Best of 2024: Favorite Hindi Films
January 18, 2025
by Inakshi Chandra-Mohanty
1. Laapataa Ladies
In Laapataa Ladies, a simple family from a small village is jostled into a state of confusion after their new bride is accidentally swapped with another. India’s official entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards and Kiran Rao’s second directorial venture, thirteen years after her acclaimed debut, Dhobi Ghat, is the most heartwarming Indian film of the year. With a host of positive characters, light-hearted banter, engaging drama, and feminist undertones, the film captures a utopian version of middle-class, rural India that is appealing to the dreamer within all of us.
The story follows the journey of both women simultaneously as they are thrust into an environment outside their comfort zone. Fresh faces, Nitanshi Goel and Pratibha Ranta, do a splendid job at highlighting the contrasting personalities and growth of their respective characters. But the heart of the film lies not just in these two brides. It is also in all the people around them, Deepak, Phool’s husband who becomes Jaya’s confidante, Manju Maai, a tea stall owner who pushes Phool to stand on her own feet, and all the other family members, police officer, station master, villagers, who were instrumental in their path towards freedom. Laapataa Ladies is a sensitive, emotional film that aims to restore our faith in humanity.
2. Do Aur Do Pyaar
Do Aur Do Pyaar is a brilliant portrayal of the messiness of modern day relationships. In this romantic drama, a couple in a stale marriage look for intimacy elsewhere until a passionate night reignites the spark between them and reminds them of the love they have lost. Directed by Shirsha Guha Thakurta and written by Suprotim Sengupta, Amrita Bagchi, and Eisha Chopra, this remake of 2017 Hollywood film, The Lovers, maintains a morally ambiguous perspective on infidelity. It’s a mature take on the impermanence of love, showing how loneliness and dissatisfaction can slowly turn a love marriage into a loveless one.
Apart from the stellar writing and direction, highlighting humanely flawed characters that are as fickle as any of us, the story’s relatability also hinges on the performances and chemistry between the lead actors. Vidya Balan and Pratik Gandhi exhibit a strong range of emotions with limited expressions, fully engrossing us in their muddled lives. They make the journey from a distanced long-term couple to a revived teenage romance believable. With their raw infectious energy and a thematic narrative on the complexities of the institution of marriage, Do Aur Do Pyaar is a delightful watch.
3. Merry Christmas
When one thinks of neo-noir thrillers in India, the first name that comes to mind is Sriram Raghavan. The film director has established himself as an auteur in the genre with works such as Andhadhun, Johnny Gaddar, Badlapur, and Ek Hasina Thi. Merry Christmas is the latest addition to this list. Based off a French novel Le Monte-Charge (Bird in a Cage), the story follows a tentative romance between two strangers on Christmas Eve that soon takes a dark turn involving a serious crime, manipulative individuals, and uncomfortable pasts.
Unlike his previous films that were filled with rapid movement, this plot unfolds in a slow but clever fashion. It focuses more on character development and emotional connection than on surprising twists and turns. In fact, some fans of the filmmaker may be disappointed if they expected content as exhilarating as his previous work. But if we take off our biased lenses and look at the film with a fresh perspective, we witness a masterful romantic thriller that exudes a passion like no other. From the unusual chemistry between the starkly different Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi, to the emphasis on a burden of empathy that forces people to make unfortunate decisions, to a convoluted arc of redemption, this is Raghavan’s most raw, emotional, and grounded film. Merry Christmas requires patience but the satisfaction we feel by the end is worth it.
4. Girls Will Be Girls
There are few Hindi coming of age dramas where female characters are at the forefront. Udaan, Dil Chahta Hai, Wake Up Sid, Lakshya, all feature young boys journeying towards maturity, and the one or two films that center on women, like Queen or Gippi, don’t veer deeply into female sexuality. Girls Will Be Girls is a refreshing change in this genre. In director Shuchi Talati’s debut feature film, a teenager dabbles in romance with a charming new student at boarding school while navigating a tense relationship with her mother. The story tackles the transition from girlhood to womanhood as Meera experiments outside her comfort zone, experiencing a sexual awakening in this conservative environment.
It’s a deeply personal film that resonates with all women who have once been young girls teetering on the brim between obedience and rebellion. The way the writing captures the transformation of the mother-daughter relationship as the daughter’s understanding of womanhood gives her a greater insight into her mother’s pains and struggles is remarkable. Girls Will Be Girls is an important watch for women, for daughters, for mothers, but also for men who have little understanding of the subtle pressures that plague young girls. The biggest irony is in the title itself. Boys often use the phrase ‘boys will be boys’ as an excuse, but the film shows that girls don’t have the liberty to rely on the similar ‘girls will be girls’.
5. Amar Singh Chamkila
Biopics have become a common sight in Indian cinema. With the typical character arc of birth, growth, obstacle, and triumph, this genre captures the lives of celebrated sports stars, artistic personalities, political dignitaries, and many other known figures. Despite their commercial success, these cliched films have little to no novelty remaining. The constant concerns of accuracy when converting reality to fiction also constrains filmmakers from experimenting and attempting something new within the genre. But Imtiaz Ali is not one to be restrained by boundaries. After a temporary career downfall in which he delivered a slew of subpar content, Ali makes a comeback with Amar Singh Chamkila, a refreshing biopic on the influential Punjabi musician of the same name.
Chamkila’s life may have been short lived, but it was eventful. In this non-linear narrative, the acclaimed writer director makes use of animated frames and visual dramatics backed by a powerful score, to highlight the character’s vivacious journey. We are immersed in an ethereal musical experience, which alone elevates it beyond the realms of a typical biopic. But thematically as well, the film is remarkable in the way it explores the political ramifications of his music. Neither does it place Chamkila on a pedestal, nor does it tear him apart for his controversial lyrics. Instead, it offers a multi-faceted perspective of his career in lieu of the socio-political climate of that time. Chamkila was a unique individual, in a unique world, at a unique time, and this biopic with its offbeat measures expresses just that.
6. Berlin
Berlin is a masterclass in storytelling. It’s a perfect example of how cinematic techniques and meticulous writing can be used to elevate a simple plot into a magnificent entertainer. This spy thriller, written and directed by Atul Sabharwal, follows a sign-language teacher who discovers a web of lies & deceit when he is appointed by the government to interrogate an accused deaf and mute spy on a confidential case.
Thematically, the film attempts nothing new with a focus on government unreliability and the struggles of a common man. The predictable revelations further expose the feeble foundation of the screenplay. However, the way sign language, flashbacks, shot composition and music are used to establish the mood is commendable. We are instantly transported into the murky world of politics, crime, and corruption in 90s Delhi. Technical elegance emphasizes the sullen atmosphere and the fantastic performances of Ishwak Singh, Aparshakti Khurrana, and Rahul Bose engross us in this otherwise basic plot. Berlin turns the mundane into the extraordinary, making it, undoubtably, one of the best films of the year.
7. Fairy Folk
Indie cinema is still seldom appreciated in India. With a strong commercial hub dominating, there is little room for small-budget, experimental cinema. Fairy Folk is one such film that traversed festival circuits and had a limited theatrical release but received little to no recognition from the public. It is so unknown that even streaming platforms are unwilling to give it space, prompting the makers to share it for free online with an at will donation. However, despite its obscurity, the film is one of the strongest of the year and deserves credit for the way it tackles themes of love, sexuality, and entitlement in a marriage. In this poignant drama, a couple finds the dynamics of their relationship shifting after a strange encounter with a mysterious being. This supernatural figure with no gender and queer transformational abilities permeates their lives forcing them to address uncomfortable attractions and growing distances.
Writer-director Karan Gour expertly blends fantasy and reality by grounding the weird, otherworldly occurrences with raw conversations. He emits authenticity in the interactions by using improvisation over written dialogue, which allows the actors, real-life couple Mukul Chadda and Rasika Dugal, more room to explore and build upon their characters and their reel romance. The magical elements only serve as metaphors for relevant issues that plague these individuals. At the core, Fairy Folk is a human story that deserves acknowledgement for its original premise, wacky plot development, and thought-provoking themes on modern relationships.
8. Kill
If brutal, gut-wrenching violence is not your cup of tea, then this film is not for you. Kill, the story of an army commando facing off against a team of bandits on a moving train, has been touted the most violent film made in India and relies heavily on its tantalizing gore to engage the audience. But it is far more than just that. It is an energetic hostage thriller, a middle ground between the survival drama, The Burning Train, and the serious real-life tragedy, Neerja, as well as a thematically relevant narrative that questions the basis of vengeance.
Instead of parroting the typical good vs. evil trope, writer-director Nikhil Nagesh Bhat blurs the lines between perpetrator and aggrieved. Stunning performances by debutante Laksh Lalwani as the commando and dancer/actor Raghuv Juyal as the psychopathic bandit animate the intense rivalry which begins on clear moral grounds but soon shifts towards an animalistic furor, prompting the audience to question whether violence is truly the answer. This powerful theme packaged within well-choreographed, chaotic action sequences and mind-numbing carnage is what differentiates Kill from the scores of action films out there.
9. Khel Khel Mein
It has been a while since a good, entertaining, ensemble Hindi film has graced the theaters. We have grown so accustomed to the average commercial affair that our expectations from any comedic film with a large cast is severely low. But Khel Khel Mein raises the bar once again. As the 28th remake of 2016 Italian film, Perfect Strangers, the story follows a group of friends that discover a plethora of secrets about one another while engaging in a playful game over the course of a night.
What could have easily become a routine, meaningless slapstick comedy ends up emerging as a sharp entertainer. Writer-director Mudassar Aziz, in his best work till date, seamlessly balances comedy and drama. Hilarious events are intermingled with meaningful conversations on marriage and relationships. Though many of the twists are predictable, the chemistry between this group of seven, whether it is the different situations of each couple, or the deep female friendships, or the brotherly affection between the elder men and the younger boys, draws us into this world where each character’s reaction to the secrets is far more exciting than the revelation itself. With witty humor, a smartly composed screenplay, and fabulous performances, Khel Khel Mein is a delightful watch.
10. Agni
Indian cinema is bereft of firefighter representation. While police, hospitals, army, and other emergency life-saving services are a regular part of our stories, fire safety is a rare sight. Hence, Agni’s premise itself makes it an anomaly. In this engaging action-drama, Vitthal, a fire chief investigates a series of unexplained fires while battling society’s flippancy towards his profession. He additionally navigates a contentious relationship with his acclaimed police officer brother-in-law, Samit, who is much more highly regarded by the public, including by Vitthal’s own son.
The adrenaline filled chaos of fire rescue and emotionally charged themes of sacrifice build a thrilling atmosphere. Despite a plain and predictable plot, it is hard not to get invested in these firefighters, their family dynamics, and personal camaraderie, as they regularly put their lives on the line without being designated as ‘heroes’. The story further explores the tense power dynamics between the police and fire department, through Vitthal and Samit’s uncomfortable familial bond. By delving deep into the inner workings of the fire department and the mental strain on those who work there, Agni is an engaging tribute to an under appreciated profession.















