BEST FILMS
1. EEB ALLAY OOO
This atmospheric satire by Prateek Vats highlights the problem of monkey menace in Delhi. The film is superbly crafted, wonderfully shot, and cleverly edited, oozing with cinematic flair and powerful socio-political commentary.
2. BHONSLE
Bhonsle, directed by Devashish Makhija, tells the story of a retired Marathi sub-inspector named Ganpath Bhonsle (essayed by Manoj Bajpayee) who becomes a witness to the atrocities that the Bihari migrants living in a locality are subjected to. Makhija’s gritty direction and Bajpayee’s tour de force performance make Bhonsle an unforgettable experience.
3. TAISH
Set in the UK, Taish (film) revolves around a family of gangsters and a family of doctors. It’s essentially a tale of friendship, betrayal, love, and revenge. People look up to Hollywood when it comes to the depiction of raw and gritty action. But what Bejoy Nambiar achieves in Taish is no mean feat.
4. DOOR KE DARSHAN
Directed by Gagan Puri, Door Ke Darshan is a laugh riot. But it is also a sensitive film about the complexity of relationships. It revolves around an elderly lady (played by Dolly Ahluwalia) who has been in a coma for the last 30 years. When she suddenly regains consciousness her family must do everything to avoid giving her any shock.
5. CLASS OF ‘83
Class of ’83, directed by Atul Sabharwal, follows the heroics and follies of encounter specialists who have been credited with bringing back the rule of law in Mumbai. Sabharwal’s direction along with his research work makes Class of ’83 a gritty cop thriller with immaculate period detail.
Honourable Mentions: Thappad, Serious Men, Chintu Ka Birthday, Nirvana Inn, and Yeh Ballet
BEST PERFORMANCES
BEST ACTORS: FEMALE
1. TAAPSEE PANNU (THAPPAD)
Taapsee Pannu is known for her earnest performances but what she achieves in Anubhav Sinha’s Thappad is truly remarkable. Her facial expressions, body movements, and the inner pain and resolve emoted through her eyes make it a truly memorable performance.
2. MANISHA KOIRALA (MASKA)
Manisha Koirala’s portrayal of a Parsi mother is easily the best thing about Neeraj Udhwani’s Maska. But, it’s no surprise to see her essay the character of a Parsi so well. For, she has excelled at playing an array of diverse characters in the past as well.
3. SANJEEDA SHEIKH (TAISH)
Sanjeeda Sheikh delivers a mesmerising performance in Taish. The chemistry she shares with Harshvardhan Rane is electrifying. It’s difficult to take one’s eyes off her every time she appears on the screen.
4. SAIYAMI KHER (CHOKED)
While Choked may not be an exceptional film, Saiyami Kher is superb in the role of a singer who is forced to take a job at a bank after she fails to win a reality shown. While she deserves a lot of credit for making the character so believable, Anurag Kashyap also needs to be commended for his ability to get the best out of his actors.
5. YAMI GAUTAM (GINNY WEDS SUNNY)
While Ginny Weds Sunny is a forgettable film, Yami Gautam’s performance in it is like a breath of fresh air. It’s heartening to see her trying hard to break out of her girl next door image.
Honourable Mentions: Vidya Balan (Shakuntala Devi), Female cast members of Door Ke Darshan, and Janhavi Kapoor (Gunjan Saxena).
BEST ACTORS: MALE (FILM)
1. MANOJ BAJPAYEE (BHONSLE)
Over the years we have seen Manoj Bajpayee deliver several memorable performances but his aforementioned performance in Bhonsle which ends with him exploding like only he can is easily one of his finest. It’s deeply nuanced and power-packed at the same time.
2. ADIL HUSSAIN (NIRVANA INN)
Adil Hussain’s portrayal of a man caught in a Kafkaesque nightmare is so well measured that he doesn’t miss a note despite the challenges posed by the narrative’s constant tonal shifts.
3. HARSHVARDHAN RANE (TAISH)
The raging gangster Pali Brar in Bejoy Nambiar’s Taish is a powerhouse role and Harshvardhan Rane immortalises it by delivering the best performance of his career thus far. Rane brilliantly channelises Brar’s self-destructive drives.
4. SAIF ALI KHAN (TANHAJI)
Om Raut’s Tanhaji has a very dark character pitted against its hero Tanhaji. The character is essayed with menacing brilliance by Saif Ali Khan who is always at home playing these villainous characters.
5. BOBBY DEOL (CLASS OF ‘83)
In Atul Sabharwal’s Class of ’83, Bobby Deol packs a strong punch playing a no-nonsense cop who decides to take revenge against the corrupt bureaucracy and its criminal allies by training five encounter specialists. It’s easily the finest performance of Bobby Deol.
Honourable Mentions: Amitabh Bachchan (Gulabo Sitabo), Nawazuddin Siddiqui (Serious Men), and Vinay Pathak (Chintu Ka Birthday),
BEST SERIES
1. SCAM 1992: THE HARSHAD MEHTA STORY
Helmed by Hansal Mehta, it tells the story of the rise and fall of Harshad Mehta. Hansal Mehta’s has been a rare voice in the country that seems to have taken interest in documenting real-life characters, and actual events through his films. With the series, Mehta has further boosted his reputation as a cinematic storyteller working in the vein of Oliver Stone.
2. SPECIAL OPS AND PATAAL LOK
Created by Neeraj Pandey, Special OPS is made in the vein of slow-burning espionage thrillers made famous by the works of John le Carré. The series has a vast panoply of characters, including bureaucrats, politicians, cops, soldiers, spies, terrorists, brokers, hackers, and terrorists, with many subplots spread across two decades. The series Pataal Lok is marked by constant tonal changes. It revolves around a washed-out cop Hathiram Chaudhary (essayed by Jaideep Ahlawat).
3. CHURAILS
Churails has been one of the biggest surprises of the year. Written and directed by Asim Abbas, a British-Pakistani filmmaker, the series features a Pakistani ensemble cast. Churails follows a group of women from Karachi who run a detective agency to expose the city’s unfaithful, elite husbands.
4. FLESH AND PANCHAYAT
This Danish Aslam-directed series stars Swara Bhaskar in the role of a female police officer. While it is certainly not easy to watch for the faint-hearted, there is no denying that Flesh is an earnest attempt to portray the stark reality of human trafficking.
Panchayat offers an alluring sneak-peek into rural India. The simplicity of village folk and how it ends up creating unnecessary complications in the life of the protagonist is a recurring motif in the series. The light-hearted show benefits from some clever writing and brilliant performances.
5. Aashram (Chapter 1&2)
Helmed by Prakash Jha, this series follows a self-styled god-man named Nirmal Baba, essayed by Bobby Deol. It is a great return to form for the director. Jha, who has tried to tackle the issue of casteism throughout his career, uses Aashram to take us to the very heart of discrimination.
Honourable Mentions: Asur, Bandish Bandits, Mirzapur 2, JL 50, and Afsos.
BEST PERFORMANCES (SERIES)
BEST ACTORS: FEMALE (SERIES)
1. SWARA BHASKAR (FLESH)
Swara Bhaskar portrays the part of ACP Radha Nautiyal in Flesh with scalpel-like precision. Nautiyal is an insomniac and a hard-drinking police officer with a troubled past. As part of her job, she gets pitted against the basest criminals, day in and day out, as she tries to unravel a web of immorality, cruelty, and corruption.
2. SUSHMITA SEN (AARYA)
Sushimta Sen has impressed everyone with her performance in Aarya and there is no denying that she is brilliant in the titular role. It’s heartening to see her essay such a gritty part in a web series.
3. SHWETA TRIPATHI (MIRZAPUR 2)
Shweta Tripathi’s complex portrayal of Gajgamini “Golu” Gupta in Mirzapur 2 is a major highlight of the season. It’s amazing to see her transformation from the first season.
4. AADITI POHANKAR (AASHRAM CHAPTER 1 & 2)
Aaditi Pohankar’s portrayal of Pammi, a girl belonging to a backward caste, who aspires to be a wrestler, is one of the highlights of the show. It’s a demanding part but Pohankar matches it with a courageous and meaty performance.
5. NEHA SHARMA (ILLEGAL)
The legal drama series Illegal by Sahir Raza follows a young lawyer who is tricked by the big shot lawyer heading her firm into defending a rapist. Neha Sharma shows just the right amount of vulnerability that the part requires.
Honourable Mentions: Sheeba Chaddha (Bandish Bandits), Female cast members of Churails and Female cast of Four More Shot Please (Season 2).
BEST ACTORS: MALE (SERIES)
1. KAY KAY MENON (SPECIAL OPS)
In Special OPS, Kay Kay Menon essays Himmat Singh to a T. He may remind some of John le Carré’s iconic George Smiley. Like Smiley, Singh first comes across as innocuously polite, unassuming, and someone you don’t easily feel threatened by. Menon’s multilayered performance is a reminder of his remarkable range as an actor.
2. JAIDEEP AHALAWAT (PATAAL LOK)
Jaideep Ahalawat who has been on a roll since Raazi delivers a definitive performance of his acting career in Pataal Lok. As the washed-out cop Hathiram Chaudhary, Ahalawat is an absolute treat to watch. It’s raw and gritty with him going through an entire gamut of emotions.
3. PRATIK GANDHI (SCAM 1992)
Scam 1992 stars Pratik Gandhi in the central role of Harshad Mehta. It’s a breakthrough role for Gandhi following a long struggle but the 40-year-old actor has finally announced himself with a knockout performance.
4. JITENDRA KUMAR (PANCHAYAT)
Jitendra Kumar’s brilliant portrayal of an engineering graduate who reluctantly takes up the job of a secretary at a village panchayat is the USP of Panchayat. The actor is certainly proving himself with each new performance.
5. SUMEET VYAS (DARK 7 WHITE)
Sumeet Vyas’ menacing performance of a young and power-hungry politician for whom losing is not an option in Dark 7 White is easily one of the biggest surprises of the year in the Indian webspace.
Honourable Mentions: Atul Kulkarni (Bandish Bandits), Arshad Warsi (Asur), and Akshay Oberoi (Flesh).