My Fav Indian Films – 2022

Streaming platforms have opened the doors for avid movie buffs like myself to enjoy more regional cinema than ever. And boy, are we all in for a treat or what? Memories of watching regional films premier on Doordarshan back in the 80s, have now been rekindled.

2022 had a fair share of good films released throughout the year A lot of them premiered directly on the streaming channels. While Bollywood continues to struggle to bring the audience back to the cinemas, there is still no dearth of good quality films that can keep us engaged. Writers are trying to push the envelope, and in the end it is the audience who emerges as the winner, having the luxury of picking between the good and the even-better. As my favorites list this year indicates…

BHEDIYA (Hindi)

It was not as funny or sharp as the director Amar Kaushik‘s STREE, but BHEDIYA was still a pretty entertaining horror comedy with good special effects and a great social message. The highlight of the film was, of course, the supremely funny Abhishek Banerjee who stole the show as Varun Dhawan’s cousin brother.

MINNAL MURALI (Malayalam. On Netflix)

This Malayalam superhero film dropped on Netflix towards the end of 2021, and it blew my mind when I first saw it early in the year. One of the best superhero flicks I’ve seen recently, where the emphasis was more on the fun-filled story and less on the special effects.

LOOP LAPETA (Hindi. On Netflix)

I was skeptical when I heard that Taapsee Pannu was starring in the Bollywood adaptation of the superb German time-loop thriller RUN LOLA RUN. My fears, however, were put to rest by an equally winsome film with great visuals, quirky camerawork, sharp writing and very watchable performances. What a “lapeta” this was…

KADASEELA BIRIYANI (Malayalam. On Netflix)

Every time I mention this Malayalam film to anyone, I get strange looks. But once people have seen this juggernaut of a thriller, they come back to talk about it. This is a true crime thriller – sadistically funny in classic Tarantino style…except with our own masala seasoning. This is way too much fun to be missed!!

CHANDIGARH KARE AASHIQUI / BADHAAI DO (Hindi. On Netflix)

I put these two wonderful films in the same bucket because they strove to break down a lot of barriers prevalent in the way stories are told on screen in India. Both films were equally brave and bold in terms of the subject matter, but the directors handled them with just the right amount of sensitivity, poignancy and care, without compromising entertainment. Loved both of them!

MONICA O MY DARLING (Hindi. On Netflix)

Director Vasan Bala gave us another dark and deliciously comic thriller after the superb MARD KO DARD NAHIN HOTA (also on Netflix), with loads of clever twists and terrific performances. The retro soundtrack was a stunner, and seeing Radhika Apte in a funny avatar was an added bonus.

JALSA (Hindi. On Amazon Prime)

JALSA pitched two superlative actors opposite each other – Vidya Balan and Shefali Shah. And what a treat it was to see them both giving their best in a taut and superbly written thriller about moral ambiguity. It is hard to side with any character in this film, where no one is absolved of wrong doing. Another must-watch.

DARLINGS (Hindi. On Netflix)

Shefali Shah shows up again, this time teaming up with Alia Bhat in another wickedly funny thriller about a sensitive topic like domestic abuse. The twists just keep coming non-stop and Vijay Verma, as Alia’s sadist (and sad) husband steals the thunder from everyone. What a performance!

GARGI (Tamil. On SonyLIV)

When GARGI ended, I was stunned to even move for a good two minutes. Even though I watched the film at home, I felt like giving this excellent Tamil film a standing ovation. Featuring a career-defining performance by Sai Pallavi whose heartbreaking performance as a justice-seeking daughter is bound to leave you speechless, this is a hard-hitting movie that should not be missed. Bravo!!

VIKRAM (Tamil)

Yes, it was Vikram and not RRR that made it to the top of my list this year. Sure RRR had a lot going for it, and was created on a massive scale, but for me it fell short when compared to the world created by Director Lokesh Kanagaraj in Vikram.

Starring the phenomenal trio of Kamal Haasan, Fahadh Faasil and Vijay Sethupathi , this one resembles the slam-bam crime potboilers that became synonymous with full-on paisa vasool entertainment in the 80s-90s.

As the ending of the movie indicates, the director has now created his own Crime-busters universe (like Rohit Shetty with his SINGHAM. SIMMBA and SOORYAVANSHI). But this one is way over the top and way too much fun. The best entertainer of the year 2022 in my opinion. Keep whistling!!

Honorable Mentions:

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