Masala Pradesh's Best of 2009 or Films I liked this year!

As leader of the Masala Pradesh, I have neglected my duties in masala consumption and awareness as I missed the long lost brothers/sisters/cousins/hamsters, the vengeful Vijay's, the miraculous cures from blindness/ugliness/and otherness. I have been watching the classics this year and the news films that were out, and it was a very good year for Bollywood atleast for me, lots of Akshay, lots of fun broad comedy, some comebacks, and some blehhh.... But here is the some of the best that I've seen this year, and the worst gets its own post next week as the Annual Backwass list is coming up! Get ready for the pie inducements, but here are some happy-inducements!

5. Kaminey - Yup, I loved this film. It was so fresh and different from what Vishal Bhardwaj usually does which is Shakespeare or his music, but this film was not Tarantino as QT(lol like the robot from Love Story 2050!) makes films to impress himself and me with his filmic references and cracking dialogue which is his own style. Whereas Kaminey has a windy plot that relies on dialogue to develop the characters of Guddu and Charlie, and the action is cool and stylish too.

And it has a masala-ish plot that I approve of: 2 estranged bhai's and some bag of money! The chemistry between Priyanka and Shahid is cute and they look good together and they both turned out great performances. Especially Shahid who I did write off for a while as he did impress me in Jab We Met but didnt do much after to make me go WOW, but this movie put him in the big league.
4. Luck By Chance - Loved it, this was the most satisfying films I've seen this year though it paints a harsh portrayal of the film world and its driven hero, its not a scathing Sunset Boulevard, but it comes close to it. It observes, thinks, and lets us pass judgement on the characters who are fuelled by many things to be on top. Farhan Akhtar, what a great actor I was so happy he didnt sing in this, coz didnt like his voice in Rock On, i know that sounds bad as he was the singer in that film! I digress as usual, he was so good and nuanced and Konkona who i think is the new favorite actress of mine, she just killed in the last few scenes. And the supporting ensemble of Hritik, Rishi, Dimple, Sanjay, Isha, Juhi and Aly Khan were just spot on in their roles especially Hritik though a short role he really was so great in that scene in the car, such a cutie!

3. Dil Bole Hadippa - Well i was guranteed to loving this half-hearted film, I know it was a bit average but hell it was the comeback that i waited for from Rani, but alas the box office didnt reveal so. Which is such a shame, because I'm sure she put her all in to this film, she lost her weight(GRRRRR) for the silly item number at the end, she sexed herself up and she was glorious in the film. Its all hers, she owns every scene when she's Veer or when she's a bubbly Veera, and she obviously outdoes the bland Shahid in the film and I guess i might stare as creepily as he does when he sees a Rani like that!

2. Love Aaj Kal - LOVED IT, I rewatched a few times while i was in London and on the plane, and each time it had more nuances to the story than I'd noticed but it was a good film especially the paralell story in the 60's with a turbaned Saif, who looked pretty hot! It was a cute love story and Deepika was pretty good in it for some parts but that voice really grates sometimes especially in the "i'M sorry for being a cow, Rahul Khanna" speech which was super annoying. But i cant pull her down for trying earnestly and she does act very well in the second half and in spurts in the beginning, she will blossom as an actress if she doesn't sound too annoying! What a digressor i am! I loved it for Saif and Rishi who were in top form, but its mostly Saif's show he steals the applauds and indulges himself!

But i must make note of the hilarity of the "Twist" song, Saif you lovely hairy bandana wearing cutie, please dont get botox, i think it may affect your dancing skills as you try to keep up with your younger friends in the dancing but look too concentrated and end up looking like an oldie which you are not!

1. Dev D - Simply wonderful! I completely adored this remake of the Devdas novel, i did a whole project on Saratchandra's novels in high school, coz even as a teen I had to filmi at school as well! And when looking through his novels, his protagonists are very self-destructive, sado-masochistic in their actions, and sexual. Not overtly sexual but the characters seemed melancholy because they couldnt get some or they fantasized. But Dev D brings out the sexual side of Devdas who does thrust himself into a sleazy world of courtesans and drink and I loved how Anurag added that. There are gonna be sticklers for the old versions who dont like this one but its just cool, sexy, edgy, alternative and ABHAY!!! Abhay Deol is the new indie king of my dil, i loved his performance in this, he portrayed Devdas in a modern avatar that seemed real and not phoney, and the gals too were great. Especially Kalki who brought vulnerability to Chanda that wasnt that obvious in the other versions, and Mahi Gill as Paro was lovely too, she captured her haughty and playful personality very well! I loved the colour of the film, it was almost like a Douglas Sirk film on acid!

So these were my fave films a lot them are repeats but i just love them all the same, and watch out for the Annual Backwass list soon!