TOP 10 HINDI FILM MAKERS OF THE DECADE

Happy New Year, Hindi Cinema buffs!

As cyberspace gets piled up with "Best 10, 20, 75 or 100 Bollywood films of the decade" lists, the Hindi Cinema Blog has opted for a more personal approach by establishing our list of the TOP 10 FILM MAKERS of Hindi cinema in the last decade. From 2000 to 2010 some of the highest achieving film makers indeed delighted us and we wish to remember them as a new decade opens, hoping that they will continue to make us laugh, cry, jump in our seats and nurture our Hindi film addiction.

Vishal Bhardwaj

Even if this list has been established in no particular order of achievement, Vishal Bhardwaj is still featured at the top for making audiences meet a different type of Indian cinema through his involvement in internationally acclaimed films such as 'Omkara' and 'Ishqiya' (producer) or a widely applauded film by Indian audiences: 'Kaminey'. Vishal also has high reaching musical talent and is known to be an appreciated actor. He seems like an art and cinema powerhouse and we therefore thought he deserved first mention. 

Rajkumar Hirani

The man behind the deep and cheerfully humourous 'Munna Bhai MBBS' and 'Lage Raho Munna Bhai' seemingly has a permanent genial muse following him around wherever he goes - some even wonder if Raj Kapoor has not been whispering him film secrets in the ear! He struck gold with a memorable '3 Idiots' in 2009 and audiences are keen to know what values will be skillfully and lightly put across in his next Munna bhai adventure. 

Aamir Khan

The Hindi film industry has never been the same since this ace started challenging it continuously. After acting in several stupendous films in previous decades ('Qayamat se Qayamant tak', 'Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin', 'Sarfarosh', 'JJWS'...), Aamir Khan wooed Indian audiences towards what they were never supposed to have liked in the first place: by producing 'Lagaan', aka a film about Indian villagers playing cricket or directing 'Taare Zameen Par', a film about childhood education with no romance or item numbers! Having won this bet hands down, he proceeded to bring back Mansoor Khan (hurrah!) in order to help cook up the fresh and sweet 'Jaane Tu ya Jaane Na' and then turned into a masala hero with a Tamil style 'Ghajini'. The man who navigates the Hindi film world's pulse with bravado has continued venturing into surprising projects such as producing 'Peepli Live' and 'Dhobi Ghat'.

Yash Chopra

Though sections of the audience have started feeling a bit blasé about certain Yash Raj banner films, we believe the sole 'Veer-Zaara' tale is capable of zooming them up to this top ten list. After having seen filmgoers in various countries watch 'Veer-Zaara' and come out of the cinema with tears in their eyes, exclaiming "what a film!", we believe this film is one of the surest ways to convert an indie or world movie lover to the vast world of classic Hindi cinema. Huge thumbs up!

Anurag Kashyap

Another film maker who keeps pushing the envelope both in the way he directs and in relation to the subjects or narrative style he chooses is Anurag Kashyap. He stirred audiences with 'Dev D' and 'That Girl in Yellow Boots' and wrote the story behind acclaimed 2010 film 'Udaan'. Kashyap sometimes seems like the "enfant terrible" of the Hindi film industry for "showing it as it is" through his storytelling style. International audiences have come to acknowledge his attempts at incorporating groundbreaking realism to Indian cinema.  

Karan Johar

Starry eyed Karan Johar and his company, Dharma Productions, were behind some of the decade's greatest hits or most entertaining film proposals. From the Shah Rukh Khan classic, 'Kal Ho Naa Ho', penned by him and directed by Nikhil Advani, to a most recent 'Wake Up Sid' and 'Kurbaan', Karan Johar has a Midas touch for emotionally grand stories. Though we were in a bit of two minds about 'My Name is Khan' and 'We are Family' we are expecting that Johar will be serving more efficient heart tugging stories soon.  

Sanjay Leela Bhansali

  

One either loves or hates his style. Nevertheless, he is undisputably one of India's most iconic film makers. The man pulls off films that carry rich imagery and  enchanting decors in any type of story. Harshly criticized by several of his peers, Bhansali is still the man who wowed Cannes audiences with Madhuri's and Aishwarya's beauty in 'Devdas', thereby introducing many foreign audiences to Indian cinema.

His latest 'Guzaarish' is also to be watched as much for an interesting plot than for admiring Goa's colonial architecture. Is it a Bhansali film? Sit down, relax and enjoy the visual ride.

Ronnie Screwvala

Even though he may not be considered a film maker per se, the main man of  UTV productions handles a company whose instinct has been changing the panorama of Hindi cinema consistently during the last decade by serving audiences several valuable off-the-beaten-path or niche films: 'Aamir', 'A Wednesday', 'Peepli Live', 'Road, Movie', 'Life in a Metro' or the more popular 'Rang de Basanti'... speaking of which...

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra 

Mehra is in our personal top ten list mainly for 'Rang de Basanti' and for the animated fresco he offered audiences with 'Delhi 6' which, even if it did not garner box office success, is still a film with an interesting statement and beautiful visuals worth viewing if you want to see Delhi through a gifted man's eyes. Mehra is involved in environmental movements and yours truly would love a film on that subject by him if one could throw wishes to the air and watch them come true.

:-) 

Rakesh Roshan

Roshan has enchanted audiences during this past decade, including anyone from children to seniors, with the 'Koi Mil Gaya' and 'Krrish' saga. The magic of  this fantasy tale suited to young and old provided a rollicking good time and is nestled in the hearts of many.

Runners up to this list were Farhan Akhtar for a very fresh 'Dil Chahta Hai' and his stylish remake of  'Don', as well as Ram Gopal Varma for his dark 'Sarkar'. And last but not least, a personal favorite, Kamal Hassan, should be mentioned for contributing a very valuable story to the Hindi film landscape by impressively filming, scripting and acting in 'Hey Ram'.

Do not hesitate to agree or disagree with this list and to give us your very own list of top 10 film makers of the decade in our comments section below.

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A GUZAARISH TO REMEMBER - Film Review

I have always been in two minds about Sanjay Leela Bhansali's films which swing between the lavish and the stern... Consequently, I started watching 'Guzaarish' ('A Request') without much expectation. As the first frames appeared with a stunning as always Aishwarya Rai in the role of a nurse who looks like a porcelaine doll with perfect earrings and wine red lips, I confess the Westerner in me thought the film would not reel me in. To my surprise however, I gradually got used to Bhansali's visuals and initially peculiar use of melodrama. Soon, against my scepticism, the story, the characters and the subject built a bridge and I found myself gladly weaving my way through a Goan maze of majestic architecture, rainy scenery and questions about life itself.

As 'Guzaarish' unrolled before my eyes I could not help but keep wondering why Hrithik Roshan had never been given a role like this one. 'Krissh' was lots of fun, 'Na Tum Jaano Na Hum' had him as the ideally sweet romantic hero, 'Dhoom' showed off his muscles, 'Jodhaa Akbar' had him as an emperor in an opulent decor, 'Kites' as an Indian hunk for the world masses... To be honest, I had never given much thought to Hrithik's acting abilities. He sure could dance and he was as beautiful as a Greek god, no doubt about that. But could he pull off a role with more layers? Could his beauty be overlooked to show true depth?

Ethan Mascarenhas (Hrithik's character in the film) is a former star magician who has become a paraplegic as a result of an accident while performing. Ethan submits a petition to the court of justice to be allowed to choose his right to continue to live or not. The film explores the reaction of those close or not so close to him to such a petition.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali is to be congratulated for seeing in Hrithik not only his physical beauty, but also a certain "je ne sais quoi" beyond it that can even be felt in the lightness of Hrithik's voice. That very lightness craftily instills depth into his dialogue in 'Guzaarish'. The film's topic may seem like an utterly grave subject. This said, Ethan the magician talks about sex and pretty women as naturally as he does about death. In his natural demeanor one can sense self-humour, determination, love of life but also pain. I say: Bravo!

Another grand point about 'Guzaarish' is that unlike mainstream Western cinema, the film deals with a touchy issue, euthanasia, but never reaches an explicite conclusion on it. Each member of the audience is left free to ponder after walking out of the cinema whether one "believes" in euthanasia, and if one does, whether one would have the courage to admit it. There are no Hollywood step-by-step final scenes of euthanasia actually being planned or performed. As well as there is no scene of kissing in the touching love story between Ethan and Sophia (Aishwarya Rai). A love story that would indeed have nothing to envy to other intense romantic stories projected on the silver screen.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Amita Sehgal succeed at their casting abilities with panache. All roles are well portrayed, from Ethan's doctor (Suhel Seth), to his passionate lawyer (Shernaz Patel), to his moving maa (Nafisa Ali) and of course to his disciple, Omar, a vibrant young Aditya Roy Kapoor, who happens to be Ethan Mascarenha's biggest fan.

Another successfully managed point in 'Guzaarish' is the sprinkling of humour and happy moments in between melodramatic spells. Aish dancing at a bar, Sister Julia singing on the phone, Omar creating magic with a piece of wet paper... the film plays like an opera portraying a magical thunderstorm.

Beyond the question of euthanasia, the film's motto written in fine print might be to treasure the fine and happy moments as they come and to have faith in love, for it gives freedom.

Maybe Sophia's (Aishwarya Rai) jealous husband, a painter, should have learnt to paint a picture like 'Guzaarish', with dabs of austere Goya-like brushstrokes and impressionist hints of hope that one must catch as they appear before us.

Visit the film's official website

'Guzaarish'

Release date: November 19th, 2010

Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Screenplay: Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Bhavani Iyer
Cast: Aishwarya Rai, Hrithik Roshan, Aditya Roy Kapoor, Nafisa Ali, Suhel Seth, Shernaz Patel
Producer: Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Ronnie Screwvala
Cinematography: Sudeep Chatterjee

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