Akhilesh C.
10. Anando Brahma (“God is Bliss“)
It would be noteworthy to mention two things here – one, the shoestring budget of the movie and two, Tapsee Pannu, who returned to Tollywood after her stint with Bollywood movies. A no-nonsense movie with a slightly better, unique plotline, ‘Anando Brahma’ revolves around an NRI and a group of four people of varying persona, amidst an allegedly haunted ancestral house. As predictable as it may seem, ‘Anando Brahma’ relies heavily on its plot and doesn’t deviate a smidge. The NRI, flabbergasted due to the paltry price quoted against the sale of his house, hires four needy men – a deaf and night blind Kishore, a drunkard Tulasi, a DID patient Babu, and a heart-patient and paranoid Srinivas. The four are to spend four days in the house to ascertain its sanctity when a strange turn of events results in the otherwise. Or does it? A fine balance of horror and comedic moments alike, ‘Anando Brahma’ runs high on the adrenaline.
9. Ninnu Kori (“Longing for You“)
Niveda Thomas’ Telugu debut ‘Gentleman’ in the year 2016 was followed by this blockbuster alongside Nani, thus marking her first commercial Tollywood success of the year. An unusual, seemingly out-of-the-box story at the outset, ‘Ninnu Kori’ is a story revolving around Uma and Pallavi, who fall for each other and get separated shortly thereafter, owing to Uma’s education in Delhi. After a while, as they form a sense of guilt around their relationship, Pallavi gets coaxed by her parents to marry another lad Arun, unbeknownst to Uma. Years later, when they reunite and start having their feelings rekindled for each other yet again, Uma takes a step forward to thwart their possible reunion, thus earmarking his lack of intention to intervene in Pallavi’s family affairs and leaving her be. Though ‘Ninnu Kori’ is heartbreaking, it rides high on its practicality and leaves you tearful by the end.
8. Fidaa (“Flattered“)
National Film Award-Winning director Sekhar Kammula is known for weaving magic in his movies and that’s what has precisely been done for ‘Fidaa’. Though ‘Fidaa’ bears some resemblance with Kammula’s another film ‘Anand’, the screenplay and the captivating countryside visuals are the unambiguous pros of this romance drama. The story revolves around Varun, an NRI who resides in the US and is visiting India on the occasion of his brother’s marriage. He falls for Bhanumathi, the younger sister of his to-be sister-in-law. Bhanu, on the other hand, holds her home and her father dear and somehow despises the idea of settling abroad, thus separating her ways from Varun, despite having a considerable endearment for him. As she has to visit the US to tend to her ailing pregnant sister a while later, Varun and Bhanu come closer yet again and they confess their true feelings to each other. As simplistic as it may seem, the portrayals and the sweet nothings make the most of the movie. Perhaps the best love story of the year narrated in the least complicated manner.
7. Khaidi No. 150 (“Prisoner No. 150“)
A Telugu remake of the AR Murugadoss’ 2014 Tamil movie ‘Kaththi’, ‘Khaidi No. 150′ marks the return of Chiranjeevi to the big screen after a long break of 10 years. The nostalgia is relived yet again in this movie with Chiru in dual roles as Shankar and “Kaththi” Seenu, both portrayed with consummate ease. While “Kaththi” Seenu is a dreaded escaping convict, Shankar is a principled man who runs an old-age home and is fighting for the farmers’ cause. As Seenu takes notice of this doppelganger “situation” and decides to switch places with Shankar, he also assumably inherits the enmities and the plights of the farmers with it, thus forcing him to support the peasants’ cause himself, despite all the malice he carries within. With a predictable ending, foot-tapping dance numbers including the massive hit “Ammadu Let’s Do Kummudu“, over the top action reminiscent of our cherished Chiru and his on-screen romance with the enticing Kajal Aggarwal, there couldn’t have been any better comeback film for Chiranjeevi than ‘Khaidi No. 150’.
6. Ghazi
Filmed simultaneously in Telugu and Hindi languages, and with the likes of Kay Kay Menon, Atul Kulkarni, Om Puri, Tapsee Pannu et al in its ensemble cast, ‘Ghazi’ is touted to be the first-ever Indian underwater war film. Revolving around the events that happened in the Indo-Pak war of 1971 and the famed sinking of PNS Ghazi by the Indian Navy, ‘Ghazi’ is the portrayal of the underwater tug-of-war between the Indian submarine S-21 and the Pakistani submarine PNS Ghazi, a much more powerful foe in terms of its firepower. The movie progresses with the interpersonal conflicts among the crew of S-21 versus the National duty during the times of war and peace and what is right vs wrong, amidst a Pakistani hothead commander of PNS Ghazi and his vicious manoeuvres, 350 metres below the surface of the Bay of Bengal. Keeping the minor flaws in the story, the fact vs fiction conundrums, and the CGI shortcomings aside, ‘Ghazi’ boasts of aspects that were never witnessed in Indian cinema before.
Read More: Malayalam Movies 2017
