The Worst Films of 2018.

2018 has been an interesting year. It’s been the year of success for smaller films like Stree, Badhaai Ho, Raazi and Andhadhun. Did you ever think that a film about a pregnant 55-year old woman in its fifth week would defeat a 300 crore Khan magnum opus in its second week at the box office? Neither did I, but it happened. This year brought along some truly terrible films, that insisted on championing the power of stars over the power of a good story. The result was five or six flicks that were mind-numbing to say the least.

Here are my worst 6 titles of 2018.

6. Thugs of Hindostan

by Vijay Krishna Acharya

Vijay Krishna Acharya’s massive project went for both sweep and scale. The result was an overlong debacle that just would not quit. Thugs of Hindostan wasn’t actively horrible cinema, but had a nasty arrogance, considering just how stupid it was. It borrowed heavily from films with the likes of the Pirates of the Caribbean series, but its main problem was that its actors - fine ones like Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Ila Arun and Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub - were cardboard and ornate. Thugs never sprung to life, and remained gimmicky and showy, while being garish and tacky at the same time.

Thugs of Hindostan isn’t available on any streaming platform, yet.

5. Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety

by Luv Ranjan

I’ll admit that in spurts, Luv Ranjan’s cinema can be immensely fun. So, this ‘Bromance Vs. Romance’ film should’ve been an instant classic. But Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, setting aside its ridiculous title, was overlong and silly - repetitive and monotonous. It seemed like too much of a reworking of Ranjan’s Pyaar Ke Punchnama cinematic universe. And, at a time when #MeToo and feminism run at an all time high, Ranjan’s problematic misogyny was untimely and off putting. Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety suffered from a high level from stupidity, like those behind and in front of the camera didn’t understand the implications of such a film.

Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety is available on Amazon Prime Video.

4. Fanney Khan

by Atul Manjrekar

There isn’t much that could go wrong when Anil Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao and Aishwarya Rai share the same screen, is there? Think again. Fanney Khan was simply hideous. It remains to be seen why films like it get made. There are films that are so bad that they’re good, that they invoke laughter in you. Then, there’s the big budget ones (case in point, Thugs of Hindostan) that invoke rage in you. Fanney Khan was a small budget nothing, that hinged on the central idea that pressurised parenting was something to be celebrated. It all culminated in a climax where police officers, in an intense stand-off with a supposed psychotic fan, started applauding him. Even with context, it was positively bizarre.

Fanney Khan is available on Amazon Prime Video.

3. Race 3/Zero

by Remo D'Souza/by Aanand L. Rai

Both Race 3 and Zero represent different kinds of creative slogs. Race 3 is the sickening kind. It had zero plot, cringe-worthy dialogues and terrible acting from an ageing superstar, whose worn-out machismo seems to be his favourite look. Zero had sweep and scale, but its plot was contrived, overlong and stuffed with too much. The latter was better than the former, but for the sake of a listicle format, I clubbed them together. Both were doomed Khan vehicles that crashed from the get-go - one from people you expect nothing from, the other from some great technicians. It’s a shame that both tanked - financially and critically.

Race 3 is available on Amazon Prime Video. Zero isn’t available on any streaming platform, yet.

2. Satyameva Jayate

by Milap Milan Zaver

In the rotting by-lanes of fiery hell, Milap Milan Zaveri’s Satyameva Jayate lies, ever so proudly. The director, known for awful sex comedies, took it a notch higher - an avenging angel who burns corrupt cops alive. The result was an arrogant film that refused to understand how problematic its message - that of vigilante justice - really was. It was terribly acted, a technical failure and absolutely disgusting to watch as leading man (or piece of wood, given those expressions) decimated, flagellated and pummelled men with his fists. Blood was shed - and quite frankly, so were my tears.

Satyameva Jayate is available on Amazon Prime Video.

1. Namaste England

by Vipul Amritlal Shah.

I rarely give films 0 stars. Because, then I think - is that it? Has the worst film ever been achieved? Calling Namaste England the worst film ever wouldn’t be a stretch by any measure. It was preposterous, stupidly acted and its script was even more haphazard than the travel routes that these characters were taking to reach London from the pind. Vipul Shah’s characters were boneheads, each one stupider than the last. They just kept on sauntering across borders, like headless chickens. Namaste England deserved that rating - and it very much deserves this recognition of the worst film of 2018.

Namaste England isn’t available on any streaming platform, yet.

I’d also like to make a special mention of Batti Gul Meter Chalu and Pihu. Honestly, yes, we suffer through bad films - but it’s the truly bad ones we remember. Every industry needs to have a diverse blend of good and bad films, and this year proved that Bollywood can have a stark contrast between magnificent and terrible. I can’t wait to see a plethora of bad films next year, too.

What were your least favourite films of the year? Tell me what you think I missed out.