We list down our favorite 10 Bollywood movies of 2008.
The Terrific Ten : The Best of Bollywood 2008
Yes, I know that early February 2009 isn’t perhaps the best time to release a list of the best & worst of 2008 but do excuse us since it’s our first time at preparing such a list. The next half-yearly top & bottom 10 list of 2009 shall be done in a more timely fashion.
2008 was far from an excellent year for Hindi cinema; hence it was difficult for us to decide the top ten movies (compared to the bottom ten). There was however a string of new talent that emerged that year that shone like a beacon of light amongst a sea of mediocrity.
Our list is based purely on the overall quality of films & has nothing to do with their financial success or failure or in their stature as being labeled as “big” or “small” movies. As most lists do, this list also reflects our personal likes & dislikes of the movies in 2008 & you are welcome to disagree with us, but please do so respectfully.
Here are the Top Ten Bollywood Movies of 2008 presented in reverse order, #10 to #1 & five movies which nearly made the list but fell short. Keep Reading.
*Also Check Out Our Video Podcast of the Bottom 10 & Top 10 Movies of 2008*
10. Ghajini: What the Hindi remake of the Tamil film lacked in originality it more than made up for in style. South Indian actress Asin must surely win female debut of the year for this movie, while Aamir Khan again proved his acting prowess. A.R. Rahman's songs were also well appreciated.
9. Rock On: An iconic movie, it had practically everybody singing along with the main cast. A story that was not typically filmi and a quite different cast was what made this one stand apart. While Director turned Actor Farhan Akhtar was applauded, it was Purab Kohli who ended up stealing a good portion of the show.
8. Dasvidaniya: A simple tale which kept things uncomplicated & ended tugging at quite a few heart strings. Vinay Pathak’s understated performance was a huge asset.
7. Maharathi: A classic film noir movie with a stellar cast of India's top character actors, the movie's twists and turns are enough to keep the audience guessing until the end. Excellent dialogues only serve to increase the enjoyment
6. Hulla: Perhaps the best comedy of the year which also served as a perfect socio-economic commentary about the middle class of most Indian metros. A gem of a movie criminally overlooked upon release.
5. Tahaan: While on the surface it was merely the tale of a boy's unbreakable bond with his donkey, the film also examined issues of militarism and terrorism in Kashmir. With a brilliant performance by the young lead and beautifully shot, it is difficult to find fault with the film.
4. Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na: One of the best youth themed film of the year, its fresh cast, new take on an old story, great script, dialogues and music made this one a winner.
3. Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!: A little gem of a film, it is guaranteed to steal your heart. Dwibarkar Banerjee once again proves that good things come in small packages while Abhay Deol cements his reputation as the golden boy of alternative cinema with an absolutely charming performance.
2. Jodhaa Akbar: The most magnificent epic that we have seen in recent years, Jodha Akbar brought the ancient love story to life on a truly grand scale. With wonderful performances, a beautiful soundtrack and gorgeous sets and costumes, Ashutosh Gowarikar once again outdid himself. While the film was slightly too long and attracted some controversy, it remained a beautiful story with a worthwhile message about communal harmony.
1. Aamir: The movie was like a breath of fresh air in an otherwise largely stale and mediocre year. Small of budget but with a large vision, it showed us a Mumbai that few ever see. The only film that kept me up all night thinking, its message was subtle, the audience had to make decisions of right and wrong for themselves. It also gave us some of the best debuts of the year: Director Rajkumar Gupta, Actor Rajeev Khandelwal, Director of Photography Alphonso Roy and Music Director Amit Trivedi.
Honorable Mentions: Movies that nearly made the list, but just fell short (In no particular order)
Mumbai Meri Jaan: A competent effort which even though presented a varied bunch of stories ended up not doing justice to most of them. Paresh Rawal’s performance & story was the real highlight of the movie, worth watching for his part alone.
Mithya: A nice twist on the classic ‘Don’ tale which would have made Amitabh Bachchan proud. Mithya could have made it to the top ten had it not been for the lazy & muddled second half. But still a worthy watch for the performances throughout, especially by Ranvir Shorey.
Welcome to Sajjanpur: Shyam Benegal crafted an excellent tale about rural India & would have made a fine comedy/satire had it not been for the overtly dramatic ventures later on in the movie.
Dostana: The best commercial comedy of the year with enough fluff & flavor to be enjoyed overall, though no need to get yourself into a tangle about it’s homosexual theme as the portrayals are still pretty stereotypical & not to be taken seriously one bit.
A Wednesday: A movie that majorly connected with the audience with it’s representation of the anger & frustration felt by the “common man” & what would be the consequences if he decided to do something about it. Highly unrealistic & tad too jingoistic kept this one out of our top ten. Though I wonder if the “common man” had to be taken out of the equation would the movie still have had the same impact.
Do comment & let us know what do you think of our choices & let us know your top movies of 2008. Keep Writing. Cheers!!!
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We list down our favorite 10 Bollywood movies of 2008.
