As 2019 is a few hours away from us; The World of Movies takes a look at Bollywood’s Best Movies of 2018. The list is compiled by our regular contributor Pooja Mishra and me. We have included only those movies that we have watched and felt that they deserve mention in this list.
Pooja’s 5 Best Bollywood Movies of 2018
1.Hichki: The film helped many in India discover a new term for abnormal Hichkis, Tourette. Before watching the movie, no one would have ever wondered that mere Hichki could be that annoying and turn out to be a strange syndrome. Rani Mukerji truly justifies her role in her comeback film by spreading a necessary awareness and sharing a beautiful social message about the neurological syndrome-Tourette.
The movie may not meet all the criteria for being in the list of the top Bollywood movies but it has certainly met the expectations of the viewers and hence it holds a position here in my list of Best Bollywood Movies of 2018.
2. Sanju
Rajkumar Hirani, Ranbir Kapoor, Paresh Rawal, Manisha Koirala and a new rising star of Bollywood-Vicky Kaushal, what do you think this combination of one of the most acclaimed directors and the finest actors of India can produce? I would say, nothing less than Sanju-the mega blockbuster hit of 2018. Though, like all other biopics Bollywood has made, Sanju was also deprived of some realities and facts but entertainment, acting, music and story reciprocated the missing parts perfectly. Sanju is the Highest Grossing Bollywood Movie of 2018!
3. Robot 2.0
The super duper legendary actor of India, Rajnikant is indeed one of the reasons why Robot 2.0 has achieved an immense success, but the other factors in the film are also equally important.
The movie brings viewers’ attention towards a neglected problem of our country, which no politician has ever being heard saying about, neither the media has thrown the light on, and common people are least bothered to take any responsibility for. Using the medium of comedy and entertainment, the movie communicates a very vital social message which undoubtedly needs to be implemented.
4. Andhadhun
A surprise hit of Bollywood in 2018, the movie indeed is a big break through of the year for its lead actor Ayushmann Khurrana. On the other hand, for the movie lovers it served the perfect dish cooked with some thrill, drama and a pinch of comedy being its main ingredients. The story revolves around a pseudo blind singer, Akash (played by Ayushmann) who unfortunately happens to witness the blood-game and then survives a series of foxy conspiracies.
5. Badhai Ho
Badhai Ho, is a coming of age, low budget popcorn movie, that unexpectedly turned out to be a big hit of 2018 making Ayushmann Khurrana the Bollywood’s face of the year. Though it is a family film, it is not recommended to watch Badhai Ho with your parents or children, of course, to avoid any embarrassment. Who doesn’t enjoy a lightweight funny family drama; Badhai Ho has it all. To some it gives a good laugh, at the same time to others a nightmare. Well, whatever it is, in every sense it is a comedy worth your time.
Absar’s 5 Best Bollywood Movies of 2018
1.Stree: For me, Stree is the Bollywood’s movie of the year. The film is an excellent display of avant-garde cinema. For the first time in Hindi film industry, we have seen such a great seamless portrayal of horror and comedy intertwined. The on-screen presence of Rajkummar Rao along with the upcoming stars-Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee and the veteran Pankaj Tripathi is a treat for any cinephile. Shraddha Kapoor as the Stree has given her best on-screen performance till date. The movies music and dialogues have become instant hit.
The dialogues: “O Stree Kal Ana” and “O Stree Raksha Karna” have become immortal in the industry.
The most astonishing aspect of Stree film was the rustic, antique and tranquil setting of Chanderi-a small town in Madhya Pradesh. It added a distinct charm to the movie.
2.Blackmail: A black comedy, most people failed to understand the gist of Blackmail movie. It tells that “once relationships are broken, they never mend”. The movie narrates the story of Dev Kaushal (Irrfan Khan) in a funny, often disgracing manner. Blackmail is not your regular dose of cinema, so please be cautious if you are about to watch it any soon. Also, it is a strictly “A” rated movie (in Indian society), therefore avoid watching it with parents and children.
The best element of Blackmail movie is its high-class acting by almost everyone involved in the film. For me, Arunoday Singh as Ranjit “Tommy” Arora was one of the best performances of the year in a negative role.
3. Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety: Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety is another typical Luv Ranjan movie. It has all that razzmatazz, mirch masala, latke jhatke and adult humor that are so inherent to Luv Ranjan’s cinema recipe. In his own words, Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety is a saas-bahu story with a twist.
The trio of Kartik Aaryan, Nushrat Bharucha and Sunny Singh is well supported by Alok Nath, who played a role opposite to his “sanskari” personality. The movie was a huge commercial success and had one of the best soundtracks of 2018.
In my view, “Tera Yaar Hoon Main” is the Song of the Year.
4. Nanu Ki Jaanu: Nanu Ki Jaanu failed to achieve its goals-to spread awareness about not using mobile phones while driving, value of wearing helmet even when you are going for a short ride, and how cow lynching has filled people’s lives (especially butcher community) with fear even when they are not doing anything wrong. However, it turned out good to watch cinema ‘in patches’.
Abhay Deol’s acting and movie’s background score were memorable. The movie was a box office flop, but I am still adding it to my list of Best Bollywood Movies of 2018 because of Abhay Deol and the noble intentions of its Director, Faraz Haider.
5. Batti Gul Meter Chalu: It was difficult for me to chose only 5 movies out so many that I have seen this year. Therefore, I had to give preference to movies that had social message in it. Batti Gul Meter Chalu is one such film that is set in Uttarakhand and takes up the common but neglected issue of inflated electricity bills in rural/small cities of India.
The movie had some great picturesque locations, soothing music and great acting by all the cast. My favorite was Shahid Kapoor, he absolutely nailed it with his witty dialogues and aggressive body language. Batti Gul Meter Chalu was not a huge commercial success but still managed to grab people and critics’ attention.
So, here was our Best Movies of 2018 that Bollywood offered us. Other than the 10 movies mentioned in the article, we would love to tell about some good movies that couldn’t make it to our list. Some notable movies of 2018 that couldn’t feature in our list are: Padman, Karwaan, Tumbbad, October, Simmba, and Gold.