Team FC
Anchored by a magnificent performance by Churni Ganguly, Ardhangini is a reminder that there’s more to a woman — particularly one who is older — than being a mother or a lover.
Balagam, a celebration of family, life and culture, takes on the theme of mortality to drive home its point. There hasn't been a stronger documentation of Telangana culture in Telugu cinema than Balagam.
There are multiple messages nestled in this film — about child safety, good touch and bad touch, increased use of phones, the definition of heroism and revenge, etc — but none sound like preachings; it feels real and packs a punch.
Skilfully showing the intersection of gender, faith, class and sexuality, the film is tender, subtle and never loses sight of its characters’ humanity.
The Lijo Jose Pellissery film is one of Malayalam cinema’s greatest tributes to both theater and classic Tamil cinema, with the use of dialogues and music from old films taking over the need for any conventional musical scores.
A stuck up Bengali and a himbo Punjabi fall in love. Rani (Alia Bhatt) works for a news channel, Rocky (Ranveer Singh) works at a gym — also daddy’s business. Their cultural languages and references differ. Yet, they beat in one heart.
Hemanth M Rao’s Sapta Sagaradaache Ello is a breath of fresh air, especially Side A, because after a very long time, one got to see a film set in Bangalore among the working classes showing the kind of love one yearns to experience at least once in a lifetime.
Three of Us plays out like a no-frills funeral conducted by a person who is about to die. It’s a story of reclaiming and letting go at once. The film represents the sobering classroom that grown-ups learn to accept. It is an ode to the anticlimactic grammar of living.
Paresh Mokashi’s Vaalvi is a gripping dark comedy thriller that revolves around a couple’s elaborate scheme to execute the “perfect” murder. Their initial plan involves a double suicide intended to free them from financial woes.
from extracting a lifetime best performance from a comedian to using the Rashomon technique in writing style, Vetri Maaran delivers not only one of the finest movies of the year but also a masterclass in both writing and direction.