1. Maharaja -Sethupathy and Kashyap at their personal best. Perhaps a movie to be researched and rewatched time and again. Please do not compare with Old Boy. It is a different movie from a different perspective. I do not remember how many times I re-watched that laxmi feet scene at the climax. A must watch if you are a fan of truely Indian movies.
2. Meiyazhagan- Perhaps the most refreshing movie of the year. Arvind Swami at his prime after a long gap. A wonderful journey of self-realisation. It is a mirror of life, self-esteem and redemption portrayed in a beautiful way. A cult classic in the making. A must watch for the true film lovers.
3.Manjummel Boys- What a movie ! I have seen many such international movies but in India, this is a pioneer. What a heartfelt tale of friendship, sacrifice and celebration of life ! It is spine chilling yet refreshing. It is thrilling yet pleasant. It is a unique experience altogether and is a testament of the heights our Southern filmakers are achieving with every passing year.
4. Bramayugam- What an eerie movie! Sucha a claustrophobic experience ! Yet it outshines every contemporary horror movies. The making resembles that of Lighthouse and Tumbbad yet it maintains its originality and succeeds in transporting to an era unfathomable for the modern generations.
5. The Goat Life- A fascinating experience hitherto unseen in Indian film industry. The periphery, perceivably or intellectually is humongous. I have become a fan of Prithviraj Sukumaran after watching this survival drama. It is long, exhausting yet poignant and heart touching. A must watch for those who love this particular genre.
6. Laapataa Ladies- When Kiran Rao is at the helm of affairs, you have the right to expect a story so close to earth. It is really so very earthen that you don’t feel like you are watching a movie. It addresses so many complexities of the rural social fabric, yet it is so humble in its tone. A perfect movie to watch with all your near and dear ones. It is an answer of a true film maker to deranged individuals like the director of Animal on the question how good films should be made.
7. Aavesham- Many would argue why this movie gets a place in a list of such elite movies. Because it is from the house of FaFa, the great Fahadh Faasil. Man, I have become a trueblue fan of this insane actor. This movie is insane like its protagonist. It is a riot. You cannot take a single breath from the moment FaFa makes his grand entry. This is entertainment at its zenith. If you expect a ‘Goodfellas’ or ’12 Angry Men’ while watching movies like Aavesham , you better stay away from this. This is pure celebration and there is no need to cerebrate while enjoying such a celebration.
8.Aattam- Even though it was released in the award circles in 2023, it was theatrically released this year. A true depiction of how Indian society still treats our women, this movie is a non-linear creation provoking so many thoughts and its effect will reverberate hours after watching it. Pretty much in the line of some of the best European movies, this movie has an open ending, asking so many question about justice, honour and love. A must watch if you like slow burning dramas of the highest level.
9. Kill- Many will frown seeing this movie in this list. Doesn’t really matter. This is Indian action cinema at its zenith. Perhaps the best ever action movie made in India. It is slick, it is tight and gripping and it is gory to an unimaginable extent. It redefines Indian action movies. Comparison to the Raid or Raid Redemption is baseless. It is horribly beautifl in its own right.
10. Maidan- Finally someone remembered Syed Abdur Rahim, the greatest Indian football coach. We need more such stories like this to uplift sports other than cricket. Ajay Devgan’s filmography of late is truly impressive and this movie is yet another testament to his masterclass.
Honourable mentions-
1. Srikanth- An honest film, an inspiring tale and beautiful acting by Rajkumar Rao.
2. Chamkila- What a story ! What a tribute to the master musician ! Finally, Imtiaz Ali gets back his lost touch. Beautifully acted by Dilip Dosanjh. Oh, yeah, Parineeti Chopra can act.
3. Chandu Champion- This guy Karthik Aryan can act ! I never knew. This is a wonderful movie by Kabir Khan whose luck seems to have betrayed him since 83 yet another beautiful movie which ended up without stirring much interest among the movie goers.
3. Kishkindha Kandam- Finally a mystery movie that strings the right chords.
4. Stree- Just for the hillarious one liners and for the love of the universe filmmaker Amar Kaushik has so beautifully crafted.
5. Shaitan- Purely for Madhavan. A brutal and dark tale of black magic. Yet another example of Ajay Devgan’s choice of movie selection. Not to be watched alone.
6. Bohurupi- The lone Bengali movie in the entite list. Finally a Bengali movie had the potential to ensure more footfalls in the movie halls. It has revitalized Bengali movies and cured it from coma.
P.S.- This is my personal choice and I would like to have some more suggestions from you.
Statutory Warning- If you suggest me something like Pushpa, Bhul Bhulaiya or Singham Returns to include in the top 10 list, you may be blocked.
