That these films were made despite Covid-19, is miraculous
Illustration/Uday Mohite
Here’s my Top 20 All-India films of 2021. Starting with Top 10 here; 11-20 next week. The list is not in order: it includes fiction features, documentaries, mainstream and indie films that cannot be compared. Yet again, it reminds us how far regional cinema is ahead of Bollywood. How some of our finest films are debuts by those who never went to film school. And I’m continuing to make women’s work more visible. This is not a water-tight list; it is more to spark conversations around good Indian cinema, so your suggestions are welcome. That these films were made despite Covid-19, is miraculous. Here goes:
1. Koozhangal (Pebbles) by PS Vinothraj, Tamil: Jaw-dropping debut feature about a little boy who settles scores with his wife-beating father, through an endless walk home under the scorching Madurai sun. Written and directed by Vinothraj, the small-cast, indie film features mostly non-actors. India’s entry for the Oscars 2022, it earlier won the Tiger Award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. Produced by Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan, with Sai Devanand S; woman producer.
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2. Writing with Fire by Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh, Hindi: Excellent, inspiring, debut documentary feature on Khabar Lahariya, India’s only newspaper run by Dalit women, in Bundelkhand in UP/MP. And how they use smartphones to question patriarchy, caste and power. In the Oscar 2022 shortlist for Best Documentary Feature; at the Sundance Film Festival, it won the Special Jury Award-Impact for Change and Audience Award. Woman co-director, co-writer, co-producer.
3. Sarpatta Parambarai (The Sarpatta Clan) by Pa Ranjith, Tamil: An outstanding, knock-out mainstream film, starring Arya. It is a rich, multi-layered tapestry, a period film set amid the boxing cults of Tamil Nadu, tackling caste, class, politics, and questioning masculinity, all shot with documentary grittiness. One of the finest screenplays of the year by Pa Ranjith and Tamil Prabha/Thamizh Prabha. On Amazon Prime Video.
4. Joji by Dileesh Pothan, Malayalam: Brilliant adaptation of Macbeth, starring the terrific Fahadh Faasil, and scripted by ace screenwriter Syam Pushkaran. Three brothers try to grab the property of their bed-ridden, terrorising father. More a reflection on the cyclical nature and inheritance of pathological violence. A ‘mindie film’ (my coinage for mainstream+indie films), Pothen makes magic with one house and a small cast during Covid-19. On Amazon Prime Video.
5. Karnan by Mari Selvaraj, Tamil: Dhanush is superb in this explosively good, modern retelling of the myth of Karna from the Mahabharata. It is set amid the struggles of the low castes, led by Karnan, a Tamil ‘Samurai’ in rubber chappals. On Amazon Prime Video. Selvaraj’s debut was the stunning Pariyerum Perumal (The God on a Horse).
6. Once Upon A Time in Calcutta by Aditya Vikram Sengupta, Bengali: Estranged from her husband, Ela tries to claim her share of an old theatre from her step-brother. Sreelekha Mitra is superb; co-stars include Bratya Basu and Arindam Ghosh. The film, which was in the Venice Film Festival’s Orizzonti section, was shot by Turkish cinematographer Gökhan Tiryaki (who shot Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, Winter Sleep). An Indo-French-Norwegian film; the producers include Aditya Vikram Sengupta, Vikram Mohinta, Jonaki Bhattacharya (also Production Designer), Anshulika Dubey, Priyanka Agarwal (the last two of Wishberry Films), Catherine Dussart and Ingrid Lill Høgtun. Five women producers at least, brava!
7. A Night Of Knowing Nothing by Payal Kapadia, Gujarati, Hindi: In this debut, experimental documentary feature in b/w and colour, an Indian university student, L, writes letters to her estranged lover. Merging fiction, reality and found footage, it explores nationwide student protests against the growing right-wing in India. Selected in the Cannes Film Festival’s Directors’ Fortnight, it made history by winning the Oeil d’or, Golden Eye, for Best Documentary at Cannes. Woman director, co-writer.
8. Malik by Mahesh Narayanan, Malayalam: Starring Fahadh Faasil and Nimisha Sajayan, this is a compelling, sprawling, mainstream epic. With much of India being right-wing, politicians now stoke communal hatred between minorities—Muslims and Christians. Narayanan is masterly as he writes and directs a large cast, yet creates memorable small moments. Faasil is remarkable as a don-saviour. On Amazon Prime Video.
9. Fire in the Mountains by Ajitpal Singh, Hindi: Debut feature on a mother in Uttarakhand, who struggles to save money for her son’s medical treatment, while her alcoholic husband blows up her savings on an expensive pooja instead. World premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Produced by Ajay Rai and Alan McAlex, coproduced by Mauli Singh and Amit Mehta. Woman co-producer.
10. Pedro by Natesh Hegde, Kannada: Striking, original debut feature. A middle-aged electrician in small-town Karnataka accidentally causes an incident that galvanises the villagers, with tragic consequences. Hegde won Best Director at the Shanxi international film festival in China; the film was at the BFI London and Busan film festivals. Produced by Rishab Shetty.
Meenakshi Shedde is India and South Asia Delegate to the Berlin International Film Festival, National Award-winning critic, curator to festivals worldwide and journalist.
Reach her at meenakshi.shedde@mid-day.com
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