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.”
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...
1. HUM AAPKE HAIN KOUN...!
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After ages, cinema halls were thronged by families. Everyone came together to watch a movie that spoke about family values, loyalty and duty — everything that appealed to Indian cinegoers. Adding tadka to the tale was Prem and Nisha’s love story, brought alive by Salman Khan’s innocence and Madhuri Dixit-Nene’s impish charm. Sooraj Barjatya’s ode to family values was a blockbuster hit and continues to be the frontrunner among family sagas.
2. BANDIT QUEEN 1994
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When released 25 years ago, Shekhar Kapur’s Bandit Queen found itself in a sea of controversies. While the Censors wanted some scenes to be chopped off, even Phoolan Devi, on whose life the film was based, too filed a case against it. But the filmmaker considers Bandit Queen his best work till date. Not only did the film garner critical appreciation from various quarters, but it also catapulted the director into the international movie circuit. The dacoit drama was selected as India’s entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 67th Academy Awards. However, it failed to get a nomination. Shekhar went on to direct the Academy-award winning Elizabeth post that.
3. HUM DIL DE CHUKE SANAM 1999
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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.
4. SARFAROSH 1999
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First-time director John Mathew Matthan spent seven years doing research to come up with Sarfarosh. The cop drama, starring Aamir Khan, dealt with a police officer’s no-nonsense approach in curbing cross-border terrorism. Right from the superstar’s nuanced performance, to songs like Hoshwalon ko khabar kya and Zindagi maut na ban jaye to the way it addressed the problems faced by certain sections of the society, played out wonderfully in a scene between ACP Rathod (Aamir) and his closest ally Inspector Saleem (Mukesh Rishi), Sarfarosh remains relevant for all the issues it tackled.
5. MAQBOOL 2004
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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.
6. SWADES 2004
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This film, too, didn’t see box-office success but for many, Ashutosh Gowariker’s Swades is an underrated movie that deserved much better. Shah Rukh Khan plays Mohan Bhargava, an NRI who returns to his motherland. It is touted to be one of SRK’s best performances. His expressions in the scene where a boy sells water to him is all you need to see to know what we’re talking about. The film tackles issues ranging from poverty and lack of education to class differences and brain drain.
7. DEV D 2009
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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.
