This was the year of lights, camera, popcorn in India. Bollywood made a grand comeback, and so did the thrill of heading to the movies.
Shah Rukh Khan’s triumphant return in blockbusters like Pathaan and Jawan, coupled with the contagious Barbenheimer bug, kept movie theatres packed. But it wasn’t just the usual suspects. Audiences, always hungry for something new and different, rode the ‘pan-India’ wave, flocking to watch movies from various regions. And fuelled by the K-pop craze, Korean movies too made inroads.
Here are some films that got a big thumbs up from ThePrint journalists in 2023
Jawan
Kollywood director Atlee’s Bollywood debut broke not just box office records but also taught the industry how to blend a political statement with all the elements of a masala movie. Shah Rukh Khan, after years of playing the ‘young’ romantic lead, embraced an older and more weathered avatar. The film’s portrayal of an “old boy gang” and Khan’s varied on-screen looks were a massive hit with audiences. Breaking regional boundaries, Jawan penetrated the coveted market down South and proved to be Bollywood’s first true ‘pan-India’ hit.
Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani
This Karan Johar film marked the return of the classic family masala rom-com. It didn’t just serve up a fresh romantic jodi in Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt, but also subverted our expectations. The love story of Jamini (Shabana Azmi) and Kanwal (Dharmendra) challenged how we look at the older generation, and the film also reminded us of the pitfalls of snap judgments based on class, education, and stereotypes. After years, we finally had an over-the-top quintessential romantic film, but with a mind of its own.
Dhak Dhak
This coming-of-age movie, which only got a limited theatrical release, follows four women from diverse backgrounds as they set off on a road trip aboard their Royal Enfields. The best and most interesting bit is the romance between Ratna Pathak Shah’s character Manpreet Sethi and Ozgur Kurt’s attractive foreigner, Bernett. Shah’s lead role is the one she deserved all her career and only got now. The film’s limited promotions prevented it from receiving the widespread acclaim it deserves— but it’s a must-watch.
Also Read: What ThePrint editors read in 2023 — Here are some of their favourites
Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai
With OTTs venturing into film production, grittier, bolder topics have found space in moviemaking, especially in Hindi releases. Zee5’s original Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai exemplifies this trend. Acting powerhouse Manoj Bajpai plays a lawyer fighting a case against a godman who, under the guise of ‘blessing’ his devotees, rapes young, vulnerable girls. This taut, sensitive courtroom drama is elevated by Bajpai’s acting prowess, showcasing why he’s considered the undisputed king of OTT.
Kaathal-The Core
Director Jeo Baby’s Kaathal is a watershed moment for both Malayali cinema and the representation of queerness in India. Despite the Malayalam movie industry’s track record of producing exceptional content, it has also seen films like Chantupotthu (2005) that denigrated the queer community. In contrast, Kaathal sensitively addresses the intricacies of navigating a queer identity in the face of inadequate language and limited understanding. Both Mammooty and Jyothika deliver powerful performances.
Wonka
Timothee Chalamet’s portrayal of Willy Wonka might just be the most wholesome cinematic piece of the year. Director Paul King doesn’t try to better Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005). Instead, he infuses the chocolate maniac’s life story with truckloads of joy and flamingos. Wonka is a man driven by the weight of his big dreams— opening a chocolate shop. When the cruel world comes in the way of it, he finds his friends— a stellar ensemble cast— by his side. The best part is that Hugh Grant turns into a tiny orange man with green hair in the film. The unexpected grandeur of cinematographer Chung-hoon Chung’s frames and the larger-than-life spectacle of the chocolate heaven are everything one needed to experience this year.
Beau is Afraid
Ari Aster’s Beau is Afraid is dark, surreal, and magical; as genre-bending as it is unsettling. It is hard to place this film in a box. Is it horror, a psychological thriller, or an absurd black comedy? Whatever it is, Aster has sure managed to hit it out of the park with this blood-curdling work of art. It tells the story of Beau Wasserman (Joaquin Phoenix), a paranoid man who leads a sad existence in lawless New York. As a visit with his domineering mother inches closer, Beau turns to psychedelic drug ‘zypnoticril’ to calm his nerves. Soon, viewers are placed in the middle of his paranoia—a feat Aster accomplishes with masterful camerawork, music, and animation. Of course, Phoenix is the icing on the cake, embodying his character’s idiosyncrasies with sheer effortlessness.
Past Lives
Celine Song’s movie created ripples across the world for its sensitive portrayal of love and loss. The love triangle, starring Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, and John Magaro, is a bittersweet and heartwarming story about two childhood sweethearts who reconnect after 24 years. Semi-autobiographical in nature, the film explores themes of immigration, the expatriate experience, and nostalgia through the stories of two lovers who choose different paths.
2018: Everyone is a Hero
India’s official selection for the 96th Oscars, Jude Anthany Joseph’s 2018 is a movie about the real-life heroes of the devastating Kerala floods. Featuring an ensemble cast including Tovino Thomas, Vineeth Sreenivasan, and Kunchacko Boban, the movie shows how people, irrespective of class, caste, religion, or political affiliations, united to rescue one another during one of the worst crises in Kerala’s history. The highest grossing Malayalam film of all time, the movie is a survival tale everyone should watch.
Barbenheimer
Barbie and Oppenheimer feature in this list for the cinema-going frenzy they induced, especially in India. Greta Gerwig’s Barbie took on patriarchy while Christopher Nolan dove nto the life and times of the father of the atomic bomb, Robert Oppenheimer. The year 2023 will forever be remembered for the historic box office duel and unprecedented pop culture phenomenon that these two films ignited.
(Edited by Asavari Singh)