Underrated Bollywood movies of all time
In a country in which cinema is equated to religion and popular Bollywood culture is dynamic and burgeoning with the onset of a new movie, it is appalling to know that some movies never acquired the recognition it deserved. Few movie critics are of the opinion that some movies portray new actors or have a low budget and hence make it under rated.
Crime
Contributed by Zara Kennedy
Whether you decide to have an impromptu movie night or succumb to the laziness of a Sunday, these movies guarantee to send shivers down your spine and question life as you know it. These movies, according to me are the top most under rated Bollywood movies of all time.
1) Section 375
Bold, provocative and definitely thought provoking, Section 375 stars newbie Meera Chopra, Akshaye Khanna and the fierce Richa Chadda. This highly complicated and engaging courtroom drama highlights the technicalities of law. This movie has an important social function of educating the mass of India about Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code which defines rape as ‘sexual intercourse with a woman against her will, without her consent, by coercion, misrepresentation or fraud or at a time when she has been intoxicated or duped or is of unsound mental health and in any case if she is under 18 years of age.’ In this audacious film, Anjali (Meera Chopra) goes to Rohan Khurana’s (Rahul Bhat) house to show him her outfit for a shoot. What transpires between them is unknown and the same evening, Khurana is arrested for raping her. ‘Section 375’ presents versions of the same story from two different perspectives and along the way, it also examines the routine procedures, corruption and investigation lapses with a gritty, realistic feel. The film also portrays how media and social media trials takes the better of these cases. We are left to ponder over many questions; Was it rape? Did emotional manipulation lead to rape? Is rape a mere physical act that happens on a day to day basis or is there more to it. This film delves into the subject of rape wisely and talks about issues that we want to sweep under the carpet or bury deep in our closet. It is one of the best Bollywood films of 2019 and you should definitely give it a ‘dekho’
2) Kanoon
Capital punishment is a topic that has long been debated. The movie Kanoon, places its roots in this nearly six-decade old movie. It questions if one man’s word should cost another his life. Kanoon was one of India’s first movies that did not have a feature song and made distributors apprehensive to visit the preview of the movie, considering that music and romance dominated the field. Kanoon turned out to be a raging hit and BR walked away with the Filmfare Honours for his impeccable direction. So, if you want to witness a thrilling as well as thought provoking, highly engrossing courtroom drama, watch this black and white masterpiece which in all possibility would change your general perspective of how Hindi movies were made in that specific time period. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed.
Comedy
Contributed by Inayah Suheb
In the words of W.C Fields, ” Comedy is a serious business. A serious business with only one purpose- to make people laugh.” Here is a list of comedy movies that are highly under rated in Bollywood.
1) Khoobsurat
This movie involves romance, comedy and drama. Released, in 2014, the movie did not receive much recognition or a good rating from the critics. Being one of the first Bollywood Disney movies, many people felt that it did not meet the standards of Disney productions. The movie is actually made keeping the younger generation in mind with its light hearted comedy and some of its fairy tale components. The movie revolves around a quirky physiotherapist Milli (Sonam Kapoor) who belongs to a middle-class family. Milli gets a job at the royal palace for the treatment of the king, who suffers from the aftermath of a terrible accident. She realises gradually that the members of this family are quite distant from one another and being an optimistic and good-natured person, she takes it upon herself to bring them closer to one another and help them find happiness again. She finds herself getting closer to the prince (Fawad Khan) in the long run. The movie can be described as hilarious, romantic and heart-warming even if people considered it a once-watch.
2) Hera Pheri
This is a Hindi comedy movie that was released in the year 2000. The film revolves around a trio (Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, Sunil Shetty) including a kind hearted garage owner, a cunning loafer and a pauper. The main plot shows two tenants and a landlord in desperate need of money. They then stumble across a ransom call through cross connection. The story shows how this trio makes an effort to claim this random for themselves. This movie is known for its comedy but only because its sequel Phir Hera Pheri was a huge success.
3) Chup chupke
This is a Bollywood comedy movie (2006) that revolves around Jeetu (Shahid Kapoor) who is a small-town hustler and is constantly in debt. Jeetu’s father and fiancé are forced to suffer the consequences of his debt and one day decides to kill himself by drowning in the sea so that his family can pay off his debts with the insurance money. He finds himself entangled in the bet of two fishermen who assume he is a millionaire. These fishermen decide to use Jeetu’s name to clear their own debts and during all this, Jeetu pretends to be dead and dumb and just plays along.
4) Bhagam bhag
This is a 2006, Indian comedy thriller. It revolves around Champak (Paresh Rawal) a theatre owner who recruits two actors Bunty (Akshay Kumar) and Bubla (Govinda). In need of an actress, Champak and his sidekicks set out on a search and during this, their suitcase gets switched with another one containing drugs. This comedy includes all the drama that arises from Champak unknowingly getting involved with the police and drug dealers.
Female centric movies
Contributed by Esha Johri
The growth of Bollywood is pretty evident in the past few years. The Bollywood now, is
much more accepting and is ready to embrace new challenges and work, but when it comes
to female centric movies there’s still some hesitation. To make our audience aware about this
powerful genre which often goes unnoticed, here are few movies which shatter the whole
concept of the male dominated industry.
1) No One Killed Jessica
A well written piece directed by Rajkumar Gupta is a movie that deserves our
appreciation. This film is based on the real-life story of Jessica Lal and her murder case. It’s a
tale of how Jessica’s elder sister, Sabrina Lal played by Vidya Balan fights the
wealthy and influential man who shot her sister. Rani Mukerji plays the gritty
journalist who helps Vidya Balan fight against all odds. The film shows that even a
common woman can rise above all odds and fight for justice. This movie is among the
first few movies that brought out the essence of female centric genre and made the
audience realise the true meaning of “HERO”.
But as it is said “Be loud enough to be heard”, this movie for some reason didn’t get
the acknowledgement it deserved and thus is in our list of ‘hidden jewels of Indian
Cinema’.
2) Dhanak
Some movies leave an emotional impact on the audience, the movie Dhanak is one of
them.
The story about a 10-year-old girl Pari (Hetal Gada) and her journey to fulfil her
promise towards her 8-year-old brother Chotu (Krrish Chhabria) directed by Nagesh
Kukunoor is a perfect example of how simplicity can change the dimensions of any
movie.
The movie revolves around the storyline of the two youngsters travelling along the
scorching heat of Rajasthan to meet their celebrity role model in order to get back
Chotu’s eyesight. Writer-director Nagesh Kukunoor’s story hinges on the innocence
of the children and their wide-eyed belief in possibilities, their optimism and lack of
fears. What binds it all together is the relatable relationship between brother and
sister. The factor which binds the whole movie together is quirky and interesting
cameos, as Pari and Chotu encounter a variety of colourful, and menacing, characters
along the way.
As much as Dhanak (meaning rainbow) is about the journey and reviving faith,
there is also the back-story of these two young children which is heartwarming.
But unlike other boring melodramatic movies, Dhanak is worth the watch.
With an amazing cinematography and brilliant performances, this movie establishes
the fact that a beautiful story is what the industry requires to flourish rather than a just
a lavish celebrity caste.
3) Lipstick Under My Burkha
This film directed by Alankrita Shrivastava is a subdued conversation starter which represents woman and their desires as well as their rights.
This movie is a shift from all the other mainstream movies and talks about women
empowerment in a quirky yet sophisticated way.
With a brilliant caste of Ratna Pathak, Konkona Sen Sharma, Aahana Kumra, Plabita Borthakur, Sushant Singh, Vikrant Massey this movie reaches out to all age groups. The movie talks about women leading a life according to their own set of rules, taking ownership of their bodies, breaking free from the shackles of their controlling families and from a sexist, prejudiced society that insists they must toe the line. Lipstick Under My Burkha casts an honest, unsparing look at what it means to be a woman in small- town India. This is a city on the cusp of modernisation, where shiny new malls jostle for space with century old apartment blocks, but where mindsets have remained as narrow as the by lanes. Throughout this movie there will be instances where you will laugh and hold back your tears but in the end, you will emerge with a newfound perspective.
Romance
Contributed by Prerna Chandiramani
Romantic movies have always been a major reason for success in the Bollywood industry. From movies like Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayega to Kabhie Khushi Kabhie Gham romance and comedy have always been appreciated in the industry. But there were some exceptional movies which couldn’t get the recognition they deserved among the public and in the business. Some of them are:
1) Lootera – AN absolute masterpiece. In a village, a young anthropologist falls crazy with a landlord’s girl. Their union appears doomed. however, destiny brings them along a year later. can they live jubilantly ever after? This tragic romance is of ‘Pakhi’ (Sonakshi Sinha) UN agency falls crazy with a con (Ranveer Singh). he’s on the run from the police and Pakhi falls sick. Their lovely & tragic romance is what sensible love stories area unit product of. Lootera may be a love adventure story of yesteryear. The plot is
a merger of a story written by Vikramaditya Motwane with O’ Henry’s story, The Last Leaf. It begins in Manikpur, state, in 1953. “Once upon a time.” Those area units four magic words, four words that promise North American nation the planet, journey and romance, and fantasy and drama. The starter’s firearm to any fairytale, they provide immediate escape: “a time” is rarely currently, you see, and we’re instantly whisked off from the humdrum of our everyday.
Our imagination, sort of a suddenly alert hound, perks up its ears and begins to underscore even normal narratives with thrives the teller ne’er spells out. With those four words in situ, something will follow.
2) Sadma (1983) – Sri Devi at her best.
A girl (Sridevi) meets with an accident and is left with the intelligence of a 7-year. Somu (Kamal Haasan) meets her in a very bagnio and decides to appear once her. Their relationship is filled with love and feeling however Somu is desolate once she is cured and doesn’t even acknowledge him any longer Sadma has one in every of the best and most uncommon stories ever in an Indian moving-picture show. it’s well-directed, well narrated, and naturally acted. The film has bits of comedy, drama, and primarily romance however it’s higher delineated as a practical, pleasurable and delightful journey that remains keepsake-less. It lets the viewer expertise a true pain on-screen. Kamal Haasan and Sridevi area unit nothing wanting spectacular and excellent in their several roles. because the caring and worldly college teacher Somu, Haasan plays his role with depth and visual understanding of his character, and his final scenes of the film’s strongest. Sridevi, in one in every of her most unforgettable roles, plays a missy, who, as a result of a head injury loses her memory and is in a very condition of a five-year recent girl’s. meaning she has 2 roles to play
Underrated Tamil movies of all time
Contributed by Srikar Uchiha
The Tamil movie industry is the second largest industry in India and the third largest industry
in the world. The industry has produced several great films and several Oscar nominated
films. It’s unfortunate that some films don’t get the limelight they deserve. The movies go
way beyond their plot and have a message to convey to their audience. They are mixed with
elements of action, humour, adventure and romance. These are a must watch for any Tamil
movie lover and especially critics.
1) Peranbu
Peranbu is a movie about a relationship between a father and a daughter. The movie relates
the scenes towards nature and the understanding of it. The movie starts off with the daughter
having cerebral palsy and the father tries to understand his daughter. The bond between them
becomes stronger as the movie progresses. The movie talks about several issues we deal in
our lives and some issues that are unspoken of. Peranbu is also considered to be a part of
director Ram’s globalisation trilogy that speaks about his anger towards societal conditioning
using small taunts throughout the film. Peranbu is a highly recommended watch and is
streaming on Prime Video in Tamil and Malayalam.
2) Jivi
Jivi is not one of your cliché mystery film. The movie has depth and emotion in it.It follows a
com[plex story line without showing any sort of blood and gore . The movie is about a
jewellery theft and how it is executed perfectly. The movie has more to it than just a mere
jewellery theft as it talks about the circle of life and mainly talks about what goes around,
comes around. The dialogues in the movie are impactful and crisp. The story could possibly
get confusing but it is explained well as the movie progresses. Like the first frame is brought
back during the last frame as well leaving it open to several interpretations within the theory
itself. This is a must watch for all movie buffs!
3) To let
To let is one of those few Tamil movies that give out Forest Gump vibes. It has a very basic
plotline but is made with an emotional touch to it. The movie is mainly about the difficulties
of searching for a house to live in during a time when rents and prices of the house are so
expensive for the poor to afford. Moreover, the movie mainly focuses on the character’s
emotion than the whole movie itself. The audience can connect to the film because the
characters in the film are so relatable. The film is a good watch as it doesn’t stretch the story
despite having the potential for multiple further subplots. . People who are from allow socio-
economic background face. Director Chezhiyan has beautifully executed this well as it is very
easy for the audience to understand the theme of the movie and what the movie is trying to
convey. To Let also shows a lower middle-class life in a manner that doesn’t glorify it and
yet makes it look beautiful. Everything from the characters to the unexpected climax would
leave an impact on us. A sort of an aftertaste that we’d like to remember. To let is streaming
on Prime Video.
4) Uriyadi 2
It’s usually known among movie buffs that a sequel of any movie destroys the whole plot and
vibe of that film but Uriyadi 2 just makes it even better. The movie is a continuation of the
first one but only brings some elements of the first movie to it.The film conveys the social
issues and runs on the tension that develops between the characters Although the film gets a
little preachy about the social cause and takes a while to establish the characters and set the
tone, it remains relatable and resumes into a tight screenplay. The movie has been directed
amazingly well but hasn’t got the recognition it deserves. Uriyadi 2 is streaming on Netflix.
Underrated Malayalam movies of all time
Contributed by Nithya Johnny
1) The Truth
The truth is a thriller movie written by S.N. Swamy and directed by Shaji Kailas with Mammooty as hero. The producer of the movie was Alleppey Ashraf. The main characters are Divvya Unni, Murali, and Vani Viswanath. The music of the film is done by Rajamani. It was released on 19thMarch 1998. This movie has many twists and turns that make the movie more interesting and thrilling. The hero Mammootty is coming as Bharath Patteri IPS, Director SIT and Divya Unni as Nimmy. The movie was not of that great success like other Shaji Kailas movies that was realised around that time. The production company was A. B. R. Productions and the editing of the film is done by Bhoominathan. This film was remade in Kannada in the name Naxalite in 2000.
2) Left, right, left
The movie Left Right Left gives appropriate narration about how a man is formed. It is a thriller film directed by Arun Kumar Aravind and written by Murali Gopy. It was produced under the banner of An Arun Kumar Aravind Film. The movie was one of the finest political thrillers over many Malayalam films. This movie allegedly portrayed the Kerala CM in a bad light. So this movie was made to ground by the party members as they blamed that the movie has critically changed the facts and true view. The music of this film was done by Gopi Sunder and was edited by Arun Kumar Aravind. The film was released on 14 th June 2013.
3) Devadoothan
The film Devadoothan is one of the best mystery horror movies which were released on 27 th
December 2000. The film shows the life of a musical teacher expelled from college, Vishal
Krishnamurthy. Though the movie has many amazing and thrilling scenes, the movie was not
received with full sprit. The film was directed by Sibi Malayil, written by Raghunath Paleri. Mohanlal play the leading role with others such as Jaya Prada, Vijayalakshmi, Vineeth Kumar, and Murali. The music of the film was done by Vidhyasagar.
Take 2 