Tag Archives: Partho Gupte

Best of Bollywood in 2014

Best of Bollywood in 2014.

written by Souranath Banerjee.

Time flies by and we are already halfway through this year. Here comes the list – the best of Bollywood in 2014 yet released (till June end).

I feel 2014 is turning out to be a great year for Bollywood and these movies are enough to prove it. A perfect balance of entertaining and meaningful cinema.

If by chance you have missed any of these awesome films please do the needful as soon as possible.

Ok then, sit back and let’s hit the rewind button.

10. 2 States (April 2014)

2 states

Adopted from Chetan Bhagat’s autobiographical bestseller novel (of the same name), probably one of the best entertaining commercial films of this year.

(Click to see the film review)

Alia Bhatt and Arjun Kapoor not only have a brilliant chemistry but also a set of parents who are culturally poles apart. Good music and it’s fun to watch.

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGyAaR2aWcA

9. Hawaa Hawaai (May 2014)

Hawaa Hawaai

Amole Gupte (director) and Partho Gupte (actor) – the father-son duo gave us this superb emotional drama.

(Click to see the film review)

A boy with limited financial means had the courage to dream and also the strength to achieve it.

Roller skating is taken to new heights, overall brilliant performances; this film is a celebration of innocence.

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8WEqUvoJw4

8. Kya Dilli kya Lahore (May 2014)

Kya dilli kya lahore

Debutant director Vijay Raaz came up with a completely different take on India-Pakistan war films – a fresh outlook and an interesting script.

(Click to see the film review)

Fine performances by Vijay Raj himself and Manu Rishi Chadha and the brilliant poetic lyrics by Gulzar. A daring film to attempt i must say.

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H91RXZ0nRv4

7. Filmistaan (July 2014)

filmistaan

A fresh take on the popularity of Bollywood and also the India-Pakistan tension.

(Click to see the film review)

Filmistaan deals with pretty sensitive issues but always with a divine comic touch.

Great acting performances overall; especially the dynamic and hilarious Sharib Hashmi.

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-0LWnz8Ut0

6. Citylights (May 2014)

CityLights

After the National Award winning film Shahid, (director) Hansal Mehta and (actor) Rajkummar Rao comes together with yet another promising film.

(Click for the film review)

A remake of the British film Metro Manila, uncomfortably real and raw, the film forces us to look at poverty and despair from disturbing proximity.

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fyO8OFK9yw

5. Highway (Feb 2014)

highway

Brilliant performance by Alia Bhatt – so natural and spontaneous that she has even managed to eclipse a much senior actor like Randeep Hooda.

(click for the film review)

The film takes you in a tour of the whole North India; the combination of Imtiaz Ali’s direction and A.R.Rahman’s soulful music – a treat for film lovers.

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o66nNnGZ5Rg

4. Children of war (May 2014)

Children of War

History often gets blurred with time but such courageous films revive them and voices the truth.

(Click to see the film review)

The film successfully recreates the horrific crimes orchestrated by Pakistan over the Bangladeshi (Bengali) people in the pre-independence era of Bangladesh in 1971. Great effort by director Mrityunjay Devvrat.

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzIa0wYfUwU

3. Miss Lovely (Jan 2014)

Miss Lovely

The underground sleazy film industry of the 1980’s is never been explored before in such gritty details.

Ashim Ahluwalia (the director) has captured the dark underbelly of the C grade industry with brilliant realism.

Anil GeorgeNawazuddin Siddiqui and Niharika Singh have all given superb performances.

film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzoAOoHdACk

2. Queen (March 2014)

queen

Most entertaining film of the year and an award winning performance by Kangana Ranaut.

(Click for the film review)

Girl power punched with fun and friendship.

Awesome music by Amit Trivedi’s, Vikas Vahl’s superb direction – a great story of a girl who learns to live her life Queen style!

film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGC6vl3lzf0

1. Ankhon Dekhi (March 2014)

Ankhon dekhi

This film deserves a lot more appreciation, a beautiful story of a man with a strange conviction – he wants to believe only what he sees with his own eyes!

Rajat Kapoor skillfully directs this family drama and Sanjay Mishra gives the best performance of his life.

A rare gem – entertaining and thoughtful cinema.

film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3yKUHI2mE4

and (The ‘+1′ film is not necessarily the best but certainly the most crazy one. A must watch)

+1. Lakhsmi (March 2014)

lakshmiLakshmi – the young village girl who stood up alone in the court against a prostitution racket in Hyderabad.

A film that is both disturbing and real (based on a true story) and truly courageous.

Nagesh Kukunoor directs this dark film that shows us the horrors of human trafficking, the torturous lives of girls who are forced to prostitution.

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf4hOMpKlEI

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Hawaa Hawaai (2014)

My ratings: 4/5

Cinema can be categorized in many genres and then listed, rated, criticized and even appreciated. Personally I relish to do all the above whenever I get the time and opportunity. But sometimes after watching films like Hawaa Hawaai I feel films shouldn’t be discussed at all; they should only be experienced.

Well, on second thought I WILL discuss Hawaa Hawaai with you all … of course I will.

Amole Gupte (the director) and Partho Gupte (the child actor), the father-son duo who made news with their earlier film Stanley ka Dabba have done it once again.

Their latest release Hawa Hawai is soulful, sincere yet a simplistic film that successfully captures innocence (believe me it’s the toughest thing to capture in cinema).

Roller skating is the new sport in town and Arjun (Partho Gupte) the young assistant-chaiwala dreams to be a champion skater.

And why not – after all Arjun is lucky enough to be coached by Lucky Sir, the most passionate skating teacher in the block (played superbly by Saqib Saleem). This teacher-student relation (Eklavya-Dronacharya combo) is very well portrayed throughout the film.

Probably the most important element that connects the audience with the film is the purity in young Partho’s smile. The kid gives us one of the most matured child-artist performances ever in the history of Bollywood– never going over the top, always the right balance of emotions.

Undoubtedly the credit goes to the director Amole Gupte who have not only made his son act so well but also managed to get wonderful performances out of the four kids who are the best buddies of Arjun in the film. These talented group of kids pump life into the film.

Hawaa Hawaai often tries to make certain statements regarding several issues of our society which we are habituated to overlook on a daily basis.

The director intentionally shows us parallel shots of kids from higher sections of the society going to school where as other children who cannot afford the price of education are utilized as child labors in different sectors of our society. The comparison is subtle and effective.

A few other concerns like ‘drink and drive’, problems of getting admitted in the hospital for the poor, farmer suicides are also addressed in the film but fortunately not in a preachy way.

The last bit of the film though highly predictable (especially the skating competition part) is unnecessarily dramatized  but other than that a superb film.

Meaningful music by Hitesh Sonic, great casting by Jitendra Rai and once again brilliant performances by every single person in the film.

Hawaa Hawaai is a film that will inspire you and lead you closer to your passion.

Watch watch watch.

Trailer link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8WEqUvoJw4

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