Raazi, Andhadhun, 2.0 – 10 films that changed the game in 2018

2018 was a year that saw some great cinematic gems emerging from the Bollywood folds. Of the lot, there were some that stood out for their bold takes, strong stories and stronger characters. Some of them like – Andhadhun and Badhaai Ho – went on to be game-changers in the industry. These are films that have paved the way for many of their kind to follow and the audience is certainly looking forward to this change. Here’s looking at some of last year’s movies that will go down in cinematic history for such going into uncharted territories!

# PadMan: The producers of PadMan need to be applauded for picking a subject like menstruation and then bringing it to the big screen in a commercial format top-lined by a Bollywood star. PadMan – starring Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor and Radhika Apte – went on to do good business too, proving the viability of a subject few would’ve dared to touch.

# Veere Di Wedding: Chick flick, female buddy film, Dil Chahta Hai’s women version, call it what you may, but nothing can change the fact that the film took the BO by storm. While the film isn’t a go-to-guide for the modern, urban woman’s lifestyle problems, it does entertain and bring out taboo topics with a rare flair. What took it further was the acceptance it got from the audience across genders. This one certainly makes the cut to our list.

# Badhaai Ho: A sleeper hit, this film starring Neena Gupta, Ayushman Khurana and Gajraj Rao proved that content is not to be taken for granted neither with the audience nor at the BO. The film turned out to be quite an entertainer drawing in the moolah, the crowds and the accolades. Doesn’t happen every day in Bollywood, so yes Badhaai Ho!

# Stree: A mid-budget horror comedy, Stree had little going for it barring the two names Rajkumarr Rao and Shraddha Kapoor. Yet the interesting concept saw the film exorcise ghosts off the horror genre, at the BO. This little nugget of a fun film was a surprise hit.

# Andhadhun: When you have a director like Sriram Raghavan helming what he does best – a thriller – you already know it’s a fare you will thoroughly enjoy. This edge-of-the-seat drama saw Ayushmann take on Tabu and what you get on screen is sheer fireworks. Far removed from the conventional stories churned out regularly, never before have the lines between protagonist and antagonist blurred so beautifully.

# 2.0: The Rajinikanth-Akshay Kumar starrer magnum sci-fi opus makes it to the list for the sheer courage to dream big and executing it too. The VFX effects were much lauded and the film raised the bar for the genre in Bollywood.

# Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety: One of the highest grossing films last year, Luv Ranjan’s comedy stands out for the chemistry between its three lead characters ably supported by the other cast. With hit numbers adding to the magic, the film had its producers laughing all the way to the bank.

# Raazi: The sensitive story of a spy that Meghna Gulzar brilliantly crafted has been equally beautifully portrayed on-screen by Alia Bhatt and her screen husband, Vicky Kaushal. A film that quietly makes a mark and holds itself from becoming an Indo-Pak melodrama.

# Pari: Anushka Sharma’s dared to venture into unchartered territories with her production house and Pari is the result. It’s not every day that a female producer, dares to make a scare fare and succeeds. Well, Pari may not have set the BO on fire, but Anushka certainly scores as a performer and a producer.

# Mukkabaaz: Anurag Kashyap’s film on the struggles of a small-town boxer, hit home. Vineet Kumar Singh was celebrated as a real find, and the film in spite of a lesser-known cast delivered the right punch at the BO.

This is our list, but we’d love to know which films you think should be included in it. Write your comments below.