Top 10 Hindi Movies of 2016 - Best Actor and Director Award goes to ....

Top 10 Hindi Movies for 2016 -

1. PINK - (Social) Drama (PG13) - For the message and effect it generates on audience. It had the right balance in entertainment and substance. Gone are the days when popular movies cannot have substance.
2. UMRIKA - Drama / Thriller (PG) - The small movie feel of the movie gives it a nod over others. It has a lot of relationships tied into a movie, there are no heroes or villains but life at it's best.
3. SAALA KHADOOS - Sports Drama (PG) - That's how a sports movie should make you feel. Very well written and acted.
4. KAPOOR AND SONS - Drama (PG) - The only 'wholesome entertainer' in this list. The movie has everything a big hindi film has + it does not compromise on content either.
5. UDTA PUNJAB - (Social) Drama (R) - Drug menace in Punjab beautifully meshed into 4 stories of love and struggle.
6. LAAL RANG - Romance (PG13)) - Hooda at his best. Blood bank underworld as a backdrop to a beautiful love story.
7. RAMAN RAGHAV 2.0 - Pschotic Thriller (R) - The twisted mind enthralls you until it is a movie.
8. ALIGARH - Documentary Drama (R) - Just watch Mr Manoj Bajpayee play a role of a Gay Professor in India.
9. KI&KA- (Social) Romance (G) - A Topic about what Ladki and Ladka can and cannot do. Both are trapped not one.
10. TALVAR -  Thriller Drama (PG13) - Our society, our justice system all stand exposed in what we already know, but what we don't know is .. how the victim feels.
11. Honorable Mentions - TE3N, NEERJA, NIL BATTEY SANATTA, RUSTOM.

Best Actor (Male) Award -

1. Manoj Bajpayee (Aligarh) - Manoj has memorable roles to his credit but this one was probably the biggest challenge for him. There are moments he is in the background sitting in a corner in the courtroom and taking a nap and all you can see is him in the scene. He is so immersed in the character it is hard to separate him from it. Also what a difficult character to play! Awesome job.
2. Sushant Singh Rajput (M.S. Dhoni) - Yes I have seen Dhoni for last 10 years but after the movie I see Sushant when I think Dhoni. He played Dhoni better than real Dhoni... If that is  a possibility. How good are today's kids? They are into their craft!
3. Nawazuddin Siddique (Raman Raghav 2.0) - Fact is - their could be no other Ramanna... no one who can do such a loathsome job. I was scared, irritated and amused at the same time by this portrayal of a psycho murderer! Obviously the script was with him and the director is a genius and hence I put him down to Number 3.
4. Randeep Hooda (Laal Rang) - I can't believe I am putting him that low. This guy lit up the screen and carried the movie all by himself. The rustic bad guy with a golden heart who is heart broken.... oh.. what a beautiful portrayal. I would not mind putting him at the top too. This year is awesome year for performances.
5. Amitabh Bachchan (Pink / Te3n) - When I do anything good I put this line - for a 40 year old I play cricket good. For a 40 year old I still am pretty active. What do you say about Bachchan? For a 70 year old the dude is awesome? No.... he is awesome without any disclaimer. That weird lawyer just added to my hatred of myself and my society on how we as a society developed. The Te3n character was also one difficult character played with flair.
6. Other honorable mentions - Shahid Kapoor and Diljit Dosanjh (Udta Punjab), Vicky Kaushal (Raman Raghav 2.0), Rajkummar Rao (Aligarh), Shah Rukh Khan (Fan), Rajat Kapoor (Kapoor and Sons)

Best Actor (Female) Award -

1. Alia Bhatt (Udta Punjab) - Though admittedly the role was author backed and loaded with positives for her. Still the girl is early in her career and pulled it off pretty well. Just for working diligently on it, she gets the top honors.
2. Ritika Singh (Saala Khadoos) - Don't know where she came from, but she is packed with energy and talent. In this original sports movie of the year this girl was the heart and soul of it. A lot is similar between this movie and Dangal. Ritika ... I hope we see you again in a movie!
3. Tapsee Pannu (Pink) - You must have heard enough on her portrayal of a modern fragile strong fallible innocent girl... which is pretty much every body. We all are scared but want to standup to injustice but we are not saint ourselves. We don't need to be! to get modicum of justice and she does all that portrayal beautifully.
4. Anushka (Sultan) - Easily the best actor amongst the popular actresses, she has the screen presence rarely seen. She can light up any scene with her presence and not because of a dance number but just cuz she is a compelling watch.
5. Honorable Mentions - Hetal Gadda (Dhanak), Geetanjali Thapa (I.D), Deena Pathak (Kapoor and Sons)

Best Director Award -

1. Anirudh Roy Chawdhary (Pink) - The movie was bereft of drama but was still high drama. The girls did not need to be 'perfect' according to society, they did not need to be perfect temperamentally but still you root for them to get justice. all along beautifully directed. From 'Damini' to 'Pink' we have come a long way! .... well at least in movies. State of society ... this blog does not talk about.
2.  Meghna Gulzar (Talvar) - I think she maybe the only director who does what she does. She is in her own league, her movie has violence without any, in fact they are calm but intense calm.
3. Anurag Kashyap (Raman Raghav 2.0) - this blogger is biased towards a few people and Anurag is one of them. It was right up his ally ... this psychotic, tilted freak show... but still there is only one who can do this.