What a historic year for the Indian film industry. Perhaps for the first time in decades, the world is waking up to the diversity and sheer storytelling ambitions of our cinema. For years, Indian films were synonymous with song-and-dance melodramas, and this is largely true. But 2024 saw a string of small films making it to top-tier international festivals, making audiences around the world aware that India has more to offer than that. Colorful revenge epics featuring bearded menor Quasi-religious epics Looting and looting with equal brazenness. Despite their achievements, however, some of the year’s most acclaimed Indian films struggled to find domestic distribution, even as Bollywood’s biggest potboilers ran to empty houses. There is enough money to go around, but independent directors have come to rely on foreign investment to make their projects. It’s a bittersweet scenario, but it’s sure to improve as the industry buckles under its own weight.
Director Kiran Rao’s Lapata Ladies paving the way for a late 2023 film satisfactionGirls will be girls, and perhaps most hilariously, all we imagine as light; Payal Kapadia’s film not only made it to Cannes’ main competition, but also won the festival’s second-highest honor. These films often offered alternatives Regressive ideas are still in the mainstream. They told stories about ordinary people, their dreams and desires. They held up a mirror to society and exposed its evils. They chronicled a time of change, serving as a reminder of what was and what could be. Here are the 10 best Indian movies of the year, alphabetically.
self
A stable from Attam of Ananda Ekrishi.
Read More – Attham: A Masterclass in Misdirection, Anand Ekarshi’s Anti-Wodunnit is an Early Contender for Movie of the Year
Director Anand Ekarshi’s anti-whodunnit offers a self-reflective meta-commentary not only on the film industry’s handling of the #MeToo movement, but also points fingers at all those who played an accessory to the crimes. A chamber piece about a group of men debating whether or not their own should be punished for misbehaving with the only female member of their theater troupe, Attam is a chilling portrait of social injustice, and a memorable act of misdirection. When was the last time the entire premise of a movie was revealed to be a red herring? Attam is available to stream on Prime Video.
against the Tide
A Still from Against the Tide.
Director Sarvanik Kaur’s harrowing documentary about a fishing community in Maharashtra examines broad themes like climate change and corporate greed from the perspective of two friends, slowly torn apart by their conflicting ideologies. It offers unequivocal proof that time stands still for no one, but is careful to spotlight the resilience and resourcefulness of those who dare to stand in its way. In a year when Indian cinema has transcended boundaries, this film is a necessary reminder that it was documentarians who paved the way. Against the Tide is available to stream on MUBI.
We all imagine as light
A still from Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light.
Payal Kapadia’s landmark Cannes-winning drama examines big-city loneliness through the prism of three working-class Mumbai women. Beautifully shot and poignantly told, All We Imagine As Light delivers a star-making performance from Divya Prabha, who is able to inject her character with a sense of both loss and hope. This is a story of Indian ambition, and the high price some have to pay to maintain it. But above all, it is a story about rediscovery and redemption – two of the most enduring themes in all of cinema. All We Imagine As Light doesn’t have a streaming home yet.
Amar Singh Chamkila
Parineeti Chopra and Diljit Dosanjh in Amar Singh Chamkila.
Read more – Amar Singh Chamkila: Imtiaz Ali sets out to make a film about the slain singer, but ends up making a film about himself
Featuring a knockout central performance from Diljit Dosanjh, director Imtiaz Ali’s hilarious biopic about the slain Punjabi folk singer is a feat in both filmmaking and fable-like storytelling. Ali makes the winning creative decision to present Chamkila’s story as a piece of musical theatre, combining the staples of mainstream Hindi cinema with the flamboyance of a Broadway blockbuster. Along the way, he is able to make sweeping statements about censorship, social inequality, and the power of stories. Amar Singh Chamkila is available to stream on Netflix.
Bram Yugam
Mammootty in a still from Brahmayugam.
Read more – Bramayugam: Mammootty’s miraculous run continues with worst Indian horror film in years, Prisoners Against Humanity
With reliable hat-tips to Andrei Tarkovsky, Christopher Nolan, Robert Eggers and, most importantly, 1940s gothic horror, the stunning Malayalam-language horror film Bramayugam is shot in a lovely monochrome that harkens back to the glory days. Nosferatu and Universal Monsters. But as old-fashioned as director Rahul Sadashivan’s inspiration may be, his concerns feel scarily urgent. It’s a movie about caste conflict, the immoral rot brought to society by mortals in the name of God. Bramayugam is available to stream on SonyLIV.
Girls will be girls
In girls, Preeti Panigrahi and Keshav Vinay Kiran will be the girls.
Read More – Girls Will Be Girls Movie Review: Shuchi Talati’s psychological drama is one of the best movies of the year
Director Shuchi Talati walks the incredible tonal tightrope of an unconventional coming of age drama Girls Will Be Girls in her debut feature. Featuring a breakout performance by Preeti Panigrahi, the film transforms before our eyes – going from an innocent love story to something more sinister. Girls Will Be Girls is a complex portrait of parent-child relationships, growing pains, and what we imagine as light, female loneliness. The film will be available to stream on Prime Video.
Jigra
Alia Bhatt in a still from Vasan Bala’s Jigra.
Read more – Jigra: Vasan Bala arms Alia Bhatt in one of the best Hindi films of the year; Karan Johar better have his back
A sleek, stylish spin on mainstream Hindi cinema tropes, director Vasan Bala’s Jigra opened to divisive reviews and poor box office reception. But it has all the makings of a crowd-pleasing cult classic. Led by a stunning Alia Bhatt, Jigra combines Bollywood’s broad sentimentality with Bala’s raunchy sensibilities. The film tells the thrilling story of a young woman who devises a plan to save her brother who is wrongfully imprisoned after the system fails. The jail-break sequence at the end is almost flawless – as is Manoj Pahwa’s scene-stealing supporting performance. Two which he has given this year. Jigra is available to stream on Netflix.
Kottukkali
One more from PS Vinothraj’s Kottukkali.
Read More – Kottukkali: Best Indian film of the year so far proves that PS Vinothraj is the incomparable poet of the people
Unlike his mainstream contemporaries who often engage in silencing women through their so-called progressive cinema, director PS Vinothraj attempts to challenge the oppression of archaic systems by questioning his place in them. The film tells the story of a young woman who is dumped by her family as an ex for the crime of loving a man outside her social class. Played by Anna Bain in one of the best performances of the year, the hero is the moral compass of Meena Vinothraj’s film – a symbol of silent resistance, of civil disobedience, of seething rage. Kottukkaali is available to stream on Prime Video.
Manjummel boys
Another one from the Manjummel boys.
Read more – Manjummel Boys: A thrilling blockbuster about faith that doesn’t use religion as a crutch
Director Chidambaram’s Malayalam-language blockbuster – the biggest hit the industry has seen so far – is a story about brotherhood, people coming to the aid of one another because they can’t helplessly wait for God to perform miracles. Manjummel Boys is a thrillingly staged film, crafted with attention to detail — acting, writing, cinematography all top-notch — that has established the Malayalam industry as a leading creative force in our country’s cinematic landscape. The survival drama is available to stream on Disney+ Hotstar.
tis
A steal from Dibakar Banerjee’s tee.
Read More – Tees Movie Review: Dibakar Banerjee’s unreleased saga is ambitious, intimate and provocative
Dibakar Banerjee’s Tis is perhaps his most ambitious film. A story spanning generations about minorities, the insidious nature of censorship, and the soft-power of art, Tees is a genre-fluid story that needs all the support it needs to see the light of day. After all, this is a film that carries almost as much flexibility as a cockroach. Featuring an unforgettable performance by Manisha Koirala Featuring a legendary ensemble, Tees is a film that exists at the intersection of integrity and anger. It makes all the sense in the world that its architect is a person who represents both ideals. The film has yet to be released after being canceled by Netflix.
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