Unshutdownable !!

I am not a movie-buff. I rarely watch Hindi movies. Just cannot digest the same old romantic and sentimental concoctions being rehashed in new packages. But there are a few Hindi movies, which I have simply loved watching, and can watch them over and over again. If these movies have something in common, it is the uniqueness of their storylines, and their unforgettable music. Each of them occupy a permanent slot in the all-time greats of Indian cinema.

Here is a list of my 5 favorite Hindi movies—

5. Jewel Thief –

Arguably the best suspense thriller in Hindi movie history, Jewel Thief had just about everything, a gripping plot, an unlikely villain, wonderful locales, and glorious music. And the climax song, “Hoton pe aisi baat main dabake chali aayi”, with it’s minute long dance sequences, which make it one of the most well choreographed songs of all time, just takes your breath away.

4. Guide –

Another masterpiece from Vijay and Dev Anand, Guide was a movie way ahead of it’s time. It was probably the 1st Hindi movie to portray an adulterous extra-marital relationship. Filled with S.D. Burman’s immortal music, an unusual storyline, and Dev Anand’s performance of a lifetime, Guide is simply “Unshutdownable”

3. Lagaan –

What concept! What execution! Lagaan is like the “Geeta” of film making. There is something to be learnt from each and every aspect of the movie, for audiences and film-makers alike. Not surprisingly, the movie has now become part of many management courses.

2. Sholey –

A sure-shot contender for the “Greatest-Hindi-Movie-of-All-Time” award, Sholey had nothing usual about it. A retired police officer hiring 2 small time criminals to battle a dacoit, hardly seems to be a formula for a hit film, in an industry where romance and sentiments rule the roost.

Sholey redefined Hindi movie storylines for more than a decade to come.

1. Anand –

I doubt if anyone watching the movie for the 1st time, has come out without a lump in his throat. But the beauty of this film lies not in the fact that it makes you laugh or cry, but that it makes you laugh and cry at the same time. The touching story of a man who has only 6 months to live, but lives like the happiest man on the planet, forces each one of us to re-evaluate the way we lead our lives. Undoubtedly, this is Hrishikesh Mukherji’s best work. The fact that Bengalis all over the country came to be called “Babu Moshai” for years to come, is a testimony to the enormous popularity of the movie.

To end this post, here is a dialogue from the movie Anand, which imbibes the movie’s central theme, as well as carries a message for all of us.

“Babu Moshai! Zindagi lambi nahi, badi honi chahiye!”

P.S.:- Here is a list of "25 Must See Bollywood Movies" from India Times