Indian cinema: Low-budget, high content films stole the show     

The year 2019 has been special for Hindi films particularly because the Hindi film world now has taken a firm leap from run-of-the-mill romantic or angry young manish violence to more meaningful socially relevant topics, from melodrama to more subtle screenplay and dialogues. Undoubtedly, the ‘Khan-stars’ still keep strong at the box office, but there comes stiff competition from more low-budget, high on content films.

The year started with Uri - The Surgical Strike, which had more of a nationalistic fervour than anything else and proved to be a hit at the box office but low on content.

Anubhav Sinha’s Article 15, starring Auyshmann Khurrana, not only made a wholesome earning at the box office but also has a strong screenplay and amazing visuals establishing Anubhav Sinha as a director with a strong socio-political understanding and the skill to convey it meaningfully.

Chhichhore by Nitesh Tiwari was another beautiful film on the present education system. Bala and Gone Kesh took up unusual theme of human imperfections, the social bullying and an individual’s journey to accept him/herself with those imperfections.

The Sky is Pink again was a heartwarming and moving story quite unique in the Hindi film world. Amid the frenzy of projecting nationalism in ‘historical’ film, and a new trend of making biopics, more subtle films were made and appreciated at the box office too. Gully Boy, Dream Girl and Zoya Factor are some of them. Nevertheless, the Hindi film world still lacked that ‘great’ cinema one would naturally expect from such a huge film industry.

Malayalam films have always been far more evolved as far as script and visuals are concerned. It also witnessed experimental themes and specifically experiment with the treatment of themes. Directed by Madhu C. Narayanan, Kumblangi Nights is apparently a family drama that runs on many levels breaking many ideas about masculinity, ‘ideal man’ and ‘family.

Directed by Aashiq Abu, Virus, though can be called ‘a medical thriller’, following various stages of the spread of Nipah Virus from identification to its total eradication, yet it makes a more subtle comment on our social and political prejudices and paranoia the epidemic causes.

Another brilliant Malayalam film is Unda about cops who don’t have bullets and are sent on election duty to a tribal area. The black comedy starring Mammootty is based on a real incident that occurred at the time of the 2014 Lok Sabha election when a police unit from Kerala was sent to a Maoist-affected area of Chhattisgarh as part of election duty. But the amazing treatment of the subject makes a subtle comment on fear, casteism, politics and law and order machinery.

Bangla cinema too saw many amazing productions with Aparna Sen’s Ghawre Bairey Aaj being at the forefront. It is a complex triangular love story about three protagonist, one of which is loosely based on the slain journalist Gauri Lankesh. Only Aparna Sen could handle such a complex theme commenting on the present tumultuous socio-political scene with profound visuals.

Director Mainak Bhaumik’s Bornoporichay is a Bengali Neo-noir thriller drama film. On the surface, it’s a cop chases criminal drama but has some great dramatic moments. The obsession of the cop with the criminal at one point becomes almost existential.

Marathi cinema of late has become quite creative. With the thumping success of Sairat, more and more Marathi directors are opting for experimenting with a newer and more challenging theme. Director Sameer Vidwans’ impressive biopic on Anandi Gopal, the first female physician of India, not only narrates her story but also makes us see that not much has changed since her times as far as women and religious taboos are concerned.

Versatile actor-director and writer Nipun Avinash Dharmadhikari’s Dhappa is like a childlike fantasy, but everything that occurs in it reflects real-world problems. It is constantly, and playfully inventive and very intricately reflects a political commentary albeit with a positive note.

Although jarring Punjabi remixes have become an integral part of Hindi cinema, but Punjabi films have maintained a sweetness about them. Two films, Muklawa and Shadaa created quite a buzz with their typical theme and entertaining and gripping treatment.

Premier Padmini directed by Ramesh Indira in Kannada explores the theme of midlife crisis. Fed up of his divorced life, monotonous job and family problems, the protagonist develops a new perspective about life when he meets and interacts with his new driver.

Another flick which was a box office hit and critically acclaimed was Rangasthalam in Telugu. Directed by Sukumar, it deals with the story of a partially deaf Chittibabu. This period drama joined the famed Rs 100 crore club with its astounding success. Though it is a hackneyed story of two brothers taking up arms against feudalist President Garu, but the clever portrayal of the characters wooed the audiences.

Karuppu Durai, Game Over, To Let and Peranbu are a few Tamil films worth mentioning, though the world of Tamil cinema is again quite vast and it would be unjust to just name three films.

Though this is a sketchy view of the Indian film world but it’s heartening to know that the themes taken up this year show some transformation and it’s now clear that none of the languages will now stick to the old worn-out themes, and is eager to experiment with visuals and stories as well.