Here’s a look at a few movies that have stayed relevant through the years...
A few weeks ago, filmmaker Imtiaz Ali put up a post on his social media, reminding people that it was five years ago, on February 21, that Highway released. It wasn’t just a film he directed, but it was his first production as well. The road movie is remembered today, not only for the superb performances by both Alia Bhatt and Randeep Hooda but also for its music and cinematography. At that time, the filmmaker had told a leading newspaper, “Highway has been a story that has stayed with me for 15 years. There was something in it that didn’t die. Usually, you lose interest in a story beyond a certain point. But with Highway, there was something very subtle, yet something very influential.”
COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING
It’s not surprising then, that five years later, Imtiaz’s labour of love still remains a must-watch for cinegoers, who are looking for a beautiful movie-watching experience. 2019 is also when a number of other critically-acclaimed films celebrate their landmark years. Here’s a look at a few movies that have stayed relevant through the years...
HUM DIL DE CHUKE SANAM 1999
20 YEARS AGO
HUM DIL DE CHUKE SANAM 1999
While the latest news is that Salman Khan and Sanjay Leela Bhansali are teaming up for a love story again, it was 19 years ago that the superstar and the maverick filmmaker came together for the second time (after Khamoshi: The Musical), to create the masterpiece called Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. The tragic love story between Salman and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Ajay Devgn’s brooding intensity, majestic sets, Ismail Darbar’s music and SLB’s grand vision was a lethal combination that inspires awe even today.
MAQBOOL 2004
15 YEARS AGO
MAQBOOL 2004
Considered a masterclass in acting, Maqbool remains one of the finest films of the Indian cinema. Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, the contemporised version of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth saw superlative performances by Pankaj Kapur, Tabu, Irrfan Khan, Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri. Though it was critically acclaimed, both here and internationally, the movie did not do so well commercially. Nevertheless, Maqbool is a gem that aspiring filmmakers and actors can take a leaf out of, even 15 years hence.
DEV D 2009
10 YEARS AGO
DEV D 2009
Anurag Kashyap’s modern-day adaptation of Sarat Chandra Upadhyay’s novel Devdas opened to critical appreciation and commercial success in 2009. The filmmaker, having previously made Black Friday, a critical success and No Smoking, a debacle, had not seen that kind of reception. Whether it was the music by Amit Trivedi that won him the National Award that year or the innovative narrative structure of the plot, not to forget the performances by the lead cast, including Abhay Deol, Mahie Gill and newcomer Kalki Koechlin, Dev D showed what Anurag is capable of as a director.