India's many languages and traditions give its cinema extraordinary variety. Cinema and politics often dominate our conversations, and this time I want to talk about the films that stayed with me.
I put this list together around the end of 2018. It includes films from earlier years as well, so it is a personal watchlist rather than a list limited to 2018 releases.
Andhadhun
This Hindi thriller centres on a pianist pretending to be visually impaired. When he becomes entangled in a murder, the story turns into a succession of surprises.
The screenplay seems to play hide-and-seek with its characters and with us. I enjoyed the way each development unsettles what we think we know.
Maheshinte Prathikaaram
This Malayalam film follows a photographer in Idukki, Kerala. Fahadh Faasil's natural performance reminded me of the qualities I admired in Take Off, North 24 Kaatham and Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum.
A chain of incidents leads Mahesh into a fight while he is trying to stand up for a friend. Humiliated after being beaten, he resolves to take revenge. The way that resolve develops makes the film engaging.
Arjun Reddy
Arjun Reddy made a strong impression on Telugu cinema audiences. It follows a medical student's troubled emotional state after his relationship with Preethi breaks down.
Its dark mood and intense central character were what stood out to me.
Ratsasan
This Tamil psychological thriller follows a police officer investigating the murders of young girls. The effort to identify and stop the killer gives the film its tension.
Stree
Rajkummar Rao, whose work I admired in Newton, Shahid and Trapped, stars in this Hindi film set in Chanderi.
The town lives in fear of a spirit believed to attack men during a festival. Vicky and his friends try to understand the mystery and protect the people around them.
C/o Kancharapalem
This Telugu film uses a cast of unfamiliar faces to tell an unconventional set of love stories. Its characters and the streets of Kancharapalem gradually reveal their connections to Raju, a 49-year-old unmarried man.
Angamaly Diaries
This Malayalam crime drama pays close attention to Angamaly's dialect, food, music and culture. Vincent Pepe is a restless young man whose temper draws him deeper into crime.
The film made me think about what a person can lose through an impulsive act.
Kirik Party
This Kannada film follows Karna through college life and the discovery of a less familiar side of himself. I found it refreshing and enjoyed the song “Belageddu”.
When I wrote the original post, I noted that the song had passed 70 million views on YouTube. That was a figure recorded at the time, not a current count.
Vikram Vedha
This Tamil action thriller explores morality and conflict. The confrontation between its central characters keeps challenging easy distinctions between good and evil.
My takeaway was that our perception of an event can be very different from its reality.
Dangal
Aamir Khan stars in this biographical sports drama about a father pursuing a wrestling ambition through his daughters. Their training, struggles and achievements give the story its emotional force.
Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru
This Tamil crime thriller follows an honest police officer trying to solve a series of robberies and murders. Its connection to real cases in Tamil Nadu added to my interest in the investigation.
Which Indian films from this period would you add to the list?
Films in This Watchlist
