The 5 best films of 2019.

2019 was a less sparkling year than 2018, where we had Andhadhun, Badhaai Ho and Raazi to name a few films, but there was still a fair share of great films. Here are my top 5 films. Keep in mind that I won’t be including films that released on Netflix, though if I did, Soni would be the best film I saw all year.

5. Bala

Amar Kaushik’s devastating tale of premature balding was as much about hilarity as much a parable on self-consciousness. It wasn’t half as crackling as Amar’s last venture, Stree, and I’ll admit, I felt a bout of fatigue seeing Ayushmann Khurrana do the same thing again, but Yami Gautam, Seema Pahwa and Saurabh Shukla lent to Bala’s homegrown beauty. It was infinitely better than Dream Girl, and it’s a film that made me both chuckle and shed a tear at the end. It remains imprinted in my mind. I suggest you seek it out when it hits digital, just in case you missed it in theatres.

4. The Sky Is Pink

Shonali Bose gave us an uneven but unfettered drama about human loss and suffering. Priyanka Chopra and Farhan Akhtar gave career best performances as the muted but headstrong Aditi and Niren Choudhary. Zaira Wasim and Rohit Suresh Saraf were also lovely, in a film that offered a new and fresh perspective on the only inevitable thing in life - death. It’s a shame The Sky Is Pink didn’t find many takers at the box office, I suggest you watch it on Netflix, as the end credits roll to the magnificent viral hit song For Aisha, you will break down.

3. Chhichhore

Nitesh Tiwari, director of Dangal, updated the outdated formula of hostlers and lovers in college days. Ten years after Three Idiots, I think he cracked it. Chhichhore is at once refreshing and comforting. Sushant Singh Rajput, Shraddha Kapoor and Varun Sharma gave fantastic performances as three people, whose beauty may have weathered over time, but their resolve still stands strong. Chhichhore was smartly crafted and it warmed my heart that it made good money at the box office. Find it on Hotstar, if you haven’t seen it already.

2. Article 15

Anubhav Sinha’s police procedural asked greater questions about caste, privilege and hubris. It detailed a horrific gangrape, that finally showed us the side of Ayushmann Khurrana we’ve all been thirsting for. The result was a film that scorched your insides. A technical marvel, Article 15 was one of those films, that you just cannot forget. I kept in my mind long after I left theatres. Find it on Netflix if you haven’t watched it yet.

1. Gully Boy

Zoya Akhtar’s predictable rags to riches story was rather banal when I saw it first, but it’s the only one that I still remember only after one viewing. It’s one of those eternal films that has the potential to become a cult classic. Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt were both lovely, but the undoubted star was that 18-track album that featured songs from Dub Sharma, Naezy, Divine, Rishi Rich and Ranveer himself.

Those were my top five films of the year. A few special mentions include Sonchiriya, Badla, Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga and War.