While going to the theatres to watch a movie has been quite of a wishful thinking in 2020, there was no lack of new movies to watch owing to the OTT platforms. The year started with a few films releasing on the big screen and since then many filmmakers chose to release their movies online instead of waiting for a Covid free world. Although not all the movies that were released in 2020 hit the mark, some still managed to garner praise amid the pandemic blues. Here are 10 Bollywood movies we think were awesome in 2020.
Thappad
.jpg)
Directed by Anubhav Sinha and featuring the vivacious Tapsee Pannu as lead, at the heart of this women-centric story, as a dutiful wife who questions her marriage after an incident with her husband leaves her in a state of shock. An ensemble cast including Ratna Pathak Shah, Dia Mirza, Pavail Gulati, Kumud Mishra, Tanvi Azmi among others, this heart-rendering movie opens up the viewers to our patriarchal society from the standpoint of multiple women coming from completely different walks of life.
Bulbbul
Produced by Anushka Sharma, this horror-drama revolves around the journey of a child bride growing up to be an enigmatic woman, amid mysterious murders taking place in the village. Set with eerie and supernatural vibes, Tripti Dimri who plays the lead, Bulbbul was heavily praised for her unique performance along with Avinash Tiwary and Rahul Bose in supporting roles. Invoking feelings of feminism, Bulbbul is a different take on the horror genre and makes for an intense yet interesting watch.
Ludo
.jpg)
A thriller with an entourage of some of the most brilliant actors of the industry including Pankaj Tripathi, Rajkumar Rao, Abhishek Bachan, Aditya Rao Kapoor, follows four parallel entwining stories, playing out similarly to the game of Ludo with one eccentric criminal in the middle. Anurag Basu has woven an exciting thrilling journey with unexpected twists and turns, experimenting with a mostly untouched genre and easily making it one of the best watches of this year.
Panga
.jpg)
Another women-centric movie, directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, Panga follows the journey of Jaya, portrayed by Kangana Ranaut, a former Kabaddi World Champion, who waved goodbye to her dreams for the sake of her family and after being pushed by them yet again, decided to make a comeback. Even with a slightly predictable plot, the movie touches you in a hopeful way while also making you realise the sacrifices a woman willingly makes for the good of her family.
Dil Bechara
The last ever onscreen presence of Late actor Sushant Singh Rajput and ironically, the debut film of Sanjana Sanghi, Dil Bechara is the Indian adaptation of John Green's bestseller novel, The Fault In Our Stars. The movie features Manny and Kizie, two adults in their 20s suffering from cancer and their journey of navigating love and life with a terminal illness. As a tribute to Rajput, the movie was made available free of cost on Disney plus Hotstar to viewers all over the world and the movie's trailer also became the most liked Indian trailer ever on YouTube.
Raat Akeli Hai
Featuring OTT's sweethearts, Radhika Apte and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in lead roles, Raat Akeli Hai is the directorial debut of Honey Trehan. The thriller follows the mysterious murder of a newly married landlord and investigation by an eccentric cop slowly revealing the family's deepest darkest secrets. This crime thriller drama is an extraordinary creation and only one of its kind released this year on Netflix and will keep you on your toes for 150 minutes with its more than unexpected plot twists.
Gulabo Sitabo
Set in old Lucknow, an eccentric comedy-drama, Gulabo Sitabo tells the tale of Mirza, an old man who is always at war with his tenant Baankey as he wants him to evict his old haveli making up for hilarious sequences. Amitabh Bachchan is almost unrecognisable as Mirza, also bringing out the extreme vulnerability of the character and Ayushman Khurana, is stellar as always, in portraying, Baankey, a poor lad struggling through life. The climax of this feel-good satirical watch will have you up in cracks.
Tanhaji:The Unsung Warrior
Theatre An epic historical drama, Ajay Devgan plays Tanhaji Malusare, a Marathi warrior in the movie, who is Shivaji Maharaj's trusted lieutenant and when the Mughals invade the Kondhana fort, he sets out to reclaim it for his king and his country. A nuanced tale with larger than life sets and magnificent costume work, each character is layered and portrayed with brilliance whether it's Kajol's motherly Savitribai or Saif Ali Khan's shrewd Uday Bhan Singh.
Chhapaak
Based on the life of acid attack survivor, Lakshmi Agarwal, Meghna Gulzar brings yet another real life story of a courageous woman to the big screen. Deepika Padukone, as Malti flawlessly moulds herself from a cheerful girl full of life to a fearless woman standing up for not just herself but those similar to her. This gut-wrenching tale of pain and ordeal will keep you rooting for Malti, even through her unusual yet beautiful relationship with Amol, an activist, portrayed by Vikrant Massey.
Shakuntala Devi
A biopic based on the life of "human computer" Shakuntala Devi, gives you a deeper insight not only in the successful career of the famous mathematician, but also her personal struggles through life. Vidya Balan as Shakuntala Devi gives a memorable performance, changing several avatars through the decades, toning her character up and down as required. To set a different tone, the viewers get to see Shakuntla's life through her daughter Anupma's lens, played by Sanya Malhotra in eccentric 90s costumes.
