Blame it on the biased exhibition system followed by the multiplexes, lesser attention given to the smaller films, odd show timings killing the inspiration, unwillingness to try something unknown or above all insanely high ticket prices making a big hole in the pocket, the truth remains that here a big majority doesn’t go for the smaller films unless there is a big controversy or OSCAR news associated with it to be specific.
So almost every year we get to witness some worth praising smaller projects that unfortunately fail to reach their deserving audience due to the above mentioned reasons.
Here are five such important films of the 2017 that need to be seen by every true lover of cinema satisfying his or her sincere passion for the medium.
DEAR MAYA (Directed by Sunaina Bhatnagar)
Taking you back in the time of rich TV content witnessed in serials such as KATHA SAGAR, DARPAN, RISHTEY, EK KAHANI and more, DEAR MAYA wins you over with its novel storyline and performances full of love and warmth that somehow remain missing in the present format of our Hindi Cinema. Revolving around a mysterious lonely lady living along her dog and birds in Shimla and two young school going girls trying to find more details about her, the film transports the viewer into its own world and then ends with a highly positive twist celebrating the gift of life.
SNIFF (Directed by Amole Gupte)
Continuing with subjects dealing with school going kids and their individual stories, this time Amole Gupte brings us a fantasy/detective film, introducing a young Sikh boy, who accidentally gets the power of sniffing crime and criminals around him resulting in a very interesting story progression. A simple, fresh and sweet film, it has many entertaining classroom sequences and a superb ensemble of characters representing Punjabi, Bengali, Marathi and more Indian cultures living together in a Mumbai society.
AJJI (Directed by Devashish Makhija)
Moving far ahead than films like MAATR, MOM and BHOOMI made on a similar premise, AJJI (meaning Grandmother in Marathi) actually turns out to be a brutal realistic stunner depicting the life lived in slums and the way a young rape victim gets shamelessly treated by a corrupt police officer. Based on the rape of a minor by the son of a local politician, it rises above a routine revenge drama (focusing on the grandmother) due to its noteworthy execution, art direction and performances by the entire well chosen cast making a solid impact. AJJI takes its inspiration from the folk tale “Little Red Riding Hood” and luckily got passed without any abrupt cuts or beeps inserted by the Censor board (with strictly for Adults rating).
TU HAI MERA SUNDAY (Directed by Milind Dhaimade)
A young, thoughtful film revolving around all real life characters, TU HAI MERA SUNDAY is one of those rare new age ventures pointing towards the issue of no playgrounds left in the metros for the young ones. Showcasing the concrete jungle full of high rise building, roads and car parking taking up the entire space, the film beautifully tackles several issues faced by the young including the corporate slavery, broken families and dependent elders in home deserving appreciation. Focusing on its five protagonists and their expressive interlinked stories this is an amazing film that simply excels in its solid writing, slice-of-life performances and a fabulous cinematography perfectly representing its socially relevant theme.
RIBBON (Directed by Rakhee Sandilya)
Unarguably one of the best films of 2017, RIBBON comes as a serious shocker that forces us to think about the ugly society we ourselves have created since the last two decades, where even the primary educational institutions are not safe enough for the innocent and vulnerable kids. The story of a loving working couple and their journey of bringing up a girl child with care somehow managing their professional work, RIBBON truly scares you like hell once it reveals its basic plot. And thus can easily be rated as one of the most precious, thought provoking films that deserves to be seen, especially by the young parents and would be parents too, rethinking about their chosen new-age patterns of living, adversely affecting themselves as well as the future generations.
Sadly a film that actually should have been the most talked about and discussed film of 2017 asking for an urgent change.
(Note: The article was also published on UC-News Mobile App in December 2017)