By: Rhea Sabherwal
Our in-house Bollywood Addict is back with the ’10 most iconic Bollywood Movies of this Decade’.
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011)
The ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ of this decade, ZNMD is about three friends coming together after many years for a bachelor trip and maneuvering through their life’s problems while figuring out their own complicated equations with each other. Scenic locations, amazing acting, Javed Akhtars soulful writing along with an amazing background score and ofcourse, ‘Bagwati’ went on to make ZNMD a cult movie.
Gangs of Wasseypur (2012)
Both it’s parts did very well at the box office, but more importantly left a mark on the audiences. It’s a crime drama about warring mafia families in Northern India. Gangs of Wasseypur truly redefined the gangster era. It’s sharp script and brilliant acting make sure that it makes a case for its legacy.
Yeh Jawani Hai Diwani (2013)
A feel good movie packed with A-listers and a great soundtrack, YJHD was a great recipe for success. It reminds one of all the fun times with their friends. YJHD was a rare mix of everything commercial and heartwarming. It has everything that a Bollywood masala film ought to – romance, groovy music, exotic locations, a star cast to die for, popular dance numbers, even an item number by Madhuri Dixit. But beyond all of that it reminds you of hoe beautiful love, friendship and life can be.
Queen (2013)
It’s a refreshing take on a young girls journey of finding her independence amongst overly protective parents, a relentless judging society and a very fickle ex fiance. Kangana Ranaut’s brilliant acting skills as she transforms from a lost, timid girl to a self reliant woman, won everyone’s hearts. Queen wasn’t only a great movie but also paved the way for female oriented stories to take a forefront in the Hindi film industry. This movie is a powerful piece of feminist art, and this played a huge role in its success.
Dil Dhadakne Do (2015)
A quintessential Bollywood drama that focuses on complex family relationships. The movie focuses on an affluent family existing in a society where appreances are everything. This movie sees them on a cruise where they’re forced to face the realities of their own lives. The voice over of this family’s dog who keeps pointing out the idiosyncrasies of the human species is a great way to forward the story while commenting on it too. Overall it’s a very endearing film and that quality is what probably made it the huge success it was.
Baahubali (2015)
This movie is one of the most expensive films to be made in India. It’s sheer scale and grandeur attracts you the film along with its stellar starcast and the mythological storyline. The attention to detail given to it’s each frame really pays off and one can see why it became the huge success it did. But the main theme of the film lies in the simple thought that good is mightier than evil.
Dear Zindagi (2016)
While not the biggest of a box office success, this movie surely left it’s impact. One of the very few movies in Bollywood that discusses mental health, this movie gave life lessons that everyone can always lean upon. Apart from destigmatizing mental health, the movie in had great performances by Shah Rukh Khan and Alia Bhatt, and a well crafted screenplay.
Dangal (2016)
Dangal is about a former pro wrestler who, after getting married and failing to have a son to follow in his footsteps, decides to train two of his daughters instead and raises them to become champions. This story, while being a simple one about the bond between a father and his daughters, stood out because of the pitch perfect acting skills displayed by all the lead actors.
Padmaavat (2018)
Arguably one of the most controversial Bollywood movies ever, Padmaavat was the talk of the town for the longest time for reasons both right and wrong. It’s original release date had to be pushed because of the violent protests it drew from various communities. Threats were made and riots took place, but the film emerged victorious after all this when it finally released and gained massive love from the audience due to its beautiful soundtrack, lush visuals and great acting.
Gully Boy (2019)
India’s official entry to the Oscars for 2019, Gully Boy was possibly the best introduction to Indian Gully rap that Bollywood could get. While the movies central theme was the Indian Rap scene, it also incorpoeated the themes of love, friendship, dreams and poverty, all very beautifully woven into a fine, crisp script. The third Zoya Akhtar movie to make it to this list, Gully Boy once again showed us how she truly is an expert filmmaker and always knows how to take a certain theme and then bring it to life beautifully on screen.
To read more by Rhea, click here.
To read more such articles, check out The World.