From Jolly LL.B 2 To Poorna, A Round-Up Of The Best Films Of The First Quarter of 2017

Shameless confession: even in the call of duty – film reviewing that is – I’ve cloistered myself at home this week. Even the world’s most delicious box of laddoos, for free or discounted rate,  cannot coerce me to go out and sample Laali Ki Shaadi Mein Laddoo Deewana. By the time I’ve finished saying the title, am exhausted already. Such is life, weary dearies.

Now even the presence of thespians Saurabh Shukla and Sanjay Mishra, and  youngies Vivaan Shah and Akshara Haasan, aren’t enticements enough. Hopefully am proved wrong, and this shaadi corn turns out to be the surprise hot hit of 2017. Shhh reviewers, critics, whoever, secretly like to be trolled, scrolled, whatever.

Which brings me to the topic of this Friday: so what were the uppers during the last three months of ’17 anyway?Or mmmm, the movies which for a shoal of reasons made the multiplex worth a trek.

Jan-Feb-April down, I’d say there were essentially five outings which merit mention in a re-cap. Now, don’t even get into the ‘commercial’ and ‘artistic’ jhagda, please This ragda is often described by as ‘non-existent’. Quality-wise, a film is a film and all that funda

Here then are my top 5 in the months gone bye bye:

Jolly LL.B 2

Image Source: twitter/akshaykumar
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Subhash Kapoor’s sequel to the Arshad Warsi-Amrita Rao (hello, where’s she by the way?) lawcourt drama was engaging, meaning it didn’t make you eavesdrop on the cell phone conversations or the smooching going on in the audi. Akshay Kumar’s star draw actually worked, since he avoided glamourising himself and, yaaay,  let himself get beaten up by goons on the street. Shabash, kabi haar mein bhi jeet hoti hai. Witty and wise, the screenplay did take care to assign solid parts to Annu Kapoor and yeah, to Saurabh Shukla as an eccentric judge from the original. Melikes.

Badrinath Ki Dulhania

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Okay, okay, look I’m not about to contradict myself. I didn’t go nuts about the screenplay, direction or the to and froing from smalltowns to Singapore, but yeah for sure the chemistry between Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt was sharbaty cool. Chill, let chill and enjoy the loveplay.

Trapped

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To be honest, I thought this grave survival flick would be an ordeal. Imagine staying largely with one character and that too in a stinky-pooh high-rise, somewhat on the lines of Buried in which an American soldier found himself buried in a coffin do gaz zameen ke neeche-types. Thanks to the inventive direction by Vikramaditya Motwane and a lifelike performance by Rajkummar Rao, here was an effort which broke free of cliches and conventions. Believe that or beg to differ.

Anaarkali Of Aarah

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Hell so many ‘aa’s there. Takes up too much space and typing time. That apart, this take on a feisty young woman from a smalltown (that’s where the action is aaj kal) who’s raunchy and tells men where to go and get their socks off (and more) , was punchy and purposeful, topped by Swara Bhaskar who’s to the camera born.

Poorna

Image Source: twitter/RahulBose1

Rahul Bose returned to direction 16 years after the urban chic Everybody Says I’m Fine. With his heart and intelligence intact, the biopic on the underprivileged girl who climbed Mount Everest at the age of 13, was not only inspiring but narrated with amazing grace and rigour. Carry on Mr Bose, with fortitude undiminished.

Thumbnail Image Source:  twitter/RahulBose1, dharmaproductions & akshaykumar