A disappointing year for mainstream Hindi cinema, and a landmark year for Malayalam films, 2024 was truly a rude awakening for Bollywood and a ray of hope for Indie cinema.
All We Imagine As Light’s behemoth success opened doors for independent filmmakers.
It also served as a whip for Film Federation of India, whose Oscar selection, Laapata Ladies, was also a much-celebrated fare this year. Miles away in Hollywood, Mikey Madison’s Anora, Demi Moore’s The Substance and Selena Gomez’s Emilia Pérez are hot-favourite of juries as the award season begins.
As for South cinema, Kalki 2898 AD set cash registers ringing and left critic’s hearts throbbing, yearning for ambitious cinema. In the OTT space, Fawad Khan’s Barzakh and Vijay Varma’s IC: 814 - The Kandahar Hijack received critical acclaim.
Many of the sequels disappointed — Squid Game season 2, The Boys season 4, House of the Dragon season 2 — left a lot to be desired while Bridgertion season 3 and The Bear season 3 lived up to their much-hyped arrival. Here are the top titles of 2024, ranked.
Best Non-Hindi Language Indian Films of 2024
1. Aavesham
Three boys are violently, mercilessly bullied by local goons. They find ‘local support’ as Ranga (Fahad Fasil), a white-clad, gun-wielding, whiskey-chugging don who goes to drastic lengths to protect his ‘boys’. Aavesham struck an emotional chord with this critic, more than the gut-wrenching Meiyazhagan and Manjummel Boys. The pathos with which FaFa plays Ranga, the cheerfulness and the underlying sadness, needs to be studied. Iconic film, Memorable role.
2. Manjummel Boys
A tear-jerking survival thriller, and a love letter to friendships that persevere, Chidambaram’s Manjummel Boys is an ode to human spirit and sacrifice, to friendships that transcend time and space.
3. Meiyazhagan
Ushering in softer, gentler and more sentimental aspects of masculinity, Meiyazhagan is just the celebration of male bonding we need in a world full of toxic, hyper-masculine forms of expressions. Full marks to actor Suriya for hitting back at those questioning its box-office performance: “Who knows what truly defines a film's success?”, the actor said in an interview.
4. Sookshmadarshini
One of the highest grossing Malayalam films of all times, Sookshmadarshini is a black comedy mystery thriller that is a whole lot of fun. A perfect balance of thrills and laughs, MC Jithin’s film is one to watch out for.
5. Kalki 2898 AD
Futuristic, yet traditional. Dystopian, yet rooted in mythology. Kalki 2898 AD might just be a derivative version of ‘Dune: Part Two’ but the film is a giant leap for ambitious cinema.
Best Hindi Theatrical Films of 2024
1. I Want To Talk
The only reason why Abhishek Bachchan, Shoojit Sarcar’s ‘I Want To Talk’ ranks above Payal Kapadia’s behemoth ‘All We Imagine As Light’ in this list might just be personal. For a critic who spent most of the year indoors, battling chronic illness and rarely stepping out for screenings, I was moved to tears seeing Abhishek Bachchan’s beautifully tragic portrayal of Joy, a man who survives one medical setback after another. A testimony to human grit and perseverance, I Want To Talk is Sircar at his finest.
2. All We Imagine As Light
Payal Kapadia’s many accolade wins will likely haunt Film Federation of India for a long, long time. Their decision to not send Kapadia’s All We Imagine… as India’s official Oscar entry may or may not have cost us an Oscar, but let’s be honest, it is a matter of great pride that Kapadia has scored many nominations for the film. The film is playing in theaters so in case you haven’t watched it already, you know what to do.
3. Laapataa Ladies
Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies might have faced brickbats due to FFI’s selection, but there’s no denying that the tongue-in-cheek film is an eye-opening expose on systemic patriarchy and how it stifles women’s voices. Chhaya Kadam as Manju Maai might just be the role of a lifetime.
4. Merry Christmas
Katrina Kaif, Vijay Sethupati’s ‘Merry Christmas’ is just the Andhadun-esque mystery thriller that left its mark this year. While the film found much of its audience post-OTT release, it has rightfully earned its place on the list.
5. Madgaon Express
Trust Kunal Khemmu when it comes to writing superb comedy films. Starring Divyendu, Pratik Gandhi and Avinash Tiwary, Madgaon Express is the ‘Hangover’ India needs and deserves. Shoutout to Chhaya Kadam (her third appearance on this list!) who plays drug kingpin Kanchan Kombdi.
Special mentions: Kill
Best Hindi OTT Series of 2024
1. Barzakh (ZEE5/ Zee Zindagi)
First Saim Sadiq’s Joyland and then Asim Abbasi’s ‘Barzakh’, Pakistan continues to come up with some of the finest shows and films. Barzakh is miles ahead of anything that came out in the Indian OTT space. Gentle, sensual and moving, Barzakh’s visual and audio grammar is soothing, yet loud enough to make its presence felt.
2. Raat Jawaan Hai (SonyLiv)
A landmark show on the struggles of parents trying not to burn themselves out, Raat Jawaan Hai is one of the best shows this year. Starring Anjali Anand, Barun Sobti, the show has a feel-good vibe, reminiscent of TVF shows.
3. IC:814 – The Kandahar Hijack (Netflix)
Starring Vijay Varma, Pankaj Kapur, Naseeruddin Shah among others, IC: 814 is just the deep-dive into the longest plane hijack in Indian history that you need to watch this year. Gripping, tense and tantalizing—the limited series is a must-watch.
4. Zindaginama (SonyLiv)
A web anthology exploring the many complicated facets of mental illness, Zindaginama might just be the most important show to have come out this year. Flawed, yet eye-opening, the show explores eating disorders, body dysmorphia and other mental health issues in great detail.
5. Citadel: Honey Bunny (Prime Video)
Starring Varun Dhawan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Citadel: Honey Bunny is Raj & DK at their finest. The spy-thriller is engrossing and will keep you on the edge of your seat through its eight episode run.
Special mentions: Heeramandi, Shekhar Home, Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives
Best Hindi OTT Film Releases of 2024
1. CTRL (Netflix)
Ananya Panday and Vihaan Samat’s gritty expose on the dark side of technology is just the film digital Indians should watch. Full marks to Vikramaditya Motwane and editor Jahaan Noble for bringing to life this screenlife thriller.
2. Sector 36 (Netflix)
Based on 2006 Nithari Village killings, Sector 36 has Vikrant Massey and Deepak Dobriyal deliver their career best performances. A stunning exploration of privilege and child abuse, Sector 36 is a must-watch.
3. Chamkila (Netflix)
Diljit Dosanjh’s portrayal of the controversial singer Chamkila, is one of the more memorable performances this year. Imtiaz Ali’s comeback takes on a cultural exploration of Punjab’s ethos and cultural milieu while also fiercely critiquing the moral police.
4. Bhakshak (Netflix)
Bhumi Pednekar’s ‘Bhakshak’ explores child sexual abuse, albeit through a journalist’s lens. The film also exposes the many challenges that come with being a vernacular journalist.
Starring Ishwak Singh, Rahul Bose and Aparshakti Khurana, Berlin is a spy thriller film which, though flawed, is an espionage thriller with political undertones. Gritty, gruesome and explosive, Atul Sabharwal’s film is one helluva film!
Best English Language Films of 2024
1. Anora
A sex worker Brooklyn takes a life and career-ruining L when she is betrayed by the rich son of a Russian Oligarch. The winner of the prestigious Palme d’Or at Cannes film festival, Sean Baker’s Anora is simply stunning. The last shot of the film, arguably its best, will likely be remembered for years to come.
2. The Wild Robot
We got a robot developing feelings for a bird before GTA 6! A robot might just know how to be a human (better than actual humans) in 2024. The coming-of-age story is a celebration of community spirit. It will urge you to accept yourself wholeheartedly, even if it comes at the cost of being an outcast.
3. All Of Us Strangers
Queer desire found its place on the celluloid this year as All Of Us Strangers. The fantasy psychodrama starring Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott might just make you want to hug your inner child (who, perhaps still yearns for parental validation) and cry your heart out.
4. Kinds of Kindness
Yorgos Lanthimos’s ‘Kinds of Kindness’ is puke-inducing, disgusting and yet…beautiful. Full marks to the Greek auteur for showing that art can be repulsive, yet move you. Truly, a one-of-a-kind film.
5. Inside Out 2
An animated psychodrama which was loved more by adults than kids, Inside Out 2 is just the Pixar animated adventure that should be on your watchlist this year. It is just the exploration of anxiety that kids need in the digital age.
Special mentions: The Substance, Monster, Zone of Interest
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