The 18 Best Indian Movies of 2017

9. Lipstick under My Burkha (Alankrita Shrivastava, Hindi)

The way the patriarchal society and religion oppresses even the bravest of women in a world where men get away with anything remotely similar is portrayed without being preachy. Through four women belonging to different ages, religion and relationship status who lives in the same building, Shrivastava tells a hard-hitting tale. Even though most of the men are characterized as one dimensional, the complexity of the four protagonists balances it well enough.

8. Arjun Reddy (Sandeep Reddy Vanga, Telugu)

A groundbreaking directorial debut in Telugu film industry known for its over the top action films. Vijay Devarakonda shines as the titular character that goes through transitions from a macho romantic guy to a heartbroken brute through its non-linear narrative. The medical college setting in the background where the love story begins and the effect of the decisions made by the characters in each situation are connected in a smart way. Even though “Arjun Reddy” the character is brilliant yet perplexed, the film is brilliant and focused.

7. Jagga Jasoos (Anurag Basu, Hindi)

After an amazing collaboration in “Barfi” (2012) director Anurag Basu and actor Ranbir Kapoor come together for a Disney musical. With a story and visuals that feel like picked out from a comic book like “The Adventures of Tintin” that flows with a feeling of awe, this film is a comedy adventure that can entertain the audience of all the age groups. The world of “Jagga Jasoos” is filled with strange and wonderful mysteries that the audience will want to solve with a child's enthusiasm. Ranbir Kapoor gives another marvellous performance as the titular character and once again proves he's one of the best actors working in Bollywood.

6. Parava (Soubin Shahir, Malayalam)

The directorial debut of actor Soubin Shahir is inspired by his own childhood experiences from Mattancherry, Kochi where kids and youngsters participate in pigeon races. The lives of those who are involved in these races are entwined with raising these “Parava” (“Bird”) with love and care. The film revolves around two boys, Ichappi and Haseeb, their school life, love life and pigeon race. Through flashbacks, Ichappi's elder brother Shane's love story and the tragedy, including their friend Imran is revealed, while the propagators of that tragedy come back to their life. The portrayal of family life and friendship in Mattancherry, along with the school life in a Muslim society puts a new light into the popular biased opinions. At the same time, the film doesn't take its eyes away from the society's negative sides either. Dulquer Salman, who appears for less than half an hour makes the whole film his own by an amazing performance as Imran.

5. Mayaanadhi (Aashiq Abu, Malayalam)

The nights of Kochi have never been so beautiful in any other films before. Jayesh Mohan's cinematography captures the beauty and pathos of the lives of the protagonists, juxtaposed through the backgrounds. Once again, Aashiq Abu gives a film with a strong female lead that almost does a role reversal between the hero and heroine of the usual romantic films in India. “Mayaanadhi” (“Mystic River”) is a multifaceted romantic thriller that paints a realistic and poetic tale of love among urban Malayalee youth.

4. Angamaly Diaries (Lijo Jose Pellissery, Malayalam)

“Angamaly Diaries” features 86 debutant actors in all the major roles and yet Pellissery's control over his actors is evident on how every one of them did their part perfectly. The violent and humorous Angamaly hits the viewers as an unstoppable force that gives a fresh perspective on several unnoticed lives. The approach akin to kitchen sink realism gave a grounded sense; nevertheless, the elements giving the adrenaline rush worked well too. The climactic sequence consisting of a 12-minute long take is a breathtaking finale featuring thousands of extras who are attending the Angamaly church festival while a chain of events happens right in the middle of it, reaching a violent end. The extraordinary performance of all the debutant actors and the local flavour of Angamaly make “Angamaly Diaries” a very entertaining ride.

3. A Death in the Gunj (Konkona Sen Sharma, Multilingual)

The directorial debut of acclaimed actress Konkona Sen Sharma, daughter of acclaimed director Anupama Sen is truly impressive. The film is based on the short story by Mukul Sharma, the director's father, which is in turn inspired by real events. A period drama set in 1979 in a remote village of McCluskiegunj follows a week's event in a vacation house of an Anglo-Indian family. While the mixture of different cultures forms the proper background for the use of (Indian) English, the overarching patriarchy is also evident. Vikrant Massey's wonderful portrayal as Shuttu is just one of the many reasons to watch this wonderful film with the kind of family dynamics that could be relatable to most of the Indians.

2. Thondimuthalum Driksakhiyum (Dileesh Pothan, Malayalam)

After the most talked about film of Malayalam film industry in 2016 “Maheshinte Prathikaram” (“Mahesh's Revenge”), director Dileesh Pothan and actor Fahadh Faasil come together for “Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum” (Roughly translated as “The Exhibit and the Witness”). Just like in his previous film, Pothan manages to make the locations into characters that are essential to the story. Through the procedures in the Police station, there is a sense of disillusionment that the director provides without being judgmental. The film brilliantly takes a very simple plot and makes a compelling feature-length black comedy.

1. Aruvi (Arun Prabhu Purushothaman, Tamil)

“Aruvi” is an impressive directorial debut by Purushothaman, featuring an extraordinary debut by Aditi Balan as the titular character. The film treads through the fine lines between a socio-political satire, a heist thriller and a family drama, never settling for any one of the genres and yet almost never goes out of hand. Handling many social issues with a maturity that is seldom seen in the Tamil film industry, “Aruvi” became a sleeper hit and became one of the most talked about film of the year.