Best indie movie 2016
By Aditya Pisharody
The growing Independent film movement in India continued to make significant progress in the industry - if not in terms of box office then at least in terms of mind space and attention. The controversial 'Aligarh' and it's unfair treatment by the Censor Board led to vociferous online support for the film, although sparse attendances suggest that India was not quite ready for a biopic on a homosexual college professor. In the meantime, digital media has given Indie movies and short films a new lease of life - with both Netflix and Amazon Prime aggressively entering the Indian market in 2016. Eccentric indie film-maker Q's 'Brahman Naman' has the distinction of being India's first ever Netflix original, with the promise of plenty more to come as the streaming giants take stock of India's massive online potential. However, just like in mainstream Bollywood this year - it was not all about the men. Kalki Koechlin and Swara Bhaskar both play strong, determined female leads in two absolutely delighful films - 'Waiting' and 'Nil Battey Sannata' respectively - and are each ably supported by one of veteran husband-wife duo Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah. In short, Indie movies gave us plenty to cherish this year - let's take a moment to give them the acclaim they unfortunately never manage to get of their own accord.
Aligarh
Although Aligarh premiered in at the Jio Mami festival in 2015, it only hit theatres - and the national consciousness - in 2016. Given an A rating due to its theme, despite any violent or sexual scenes in the movie - many felt Aligarh was harshly done by the Censor Board. Predictably, the film struggled financially but it certainly made a mark. Manoj Bajpai and Rajkumar Rao both put in beautifully nuanced performances, and the film does a fantastic job of capturing Prof. Siras' melancholy existence. Aligarh is a strong film with an important message - admittedly not without its flaws - but that a film like this was made is in itself a hugely positive sign for tolerance in our country.
Umrika
Another film which hit the festival circuit in 2015, before making its theatrical (and Netfix) debut this year, Umrika boasts some intriguing talent in the form of Suraj Sharma (Life of Pi) and Tony Revolori (Grand Budapest Hotel). The film is a heartwarming portrayal of small town India, who marvel over the letters of one of their own who has made it big by going to the promised land - the United States of Umrika of course! The plot and narrative are surprisingly sharp and intricate, and this is definitely a movie that will make you think deeply.
Waiting
Words will do little justice to the beautiful, emotional journey that one experiences watching this film. Waiting is the story of two people at opposite ends of life's spectrum, but dealing with the same tragedy. Kalki, a 20-something newlywed, has her life thrown into turmoil when her husband meets with a car accident. Naseeruddin meanwhile, is still struggling to come to terms with his wife's predicament - in a coma for years and unlikely to wake up. Despite the heavy subject matter, Waiting still manages to serve up plenty of light moments and laughter. The rapport between Kalki and Naseeruddin is genuinely moving, and every aspect of this film - the writing, the acting of even the smallest minor characters, the settings, the plot narrative - is on point.
nil battey sannata
A fantastic film which sheds light onto a section of society that are so often taken for granted. Swara Bhaskar plays the 'bai' that many of us are familiar with and may have grown up with. Working as a helper for a modestly wealthy couple, her dreams are simple: for her daughter to study hard and make something of her life so that she can move up the socio-economic ladder. Just one problem, our Apeksha just cannot understand Maths! While largely upbeat, Nil Battey Sannata gets unmistakably deep and emotional - with the most powerful scene coming when Apeksha effectively resigns herself to being a 'bai' when she grows up, since that is her lot in life. While slightly filmy in the second half, Nil Battey Sannata is a beautifully crafted tale. The film's quality has already been recognized at the mainstream awards, with Swara Bhaskar's performance earning her a Star Screen Award for Critics Choice Best Actress Award, while the Best Child Artiste award went to Riya Shuka.
Brahman Naman
In a year that gave us Kya Kool Hai Hum 3, Mastizaade AND Great Grand Masti - it was up to Brahman Naman to show that the 'sex comedy' genre actually has legs. While the former 3 resorted to blatant misogyny, sexist characters and crude double-entendres that would only amuse viewers aged 12 or below - Brahman Naman is a delightfully silly and endearing tale set in 1970s Chennai that is genuinely funny and relatable. Naman is predictably a teenager with raging hormones, and yearns to get down and dirty with various members of the female sex - with the only downside being that he is...a teenager with raging hormones. His delusions of grandeur inevitably blow up in his face, but Naman's goofy mannerisms and impossibly cocksure attitude win you over as viewer. It would be facetious to draw comparisons to American Pie - the defining movie of the sex comedy genre - but Brahman Naman gets a lot closer than any other Indian film.
Raman Raghav 2.0
After the disastrous failure of Bombay Velvet (which this correspondent actually thought was a good film), Anurag Kashyap returned as a director to what he does best - gritty, violent thrillers with Nawazuddin Siddiqui at the forefront. Nawaz doesn't disappoint, and his re-envisioning of infamous serial killer Psycho Raman is chilling - right from the facial expressions to the deadpan dialogue delivery. Vicky Kaushal plays Raghav, the drug-addict cop that Raman cannot let go of, and has his moments too. There are some noteworthy moments of dark comedy that are Kashyap's forte, and the precision with which Mumbai's destitute slums and underbelly of crime are portrayed is masterful. In reality though, Nawaz's tour de force is what makes the film.