Meherma' was absolutely a favorite which was sung by Darshan Raval!       

                                                         

After giving us Ghungroo to grove last year, Shilpa Rao's crooning of Hardum Humdum was another delight. 

                                                       

Best Story and Screenplay: Adding a water-tight screenplay to an already powerful story and add to it towering performances. Anubhav Sinha and Mrunmayee Lagoo make an effective and phenomenal 'Thappad'! 

                                                             

   

Best Director: Thappad was a story that could've fallen flat if not for its director, Anubhav Sinha.

                                                

  

Top 5 Films (in particular order):

5. Panga:

                                                                

4. Maska:

                                                                  

   

3. Ludo:

                                                              

     

2. Raat Akeli Hai:

                                                           

      

1. Thappad:

                                                             

WEB SERIES:

Best Actor (Male): Pratik Gandhi, initially an engineer. I'm glad that he gave up his job because we cannot have anyone else to be Harshad Mehta in Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story.

                                                     

   

Special Mention: Kay Kay Menon as Himmat Singh was phenomenal in Special Ops!

                                                            

  

Best Actor (Female): All Hail! The queen is back! 10 years later, Sushmita Sen graces our screen yet again, for the best in Aarya!

                                               

  

Special Mention: It took time but as Mohini Rathod, Sheeba Chadha ensured that everyone stood and took up notice of her in Bandish Bandits.

                                                         

Best Supporting Actor (Male): As pradhanpati, Raghubir Yadav was simply phenomenal! His effortless comic timing with Jeetendra Kumar was phenomenal!   

                                              

 Special Mention: As the menacing Hathoda Tyagi, Abhishek Banerjee scared the wits out of everyone!

                                                             

Best Supporting Actor (Female): Alongside Pradhanpati, Neena Gupta brought her own flair to Manju Devi and her chemistry with Raghubir Yadav was crackling!

                                            

   

Special Mention: The original master player of Mirzapur, Beena Bhabhi's grey shades were effectively brought to life by Rasika Duggal!

                                                                  

     

Best Original Story: Prosit Roy and Avinash Arun's writing in Paatal Lok was nothing short of phenomenal.

                                                 

        

Best Music: The magical touch of Shankar Ehsaan Loy came back in the classical and fresh 'Bandish Bandits' and this was the best music album by far in 2020 including movie albums and other singles.

                                                   

Best Director: This one was a bit tough but Avinash Arun and Prosit Roy bag this for Paatal Lok.

                                                 

TOP 5 Web Series (in particular order):

5. Panchayat:

                                                      

4. Taish:

3. Paatal Lok:

                                                               

2. Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story:

                                                     

1. Bandish Bandits:

                                                         

So here are my favorite and best of 2020 content! I hope you like it! Please Share your lists as well as how much you agree with my choices!

              

 

          

MIC Review: Souper-Douper Amazing! Entertaining and Relevant.

So, after a lot of speculation Rajkummar Rao-Mouni Roy starrer 'Made in China' released and perhaps you wouldn't find a better Diwali release since 2010 in Bollywood. The movie is directed by national award winner Mikhil Musale and co-stars Boman Irani, Paresh Rawal, Sumeet Vyas, Gajraj Rao.

  

                                             

What's Good: Acting: A spectacular cast can never go wrong. RR gets the Gujarati character absolutely spot on. Though, Mouni Roy is very nominal in her role as a housewife. Boman Irani as Dr.Vardhan as sexologist easily deserves an award nomination! Story: Excellent Story with a relevant message is brought to life by the director. Technical Aspects: The screenplay, the DOP does a fantastic job in keeping the story intact.

                                              

What's Bad: Incoherent: The movie's coherency is certainly questionable: like it is there but still not there. That is what the movie falters a bit at. Just like TSIP, MIC does not completely submerge you into the movie. Music: Sachin-Jigar's music is supremely underwhelming. Odhani, Valam, Sanedo all of them underwhelming.

                                                

Final Words: 'Made in China' is a MUST WATCH. It tries to talk about a very taboo topic in a funny and entertaining way and it is really doubtful whether we get a better movie. It also plays a bit with your psychology as it approaches the climax and efforts are to be lauded for bringing a taboo topic for a dining table discussion. Though its incoherency lessens the impact, I am going with 3.5 stars for this RR-BI extravaganza.

                                                

PS. Never knew that the That would give us Best Diwali release this decade will also give us the Worst Diwali Release this decade in the form of 'Housefull 4'. A crass, cringy and horrific cinema.

                          

TSIP Review: Sky is the limit!

To begin with, I really had a tough time to gather myself and write a review for this Farhan-Priyanka starrer. Director Shonali Bose presents this real-life story of Aisha Chaudhary with her personal touch ( she has gone through a similar thing with her son) making this movie so balanced, positive, beautiful and deals with the subject that 'death is the ultimate truth' so well that it is hard to encapsulate it in words!

                                           

What's Good: Performances: PC, Zaira, Rohit perform so exponentially well but it is Farhan who makes the maximum impact. The vulnerability, the emotions, the longing couldn't be played any better. The movie is pitch-perfect here. Music: Pritam's music is just like the cherry on the cake. Message: What it takes about is something very relevant about life. Direction, Writing, Dialogues, Editing: The excellent voice-overs by Aisha (played by Zaira), bose's sensitive handling of the subject, Juhi's writing is top-notch. Theme: Something apart from talking about life, TSIP addresses the issue from the parent's side as well (just as they say what to do with Aisha's clothes, books etc and break down in tears) is something new and refreshing to see.

                                              

What's Bad: Duration: In its 135 minutes of runtime, the movie keeps one invested but patience varies from person to person. Messy Timelines: The movie jumps back and forth a lot in the 30 years which might be hard to follow!

                                                  

                                        The real-life inspiration for TSIP: The Chaudharys

Final Word: The Sky is Pink is an unforgettable saga of the celebration of life until death attempted in a never before style. The movie does not want you to Cry but will surely end up making u teary-eyed or even weep. It's a highly polarizing movie like October from the previous year so either you will absolutely hate it or you will love it and since I belong to the latter, I am going with a solid 4 stars! Though, viewers discretion is highly advised!

                                           

P.S. Instead of spending money on War, watch this!

Photograph Review: The development of this photograph is super tedious but the end product leaves you mesmerized!

This week was a quiet week at the box office considering 2 small budget movies 'Photograph' and 'Milan Talkies'. 'Photograph' is directed by Ritesh Batra (of Lunchbox fame) and stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Rafi and Sanya Malhotra as Miloni/Noorie in the lead roles who are ably supported by Farukh Jaffar as Rafi's grandmother. There was a bit of sceptical as I would have preferred Tigmanshu Dhulia's Milan Talkies to this movie. Here is my take on Ritesh Batra's Photograph.

                                              

What's Good: Performances: With Nawaz in the lead, there is not a single folly in his act as Rafi but it is Sanya Malhotra's Miloni who stays with you long after you leave the theatre. Terrific! An Ode to Mumbai: Ritesh Batra gives a tribute to Mumbai in a unique way, unlike the way he did in 'The Lunchbox'. Cinematography: One of the best scene in a long time (Tumbbad is an exception). Slow Burner: Being a slow burner, apparently works for this one.

                                           

What's Bad: PACING: This movie is bound to make you super impatient to the level that you prefer to pull your hair but then if you manage sitting through it, it is Heartening and worth the wait. Magic: No doubt, Ritesh Batra delivers what he wants to, but that innocence is somewhere lost in succession. Premise: The premise of the movie is very limited. Too much of Feeling: This movie wants you to feel a lot, which at times just does not work!

                                                      

Final Word: Photograph is a delightful watch but demands a lot of things to be felt and needs impatience. Walking out of this movie would be easy because it WILL test your patience but if you sit through, the end product is absolutely heartening. This movie expects you to feel a lot, and if you do then this photograph is worth hanging. But since it works for me in parts, I am going with 3 stars and I do not expect it to make numbers at the box office!

                                              

P.S. This review comes 24 hours after I viewed the film because there was a question of what to write, but since morning my mind has been constantly thinking about Miloni and that Beautiful Climax!