Top 10 Bollywood films of 2019

Here are my top 10 Bollywood films of 2019mdashfilms in Hindi mainstream indie and mindie mainstream indie1 GULLY BOY by Zoya Akhtar Pulsating with kinetic energy this radically feminist Bollywood film opened at the Berlin Film Festival and was Indias entry for the Oscars Also aspirational minority report about a Muslim couple from the Dharavi slums when Murad dreams of becoming a rapper Safeena in hijab says go ahead follow your dream Ill become a surgeon and support both of us Bravo to Ranveer Singh for redefining a Bollywood hero who is okay being financially dependent on the heroine Alia Bhatt On Amazon Prime Video2 SONI by Ivan Ayr This remarkable finely observed debut feature opened at the Venice Film Festival then showed at the BFI London and Mumbai festivals About two Delhi policewomen who while fighting crimes against women also grapple with patriarchy in their personal lives On Netflix3 ARTICLE 15 by Anubhav Sinha Superb mindie filmmdashwith stars yet tackling realistic issues It is relatively rare for Bollywood to address caste discrimination frontally Ayushmann Khurrana plays an entitled police officer determined to attack rural castebased discrimination and violence Strong screenplay and performances On Netflix4 SONCHIRIYA by Abhishek Chaubey Spectacular Eastern Western set in the ravines of Chambal as a gang of dreaded dacoits grapple with rebellion patriarchy karma and redemption With terrific performances by Manoj Bajpayee Sushant Singh Rajput Ranvir Shorey and Bhumi Pednekar On Zee 55 HAMID by Aijaz Khan National Award winner for Best Urdu Film and Best Child Actor Talha Arshad Reshi When the adorable Hamid 7 in Kashmir calls a number he thinks is Gods number to ask for his missing father back he connects with an army jawan in a poignant bond Achingly beautiful with brilliant dialogues this is a two handkerchieves film On Netflix6 SECTION 375 by Ajay Bahl Compelling courtroom drama on a MeToo case exploring the thin line between rape and consent Akshaye Khanna defends the accused while Richa Chadha spiritedly defends the survivor ending with a sort of copout On Amazon Prime Video7 BALA by Amar Kaushik Delightful film with Ayushmann Khurrana playing a man mortified by how his loss of hair has hijacked his love life Though occasionally loud Balas vulnerability is endearing Blackfaced Bhumi Pednekar underlines other Indian prejudices8 NOBLEMEN by Vandana Kataria Rarely has Bollywood explored boarding school ragging with such brutality as in this powerful debut As Shay Sharma Ali Haji has a crush on the drama teacher Kunal Kapoor the film explores friendship bullying heroworship homophobia and drug addiction Terrific performances On Netflix9 MISSION MANGAL by Jagan Shakti Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan power a successful remarkably jugaad lowcost mission to Mars mostly driven by women scientists Fictionalised inspiring account of Mangalyaan despite pop patriotism and frying poori logic On Hotstar10 THE SKY IS PINK by Shonali Bose Based on a true story Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Farhan Akhtar play parents of the terminallyill Aisha Chaudhary Zaira Wasim in this perceptive evocation of grief and contested division of caregiving and guilt Glamorous loveydovey mum and dad and Aishas cutesy posthumous voiceover detract from this film that nonetheless celebrates the gift of life however fleeting On NetflixMeenakshi Shedde is India and South Asia Delegate to the Berlin International Film Festival National Awardwinning critic curator to festivals worldwide and journalistReach her at meenakshisheddemiddaycomCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates