13 Non - Tamil Films From 2018 That Deserve Your Attention!
Suhansid Srikanth
I would say this has been the most satisfying year in a while for me as a cinema lover and viewer. The range and extremes of good films that flooded in were crazy. There were entertainers that made sense and turning into biggest hits at one side. And there are this niche films that won all the love of the audience on the other hand.
There are these crowd pleasing good films I absolutely loved watching on screens. Hey Jude, Sudani from Nigeria, Theevandi, Njan Prakashan, Rangasthalam, Mahanati, Geetha Govindam, Padmaavat, Manmarziyaan, Hichki, Raazi, Andhadhun, Badhaai Ho would be few to name. They were all extremely divergent from one another. Am yet to see few other. Say Stree or Goodachari which were unanimously praised by the critics and audience. Yet the fact that the Indian Cinema has been packed with this crazy a spectrum this year is interesting.
And there is a booming good content in Netflix. Lust Stories and Sacred Games pushed the envelope of streaming platforms a bit ahead. Non-Hindi films like Village Rockstars or Naal.. were passionately embraced.
While I haven't seen some other good films that people are absolutely in love with.. like Tumbbad or Joseph.. here is my list of films that deserves your attention for the celebration of life, love and cinema along with the unique experience it delivers.
Eeda
Featuring the finest performances from the leads, especially by the protagonist Shane Nigam.. the slowburner political drama establishes a Romeo - Juliet scenario in Kannur. Coming from Rajeev Ravi's school of films.. the movie explores the unspoken heat and danger that silently prevails behind the communal and political quest deep down the village.
Carbon
The bizarre genre bending cinema constantly shifts its gear between horror, thriller, a philosophical adventure and finally a survival drama. Fahadh Faasil as Sibi Sebastian delivers one of his all time great performance.
Poomaram
Abrid Shine's film is probably the most interesting Malayalam film of the year for how it garlands a story out of nothing but vignettes and moments. There are hardly any conflicts. Still.. the film weaves itself as this collective thread of nostalgia to one and all about the collegehood and team spirit that strengthens the bond over there is brilliantly elicited out.
Ee Ma Yau
Easily, one of the greatest Indian film that has been made out in 2018. This existential black comedy of Lijo that takes place in, about and around a funeral is dark, realistic and stunningly cinematic. With stellar ambience and terrific writing by P.F.Mathews, the film goes hands down as an experience of its own!
Koode
Anjali Menon's directorial that sorta celebrates the life in all its positivity and glory is one of MT favorites of this year. With some great performances by all three leads in it.. the film subtly explores the tenderness that stays within a man and how it gets evoked with a touch of love and warmth.
Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi
Tharun Bhascker's second outing is a comedy that roams all around and constantly keeps on in split. The indieness to it along with the way the drama or even a melodrama has been treated in the film makes it one of the coolest game changers of 2018 in Telugu Cinema.
C/o Kancherapalem
If it is Ee Ma Yau for Malayalam, then it is this one for Telugu Cinema. What a beautifully done drama! This subtle, realistic, at times.. a bit philosophical drama comes totally as a surprise from Tollywood.
Mukkabaaz
Anurag Kashyap's! Need to say anymore? Still.. the film deserves an attention for how it breaks the template 'sportsman' film of Indian Cinema. Its a love story that also addresses a caste issue both domestic and on a major scale. Vineet Kumar Singh is terrific and proves his talent as this non-giving up protagonist.
October
One of my favorite films of the year! Written by Juhi Chaturvedi, Shoojit Sircar's October is an ode to love, solitude and life itself. The gentleness and calm that this film beholds amidst all the noises and chaos we get to see everyday is heart healing.
Omerta
Hansal Mehta's Omerta that didn't get its due in box office is a terrific film. I don't remember another Indian film that followed the thought process of a terrorist this close. It traces out the mood and mindset of a real life terrorist, Omar, played insanely evilistic by RajKumar Rao.
Bhavesh Joshi Superhero
Probably the most underrated film of the year. From Vikramaditya Motwane.. one of my favorite filmmakers out there, this is one of the every few superhero films that really holds the authenticity and grounds itself to the native locality instead of just grabbing some mindblowing action pieces and explosions. Set over a contemporary political issue, the protogonist in many ways reminds one of Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver.
Manto
Biopic of Saddaq Hassan Manto made by Nandita Das is powerful and greatly relevant to the times we live in. With one of his all time best performances, Nawazuddin as Manto makes us invest skin deep into the character and the era. One of the very great aspects about the film is the editing by Sreekar Prasad. It hardly comes to your mind as you watch the film but it very effectively takes you back and forth between the real and fictional world of Manto.
Laila Majnu
Yet another film that's severely overlooked in the box office. The film that's set in Kashmir taking ques from the legend of Laila and Majnu is a tragedy with one of the finest performances by male leads in this year. Much like a slipped up a page from Imtiaz Ali's filmography.. Sajid Ali's debut film, 'Laila Majnu' is intensely humane.. divine.. wild.. spiritual.. and everything you would associate with the works of Imtiaz Ali. The madness of Majnu that's elicitly brought out by Avinash Tiwari hits you all the way.