The 94th Academy Awards were without a doubt the wildest Oscar Night we could have experienced. However, a lot of the discussion veered off into the Will Smith-Chris Rock debate. Even though the topic at hand needed to be discussed, it did dilute the Oscars’ core values.
The most prestigious and magnificent celebration for the entertainment industry worldwide is Oscar night. The event is held every year to recognise the extraordinary ability needed to make innovative films. While some films receive the recognition they merited, many are left to be remembered solely by the impression they made on our brains.
Here are a few of those Oscar-worthy Bollywood films with imaginative plots, outstanding performances, and gripping screenplays.
1. Rang De Basanti
The movie has never aged. Its unique plot interweaves a timely theme while juggling past and present to show how they mirror one another. It emphasises how important it is for young people to have their say in shaping the direction of our nation. The carefree group of young people living in the national capital experience this realisation, and it forever alters their way of life.
The film praises patriotism free from prejudice, the youth — the future’s flag-bearers — and the past, the blood sacrifices of the revolution. Without a doubt, the international film community should have given Rang De Basanti all the prestige, acclaim, and glory.
Koi bhi Desh perfect nahi hota,
Use perfect banana padta hai.
-Flight Lt. Ajay Rathod, Rang De Basanti
2. My Name Is Khan
Imagine experiencing constant anxiety over being labelled a terrorist. This is precisely the historical backdrop to My Name Is Khan. Following 9/11, the rise of Islamophobia was a nightmare for Muslims all across the world, but especially for those living in the United States. The tragic story chronicles the lives of the adorably cute Rizwan Khan, an autistic man who wishes to exact revenge for the loss of his son by telling the US President in person, “My name is Khan and I am not a terrorist.”
Inspiring, moving, and powerful, My Name is Khan. Anyone would be moved to tears and overflow with empathy when they read this. It absolutely merited the Oscar.
Jab ek begunaah marta hai… toh uski maut ke saath saari insaaniyat ki bhi maut ho jaati hai.
-Rizwan Khan, My Name Is Khan
3. A Wednesday
An ambiguous phone call that a retiring police commissioner receives turns into his most challenging case ever. The call is made by a regular guy who is angry with the government’s failure to catch terrorists who have attacked cities and killed innocent people. This ordinary person becomes the first sign of the end of the bureaucratic way of doing things. If the Mumbai police don’t comply with his commands, he threatens to bomb five cities.
The pent-up wrath of the common man, who is victimised by terrorism and a redundant and slow legal system, is revealed in this thought-provoking novel. This low-budget, incredibly potent movie, which was inspired by the 2006 Mumbai train bombings, was Oscar-deserving.
Bheed toh dekhi hogi na aapne? Bheed mein se koi ek shakal chun lijiye…Main woh hoon
-The Common Man, A Wednesday
4. Masaan
Another example of the new-age cinema that Bollywood has adopted is Masaan. The film juggles casteism, misogyny, and life and death to reflect a serious reality that still prevails in our nation. Two seemingly unrelated plot strands that intersect at the end of the film to create a composite reality are followed. Deepak is falling in love with a high-caste Hindu girl to start a relationship that is doomed from the start given the milieu he operates in, while Devi Pathak is being hanged for engaging in pre-marital s*x.
This incredibly moving film mixes in some heartbreaking situations and concludes on a sombre note for a maybe bright future. Masaan is still a remarkably underappreciated film, and it merits more acclaim. Another Oscar-worthy visionary film, this one.
Sitaroon ko aankhon mein mehfuz rakhna,
Badi der tak raat hi raat hogi,
Musaafir hai hum bhi…Musaafir ho tum bhi…
Kisi mod par phir mulaakaat hogi.
-Shaalu Gupta, Masaan
5. Queen
The remarkable story of a woman’s transition from total dependency to empowering independence is told in Queen. It is a tale of maturation. A supposedly career-driven Vijay gets engaged to Rani, a trusting, naive Punjabi girl residing in Delhi, but the couple calls off their nuptials the night before the wedding. Rani, who is depressed, makes the amazing choice to embark on a solo honeymoon. For the first time in her life, Rani discovers the company of individuals who serve as a catalyst in her journey to self-discovery. She is anxious, out-of-sorts, and alone.
The film has a strong message and is uplifting and morally upright. Without a doubt, it merits praise from all corners of the globe.
-Rani, Queen
Main India se hoon, Rajouri. Rajouri suna hai? Apne honeymoon pe akele aayi hoon!
6. Chak De! India
Ack De! India is a superb, multilayered film. When Kabir Khan is wrongfully accused of supporting Pakistan in the Men’s Hockey Worldcup, he suffers from religious prejudice. He is fired from his position as a captain, ridiculed excessively, and made to leave his community with his mother. Dejected Kabir resolves to make a comeback and exact revenge on the authorities by taking over as coach of the women’s hockey team, which is also frequently ignored and undercut by them.
The film sparked interest in hockey, India’s national sport, and made people more aware of the need to watch sports without gender bias. And based on this, we may conclude that Chak De! is another Bollywood film deserving of widespread acclaim.
Mujhe states ke naam na sunai dete hai na dikhai dete hai…Sirf ek mulk ka naam sunai deta hai: I-N-D-I-A!
-Kabir Khan, Chak De India
7. Udaan
A remarkable story of self-recovery and reclaim is told in Udaan. In order to pursue his dream of being a writer in the City of Dreams, Rohan flees with his younger brother and himself from the oppressive shadows of his father. The film’s linear plot is full of scenes that will break your heart. It is quite strong in how it depicts the horrible authoritarian father who forces his decisions on his son and drives him away from his dreams.
The film finishes on a positive note, releasing the audience from the past’s shackles and into the future’s brilliance. This amazing story of a boy and his coming-of-age is yet another one with a message at its core.
Jo lehron se aage nazar dekh paati toh tum jaan lete main kya sochta hoon,
Wo aawaz tumko bhi jo bhed jaati
toh tum jaan lete main kya sochta hoon.
Zid ka tumhare jo parda sarakta,
khidkiyon se aage bhi tum dekh paate,
Aankhon se aadaton ki jo palken hatate,
toh tum jaan lete main kya sochta hoon
This absurdly condensed list serves just to draw attention to the outstanding movies that Bollywood has given us. It is simple to generalise the industry and stereotype the kind of content it produces, but if you look closer, you’ll discover that it is full of gems, including many more tales with similar themes.
